Natrah

I don’t know what makes me feel so interest to know about this woman. Unlucky I just discovered her after her death. To me, the story of Natrah is very rare and it happened in this country a long time ago. Natrah is a daughter of a Dutch couple. It is happened in Indonesia when her mother gave Natrah who still 5 years old to a single malay muslim woman (Che Aminah Mohamad) due to the war in Indonesia at that time. Many years later her parents who were in mission to find her eventually found her and want to take her back from her adopted mother. At that time, Natrah who already 13 years old was a happy muslim girl. She was really happy live with her adopted mother in Kemaman, Terengganu. She refused to return back to her real parents. Her parents decide to take this case into court but they fail to get back their daughter. To avoid Natrah from taken again by her parents, her adopted mother marry her with a teacher named Mansor Adabi. Natrah married the man with her heart as her fall in love with him. However, this action gives Natrah’s parents a chance to take her back. They object the marriage and strongly said that the marriage is illegal because Natrah is still under age. This case was taken to the court and this time Natrah’s parents won and succeed to get their daughter back to their country. Then, they change Natrah’s religion from Islam to Christian. Natrah then learned their language, food and culture. Many years later she had become a Duchess as other Duchess. However, she hated her parents and she also always in pressure. Her life was not as fine as what she had gone through in Kemaman, Terengganu. She still misses her former life with her adopted mother although she had married and had her own children. Until her death, she still misses her old memories.

I have read many information about her in internet and I also read a novel about her entitled ‘ Atas Nama Cinta’. This story is a very tragic story. One I know is Natrah still misses her old life, but does she ever miss her old religion? What makes Natrah change her image, get married and having children all in the way of Christian’ life? If she can do something to get back to her old life after her 18 years old, perhaps her life will not be so miserable. Perhaps Natrah was so upset at that moment and so tired to think about it. She lost her energy to fight for her life. Of course her environment is not supportive to motivate her towards that intention. I know it is hard for a young girl aged 13 years old to go through all this. Without any support she cannot stand from changing to adapt to the new world. However, I believe that if she has a strong faith to Islam, her life will not be ended with sadness. The story of her life after going to Dutch will be different. It is so sad to know that Natrah had to leave her happy life in Kemaman but to me, it is sadder to know that Natrah had changed and become a real Christian devotee.