Redefining status through burqa: Religious transformation and body politics of Indonesia’s woman migrant workers

Abstract

Apart from being commonly understood as a symbol of religious identity, full-face veils (burqa) are also a process through which women redefine their  bodies and social status. This article investigates Indonesian women’s commitment to wearing burqa after their work migration in Taiwan and Hong  Kong. It focuses on the signification and the redefinition of the body through hijrah (transformation). In-depth interviews conducted with nine Indonesian  women migrant workers (WMWs) revealed that this hijrah process characterised by the wearing of the burqa is not always motivated by a  religiously radical mindset but more likely by practical considerations aiming to create a sense of security and comfort while working overseas. The burqa  is perceived as a symbolic shift in body definition: from being a source of harm, to piety and privilege, paving the way for women to join an  emerging elite community, rendering them a new noble and influential social status through socio-religious activities. This study recommends that  further research on WMWs in the Middle East needs to acquire a more comprehensive picture taking into account its complexity.

Contribution: Beyond  the symbolic religious identity, burqa wearing is also a form of political participation. It illustrates women’s agency and transformation in redefining their  bodies, public space, authority and public recognition.