Dewi Sukarno

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Dewi Sukarno
Born
Naoko Nemoto; 根本七保子

February 6, 1940
Tokyo, Japan
Occupation(s)Businesswoman, socialite, television personality, philanthropist
Known forSukarno's wife
ChildrenKartika Sari Dewi Soekarno

Dewi Sukarno (デヴィ・スカルノ, Devi Sukaruno), complete name Ratna Sari Dewi Sukarno (ラトナ・サリ・デヴィ・スカルノ, Ratona Sari Devi Sukaruno), born Naoko Nemoto (根本 七保子, Nemoto Naoko, born February 6, 1940), is a Japanese Businesswoman, socialite, television personality, and philanthropist. She was one of the wives of the late Indonesian leader Sukarno.

Biography

Naoko Nemoto first met the 57-year-old Sukarno near the Imperial Hotel at the Ginza hostess bar in Tokyo, when she was 19, during the then-Indonesian president was on a state visit to Japan. Prior to becoming Sukarno's wife, she was an art student, entertainer and lady of the night. Naoko married Sukarno in Indonesia in 1962 and converted to Islam, then Sukarno gave Naoko her Indonesian name Ratna Sari Dewi Soekarno; derived from Javanese-Sanskrit which means 'the jewel essence of a goddess'. She had one daughter, Kartika (now goes by Carina), with Sukarno.[1] Sukarno was overthrown by General Suharto in a 1967 coup, and died three years later.

Dewi Sukarno, who moved to Europe after Sukarno's ouster, has lived in different countries, including Switzerland, France, and the United States. As of 2008 she resides in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan, where she lives in her memorabilia-filled residence.[2]

Dewi Sukarno is known for her outspoken personality. She is often referred to as Dewi Fujin (デヴィ夫人, Devi Fujin, literally "Mrs. Dewi" or "Madame Dewi"). Her full legal name is now Ratna Sari Dewi Sukarno (ラトナ・サリ・デヴィ・スカルノ, Ratona Sari Devi Sukaruno), but she is commonly referred to simply as "Madame Dewi". She made appearances in the news media after the January 2008 death of her husband's successor Suharto, blaming him for instituting a repressive regime and likening him to Cambodian despot Pol Pot.[3]

As of 2012 Dewi Sukarno enjoys her hobby of 16 dogs and cosmetics business, and has her own charity business that is often scrutinized by the National Tax Agency. She now makes her living doing part-time jobs and appearances on Japanese television, and has served as a judge for a beauty contest, as in the 2005 Miss International pageant held in Tokyo. She is well-known for her sculpted beauty and often claims to have not had the facelifts and plastic surgery that her doctor has rumored doing.

Controversies

In January 1992, Dewi became involved in a much-publicised altercation at a party in Aspen, Colorado, United States with fellow international socialite and heiress Minnie Osmeña. Osmeña reportedly commented on Dewi's past, and the spat culminated in the latter hitting Osmeña's face with a wine glass. Osmeña needed 37 stitches to close the gash, and Dewi was later detained for 34 days in Aspen for disorderly conduct.[4][1] Dewi and Osmeña—a granddaughter of a former President of the Philippines— were already hostile to each other after an exchange at a previous party months before, where Dewi was heard to laugh at Osmeña's political plans (among which was her wish to run for Vice-President).

Two years later, she posed for a book of photographs that was published in her native Japan (well known as "Madame de Syuga"), where some of the images featured her partially naked, and others showed what appeared to be tattoo-like body art. The book, while not distributed in Indonesia, was immediately banned, with many Indonesians feeling offended by what was perceived to be a disgrace of Sukarno's name and legacy.[1]

Political activities

After leaving Indonesia after the 1967 coup that ousted her husband, Dewi has had little involvement with Indonesian politics.[5] She has worked with the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP), and has expressed the wish to help refugees as well as people living under regimes like North Korea. When asked to comment about the reign of Megawati Sukarnoputri, her stepdaughter, who also served as a leader of Indonesia, all she replied was, "I think Megawati is gradually doing whatever she can. It's not easy being a Muslim woman president ."[2]

Appearances in Pop Culture

In Nerima Daikon Brothers the character Yukika Karakuri/Deb Sukarno/"Lady Deb" is a parody of Dewi Sukarno.

In Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei "President Sukarno" is on a list of "impressive things that are overshadowed"; "Madame Dewi" is what overshadows him.

On Gaki no Tsukai ya Arahende she had a cameo appearance during the 2009 No Laughing Hotelman Batsu Game as a taxi driver.

References

  1. ^ a b c Mydans 1998.
  2. ^ a b "A Life in the Day of Madame Dewi". Japan Today.[dead link]
  3. ^ AFP 2008-01-28.
  4. ^ Lo 2003.
  5. ^ Sukarno 2003.
Cited sources

External links

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