Indonesians in Focus: Teuku Jacob

October 19th, 2007 | By Barrie | 2 Comments »

Indonesian paleontologist Teuku Jacob, who died Wednesday from a liver disease, was known for his firm scientific judgments, including his opinion on the “Hobbit” fossils found on an island in East Nusa Tenggara province. A public funeral ceremony was held at Gadjah Mada University (UGM) in Yogyakarta on Thursday before Jacob’s body was moved to its final resting place in the university’s cemetery. Hundreds of academics, administrative staff, students, former rectors, and colleagues, friends and relatives of Jacob attended the ceremony that ended with a military salute for the recipient of the 2002 Bintang Mahaputra Nararia State Award.

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Children’s Museum: Yogyakarta, Central Java

October 18th, 2007 | By Barrie | No Comments »

Long before it will officially open its doors at Yogyakarta Cultural Park, a new children’s museum has been reaching out to the public with various events and displays. Kolong Tangga Museum, opening in January 2008, is named for a child welfare community grouping, itself an outgrowth of Yayasan Untuk Semua Anak (All Children’s Foundation). Museum technical director, Indra, said exhibitions for children — like “Mysterious Dolls” and “Old Prints of Jakarta” — were launched in 2006 in a bid to introduce the new museum to the public.

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Creative Children: Yogyakarta, Central Java

October 17th, 2007 | By Barrie | No Comments »

For lots of children in Pandes village in Yogyakarta, Wednesdays have become the most popular day of the week — because that’s the day they are allowed outside their classrooms to play traditional games, learn about art and its history, and to playfully learn more of their own culture.

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Volcanoes - Magnets for Tourists

October 17th, 2007 | By Barrie | No Comments »

Seen as sacred in some local traditions, devotees living close to dangerous volcanoes are sometimes reluctant to evacuate when warnings are issued. The crater lake of Mt Kelud, for example, is thought to be a source of peace and prosperity by some living by its slopes. Thousands of tourists are also drawn to the symmetrical cones of volcanoes such as Bromo, one of Java’s most active, to see the sun rise through clouds of mist and volcanic steam; and Agung, Bali’s highest and most sacred volcano, which towers over the east of the island.

Indonesians in Focus: Kusnodin

October 14th, 2007 | By Barrie | No Comments »

Some people are suspicious of free enterprise and even afraid to compete with people from other countries, but not Kusnodin, a villager who lives west of Borobudur temple in Central Java. He says he is growing impatient waiting for free trade to come because he is sure that he can easily play a role in the global market.

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The History of Kue-Kue

October 13th, 2007 | By Barrie | No Comments »

In Indonesia kue-kue, sweet or savory snacks, are a familiar sight, found everywhere from food markets to star-studded events and grand weddings. However, during colonial times, kue-kue were not considered appropriate food for well-heeled individuals and it appeared only in traditional circles.

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Charms of Yogyakarta: Central Java

October 13th, 2007 | By Barrie | No Comments »

It’s easy to fall in love with Yogyakarta; not so easy to explain how it is that the city so beguiles and enthralls the visitor. To walk in Jogja, as it is fondly called — and part of the city’s charm is that it invites you to do just that — is to be taken by surprise in a hundred tiny, enigmatic ways.

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Indonesians in Focus: Naning Adiwoso

October 12th, 2007 | By Barrie | No Comments »

Naning Adiwoso has devoted significant time to campaigning for clean public toilets in Indonesia, taking snapshots of toilets wherever she goes. Her collection of thousands of pictures includes about 1,000 photos of Indonesian toilets.

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Bantul Farmers Say No to Chemical Fertilisers: Central Java

October 11th, 2007 | By Barrie | No Comments »

The Bantul administration in Yogyakarta said it was encouraging farmers to use compost rather than chemical fertilizers but many farmers have said they prefer to use chemicals. Chemical fertilizer use in Bantul today remains high but farmers depend on chemicals for instant results, Bantul farming agency head Edy Suharyanto said.

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Mosque Utilises TV to Reach Masses: Yogyakarta, Central Java

October 7th, 2007 | By Barrie | No Comments »

A Yogyakarta mosque has turned to television preaching to reach more people. MJTV or Masjid Jogokariyan Television was launched by the takmir (management) of Jogokariyan Mosque in Jogokariyan village on the first day of Ramadhan, or Sept. 13.

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