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.

Pagar: fencing off life in Indonesia

By: Ade Tanesia

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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.

Youth group helps cocoa farmers in Indonesia

In parts of Java where some youth have been drawn into militancy, many young people are working to help local farmers develop their potential in one of Indonesia's major agricultural commodities: cocoa. Many Indonesians may not know that after Ivory Coast and Ghana, their country is the third largest cocoa exporter in the world. What's more, 92.7% of Indonesia's cocoa plantations are owned by members of local communities, with a farmer typically owning one hectare, according to the Indonesian Department of Agriculture.

Nawu Sendang — A Local Thanksgiving Strategy

For the people of Dusun Clapar—a hamlet in Kulon Progo regency in the Special District of Jogjakarta (DIY)—giving thanks for the bounty provided by Sang Pencipta (the Creator) is considered crucial to their continuing welfare. The majority makes their living as farmers; they work the land and harvest its fruits to meet their daily needs and sell in the market. But the hill-country beyond the Menoreh Mountain range is plagued by extensive topsoil erosion. In the dry season, many villages across the region are afflicted by drought. When the rains come, the earth cannot soak up the excess water and landslides occur.

Love, Sex, and Harmony: Bedtime Stories from the Heart of Java

Most of us have heard of India’s Kama Sutra and Tunisia’s Perfumed Garden. Every ancient agricultural society has its own celebration of fertility, sensual pleasure, and romance.

Java is no exception. But with the advent of sociopolitical conservatism in Indonesia, it is hard to imagine the existence of a Javanese sex bookthat “keeps it real” without losing its civilised finesse and religious compass.

Hope in a Javanese Oil Field

By: Nico Haryono

The newborn rays of the sun touch the infertile hills of the village of Wonocolo, Bojonegoro. A pair of sturdy legs move, the toes step and sink into the mud. The muscled hands tightly clutch a lath beam bundled to a strand of steel wire. Inspired screaming sounds several times, and the six men move together to pull the steel wire. From the end of wire placed on the well, the cylinder of 7 metres moves then Saparlan holds the end of a nozel-cylinder and throws the substance up to the drums.

The thick brown liquid they call lantung is caught in a bigger receiving station which is burried in the ground. The gallons of lantung or crude oil is then cooked during 4 to 5 hours to make solar (diesel). The steam of the cooking process is chilled so it transforms into pure petrol and is poured into containers, ready to sell to their subscribed collector. The men manage to collect 4 drums of diesel a day, priced at about 300.000 rupiah per drum. The profit is divided between the 10 to 15 members of the group.

Introduction to East Java

By: Emma Kwee

East Java (Java Timur in Bahasa Indonesia) is the easternmost part of the island of Java. it includes the island of Madura and some other smaller islands in the region. The capital of East Java is Surabaya,  the second largest city in Indonesia and a major industrial center and port. East Java is the second most populated province in Indonesia, after West Java. The population consists of Javanese, Madurese and a sizeable Chinese community.

East Java's Star Attraction: The Bromo

Most visitors to East Java only see the Bromo volcano, the star attraction in the region, located around 70 kilometers from Surabaya. The Bromo-Tengger-Semeru National Park it sits in is a popular hiking destination. Typically, people will stay near the bromo overnight and hike or ride on horseback to the volcanoe at sunrise. While its views are indeed spectacular, East Java has a lot more to offer.

West Java: Sundanese Language

By: Emma Kwee

The Sundanese have their own language, which is totally different from Bahasa Indonesia. When walking around in Bandung you will probably notice the melodic, wailing way in which people speak, that sounds very different from Bahasa Indonesia or Javanese. Chances are that you won't understand a word that is uttered, since word structures are quite complex and long, with a lot of multi syllable tones, which will prove real tongue twisters.

More particularly on the sounds and intonations the “euy” greeting for instance, stresses on the “eu” syllabi and is pervasive in Sundanese language. Try these tongue twisters for example: Ciumbuleuit (an area in northern Bandung ), beuteung (stomach) or try to say this typically Sundanese expression really fast: laleur mapai areuy (the fly strolls on the rice field paths). Before you get all discouraged it might cheer you up that everybody speaks Bahasa Indonesia as well, and most people speak English to a certain degree.

Introduction to West Java

By: Emma Kwee

West Java is the most populated province in Indonesia, with over 43 million inhabitants. The capital Bandung is the third largest city in the archipelago and home to a whopping 8 million people. West Java offers stunning vistas, smoking volcanoes, tea plantations, historical (often colonial) architecture and great food and shopping. Sundanese culture and language are an intricate web of traditions and customs. Great food and open-minded friendly people will make you feel at home at once in West Java.

Hello Bandung

Bandung is the capital of the Sundanese, the main culture of the provinces West Java and Banten. Within this cultural hemisphere, only Jakarta is excluded. The Sundanese have their own cultural legacy and language, which is truly unique and can be experienced in no place better than Bandung.

Magic Mountain: One Man’s Mission to Save Gunung Sewu Through Ecotourism

By: Monica Dominguez

“Do you mind if I draw on your map?” Agung Setyobudi makes a huge brown streak across my Yogyakarta map, showing me the area the Gunungsewu occupies. It turns out one would need maps all the way to East Java, including the coast, to see the entire area. Gunungsewu is huge; a plateau approximately 120 km long by 60 km wide, stretched between ranges of active volcanos both to the north and to the south. “It would take months to really explore it.”

Setyobudi, founder of local non-governmental organization Save Gunungsewu, spends a large percentage of his days and nights climbing, exploring and mapping this region. But why Gunungsewu? Setyobudi seeks to protect the beauty and natural aspect of this region, but with the mystique of Gunungsewu’s unique ecosystems, there is also an appeal for mining companies, rock climbers and archeologists.