CaBauKan

Ca Bau Kan relates the saga of Giok Lan an Indonesian woman living in the Netherlands who returns to Indonesia in search of her roots Her mother Tinung a village woman was known as Ca Bau Kan a word used to describe a courtesan who entertained Chinese men in colonial Indonesia Giok Lans father Tan Peng Liang Ferry Salim was an immigrant Chinese merchant who had a very successful tobacco business in Batavia She becomes deeply involved with him and causes a scandal when he has Tinung move in with his family The film is set between 1930 and 1950 and unfolds the story of Giok Lan and her parents Tinung and Tan Peng Liang where Tan is eventually ruined when his rivals begin to attack him This is owing to the significant contrast in socioeconomic and cultural background as the love of these last two characters face a series of difficulties