Pesta Blogger Party 2007: Jakarta, West Java

October 10th, 2007 | By Barrie | No Comments »

A popular ustadz (Islamic preacher) got angry and threatened via email to report a blogger in Yogyakarta to police for defaming Islamic preachers. The blogger promptly retracted his article titled Ustadz Komersial (commercial preacher). Dozens of bloggers wrote in, mostly deploring the arrogance of the ustadz.

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Mapa Gunadharma

October 5th, 2007 | By Barrie | No Comments »

What can a student organization for nature lovers offer to its members? Students join this organization at their campus for different reasons. Many have said they joined to get knowledge and skill in outdoor activities like wall climbing, caving, rafting and anything else that brings fun.

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Practicalities for a Long Bike Trip

October 5th, 2007 | By Barrie | No Comments »

Cheaper to buy and run than a car, the motorbike is the vehicle of choice for many Indonesians. Bikes have the added advantage of maneuverability in the country’s notorious traffic: in Jakarta an ojek (motorbike taxi) can often get you to your destination in half the time of a four-wheeled taxi.

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Sundanese and the ‘Angklung’ Patent Battle: West Java

October 1st, 2007 | By Barrie | No Comments »

The angklung is a bamboo instrument consisting of a number of vertical tubes attached to a handheld horizontal rod that is rattled by the performer. It has become not just an instrument for making music but also for devising political and social protests.

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Taman Menteng Glasshouses: Jakarta, West Java

September 30th, 2007 | By Barrie | No Comments »

In the past, the only reason I would go to Jl. HOS Cokroaminoto, specifically the stretch where Hotel Formule-1 is located, is the famous nasi gila — an oily fried rice dish that is a mix of vegetables and meat sold by vendors along that stretch. Other than that, I always tried to avoid it because the traffic was always heavily congested due to disorganized on-street parking according to the Jakarta Post.

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Bridge to Connect Java and Sumatra

September 29th, 2007 | By Barrie | No Comments »

Banten Governor Ratu Atut Chosiah says her administration has agreed with Lampung province to start building a bridge over the Sunda Strait separating Java and Sumatra in 2009.

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Indonesians in Focus: Bondan Suryaning Tias

September 29th, 2007 | By Barrie | No Comments »

Artist Bondan Suryaning Tias searched through his files and began to read an article in a newspaper cutting on what gave him his artistic inspiration.

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Indonesians in Focus: Achmad Mikami Sumawijaya

September 26th, 2007 | By Barrie | No Comments »

“I have built a cultural village to encourage people to participate in the seren taun (harvest festival). I hope that young people from the Land of Sunda (West Java province), particularly Bogor, learn to love Sundanese culture. I feel concerned by the fact that Sundanese culture is now being eroded by foreign cultures,” said Achmad Mikami Sumawijaya.

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Garuda Urged to Open Direct Jakarta-Darwin Flight Service

September 26th, 2007 | By Barrie | 1 Comment »

Garuda Indonesia should open a direct flight service between Darwin and Jakarta in view of the high economic potential of Australia’s Northern Territory and Darwin’s need to have an air link with Asian cities via Jakarta, according to a Garuda official. Darwin is seen as an isolated city in Australia. It seems only logical considering next year will be Visit Indonesia Year.

The Panji Legends

September 25th, 2007 | By Barrie | No Comments »

The Mahabharata and Ramayana Indian epics are reasonably familiar to literati in the West where they’ve been infrequently performed. The Panji legends, once well-known throughout Southeast Asia, are now foreign outside Java — and to much of the present generation of Indonesians who prefer TV to live theater.

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