Ferzya from AcehDavid MetcalfJune 2, 2014August 8, 2017 by David MetcalfJune 2, 2014August 8, 201711413Whenever I meet someone on my travels around Indonesia like Ferzya, I am filled with great hope for the future...
Inaro the Kerokan HealerHush PetersenMay 20, 2014August 18, 2017 by Hush PetersenMay 20, 2014August 18, 201702322A conversation about world of healing would be incomplete without mentioning the wonderful world of kerokan. Kerokan, synonymous with masuk...
Trisno the Mobile Coffee SellerHush PetersenMarch 24, 2014August 18, 2017 by Hush PetersenMarch 24, 2014August 18, 20170934Trisno was far from surprised when Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle chairwoman, Megawati Sukarnoputri gave Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo the...
Laiman the Cigarette-Loving Restaurant ManagerHush PetersenFebruary 25, 2014August 11, 2017 by Hush PetersenFebruary 25, 2014August 11, 20170781The ash on Laiman’s cigarette curls and turns grey like a witch’s fingernail. It finally falls on his pants. He...
Faces of Jakarta: Citra, the National Library LibrarianHush PetersenOctober 7, 2013August 16, 2017 by Hush PetersenOctober 7, 2013August 16, 201701362For the last six years, Citra, who boards a train and a bajaj every day, wakes up well before the...
Keribo, Danu and Agay: The BuskersHush PetersenSeptember 23, 2013August 23, 2017 by Hush PetersenSeptember 23, 2013August 23, 201701649Keribo and his friends Danu and Agay take pride in entertaining bus passengers - they ride anywhere between 40 and...
Faces Of Jakarta: Yanti, The Warteg LadyHush PetersenJuly 29, 2013August 16, 2017 by Hush PetersenJuly 29, 2013August 16, 20170924It’s 5:30 on a Thursday evening in the middle of Ramadhan. Yanti, a newly anointed grandmother, is cursorily taking gorengan...
Faces Of Jakarta: Husin, The Ice ManHush PetersenJuly 15, 2013August 16, 2017 by Hush PetersenJuly 15, 2013August 16, 20170533With Ramadhan in full swing you’d think that Husin’s business, selling ice to the 30 or more vendors and food...
Faces Of Jakarta : Imron, The CarpenterHush PetersenJune 19, 2013August 16, 2017 by Hush PetersenJune 19, 2013August 16, 201701705No one cares more for details than Imron. As a carpenter at Konsep Gallery along Jalan Kemang Timur Raya in...
Petty : The Restaurant CriticHush PetersenJune 3, 2013August 16, 2017 by Hush PetersenJune 3, 2013August 16, 201701294For the last nine years Petty Elliot has been living a secret life. She’s ducked in and out of Jakarta’s...
Pak Trisno : The Ojek Driver and Devoted FatherHush PetersenMay 20, 2013August 23, 2017 by Hush PetersenMay 20, 2013August 23, 201701247No one loves Jakarta’s traffic as much as Trisno. It’s his bread and butter. His clients leave the office at...
Herwan: The PainterHush PetersenMay 6, 2013September 6, 2017 by Hush PetersenMay 6, 2013September 6, 20171874Herwan’s shirt keeps the paint from dripping on his face. He figured out how to wrap the turban on his...
Edi: The Street SweeperHush PetersenApril 4, 2013September 4, 2017 by Hush PetersenApril 4, 2013September 4, 201701074On a sunny Wednesday morning in Kebayoran, Edi Sukandi is going through the motions. His dark wiry arms work without...
Taufan: The Strongest Kid You’ll Ever MeetHush PetersenMarch 26, 2013May 3, 2020 by Hush PetersenMarch 26, 2013May 3, 202001434Taufan might be the strongest kid you’ll ever meet. He’s seven-years-old now, but he’s been fighting leukemia since he was...
Kang Edi: The CaricaturistHush PetersenMarch 12, 2013September 6, 2017 by Hush PetersenMarch 12, 2013September 6, 20170987In the shadow of Pasar Baru in Central Jakarta sits the coup de grace of every departing expat—Jalan Gedung Kesenian—and...
Icha : The Three-in-One JockeyDavid MetcalfFebruary 25, 2013October 20, 2020 by David MetcalfFebruary 25, 2013October 20, 20202 1203Icha stands patiently, arm outstretched, hoping for a ride to Monas, Kota or another part of Jakarta with the hope...
Joko: The Construction WorkerDavid MetcalfFebruary 11, 2013August 16, 2017 by David MetcalfFebruary 11, 2013August 16, 20170886I am sure you have all noticed the huge shopping malls going up all over Jakarta in recent times. Behind...
Pak Aseni: The Ojek DriverDavid MetcalfJanuary 28, 2013September 6, 2017 by David MetcalfJanuary 28, 2013September 6, 20170634Aseni was a Metro Mini driver for twelve years before deciding to become a motorbike taxi (ojek) driver. Ten years...
Nonong and Basio: The Street DancersDavid MetcalfJanuary 14, 2013September 6, 2017 by David MetcalfJanuary 14, 2013September 6, 20170759Nonong and Basio, both 47 years old, are not your typical Jakarta workers. In fact, they don’t live in Jakarta...
Tri: The Electrical TechnicianDavid MetcalfDecember 20, 2012September 6, 2017 by David MetcalfDecember 20, 2012September 6, 20171746Tri is a fairly determined young man with a plan. He moved to Jakarta three years ago from Yogyakarta where...
Deskom: The Part-Time Busker BoyDavid MetcalfNovember 19, 2012September 6, 2017 by David MetcalfNovember 19, 2012September 6, 20170719I came across Deskom and his best mate, Aris one hot morning on Mampang Prapatan, South Jakarta, as they were...