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SIAMIR MARULAFAU





Songsoptok
Interview
Valentine’s Day – myth or reality?

SONGSOPTOK: Valentine’s Day has become one of the major festivals these days, comparable to Thanksgiving, Christmas, Diwali, Id, Rosh Hashanah or Chanukah and observed by men and women irrespective of religion. Do you agree? How important is it in the country you live in??

SIAMIR: Yes,I do agree.It is beacause  this Valentine’s day is a special for the young generations or other people,who may be concerned with so as toimprove the human relation in terms of loving each other in this Universe.Actually,it is very important in my country whereas most of the youths like and feel very interesting to celebrate it,but the Governments in my country do not agree if the youths and young generations as well as to celebrate the day of the Valentin’s day caused by the religious factors.


SONGSOPTOK: There are several different views about the history and origin of Valentine’s Day. Which is the version you know about?

SIAMIR: Historically,the history of the origin of Valentine’s day has different versions as i know that Valentine’s  day is a special day or people,who may be concerned with has been in the love ,whereas people send their love message and the gifts to one with another related to the greatest name Santo Valentine,who died as a hero kept up and strengthen his belief.In another side,the origin history about Valentine’s day is that it was regarded as one of the celebration days by Romans,who had  a strong belief of their religion to worship the statue since 17th Century B.C. so as to worship the deitiy,Lupercus considered as the deities of vertility.Mean while,since the death of Christian Priest,known as a helpful doctor,named as Valentine in 14 th,February,269 A.D. became the major talk up to day.


SONGSOPTOK: Why do you think Valentine’s Day has become so important all over the world irrespective of the political, social and religious dimensions? Do you think that the anxiety and stress related to modern day relationships have contributed to its growing popularity all over the world?

SIAMIR: I think Valentine’s day has become so impotant to all over the world because it concerns with the improvement of human relation,even in the dynamic improvement of the political,social aspects and religious dimensions.I do not think so  that the anxiety and stress related to modern day relationship contributed to its growing popularity all over the world since Valentine may not be regarded as a negative aspect in the lives of man.


SONGSOPTOK: Do you celebrate Valentine’s Day? In what way? If you don’t, will you please explain why not?

SIAMIR: No,but i just only joined my best friend in my country to celebrate Valentine’s day.He invited me and we just made a happy life for keeping good relationship between one with another.


SONGSOPTOK: Do you feel obliged to do something special for your spouse/partner on Valentine’s Day or it is similar to and as natural as celebrating birthdays and anniversaries? In other words, is there any peer pressure to conform to the traditions associated with the modern version of Valentine’s Day?

SIAMIR: No,do not feel obliged to do something special for my partner on Valentine’s day except when it is the day of her birthday,and i surely suppot her to celebrate and invite some of our friends to come,which is similar to Valentine’s day.In other words,there is no any peer pressure to traditions associated with the modern version of Valentine’s day that is meant by.


SONGSOPTOK: According to you what, if anything, is special about Valentine’s Day? Does it play an important role in romantic relationships? Why? Is it important for you to surprise your partner on Valentine’s Day? What would be your preferred way?

SIAMIR: In my opinion, the special thing in Valentine’s day is to keep up a good loving  between one with another so as to make a very good human relations among people .Of course,it plays an important role in romantic relationship ,especially for the youths to keep more friendship among them since human relation is one of the important things to share ideas beside something regarding positive .I think,no so because she knows everything about this.I would like if she and i have a mutual understanding about this  so as to avoid negative thinking.


SONGSOPTOK: Do you buy gifts on Valentine’s Day? What type of gifts do you normally buy? Do you think it is important to follow the norm and go for the traditional gifts like flowers, chocolates, cards, perfumes etc.? Please share your motivations or lack of them with us?

SIAMIR: Oh,yes,sometimes i buy gifts on this day.Well,i sometimes ‘Gold Ring’,and sometimes i give flowers,and perfumes.I do think so because following traditonal gifts as is meant may not be separated from human lives ,and it should be.I used to share my motivations by giving them a spirit,and a mutual understanding concerning with these all.


SONGSOPTOK: Marketing Gurus often dub Hallmark as the official sponsor of Valentine’s Day in the USA. Do you have any equivalent in your own country? Do big consumer good companies carry out an aggressive promotion campaign for Valentine’s Day? What are their preferred channels? Do social media play an important role in this respect in your country of residence?

SIAMIR: No, i do not have as what is meant as the official sponsor of Valentine’s day in the USA.No, i don’t have any in my own country.Not very much they carry out as what is meant for Valentine’s day.CNN channel that they mostly preferred.Yes, only a few social medias play important role in this respect of my own country residence.


SONGSOPTOK: What are the popular customs related to Valentine’s Day in the country you live in? What do you think about them? Do you think that men and women actually enjoy and look forward to 14th February or is it just a matter of keeping up with the Jones’??

SIAMIR: The popular customs related toValentine’s day in the country i live in is that going along with friends to friends’ house or going along with friends visiting a recreational place.I think that no mater if they are conducted as long as they might not bring negative impacts.I think so,they are mostly to enjoy and to look forward to 14th February or with no a matter of keeping up with the Jones.


SONGSOPTOK: Do you think that there is actually a social stigma for single, unattached people who do not celebrate Valentine’s Day? Do you think that the Valentine Day extravaganza may have a negative impact on their psyche, moral and ultimately their well-beings? What is your own experiences? Would you please share it with us?

SIAMIR: No, i do not think so that there is actually a social stigma for single unattrached people who do not celebrate Valentine’s day.I do  not think so it may have a negative impact on their psyche,moral and ultimately and this depends on their own personality whether they tend to do the negative impacts dealing with the immoral things ,which are not suitable for Valentines day.My own experience about this is so wide for joining valentine’s day as a day of keeping good human relations with other people in my country seem to be fair and brings happiness in the lives of sharing ideas between one with another whereas it creates a new world of lives sharing the love,who may be concerned with.

SIAMIR MARULAFAU was born in Nias, North Sumatera-Indoesia,May 17,1958. He is A lecturer in English language and literature at the University of North Sumatra. He is a poet, a short story writer. He has been writing many poems English and Indonesian language and  some of his works were published such as “Humanity”(A Poem Anthology,2015);”Lighting”(A poemAnthology,2016),etc.


We sincerely thank you for your time and hope to have your continued support.
Aparajita Sen
(EDITOR)

 Songsoptok

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