Indonesia - The Country of Heaven

Keris - The Unique Dagger from Indonesia

mulyady.chandra@gmail.com (File) — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 08:22:00 +0000

Wohow.... don't get it wrong. Keris has no any connection with Korea Education and Research Information Service (KERIS). We are talking about a very different kind of things. Keris that I mention here is an asymmetrical dagger from Indonesia. There are two kind of keris : wavy and straight shape. Keris is considered as weapon and spiritual object as well. Keris sometimes also considered to have an essence of presence with some blades possessing good luck and some other bad luck.

UNESCO has given the title of Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity (2005) to Keris.

In the past - especially in Java culture - every man own a Keris in their home. Some people worn it on a daily basis, especially when traveling and will use in case for their own protection and self-defense. Some people believe that Keris must be treated very carefully. That's why most people will do cleaning ceremonial and ritual for their Keris. The ritual is the part of spirituality and mythology surrounding the weapon.

Not many people can make Keris. Only the chosen metalworkers called Empu have authority and ability to craft and make it. In Bali, this ocupation was the preserve of the clan of Pande. For this reason, Keris are considered almost alive because they may be vessels of spirits (either good or evil). Keris can move of their own volition and killed individuals at will. Some rumored said that some people also can control Keris and make it stand upright when their named are called. People believed some Keris helped prevent fires, death, agricultural failure, and other probles. They could also bring fortune like treasure and bountiful harvests.

Because Keris are considered sacred and believed to possess magical powers, specific rites needed to be completed to avoid colling down evil fates which is the reason warriors often made offering to their Keris at a shrine.

Keripik Kul - The (Almost) Extinct Ancient Snack

mulyady.chandra@gmail.com (File) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 10:27:00 +0000

Let's talk about something that might be thrill your tongue.....

Dare to try something unique?

How about Keripik Kul (Kul Crackers). Hmmmm..... what is that?

If you see it for the first time, the first thing that came out of your mind is, "What a disgusting food!!!"

Well.... it's true. This cracker chips' appearance just like dried-crinkled skin. It has brown and black color combination. It has no any smelly taste or smell. Just like regular cracker. But you will never imagine if this cracker is made from snail. Yep..... it's true. In some area in Central Java (Semarang, Jogjakarta, and Solo), snail is one of the famous things to eat. Usually it served as Indonesia barbecue (Sate), or mixture for Soto (traditional soup made from coconut milk and the combination of other ingredients, like turmeric and lemon grass), and Pecel (traditional salad).

In East Java region, snail has been made as crackers that been known as Kul Crackers ("Kul" means Snail in East Java's dialect).

To make this kind of crackers, first of all, take out the snail meat from it shell ,then wash till it clean from its mucous . Then mix it with the prepared ingredients, and dried in the sun until crisp and dry. And finally, fried the dry snails, then packed.

Because of the difficulty of making this crackers, not so many people who still able to run the business. And recently, it is difficult to find this kind of snack. We can say it is a rare-kind of snack. So if one day you visit East Java, the first thing you should look for is Keripik Kul (Kul / Snail Cracker). Coz it almost extinct already and it already very hard to find.

Barong - The Sacred Dance from Bali

mulyady.chandra@gmail.com (File) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 09:48:00 +0000

Another famous dance that you are going to see a lot in Bali is The Barong Dance. The dance is a story telling dance, about the fight between good and evil. Barong itself is the king of the spirits, leader of the hosts of good and the protective spirit for forests and lands. Each region of Bali island has their own barong, and usually modeled after animals, such as Dragon, Tiger, Boar, Serpent, and others. The most popular barong is Lion Barong, that often used for the performing arts. Barong is often portraited with two monkeys.

The Barong Dance tells the story about Rangda, the mother of Erlangga, King of Bali in the tenth century. The myth said that Rangda had practiced black magic, in which made Erlangga's father upset and condemned her. The furious Rangda summoned all evil spirits in the jungles to come after Erlangga. Because of the power of Rangda was too strong, Erlangga lost the fight and almost lost his life. He asked for the help of Barong. With Erlangga's soldiers, Barong confronted Rangda and the fight resumed.

Rangga casted a spell that made Erlangga's soldiers suddenly want to committed suicide by stubbing their own stomach with keris (the traditional blade from Bali). Barong casted a spell that turned his body resistant to the sharp keris. Finally Barong won the fight.

To performed Barong Dance, each dancer has to have ability and power to control themselves. Because usually when they performed the suicide part, some said that there has a ery unexplained strong power that also involved in the dance. If the dancer is not strong enough to hold the power, they might get injured by their own keris.

The mask of barong and Rangda are the sacred items that not easily used. Before the dance started, a priest will held a blessing ritual by sprinkling the masks with holy mountain and asked for safety,

The Barong Dance usually played in Gianyar where Ubud is located.

Pendet - The Dance of The Goddess

mulyady.chandra@gmail.com (File) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 08:14:00 +0000

In 2009, Malaysia and Indonesia relationship became very tense due to the using of Pendet Dance in Malaysia's advertisement promotion. The advertisement - in which shown by Discovery Channel Program in Malaysia - shown Pendet to be Malaysian dance. This statement caused anger in Indonesia. Many Indonesian editorials and news stories reporting the offending clip, caused Discovery TV finally sent an apology letter to the two countries (Indonesia and Malaysia).

If you were Indonesian, you might understand why Indonesian people become so furious when Malaysia use Pendet Dance and claim it as theirs. Pendet Dance has been known as traditional dance from Bali, in which offering are made to purify the temple or theater as a prelude to ceremonies or other dances.It has been played since long time ago and become one of the most popular dance, besides Barong & Tari Kecak.

There has no precise record which mentioned the date Pendet Dance been made. But people believed, Pendet Dance has been performed for the first time in 1950 (which assumed it also created in that time). Previously, Pendet Dance was use for religion and ritual dance in Bali. I Wayan Rindi and Ni Ketut Reneng - two well-known dance-artist from Sumetha Village - are the creator of this dance. They were also develop this dance into ceremonial dance and usually perform the dance to welcome guests.

In 1960, Pendet Dance was been performed for the first time for international public in Asian Games. The dance been presented in front of President Soekarno, Indonesia's first President. Since then, Pendet Dance has been used widely for any occasion in Bali (especially in welcoming guests whose visiting Bali).

The original Pendet Dance is performed by 4 - 5 young girls (before their puberty) in temple yards. They usually bring flowers in small Silver bowls (called "Bokor"), then spread the flowers around the temple. This dance is a symbol of welcoming God. Pendet dance actually has simple dance movements. These movements are the basic dance movements of Balinese dance.

Bali - The Island of God

mulyady.chandra@gmail.com (File) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 04:35:00 +0000

One of the most popular island in Indonesia is Bali. Who never heard about Bali, the Island of God? It is an island with fascinating culture, great beaches, nice people, and warm. A lot of tourists have been there, and I believe, one of them might be you. But if you never been there and still consider, "Why I should go to Bali?" Well.... here are the reasons :

BALI - YOUR HOLIDAY WILL NEVER BE THE SAME....
Bali is located at the westernmost of Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to the east. The population in Bali about 3,551,000 people, and most of the people that lived there are Hindu (about 93%). Bali and Java island are separated by Bali Strait. Its land area is 5,632 km2, spread approximately 153 km wide and spans approximately 112 km north to south.

The island is surrounded by coral reefs. Some of the coral reefs spot are very popular diving sports, such as Tulamben, Amed, and Menjangan. Beaches in the south tend to have white sand while those in north and west have black sand (exception to beach town of Padangbai in the south east which has both kind of sand).

The capital city of Bali is Denpasar, near the southern oast. Its population is about 300,000. The important cities in Bali is Kuta (practically part of Denpasar's urban area) and Ubud (located at north of Denpasar and known as the island's cultural centre).

WHAT CAN YOU GET IN BALI?
Bali is well-known for its diverse and sophisticathed art forms, such as painting, sculpture, woodcarving, handicrafts, and performing arts. Balinese performing arts often portray stories from Hindu epics such as The Ramayana, in heavy Balinese influence. Some of the famous Balinese dance include Pendet, Legong, Baris, Topeng, Barong, Gong Keybar, and Kecak (The Monkey Dance). I will describe some of these performing arts in my next articles.

Celebrations are held for many occasion, such as tooth-filing (coming of age's ritual called Metatah / Mepandes), cremation (Ngaben), or temple festival (Odalan). Many of these celebrations call for a loud,, boisterous atmosphere with lots of activities.

One of the main destination beach in Bali is Kuta. Kuta is the center of an extensive tourist-oriented urban area that merges into the neighboring towns. Two extensions city of Kuta is Legian and Seminyak. They are quieter suburbs with cottage-style accomodations, where many of the expat crowd live. Kuta itself is known internationally for its long sandy beach, varied accommodation, with many restaurants and bars. Many renowned surfers (mostly come from Australia) have visit Kuta regularly for surfing. Some international surfing exhibitions and competitions have been held in there.

Another destination that you should never miss is Jimbaran. It is a fishing village that located at the south of Ngurah Rai International Airport. It has beach with seafood restaurands and some finest luxury hotels in the world. Jimbaran lies on the neck of the southern peninsula in Bali and is widely known for the fresh seafood kiosks that are scattered along the beach. People who wants to eat can select the live seafood that they wish to eat, and it is immediately prepared using special traditional recipes, grilled over a fire of coconut husks. Hmmmm... sounds very yummy to me.....

Ubud is also one of the popular tourism destination in Bali. Located amongst rice paddies and steep ravines in the central foothills of Gianyar Regency, it is one of Bali's major arts and culture centers. It has forests, rivers, cooler temperature and less congestion. The most popular forest in Ubud is Ubud Monkey Forest, in which a sabred nature reserve and temple complex. There are about 340 of Crab-eating Macaque (Macaca fascicularis) monkeys live there. The forest comprises approximately a tenth of a square kilometer, and contains at least 115 species of trees. The forest also containes the Pura Dalam Agung Padangtegal Temple, a holy spring bathing temple.

A new tourism destination (well... actually not new, but recently become very popular among tourists from all around the world) is Nusa Dua. It is located 40 kilometers from Denpasar. It has clean beach and large international 5-star resorts.

Balinese, Indonesian, and English is the most widely spoken languages in Bali. So you have no worry about having a "lost in translation" or getting lost in Bali.

By the way, Julia Robert recently just finished doing a filming in Bali Island. Her latest movie - Eat, Pray, Love (based on the memoir of American Author Elizabeth Gilbert), directed by Ryan Murphy - is having some shooting scene in Ubud (Banjar Nyuh Kuning, Pengosekan, Ubud's Art Market, and Monkey Forest), Jimbaran, and Uluwatu. If you wish to know the exotic place in Bali, don't miss the movie. It will premiered in United States on August 13, 2010.

Indonesia - Where Is It?

mulyady.chandra@gmail.com (File) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 03:16:00 +0000

"Indonesia? Where is it? Is it part of Bali Island?"

Yeah.... sometimes I still hear this kind of question. There are a lot of people that still have no idea where Indonesia is, meanwhile they often visit Bali Island. Bali Island actually is part of Indonesia. In fact, there are plenty of other exotic places in Indonesia beside Bali that you can visit.

Before I explain more, let's find out about Indonesia.

Indonesia - or The Republic of Indonesia - is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia consist of 17,508 islands (about 6,000 of which are inhabited), with a population of around 230 million people (the world's fourth most populous country), and scattered over both sides of the equator. There are five largest islands : Java, Sumatera, Kalimantan, New Guinea, and Sulawesi. Among those islands, Java is the most populous island which has population density of 940 people per square kilometer.

Indonesia shares land borders with Malaysia on the island of Borneo and Sebati, Papua New Guinea on the island of New Guinea, and Timor Leste on the island of Timor. Indonesia also shares borders with Singapore, Malaysia, Brunnei Darrusalam, and Phillipines to the north and Australia to the south across narrow straits of water.

Jakarta is the capital city of Indonesia and become the nation's largest city, followed by Surabaya (located in East Java), Bandung (West Java), Medan (South Sumatera), and Semarang (Central Java).

The total land area in Indonesia is 1,919,440 square kilometers, which make Indonesia as the world's 16th largest country in terms of land area. Administratively, Indonesia consists of 33 provinces. Each province has its own political legislature and governor. The provinces are subdivided into "kabupaten" (regencies, ruled by "Bupati") and "kota" (cities, ruled by "Walikota"). "Kabupaten" are subdivided into "Desa" or "Kelurahan" (village, ruled by "Kepala Desa" or "Lurah").

Lying along the equator, Indonesia has a tropical climate with two distinct monsoonal wet and dry seasons. Humidity is generally high, averaging about 70-80%. Temperatures vary throughout the year. Daily temperature range daily is about 18 - 32 degree Celcius. Usually mountainous area (such as the west coast of Sumatera, West Java / Bandung, Kalimantan, West Java / Batu, Sulawesi, and Papua) has temperature about 18 - 22. Meanwhile rural and city region (such as Jakarta, Central Java / Jogjakarta, South Sumatera / Palembang and Lampung) is generally in high temperature, between 26 - 32.

Indonesia's climate and archipelagic geography has support the world's second highest level of biodiversity (after Brazil). It has mixture of Asian and Australian species in flora and fauna. Forest is covering about 60% of the country (mostly in Sumatera, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, and New Guinea).

There are about 300 distinct native ethnicities in Indonesia, with more than 740 different languages and dialects. The largest ethic group is the Javanese, who comprise 42% of the population and culturally dominant.

The official national language is Indonesian and it is universally taught in schools and spoken by nearly every Indonesian. But most of them also speak at least one of their local languages and dialects.

Indonesia has more than 300 ethnic groups, each with cultural differences developed over centuries and influenced by Indian, Arab, Chinese, Malay, and European sources. Indonesian also have varies cuisine by region. Rice is the main staple food and is served with side dishes of meat and vegetables. Spices (such as chili, ginger, and turmeric), coconut milk, leek, onion, and shallot are fundamental ingredients.

Sounds exciting? Well.... you bet..!!! Let's see what we have in Indonesia on the next articles.....