MIKA MAHARANI GYNECOLOGIA

When I was growing up, I was always curious: what’s the meaning of a name? Until I found a powerful lines from a Chinese proverb: “good peoples will die eventually, but death can’t kill their names”.  A name is a very powerful word; I guess my parent already knew that before they decided to give me the name that I had now.

For a long times, I have been associated with the name of Mika Maharani Gynecologia. I have to admit, it’s rather an unusual name for Indonesian peoples; or shall we put it: “special”.Let me break-down the meaning of my “special” names, one by one.

Mika stands for Minang Kabau, the area in west Sumatra where the women rule! They use matriarchy laws instead of patriarchy laws that are common practice in Indonesia. I’m so proud that I inherited the character of most Minang kabau women as strong-hardworking-independent women.

Maharani comes from the Indian word means “queen” – a woman eminent in power and attraction.

So far my names have a good meaning, however I still had my last name which gives a bitter sweet taste to my life, Gynecologia -- it comes from a medical term – Gynecologist.

Gynecologist is the medical term for human reproduction systems, mostly the female reproduction system.

THANK GOD!! I was born as a woman, could you imagine if I was born as a man? I would have a pretty tough life!!!

The reason I was entitled to such a special name is that my biologic dad was a young doctor and working as an intern in a public hospital.  As the intern, he has to work in several sections in the hospital for some period.

When my mom was 8 months and 2 weeks pregnant, my dad was working in the gynaecologist section, and the hospital management was planning to transfer him to the paediatric section the next day.

According to my mom’s gynaecologist, I was not to be born for another two weeks.  I guess “something happened on the way to haven”…my mom couldn’t hold it any longer, so I was born the same day when my dad was still in the gynaecologist section.

Of course, in order to cherish and honor the day that I was born, my dad – the proud intern - awarded Gynecologia as my last name.

When I learned about the history of my names, 12 years after I was born – then again it was too late to take any legal action to sue my parent! So I could only complain to my mom: “Mom, why you couldn't hold it for just one more day, so I could have got a better name like Mika Maharani Pediatriani, at least something less unusual”. You know what my mom said? “Wait until you have your-own baby, and then you will know”. From that moment on, I rested my case!  There’s no point to argue with your mom.

The best part of having gynecologist as last name; I have doctor title without actually having to study hard, because people think I’m a gynecologist by profession, but ironically, out of all professions in the world, the only thing that I couldn’t do was becoming a doctor! It's not because I am not smart enough, but because I didn’t have the courage to see and touch “human flesh and blood”. That’s why I studied architecture.

For years after I discovered the story of my name, I had made peace with myself. As a matter of fact, I found that my name really represents who I am - a strong-hardworking-independent woman who is not afraid to bare her naked soul and believes that she’s special just like her names.