Islam in the Netherlands East Indies
Islam came to Indonesia by way of Malabar and Coromandel, the respectively south-western and south-eastern coasts of India, along the...
History/Culture
Terracotta Memories of the Majapahit Civilisation
As a writer, traveller, and art enthusiast, I’ve come to find Majapahit as probably one of the most romantic and...
Sexy Rio Sidik Jazz Quartet
Rio Sidik is Indonesia’s most famous jazz and fusion musician and singer, well known too on the International music scene....
Hari Saraswati: In Praise of Books
With the islandwide celebration of Dewi Saraswati on August 10th, it’s only appropriate to offer a paean to Bali’s bountiful...
How the Other Half Lived – Batavia in the 18th Century
Founded in 1619 on the smouldering remains of Jacatra, Batavia was meant to function as a depot for the produce...
Educating the Past
Indonesia’s historical baggage over the last century and a half means that as we tip headlong into this new fangled...
The Farmer’ Markets of Bali
Bali’s traditional markets were once a necessity in a society where refrigeration and corner stores were not as widespread as...
Vintage Home in East Java
The civilisation of Java boasts of intricately artistic traditional architecture that stands the test of time. But people often forget...
Where are all the Country Houses?
When it comes to ostentatious shows of wealth, no one does it better than the Europeans. Backed by generations of...
The Sad Story of Pieter Erberveld
There are a number of versions to this story. Depending on the narrator, the good people of Batavia were saved...
Food for Thought
In this 21st century, Bali is rarely referred to as a paradise. Aldous Huxley in the mid-20th century wrote a...
Have You Tried The Missionary?
Cannibalism has long been linked with the islands that now make up Indonesia. The ancient Greek proto historian Herodotus identified...
Beep Beep
Last night I had the experience of a lifetime as far as taxi drivers go. I stepped into a...
Chinese-Indonesians: The Identity In Between
As the “ancestral homeland” of over 300 ethnic groups, Indonesia is one of the most multicultural countries in the...
Does Gang Land Mean Gang Warfare?
Indonesia’s political philosophy is “Unity in Diversity” or “Bhinneka Tunggal Ika” as every school child learns in the second grade...
I Made Mangku Pastika: A Governor of the People
The story goes that when I Made Mangku Pastika was a young boy, a neighbour hung himself over his gambling...
Once Upon a Sinking City: The Perpetual Floods of Jakarta
It is said that in life only two things are certain: death and taxes. But if you live in Jakarta,...
Nyepi: Parade of the Demons
Work has already begun on a mysterious five metre tall creature hidden behind a huge tarp with Styrofoam shavings lying...
Love, Sex, and Harmony: Bedtime Stories from the Heart of Java
Most of us have heard of India’s Kama Sutra and Tunisia’s Perfumed Garden. Every ancient agricultural society has its own...
Indonesian Heritage Society
Located on the 17th floor of Sentral Senayan 1, a square office tower next to the Sogo side of Plaza...
Legal Realities of Indonesian Expatriates – Family Matters
The purpose of this article is to explain some of the main family law related topics in the context of...