“Name is a prayer” is a phrase believed by many Indonesians, with parents bestowing names on their children containing prayers and wishes for what they hope they will grow up to be. By that token, one newborn in Indonesia may one day become both the president and vice president of the country.
The story of a one-month-old baby boy from Sragen Regency, Central Java who’s named Joko Widodo Ma’ruf, after President Joko Widodo and his running mate in this year’s election Ma’ruf Amin (whose ticket was assigned the candidate number 01), recently went viral after photos of his selapanan (newborn baby’s first 35 days ceremony) invitation made the rounds on social media.
Joko, born on January 11, is the third son of Heni and her husband Suwarno, but is the only one among his siblings to be given a name inspired by Indonesian political figures.
“The father chose the name for him. I initially suggested some names but he didn’t agree, so I decided just to follow my husband,” Heni said yesterday, as quoted by Tribun Jateng.
Suwarno said he idolizes Jokowi and Ma’ruf so much that he decided his third son will carry their names.
“I named him like bapak president so one day my son will be as smart as him. Hopefully he will also be devout, holds strong religious values like Ma’ruf Amin,” Suwarno said.
Heni said that she gave birth to Joko at the same time with another mom, whose baby sadly didn’t survive. There was also a scare regarding Joko’s survival as he was diagnosed with weak lungs and had to undergo an intensive care as soon as he was born. When the baby Joko overcame his struggles and reached his one-month mark, the parents decided to hold a selapanan ceremony as their gratitude to God.
Heni said she didn’t expect photos of the ceremony invitation to go viral online when she shared it on her social media accounts. Due to the newborn’s newfound fame, the family has received a great deal of attention for the baby and has even received gifts from an anonymous sender.
Regardless of whether or not Jokowi-Ma’ruf wins in April’s election, at least one child will carry their legacy throughout his life.
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