The Importance of Sinematek – Movie Archives in Indonesia

By: Riksa Afiaty

On April 30 this year -- one day before Indonesian National Movie day – there was a screening of Anak Sabiran di Balik Cahaya Gemerlapan (Sang Arsip) directed by Hafiz Ranjale, a well-known documentary director and video curator in Graha Bhakti Budaya, TIM, Jakarta. The movie is a collaboration between Misbach Yusa Biran and movie makers in Forum Lenteng, FuadFauji, Hafiz Rancajale, Mahardika Yudha, and Syaiful Anwar “Paul” and reflects upon movie archival strategies for almost 30 years in Sinematek.

Sinematek is located in Jakarta and is the first film archive in Southeast Asia, invented by Asrul Sani and the late Misbach Yusa Biran in 1975 and the movie was screened to tell the story of Sinematek and the importance of its preservation.

Mixed Marriage – Is it About Love or Economic Benefit?

by Jacobus E. Lato

I boarded a worn-out, noisy bus in Tawangmangu, hoping for a decent seat where I could relax and take a nap on my trip to Solo. But, within minutes, the woman next to me started chattering in my ear and my idea of getting some rest rapidly vanished.

“My son is dating a girl from Brunei Darussalam”, she said proudly and proceeded to tell me all about him – how he works in a motorcycle shop in a tiny, wealthy state in north Borneo, makes good money in his after-hours job and is now about to take part in an intercultural marriage (with prospects of a possible larger fortune).

“My neighbor married a Dutchman and they have been living next door for more than five years,” she continued. Her following comment irked me. “Before her marriage, she had nothing. Now she owns several houses and land, some of them in Tawangmangu”.

Eurasians of the Netherlands Indies: People in Diaspora (2)

By: Humphrey de la Croix

[caption id="attachment_30836" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Dutch Indo Writer Marion Bloem, By Ivan Wolffers"][/caption]

(Introduction) The loss of their soil of birth and enforced emigration meant the beginning of a diaspora of Indonesian Eurasians, in the former Netherlands Indies better known as Indos (from Indo-Europeans).

Dutch attempts to restore colonial rule between 1945 and 1950 had proven the rearguard of a declining colonial power. The defeat of the dictatorial and aggressive regimes Nazi-Germany, fascist Italy and imperialistic Japan left behind a new world order in which there was no room anymore for colonialism. Instead, the self-determination of nations would be the new mantra. In part 2 the author covers the next generation of the Indos.

Indo diaspora is the result of a decolonization process. The colonial background still influences today Indos in diaspora. The dramatic and traumatic experiences of the Japanese occupation, Bersiap period and the involuntary migration abroad are collective issues of nowadays Indos. The never paid salaries of civil servants during wartime and the remembrance of a Dutch government long time trying to prevent Indos coming to the Netherlands are sculptured in Indos' memory. The need to share feelings, experiences and personal stories is a never ending need. Maybe more than ever Indos start weblogs, websites, organize historical theme sessions, workshops and come together in peer groups. The first generation immigrants had physically experienced the dramatic war an decolonization period. Anxious of an Indo past and ethno-cultural heritage in oblivion, passing on information to next generation created a sense of urgency. The second generation was the first one focused on fully integration in the recipient societies with leaving behind essential Indo cultural elements as the Malayan language, the knowledge of the genuine Indo cuisine, skills like massaging and typical Indo features as belief in supernatural phenomena. In the Netherlands around the mid-eighties of last century this generation began to wonder why their parents kept silent about their life in former Netherlands Indies. A first Indo "revival" started and young writers like Marion Bloem or artists as Ernst Jansz used Indo elements in their works. When a third generation Indos had become adolescents or adults they found themselves amidst a lot of other ethnic groups with distinctive own (sub)cultures and often the same common feature of a darker skin. Searching the social, cultural and ethnic roots, is a way of understand your personality and social position.

Eurasians of the Netherlands Indies: People in Diaspora (1)

By: Humphrey de la Croix

The loss of their soil of birth and enforced emigration meant the beginning of a diaspora of Indonesian Eurasians, in the former Netherlands Indies better known as Indos (from Indo-Europeans).

Dutch attempts to restore colonial rule between 1945 and 1950 had proven the rearguard of a declining colonial power. The defeat of the dictatorial and aggressive regimes Nazi-Germany, fascist Italy and imperialistic Japan left behind a new world order in which there was no room anymore for colonialism. Instead, the self-determination of nations would be the new mantra.

Although the Netherlands and Indonesia agreed to constitute a commonwealth of two independent states, president Soekarno in 1950 started a policy of confrontation. The former coloniser was declared an enemy and the relations between the two states deteriorated fast. This development precluded the massive leave of Europeans in Indonesia. Especially the Indos was made clear their place would not be anymore in Indonesia. Soekarno realized very well the (Indo-) Europeans were indispensable for good governance and business, but he needed the classical instrument of pointing an external enemy in order to hold his multi-ethnic and vast country together. Beside a profound economic crisis as a result of ten years of war had left behind a devastated country and an increasingly dissatisfied population. A disintegration of the young state was really at stake.

Karimunjawa – a Tropical Island Getaway near Central Java

By: Reza Daffi

Looking for a tropical retreat, but no time to fly to Bali or even further? The Karimunjawa Islands lie in the northern waters of Central Java Province, 120 km north of province capital Semarang. The nearest Javanese town, however, is Jepara, from which people usually depart for the islands. It takes a 6-hour ferry trip covering 83 kilometers, but it’s definitely worth it. Renowned for its picturesque beaches and rich biodiversity, it was established as a national marine park by the Indonesian government in 1999 and turned into a marine protected area two years later.

The name Karimunjawa can refer to either the cluster of islands or its biggest island, where tourists usually stay in hotels or in the cheaper option, locals’ houses. The second biggest island, separated by only a thin line of water with Karimunjawa on its south, is Kemujan. Together they are surrounded by as many as 25 smaller islets, not all open for recreational visits. The two mentioned before, along with Parang, Nyamuk, and Genting, are the only inhabited islands.

Alternative Travel: Sumbawa by Motorbike

By: Ed Caffin

Apart from the legendary surfspots at Maluk and Lakey Peak, few see more of Sumbawa. Mostly, it is only observed from behind the window of a bus, speeding over the trans-island highway to the eastern side, just in time to catch the ferry to Flores. The odd traveler that spends more time to explore the island, finds himself lucky enough to enjoy it’sbeauty in relative solitude. His sole companion might preferably be a motorbike.

Public transportation isn’t very good on Sumbawa, which is probably the main reason why most travelers never make it here. Thus, renting a motorbike seems a great way to explore Sumbawa. A sepeda motor is never hard to find anywhere in Indonesia. On Sumbawa, rental bikes tend to be more expensive (around 75.000 Rupiah per day), so if you’re on a tight budget, get one on Bali (around 35.000) or Lombok (usually around 50.000) and take it across with the ferry.

Pagar: fencing off life in Indonesia

By: Ade Tanesia

[caption id="attachment_30611" align="alignleft" width="300" caption=""Jakarta" by Ppart"][/caption]

Between the lanes in the heart of Jakarta, my childhood friends strove to spy over the highest house fences. It’s still fresh in my memory; they called them rumah gedongan (mansions). Our image of a ‘rumah gedongan’ was a high-fenced house, closed, so that we could only see the roof. Certainly a house like this would be owned by someone rich. To the eyes of children, the rumah gedongan was something mysterious, so naturally we tried very hard to scale or peep through the gaps in the fence to see what lay beyond. Often a guard dog would start barking when we tried to approach. These houses sometimes had warning signs posted on the wall—“Beware: Vicious Dog”. The dog need bark only once and we’d run, scrambling and laughing, from the scene. When I was a bit older, I often heard cynical adults gossip about people who owned houses with tall fences. “People who live in gedongan houses are sure to be Chinese, tuh. They don’t want to mix. Arrogant. Hard to get money from them for the Independence Day celebrations.” This is the empty chatter that I frequently heard from the mouths of Jakarta housewives.

Indonesian Independence Day

By: Emma Kwee

August 17 is Indonesia's biggest day of the year: Independence day. This day marks the celebration of Indonesia’s independence from the Dutch.

On Friday 10:00 AM, August 17, 1945 the official proclamation was made to the world by first president Sukarno and Hatta (only to be denied by the Dutch, who soon returned to 'restore order'). It took 4 more years to defeat the Dutch. Read more about Indonesia's struggle to independence in this wonderful piece written in 2010 by Ed Caffin 'Merdeka, 65 Years of Indonesian Independence.

August 17th is a joyous occasion for all Indonesians. The nation is decorated in red and white and festivals, parades, games and entertainment will get everybody out on the streets.

Book Review: Land of the Birds of Paradise

By: Mariecke van Vugt

The internet and industrial revolution have changed the world and the lives of the people living in it. Fortunately for us, some places in the world are still untouched and offer us an environment full of surprises. Tanah Papua, the easternmost region of Indonesia, is one of those places. It has the same size as Ireland and Germany combined, but counts only 3,6 million inhabitants. Tanah Papua is known for the rich biodiversity. From evergreen forests to winding rivers, and from valleys with eternal snow to savanna plains. This biodiversity is showcased in the beautiful book "Land of the birds of paradise".

The first part of the book describes the history of Tanah Papua. It covers the cultural, political, geological and natural aspects. The chapters that follow take the reader on a adventurous journey through Tanah Papua. You get to read and learn about the different species of animals, flowers and some stories of explorers who discovered the region. The biggest and, in my opinion, most important part of the book contains the story of the conservation of Tanah Papua and the work that the WWF Indonesia has done here.

Small and Bigger Changes: Aceh is Moving Forward

By: Ed Caffin

“Tourism has come back to Aceh. That is very good for us”, says Rizki*, as he pours us a morning coffee. Together with his brother Farid he runs a small homestay in Lhoknga, a quiet beach town not far from Banda Aceh. “In the high season it gets quite busy with tourists now. The people here are starting to profit. So are we”. I have known Rizki and his family for years now and met them many times over the last few years. But this time it is different. For the first time, I have come to Aceh as a tourist.