Bluntly Fresh Morning Overture

"Hey, let's have a beach getaway!"

Hm, something smells. Oh, it's Muara Angke in the morning

Sardines ready to leave for Tidung

Sore eyes and sea water, perfect!

The fish didn't  run away when they saw us. Maybe because we smelled fishy?

Going bananas... nah, not really

Can you see the Love Bridge in the distance?

As Ramadan will soon be drawing to an end, I'd like to share a story about Ramadan in my country. In Indonesia, Ramadan is the time to make rooms in your agenda for having iftar (breaking of the fast) together with friends and colleagues. Even if you are not Muslims and not fasting, you'll find yourselves with iftar invitations. Something that most Indonesians wouldn't want to miss since it's a perfect time to meet old friends or just to have those moments of bonding with your colleagues.

This story is about a friend of mine. He already has it written in his blog, but I think he wouldn't mind me making an English version of it (right, Tom-tom?). So let's just get started!

Once upon a time, there was this handsome sex sales executive. He was working on his daily chores when he received a call from a friend of his. Here's an excerpt of their conversation (real names withheld):
Ruhut Sitompul: Yo-yo-yo, Gie. Whaddup?
Kwik Kian Gie: My man, Ruhut! How about having iftar together this evening?
Ruhut Sitompul: Sounds terrific! I'm in!
Kwik Kian Gie: Kewl! Let me contact some of our friends.
Ruhut Sitompul: See you later, alligator!

*You think this conversation's lame? Wait until you meet the actual person. He's so lame, he makes Carrot Top look cool. Kidding! He's an awesome kid.*

To make a long story short, all of the invitees arrived at the designated eatery. After carefully inspecting all of his friends, Ruhut Sitompul came to a conclusion. "None of us here are really fasting huh, Gie?"

Wishing you all a Happy Eid-ul-Fitr 2011! Selamat Hari Raya Idul Fitri 1432H, Mohon Maaf Lahir dan Batin! Taqabalallahu Minna Wa Minkum, Shiyamana Wa Shiyamakum, Kullu'aalamin Wa Antum Bikhair...

In the golden era of Indonesia's history when mighty empires flourished, Javanese women could be everything they wanted to be. High priestesses, admirals, governors, and even queens. Hell, they could even be swashbuckling maniacs ransacking foreign ships every other Sunday if they really wanted to. A few centuries ago, however, things changed for the worse for them. With the advent of Islam, women no longer have the right to ascend to the throne. As time goes by, more and more of their roles have been put aside, and now the idea of a Javanese woman is one who is docile and obedient. Javanese women are described as "konco wingking" which is Javanese for "a friend who walks right behind you," something that the society have become accustomed to.

Indeed it was a hard time for Javanese women. It was even worse for the women of courts. At least the commoners had their own freedom, their girls are free to make friends and even meet boys. Sounds a lot like your high school? That was the reality, even though their life was hard, at least they were free. The women of the courts had to follow strict rules that made them suffered even more. Sure, as noblewomen they had some access to education, they could even immerse themselves in art. Several royal batik motifs and court dances are believed to be created by women. Unfortunately, everything they created had to be attributed to the ruler and their names remained unknown. That's a really bright concept, isn't it. Just leave it to a delusional man to lead the people, no wonder these courts weren't very successful with the Western colonialists. In the end, you can not hide true beauty, even if you really try hard to. In most museums in Yogyakarta, the sultan is the focus and the women around him are all but ignored. It's like everybody is conspiring to feed his huge ego. But one particular museum in Yogyakarta takes you to the world behind the centuries-old veil to expose the true source of the light, the world of the women of the Javanese courts.

Ullen Sentalu stands for ulating blencong sejatining tataraning lumaku (Javanese: the light of the lamp is the light of the life). Located in Kaliurang Village, on the slopes of Mount Merapi, the museum blends in harmony with nature. The building which is built with natural stones is sheltered by trees, creating a serene atmosphere. Walk in cool shades of the trees as you go through lush gardens and courtyards. The museum's surrounding is inviting as it is, but the real attraction lies underground. The friendly and hospitable (and not to forget; English-speaking) guide will take you to Guwo Selo Giri, a fascinating stone labyrinth that kept the most inspiring tales of the princesses of the Mataram kingdom. There are sad stories, but there are happy ones as well. The women were repressed, but in no way they were silent observers. With their subtle whispers from the background, the women influenced the most important decisions made by the courts. Strong figures fought for what they believed in, resisting petty and old-fangled customs. After all, they might walk behind you. But that's a very strategical position. They drive you to a promised land, or they could shove you to the deepest demise.

This is an adventure which takes you to the past, which gives you a perspective on the present and the future. Women are the most important part of our society, the success of any nation depends on the roles of the women. Adults should come to educate themselves, and you should also take your children here to introduce them to local wisdom. Needless to say, a visit to this museum is a must when you're in Yogyakarta.

With only Rp.50,000, you can adopt your own tree. You can even plant it yourself, like what we did a couple of months ago. My friends and I took a train from Bandung to Cicalengka. For a a very cheap fare (only Rp.5,000), the train is quite decent. Unfortunately, I can't say the same thing about the passengers. From Cicalengka we had to continue by a pickup truck to reach the Mt. Masigit Conversation Area. The ride was kinda bumpy, but it really paid off when we reached the conservation area. We absorbed the beautiful green scenery surrounding us for a moment, and then we're off to become tree guardians.

Why do they call it "tree guardians"? Apparently, the process is a bit like adopting your own child. The trees that we plant will become ours. We reserve the right to name them, we can even create our own mini-forests if we plant numerous trees. We will get our tree guardian certificates and you will act as foster parents for the trees you planted, even though in reality it's the residents of the area who will take care of them. Imagine, with only Rp.50,000 you'll get your own seed and it will be taken care of for the rest of its life! If the tree dies, we are entitled to ask for a replacement with the same species and age with the previous one.

There was this sense of satisfaction after we planted the trees. We felt like we were actually doing something for Mother Earth, when in fact what we did was leaving our "children" to total strangers hahahaha... But this is actually a part of the program. By involving the locals, the guys at  the Mt. Masigit Conservation Area hope that they can be more successful in saving the area from deforestation.

Aside from the tree-planting, we also had fun feeding the deers and exploring the river with canoes. They also have some tree-houses that we can rent. You can spend the night there for only Rp. 150,000. The house is pretty cozy, and it got the most important thing in the world: a bathroom with proper plumbing. There was also this flying-fox, but we didn't have the time to try it out since we had to catch the last train to Bandung.
Overall, it has been a wonderful experience. We're definitely going to go back to visit our "children"! Maybe next time you can join us to play our small part in caring for the Earth. Remember, we have only one Earth. So we better care for it if we don't want to lose it!
Special thanks to Imoel, Yosef, and Fitri for the wonderful pictures!

It started a few months ago, when Fanni, a best friend of mine who is working in Guangzhou at the moment, wanted to send me some things from China. So off she went to the post office to send the package. Everything went normally up until the point where the guy who works at the post office asked her, "What is the Chinese name for this city?" to her surprise, because even though she's a Chinese Indonesian herself she doesn't know the Chinese name for any Indonesian cities except for Jakarta.

Yes, China has her own way of calling places around the world, and the name could be the Chinese pronunciation of the place, or a historical and symbolic name. Actually, Chinese is not the only country with this kind of behavior, there are other countries with the same way of thinking. For example, Vietnam refers to Indonesia as "Nam Duong", which means "Southern Country" (if I'm not mistaken). Or French which has the term "Allemagne" for Germany. Or how we Indonesians call Egypt as "Mesir", or how Malaysians call Morocco as "Maghribi".

Anyway, would you like to know the Chinese names for some Indonesian cities? I have some of them, provided that the list is not complete, but it would surely be helpful and not to mention interesting to know too. If any of you caould provide me with additional information on Chinese names of other cities and places in Indonesia, please let me know. Thank you in advance.

-Bandung = Wanlong.
-Binjai = Minli (from Hokkien pronounciation "Binle"), and Mengge (Teochew).
-Bogor = Maowu (from Hokkien pronounciation of Bobut, "Bo" from Bogor).
-Cirebon = Jingriwen.
-Jakarta. The Chinese name for Jakarta is Yajadia, which is the Chinese spelling for it. But it used to be called Pashia and Yecheng. Pashia comes from Batavia (Bashia = "Ba" City), while Yecheng refers to Sunda Kelapa (Yecheng means Coconut Port or something like that).
-Magelang = Majileng.
-Medan = Mienlan.
-Palembang = Jugang (Hokkien "Kukang"), which means "big port". Palembang as the capital of Srivijaya Empire has already been acknowledged by the Chinese since the Tang dynasty.
-Pontianak. Some of you who knows people from Pontianak, might have already know the Chinese name for it, which is Khuntien. Khun might be derived from Kuntilanak (Indonesian ghost which got something to do with the city's history), while Tien means settlement.
-Semarang = Sanbaolong. From Hokkien pronounciation of Sampolong which means "tomb of Sampo". Sampo is an honorary title for Zheng He.
-Singkawang = Samkhewjong/Samkhouwyang
-Solo = Suolo.
-Surabaya = Sishui (Hokkien Sucui, from "Su" in "Surabaya").
-Yogyakarta = Rire.

Credits: Chinese Culture and History Discussion Forum for the names and rembulanfajar at flickr for the image of Semarang's Sampokong temple.

Happy Earth Day!
Each passing day, our earth is suffering from our wrongdoings. Don't you think it's time for all of us to act? Now you can participate in fighting the effects of global warming by planting your own tree, and the best part of it, you can do this from the comfort of your own home!

Visit [url=http://www.mybabytree.org/]http://www.mybabytree.org/[/url] now to find out how easy it is to plant your own tree in the deep forest of Kalimantan (Borneo). You can even monitor your tree's growth with Google Earth! Now how cool is that!

You can do this either with your PayPal, or through your BCA ATM. Very cheap, very convenient, no more excuse. Plant your own tree, today!

March 7, 2008 the Hindus in Indonesia are celebrating Nyepi in tranquil atmosphere. Don't bother to try to look at Indian calendars, as it's only a national holiday in Indonesia. Hindu in our country have its own version, distinct versions which are very different from Hindu in India.
Nyepi is a day of seclusion where people meditate and remain in silence to welcome the Saka New Year, a lunar year's cycle. The island of Bali especially is in peaceful silence all day long. Not only the Hindus who are in silence, because the non-Hindus also keep to themselves out of respect, even the tourists are no exception.
Days before the actual Nyepi, people do all kinds of ritual, from cleaning, fasting, etc. At the actual day, people follow the condition of: Amati Geni (no fire), Amati Karya (not working), Amati Lelungan (not traveling), and Amati Lelanguan (no entertainment). This long chain of rituals end with the coming of Saka New Year.
For all of you who are celebrating, I'm wishing you a Solemn Nyepi and a Happy Saka New Year!

I wonder about how a country known to the world known as "Japan" proudly call their own country as "Nippon", just like Germany call their country "Deutschland", or Moroccans with their own "Al Maghribiyya". What about Indonesians?

Where did the name "Indonesia" come from? In the old colonial time, there were times when the people in this territory were called as Dutch East Indians. The term somehow wasn't favored by intellectuals, some of them tried to find other terms which they thought more agreeable. In 1850, an English ethnologist came up with the name Indunesians and Melayunesians to replace that term. "Indus" means India, and "nesos" means island. Actualy he preferred the term "Melayunesians", "Melayu" which means Malay and "nesos" which means island.

Not surprisingly, academics from the Netherlands were not really fond of these terms, but they couldn't do anything as the term "Indonesia" became really popular in academic circles outside of the Netherlands. Nationalist groups from the island looking for ways to express their political standings finally adopted the name. Ki Hajar Dewantara (Suwardi Suryaningrat) was the first Indoensian scholar to use the name "Indonesia" in his press bureau Indonesisch Pers-bureau in the Netherlands (1923).

Let's put aside the fact that "Indonesia" has already been established as our official name. The name "Indian islands" is a very incorrect way to call our archipelago. Even "Malay islands" would not suffice either, as the people in the eastern part of Indonesia has got nothing to do with the Malay. What is the right way to call our beloved archipelago, then? Didn't we have any term to call our cluster of islands back then? When you ask an Indonesian what alternative names does s/he got for Indonesia, you might come up with "Tanah Air" (which means Land and Water) and Nusantara. Now, what is the meaning of Nusantara?

To find the answer, we might have to dig into the ancient feudal times of our islands, to the history of the glorious Majapahit Empire to be exact. The Majapahit Empire which had a very big power over the islands had special terms for the areas under their sphere of influence. These terms were made famous by an otah made by a prime minister of Majapahit Empire, Gajah Mada, who vowed to unite "Nusantara". The terms are:

1. Negara Agung , the grand state, the core kingdom which covered the whole East Java and its surrounding areas.

2. Manca Negara, countries surrounding Negara Agung which receive strong influences from the Javanese culture that could even be perceived even today. This includes the entire Java island, Madura, Bali, and maybe some parts of Sumatra (such as Lampung and Palembang).

3. Nusantara, "nusa" means island and "antara" means other. It referred to the areas under the influence of the empire but were not exactly under its government, kingdoms which paid tribute to the empire.

Even though areas under the term "Nusantara" consisted of almost all of the areas now parts of Indonesia (and beyond, as it included parts of what is now Malaysia and the Philippines too), it still couldn't satisfy the need of a proper term as this term had a negative expansionist nuance in it and it doesn't cover the whole Indonesia either.

Still, "Indian islands" remained an annoying term. In 1920, Ernest Francois Eugene Douwes Dekker (who preferred to be called Setiabudi) introduced a new term for the country which had no word "India" in it, the name presented was "Nusantara". But this term is not the same with the 14th century one, it has a new spirit and meaning in it. Dr Setiabudi used the term in a non-agressive way, "Nusantara" is just the way he referred to the archipelago from Sabang to Merauke, an area of extend what is now known as Indonesia.

Furthermore, his version of Nusantara has a new meaning, as it does not have the meaning of "other island" like the one in Majapahit's time. His Nusantara is derived from the Javanese word "nusa" which means island, and the new "antara" was not taken from Sanskrit "antara" (which is a foreign word), rather, it came from a Malay word which means "between".

A fusion between the Javanese word and the Malay word created the new meaning of Nusantara, "islands in between". Yes, our archipelago are islands in between, between two continents (Asia and Australia), between oceans (Pacific and Indian), between cultures....

And what a beautiful name he came up with! A name that we could proudly and full of affection say to ourselves: our islands, our country, our beloved Nusantara :)

For Indonesians like me, "Kalimantan" is simply the name we use to call the entire island known in international world as "Borneo", just like how we call your "banana" as "pisang". But apparently, some people actually thought that "Kalimantan" as merely the name of the Indonesian part of the island. It's understandable that foreigners to have this way of thinking, but what disturbing is the fact that even few Indonesians thought the same way. So I think it's important for us to discuss about the origins of these names.

Borneo is a corruption of the word "Brunai" as the British tried to pronounce it. In time, they use that term to call the entire island even though the Sultanate of Brunai Darussalam covered only the northern part of the island. Colonial Dutch occupying part of the island in turn caught on calling the island as Borneo too, a name they took from their fellow colonialist, the British.

While Kalimantan is the name that is closer to us, the natives of Kalimantan. According to the history, while the Portuguese called the island as "Borneo", the natives called the island as "Pulo Klemantan". According to Crowfurd in Descriptive Dictionary of the Indian Island (1856), "klemantan" is the name of a sort of mango, he added that the name had a quality of a folk tale. While according to C. Hose and Mac Dougall "klemantan" came from the names of the local ethnic groups; Iban, Kayan, Kenyah, Klemantan, Munut and Punan. In Natural Man, a record from Borneo (1926), C. Hose explained that "klemantan" is a new name used by the Malay. W. H. Treacher had a different opinion, he thought that the name came from "Lamantah" which means raw sago. Lastly, Prof. Dr. Slamet Muljana in his book Sriwijaya had a theory that "Kalimantan" was derived from Sanskrit "kalamanthana" which means "an island so hot it burns".

A 1857 record says that in his correspondence with the Dutch Resident, Prince Tamjidillah of Banjar Kingdom referred to the island as "Kalimantan island" and not "Borneo island". This shows that even though the name Borneo was preferred by the Dutch Colonial government, the term Kalimantan was more popular among the natives.

Conclusion:
We could not do anything about how foreigners define "Kalimantan", the important thing is that we as Indonesians should realize that the term has always been used by the natives of Kalimantan and has a long history. Thus, we have the obligation to use it correctly. Now I don't understand why Malaysians stick to the name given byt heir colonialist, nor do I want to force English speaker to change the way they call the island, and I couldn't even do it if I wanted to.

We can't force them to call "Cologne" as "Koln", or "Greenland" as "Kallaalit Nunnaat", so I can't expect them to change for us too. Let's just call the island according to our own ways, but with it'd be nice if they acknowledge that "Kalimantan" is Indonesians' way of calling the whole island.

On the side note, though. There are few languages that refer to the island as "Kalimantan" rather than "Borneo", and I really appreciate them! Some examples: Eesti, Иронау, and Русский.

The black color on the Banjarese house in both South Kalimantan and Banjarmasin's coat of arms represent the high culture of Banjar people. As a Banjarese, it's my duty to appreciate and promote our own heritage. So from now on I will try to write about our culture.

For the first article I choose to do an overview of Traditional Architecture of Banjar people, the reason is because I've written parts of the article about this specific matter in Wikipedia, so it's easier for me. These types of houses could still be found in South Kalimantan, but unfortunately they are in a bad shape to say the least. Such a shame, because their existence resonates the glory of our past.

Not only we should preserve it for the sake of our heritage, but because this type of houses was built with great consideration and expertise. Traditional dwellings in Indonesia have developed to respond to natural environmental conditions, particularly Indonesia's hot and wet monsoonal climate. Banjarese traditional vernacular homes are built on stilts. A raised floor serves a number of purposes: it allows breeze to moderate the hot tropical temperatures; it elevates the dwelling above stormwater runoff and mud; allows houses to be built on rivers and wetland margins; keeps people, goods and food from dampness and moisture; lifts living quarters above malaria-carrying mosquitos; and the house is much less affected by dry rot and termites. "Modern" houses which most Banjarese prefer nowadays don't have that kind of sensibility.

Among the 4 Kalimantan provinces in Indonesia, South Kalimantan is the only one that depicts our traditional house in our province's coat of arm. The house in those particular coat of arms is the one named as "Bubungan Tinggi", the style of "kraton" (royal palace) with its signature 45º steep roof. In the days of our kingdom, this was the type of house that a royalty would live in (although in time this type of house were also built by commoners). The house is built with the philosophy of harmony between the upper world and the under world.

In time, Bubungan Tinggi became the symbol of Banjar culture that represents both palace and vernacular traditions. But there are other types of traditional house in Banjarese community other than Bubungan Tinggi. Fortunately, not many Banjarese know these types of house, but it's already explained in old Banjarese poem:

Bubungan tinggi wadah raja-raja, Palimasan wadah emas perak, Balai laki wadah penggawa mantri, balai bini wadah putri gusti-gusti, Gajah manyusu wadah nanang-nanangan, raja-raja atau gusti nanang


Gajah Baliku: this particular style of house was intended for the closest relatives of the ruler.

Lunar New Year is celebrated in various ways all over the world. Today I want to share a special kind of food Chinese Indonesians have in the 15th day of Lunar New Year (Cap Go Meh). The name is "Lontong Cap Go Meh". Whatever stereotype you have for Chinese food, Lontong Cap Go Meh will surprise you because it has no typical Chinese food's characteristic. The reason is because the food is not Chinese in origin, rather, it's actually a fusion of some Indonesian cuisine combined in one.

The composition may differ according to the place. In Semarang (Central Java) for example, it is consisted of Lontong, Opor Ayam, Lodeh Terong, Telur Pindang, Satai Abing, and Sambal Docang. While Chinese Indonesians in the capital of Jakarta enjoy their Lontong with Sayur Labu/Pepaya, Telur Pindang, and sprinkles of Bubuk Kedelai on top of them.

Chinese Indonesians choose the food which have symbolic meanings of "prosperity", longevity", "safety", and/or "happiness".
Wishing you all a prosperous year!

Monday, January 28, 2008

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono lead the state funeral of former President Haji Muhammad Suharto. "We have lost one of the best people in our nation - a person who was a real and loyal fighter and a person that has been respectful to the nation," said Mr Yudhoyono.

Suharto died on Sunday in Jakarta at the age of 86 after suffering multiple organ failure. The Indonesian government has also declared seven days of mourning for the general who ruled Indonesia for 32 years with an iron fist.

Dignitaries and regional government representatives are scheduled to attend Suharto's funeral at the family mausoleum, the Astana Giri Bangun, at Karangamnyar near Solo in Central Java.

Though he left a mixed legacy, especially a dubious human rights record, Asian leaders praised Suharto for having built the Indonesian economy.

Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has extended his heartfelt condolences to the Suharto family and the Indonesian people.

Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo noted Suharto's critical role in building the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which has grown into a 10-country bloc and increased the region's influence in global politics.

''As one of the founding fathers of ASEAN, President Suharto was among those who had the pioneering vision of establishing a more peaceful, progressive and prosperous Southeast Asian region founded on respect and understanding,'' Arroyo said in a statement.

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong flew to Jakarta on Sunday night and paid respect to the late Indonesian leader, saying, ''Suharto's leadership, vision, and statesmanship enabled all ASEAN countries to grow and prosper in peace, and made ASEAN a respected player in the Asia Pacific.''

"Younger people do not know how disastrous was the economic situation in Indonesia before September 1965 when hyper-inflation was drowning Indonesia's economy," Lee Kuan Yew said in a condolence letter to Suharto's daughter.

"Under Pak Harto's leadership he turned the country around and made Indonesia an economic success story," he wrote.

Singapore's Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew in his condolence letter summed it up in these words, "I have no doubt that history will accord Pak Suharto a place of honour in Indonesia's history when his life's work is studied in calm perspective.