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Chinese Indonesians (barongsai pictured) are Indonesians descended from various Chinese ethnic groups. Their population grew rapidly during the colonial period when workers were contracted from their home provinces in southern China. Indonesia's 2010 census reported more than 8.8 million self-identified ethnic Chinese: 3.7 percent of the country's population. Evidence of discrimination against Chinese Indonesians can be found throughout the history of Indonesia, although government policies implemented since 1998 have attempted to redress this. The Chinese Indonesian population of Java accounts for nearly half of the group's national population. Although they are generally more urbanized than Indonesia's indigenous population, significant rural and agricultural communities exist throughout the country. Among the overseas residents, their identities are noticeably more Indonesian than Chinese. (Read more...)
Borobudur is a Buddhist stupa related to the Mahayana tradition, and is the largest Buddhist monument on earth. It is located in the Indonesian province of Central Java, 40 kilometres (25 mi) north-west of Yogyakarta. It was built between 750 and 850 by the Javanese rulers of the Sailendra dynasty. The name may derive from the Sanskrit "Vihara Buddha Ur", which can be liberally translated as "the Buddhist temple on the mountain". It is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Indonesia. Borobudur is built as a single large stupa, and viewed from above takes the form of a giant mandala. The foundation is a square, 118 metres (387 ft) on each side. It has nine levels, of which the lower six are square and the upper three circular. This is said to be a map of the cosmos as conceptualized by the Buddhist philosophers of the time. The upper level features seventy-two small stupas surrounding one large central stupa. Each stupa is a bell shape pierced by numerous decorative apertures. Statues of the Buddha sit inside the pierced enclosures. Borobudur is still a place of prayer and pilgrimage. (Read more...)
The durian is the fruit of trees of the genus Durio. Durio zibethinus (pictured) is the only species available in the international market. The durian fruit is distinctive for its large size, unique odour (which some find offensive), and a formidable thorn-covered husk. Its name means "thorny fruit". Durian is widely known in Southeast Asia as the "King of Fruits". The fruit can grow up to 40 centimetres (16 in) long and 30 centimetres (12 in) in diameter, and typically weighs 1 to 5 kilograms (2.2 to 11.0 lb). The British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace described its taste as like a "rich custard highly flavoured with almonds", but with "occasional wafts of flavour that call to mind cream-cheese, onion-sauce, sherry-wine, and other incongruous dishes." (Read more...)
Iravan is a minor character from the Hindu epic of Mahabharata. The son of Pandava prince Arjuna and the Naga princess Ulupi, Iravan is the central god of the cult of Kuttantavar. The Mahabharata portrays Iravan as dying a heroic death in the 18-day Kurukshetra War, the epic's main subject. Iravan is known in Indonesia as Irawan. In the country an independent set of traditions have developed around Irawan on the main island of Java where, for example, he loses his association with the Naga. Separate Javanese traditions present a dramatic marriage of Irawan to Titisari, daughter of Krishna, and a death resulting from a case of mistaken identity. These stories are told through the medium of traditional Javanese wayang especially in shadow-puppet plays known as wayang kulit. (Read more...)
The Komodo dragon is the largest living species of lizard, growing to an average length of 2–3 metres (6 ft 7 in – 9 ft 10 in). Komodo dragons are a member of the monitor lizard family and only inhabit the islands of Komodo, Rinca, Padar, Flores, Gili Motang, Owadi, and Samiin in eastern Indonesia. In the wild, large adults tend to weigh around 70 kilograms (154 pounds). Their saliva will frequently be blood-tinged, because their teeth are almost completely covered by gingival tissue and this tissue is naturally lacerated during feeding. Komodo Dragons are carnivorous. Although they eat mostly carrion, studies show that they also hunt live prey. When suitable prey arrives near its ambush site, it will suddenly charge at the animal and go for the underside or the throat. (Read more...)
Taman Sari is a site of a former royal garden of the Sultanate of Yogyakarta. It is located about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) south within the grounds of the Kraton, Yogyakarta. Built in the mid-18th century, the Taman Sari had multiple functions, such as a resting area, a workshop, a meditation area, a defense area, and a hiding place. Taman Sari consisted of four distinct areas: a large artificial lake with islands and pavilions located in the west, a bathing complex in the centre, a complex of pavilions and pools in the south, and a smaller lake in the east. Today only the central bathing complex is well preserved, while the other areas have been largely occupied by the Kampung Taman settlement. Since 1995 the Yogyakarta Palace Complex, including Taman Sari, has been listed as a tentative World Heritage Site. (Read more...)
SA 7 The Indonesian National Revolution was an armed conflict and diplomatic struggle between Indonesia and the Netherlands; it also included an internal revolution. The struggle took place between the time of Indonesia's declaration of independence in 1945 and the Netherlands' recognition of the country in 1949. One of the largest revolutions of the twentieth century, the struggle involved sporadic but bloody armed conflict and two major international diplomatic interventions. The Indonesians ultimately won though international persuasion as much as they did through armed conflicts on Java and other islands. The revolution destroyed the previous colonial administration's rule and dismantled many of the local feudal systems. Tremendous energies and aspirations were created amongst Indonesians. It did not, however, significantly improve the economic or political fortune of the majority, and hopes for democracy were dashed within a decade. (Read more...)
Indonesia occupied East Timor from December 1975 to October 1999. Originally a colony of Portugal, a 1974 coup led to decolonization. After a small-scale civil war, Indonesian military forces invaded in December 1975; by 1979 they had eliminated armed resistance to the occupation. Indonesia later included the territory as a province (flag pictured). For twenty-five years the people of East Timor were subjected to extrajudicial executions, torture, and starvation; a massacre in 1991 caused outrage around the world, and in 1996 the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo and José Ramos-Horta for their ongoing efforts to peacefully end the occupation. A 1999 vote to determine East Timor's future resulted in an overwhelming majority in favor of independence, and in 2002 East Timor became an independent nation. The occupation claimed between 102,800 and 183,000 East Timorese lives, out of a population of less than 700,000. (Read more...)
Mount Tambora is an active stratovolcano on the island of Sumbawa, Indonesia. The volcano, formed by subduction, raised Mount Tambora as high as 4,300 m (14,100 ft). After a large magma chamber inside the mountain filled over the course of several decades, volcanic activity reached a historic climax in the super-colossal eruption of April 10, 1815. This outburst was the largest volcanic eruption in recorded history. However, most of the 71,000 deaths from the eruption were from starvation and disease. The eruption caused global climate anomalies that included the phenomenon known as "volcanic winter": 1816 became known as the "Year Without a Summer" because of the effect on North American and European weather. (Read more...)
Sitti Nurbaya: Kasih Tak Sampai is an Indonesian novel by Marah Rusli that was published by Balai Pustaka in 1922. It follows two star-crossed teenage lovers from Padang, the titular Sitti Nurbaya and her childhood friend Samsulbahri (pictured), who must struggle against the rich miser Datuk Meringgih. Influenced by the cultures of the west Sumatran Minangkabau and the Dutch colonials, the novel is generally considered one of the most important works of Indonesian literature, inspiring numerous other Indonesian writers. It is taught as a classic of Indonesian literature; this has led to it being "read more often in brief synopsis than as an original text by generation after generation of Indonesian high school students". Described as "a monument to the struggle of forward-thinking youth", it features themes of colonialism, forced marriage, and modernity. It has been adapted as a soap opera twice. (Read more...)
Ruma Maida (released internationally as Maida's House) is a 2009 Indonesian film written by Ayu Utami (pictured), directed by Teddy Soeriaatmadja and starring Atiqah Hasiholan, Yama Carlos, Nino Fernandez, and Frans Tumbuan. It details a woman's struggle to save a historic house from a developer. Work on the film began in 2008, when Utami was asked to write a nationalism-themed script. After six months preparing the script and three months of pre-production, shooting began in Semarang, Central Java, and Kota, Jakarta. Editing took three months, after which the film premiered on 28 October 2009. Ruma Maida, deals with the importance of education, history, and pluralism. Critical reception to the film was mixed; reviewers praised the visuals but disapproved of the plot and dialogue. It was nominated for twelve Citra Awards at the 2009 Indonesian Film Festival, winning one. (Read more...)
"Kidung Abadi" (English: "Eternal Ballad") is a song written by father and daughter team Erwin (pictured) and Gita Gutawa for the Kidung Abadi Chrisye concert; the concert was held on 5 April 2012 to commemorate the fifth anniversary of Chrisye's death. The song was created over a period of three months by splicing syllables from previously-recorded vocals by Chrisye. At the concert, spliced black-and-white footage of Chrisye was shown lip synching to the song while Erwin's orchestra performed the music. The song was well received: the audience gave it a rowdy ovation, while critics praised its lyrics and described it as one of the best parts of the concert. (Read more...)
SA 13 Indonesia held legislative elections on 5 April 2004 for both houses of the People's Consultative Assembly, the country's national legislature. This included all 550 seats in the People's Representative Council and 128 seats of the new Regional Representative Council. Final results of the popular vote tally showed that Golkar received the largest number of votes. It had lost to the Indonesian Democratic Party – Struggle in the 1999 legislative election. The Democratic Party and the Prosperous Justice Party, two of the newest parties to participate in the elections, received a combined 14.8 percent of the popular vote. Based on the final allocation of seats in the People's Representative Council, five parties were qualified to submit candidates for the country's first direct presidential election later in the year. The election has been described as the most complicated election in the history of democracy. (Read more...)
Weh Island (also Pulau Weh or Pulo Weh) is a small active volcanic island to the northwest of Sumatra. It was originally connected to the Sumatran mainland and became separated by sea after the volcano's last eruption in the Pleistocene era. The island is situated in the Andaman Sea. The largest city on the island, Sabang, is the northernmost outpost of Indonesia. The island is known for its ecosystem; the Indonesian government has declared 60 square kilometres (23 sq mi) of inland and sea around the island as a wildlife protection area. A rare megamouth shark species was found on shore and the island is the only habitat for the threatened toad, Bufo valhallae. Coral reef areas around the island are known for their large variety of fish species. (Read more...)
SA 15 Fuad Muhammad Syafruddin, best known by his pen name Udin, was an Indonesian journalist who was murdered in 1996. A reporter at the Yogyakarta, Java, daily newspaper Bernas, he published articles on corruption in the Bantul Regency in the months before his death. On 13 August, he was attacked at his house by two unidentified assailants with a metal rod. He died three days later without regaining consciousness. His murder became a national cause célèbre. Several independent inquiries concluded that local government officials had been involved. However, the Bantul police, who early on discounted a political motive, arrested a local driver for the murder, alleging a motive of jealousy. Sumaji was later acquitted after the prosecution withdrew its case owing to a lack of evidence. The police in turn were successfully sued for their mishandling of the case and deliberate destruction of evidence. The murder has never been solved, and is expected to be unprosecutable after 2014 due to Indonesia's 18-year statute of limitations on murder. (Read more...)
Ganting Grand Mosque (Indonesian: Masjid Raya Ganting) is a mosque located in Ganting, Padang, Indonesia. Construction began in 1805, making the mosque the oldest in Padang and one of the oldest in Indonesia. It is a Cultural Property of Indonesia and involved persons from various cultural backgrounds in its construction. During the 19th century the mosque was the centre of an Islamic reform in the area. Future president Sukarno spent a time of exhile at the mosque in 1942. The mosque survived the tsunami which struck Padang following the 1833 Sumatra earthquake, but was severely damaged after earthquakes in 2005 and 2009. The one-floor mosque continues to be used as a center for prayer, as well as religious education; it also functions as a pesantren for the community. The mosque is also a tourist attraction. (Read more...)
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The 1740 Batavia massacre was a pogrom against ethnic Chinese in the port city of Batavia (present-day Jakarta) in the Dutch East Indies. The violence inside the city lasted from 9 October 1740 until 22 October; minor skirmishes outside the walls continued late into November that year. Hundreds of ethnic Chinese, mostly sugar mill workers, rioted on 7 October. This was met by a massacre of roughly 10,000 ethnic led by the Dutch and other ethnic groups. It was followed by a two-year war. Governor General Adriaan Valckenier was recalled to the Netherlands and tried for crimes related to the massacre, replaced by his political opponent Gustaaf Willem van Imhoff. The massacre's legacy in popular culture is found in Dutch literature, in which it has figured heavily. (Read more...)
The orangutans are the two exclusively Asian species of extant great apes. Native to Indonesia and Malaysia, orangutans are currently found only in the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra. Orangutans were considered to be one species until 1996. The orangutans are the only surviving species of the subfamily Ponginae. Orangutans are the most arboreal great apes and spend most of their time in trees. Their hair is typically reddish-brown, and males and females differ in size and appearance. Social bonds occur primarily between mothers and their dependent offspring. Fruit is the most important component of an orangutan's diet. Both orangutan species are considered to be Endangered. Threats to wild orangutan populations include poaching, habitat destruction and the illegal pet trade. There are several conservation and rehabilitation organisations dedicated to the survival of orangutans in the wild. (Read more...)
The Toraja (girl pictured) are an ethnic group indigenous to a mountainous region of South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Their population is approximately 650,000, of which 450,000 still live in the regency of Tana Toraja. Most of the population is Christian, and others are Muslim or have local animist beliefs known as aluk. Torajans are renowned for their elaborate funeral rites, which are usually attended by hundreds of people and lasting for several days. Before the 20th century, Torajans lived in autonomous villages, where they practised animism. In the early 1900s, Dutch missionaries first worked to convert Torajan highlanders to Christianity. When the Tana Toraja regency was further opened to the outside world in the 1970s, it became an icon of tourism in Indonesia. By the 1990s, when tourism peaked, Toraja society had changed significantly. (Read more...)
Cubeb is a plant in genus Piper, cultivated for its fruit and essential oil. It is mostly grown in Java and Sumatra. The fruits are gathered before they are ripe, and carefully dried. Commercial cubebs consist of the dried berries, similar in appearance to black pepper, but with stalks attached. The dried pericarp is wrinkled, its color ranges from grayish-brown to black. The seed is hard, white and oily. The odor of cubebs is described as agreeable and aromatic; the taste, pungent, acrid, slightly bitter and persistent. Cubeb came to Europe via India through the trade with the Arabs. It continues to be used as a flavoring agent for gins and cigarettes in the West, and as a seasoning for food in Indonesia. (Read more...)