AROUND INDONESIA just in a single DAY ???

WELLCOME TO INDONESIA

Indonesia archipelago consits of thousand of islands spread from Aceh in the North west part of Sumatera and Merauke, Papua in the east. Visitors from diffrent countries or Indonesian from other islands who willing to visit another provinces will take a long long journey to go to another parts of the country by sea, land or air.

With that background in mind, the first Lady, Mrs.Tien Soeharto dreamed of  a huge park who will  represented all provinces characteristics, uniqueness, buildings, cultures, traditions and other aspect of local way of life. By fully supported by Goverment, all 26 Governors - 26 provinves in 1970s - agreed to these idea and in short priode of time compete to make the dream come true. Because all provinces represented herein East Jakarta, it named "Taman Mini  Indonesia Indah" or Beautiful Indonesia miniature  park (literally translated). The development start in 1971 and the opening ceremony in April 1975.

Now if you willing to know a glance of Indonesia, just set your time a single day to go around the park, asthonishingly you will  see some of strange, attractive, decorated and uniques buildings, painting,  include some diorama, a set of furnitures and many more cultures things dispayed inside the buildings. Beside, to make it more attractive,  the park also equiped by another 15 mini parks and 11 museums. Among other things is Birds parks, fresh water aquarium, Gold keong flowers, Transportation museum, Oil and Gas museum, Imax keong mas theather, Mini train etc

Since the size of the park is too big, visitors were allowed drive a car,  take a taxy, take a mini train nor a cable car. High from above you will show a small lake designed to with several mininiature of islands in between the water, representing thaosand of island spread   in equator lines.

In this Blog I try to post several most uniques and attractive Building and represented Big islands like Sumatera, Java, Kalimantan (Borneo), Celebes and Papua. Soon after see in your own eyes, surely you will rise a lot of questions. So please feel free to ask the attendance in every Building to tell the details. In this modern age, mostly in the remote villages the Building still in use for living. But in towns, mostly using modern design and mixture of materials.


Your  long journey starting from west to east, from Sumatera in the west  to Papua in the east. Our united slogan song  is "From Sabang untill Merauke". So lets start from SUMATERA

The uniqueness of this house was build 2,5 to 3 meter above the land surface. Step upstairs by a wooden stairs and the windows designs, open upward not to side as usual. In front of the main house, a small house for schedled prayers (5 time daily). That is why this provinces known as Mecca Veranda, mirrored reflection of Mecca Saudi Arabia where people follow Muslim religion strictly.

Nangroe Aceh Darussalam province, lately wellknown to the world due to the most devastating place hit by Tsunami in Desember 2004. From culture point of view, the local Icon was Saman dance, Dance of 1.000 hands. See a special topic in this Blog.

 

This is the Batak traditional houses belong to 4 Batak sub clans, one Nias and one Melayu Deli clan. In the basement they keep the animal, while their room is upstairs. Local Icon of this area is Toba lake, favourit tourist destination in North Sumatera you will never miss. Another clan in this area is Melayu Deli had a similar culture with Malayan, next in the east strait. since this two location had a heavy traffic trading since long ago. Another clan is Nias in the west side of Sibolga. Their local Icon is a Surfing paradise, wellknown in the surfing world.

Batak building known as a Big houses (Rumah bolon) lived by 4 - 5 families. Under the bedroom, they keep the animalr free running every where.

In west Sumatera the traditional house in the village you may found a "Rumah Gadang" means Big house belong to one big family as a clan. They lived together  leading by women (wife) and her brother. In Minangkabau tradition/sistem, husband is not a head of the family. In time of propose for marriage, the girls families coming to meet man families.

Another tradition, unmarried man prohibited sleep in this house, since very beginning in childhood, they used to slept in Mushola (small mosque) not far from this Big house.
This clan called "Minang people" who had a special skills in culinaries business, especially  Padang Restaurant you will find in every corner of the country, even abroad. Padang is the capital city of this province.

 In Riau province known as home based of American Caltex Oil company for long period of time, originally govern by Sultan like a King of local people. The Goverment help maintenace the castle as Culture symbol of old tradition. The Sultan descendants function just in social and ceremonial event, not governed the society., like one in Yogjakarta.


Next step lets  enter JAVA island starting from Yogjakarta.

 In the top statue alike is a stupa of Borobudur temple resided not far from Yogjakarta but adminisered by Central Java province.

 Java island in 1970s had 5 provinces: West Java, Central Java, East Java and Yogjakarta. The 3 provinces using Java language but West Java using Sundanese.

The fift province is Jakarta capital distric, local resident used Betawi as their language, same with their clan, Betawi.                                        

The above building is Yogjakarta style, in front of the house available a huge space for guests, using for kingdom ceremonies, big summon or dance performance. Sultan status until today in dwi functions as a head of the province and the King in old traditon in Kingdom household. Visitors allowed to enter the castle, served by servant in tradition manners.

 Here is an old building since Dutch era in downtown Semarang, Capital of Central Java.


BALI ISLAND
Next archipelago in east of Java island is a small island, that most peple are Hindu religion. . The information about this small island easily get in any counter desk of travel companies. I just give a galance here.

                                                                                                                                                                 Pendet dance, is a wellcome dance will perform in formal receptions, ceremonies or included in packet tour 

when you visit Bali island. A lot of dance types teached the the kids from childhood not because the busniess motives but also a cultures of this island.

The decorated doors and building in left side photo is a traditional architecture that used by Goverment offices, Bankings, private companies,Villages community building and high class society as well. Once you step down from your flight, incent scent will reach your nose. You will see Pagoda along the way to your hotel. Visit Bali with special surrounding full of mistic, Pagoda you will feel somewhere lived in heaven. Once your feet touch this amazing land, you will be back again.

SULAWESI (CELEBES).

From Bali, continue your journey to East part of the country to Sulawesi island or Celebes, what a exotic island's name. The more you go to eastern, the most tradition keep maintenance by local people and local authorities

 

These two buildings are Tanah Toraja designs in South Sulawesi province, Celebes. In this Blog you may read a topic about family funeral.  The family keep the beloved one for years - some until  10 years - to prepare the descendants of big families to hold a special big ceremonial to bury the skulls of the love one. Actually not buried, but just putting in rock graves belong to that certain family. 

KALIMANTAN (BORNEO)

Leaving Celebes our steps enter the 2nd bigger islands called Kalimantan or Borneo island. Most foreigners imagine this island surrounding by Junggles full of wild animal and less developed island. To know the truth lets enter East Borneo.

This decorated building called LAMIN belong to Dayak clan in East Kalimantan. The real bulding in long size, inter connected each others using for a lot of household,with family members, some  up to 200 persons. The house decorated by symbols of Dragons, hawks, human skulls, cumi cumi fish etc. In front of the building stand 2 statues, human and animal to protected the families.


Building below belong to West Kalimantan province. This huge building was the copy of a castle owned by Sultan Syarif Abdullrachman Alkadri 1771, Long house (betang), miniature of boat house, small house for remain body of dead human and a equator statue, because equator line cross this area.

PAPUA (IRIAN) island.

 

These  two buildings belong to Papua province, in the east part of the country, border Papua New Guinea.

The original house in small photo above built by natural materials  just cutting in the forest nearby the villages. The below building as a replica of other kind of building in modern building material. Look nice in two storey building

 The mineral and timber companies operated in this biggest island. Indigenous people lived in isolated areas walking distance by foot for days to reach the market places. Due to tansportation difficulties, this region less developed compare to Java or west part of the country.

People in Papua had a many old ritual traditions such as war inter villages. Left foto is a group of a tribe warriors. The right one is a handsome Asmat tribe that known  as Sclupture skills of Asmat Statues, artefacts, ornaments and handicrafts.

BUNAKEN IS THE WORLD NATURAL HERITAGE

DIVE...DIVE...DIVE...is the theme of BUNAKEN NATIONAL MARITIM PARK.

Diving down with friends under Bunaken deep sea unforgettable how we surrounding by abundance colorful corals, any kind of fish with their shapes, swimming side by side with human as a friends.

Swim in warm tropical water, sparkling clear made this Park fame around  the globe for clarity of the water, may visible in the range of 35 - 40 meters away. Abundance of coral and fish as a main reasons why this park so famous and attracts, especially for divers, snorkel and naturalists.

Make sure you take a full tank of gas to take advantage to sight seeing while under the water, see the details of any kind of coral"s shape. In the photo we can see one a white skin coral, beside the other one like a flower. I wish I can take it home and put in in an aquarium in my guest room to cheer my life up. I never aware how valuable this coral could be if they sell it in the market place in the big cities.

Bunaken known as a  highest level of marine biodiversity, world natural heritage,  its make sense if  we looking to this six small pics, saw a red and yellow corals, palm trees and sailing boat. Really tempting every eye to come and see Bunaken and  surrounding, who administratively to Manado municipality, North Sulawesi province.
 

Every body come closer to take a look of the coral flowers in white color. Not so sure what they are talking about. One for sure that they admired this coral's hill.

                                             

Two type of fishes swimming side by side, sometime touching each others. That beautiful red skin with white strips seems attracted by a group of small fish. and a diver as well, to shot a pic to saw the world the richer compare to the Philippine sea beyond the border.

Amazing background of sea color in light blue matching with blue black strips of these middle size fish. Yellow with dots in the mouth, top back and the wing just like out from a fancy saloon and invited attention from the diver to take a picture.

You may find the fish in deeper level since Manado bay extremely deep 1566 meters.

Unexpectedly these long thick fish come out from the holes like a tunnel in the coral rock, to make it really worth to coming here to east part of Indonesia, in the North of Sulawesi. Its not easy to find one Natural heritage like this in the world.

Visit Bunaken in North Sulawesi island, take a flight to Soekarno Hatta, Jakarta Airport or direct flight to Ngurah Rai, Denpasar, Bali island. Transfer flight with domestic plane to Sam Ratulangi, Manado airport by stop over in Makassar, South Sulawesi.

The Lodging, Villa, Bungalow in this area, generally offer a package, Hotel and diving. Rate of Villa US.$.60 per person per night and the cheaper one stay at Bungalow for Rp.125.000 - Rp. 250.000,- per person per night.

Bunaken could reach in 45 - 60 minutes from Manado by regular, fixed schedule public boat, cost Rp.25.000,- or by chartered boat in your convenience time.

Where the exact Bunaken location, please enlarge the green map (photo)


WELCOME TO BUNAKEN.

SAMAN DANCE of a THOUSAND HANDS

Saman dance is a traditional Aceh dance, well known as Dance of a thousand hands, not because the participants at least 500 couples of hands, but a type of dance perform by a lot of  people not more than 100.

The Saman dance name came from the initiator and development of the dance, name Seykh Saman from Gayo lues regency  (district) of Nangroe Aceh Darussalam province, including write the poem of the song, mixture of Gayo and Arab languages contained religious message, satire and ideal advice.

In Aceh Nangroe Darussalam,  every aspects of life, including in culture and tradition, highly influenced and very close correlation with Moslem religion. That is why  this special province known as a  Veranda of Mecca.

If we watching you tube, we wonder that most of the dance movement done by the hands and the body in sitting or standing position, not as general dancing movement with the legs. The rythm followed by the bow, clap hands, turn head right and left singing and shouting, made it so beautifull. It could not be done smoothly without hard training and practices beforehand.

This Acehnese dance generally perform in special or in a big big event like Indonesian independence day in August and anniversary of prophet Muhammad SAW, head of state visit and sometime got invitation from other countries.

In 1990s Indonesian Government assigned them to participate in Pasadena Rose parade, South California, USA, dancing above  the ladder of a Giant while this creature walking in the parade. They got a big hands a long the way and wondering how nice they dance was.

Every time they perform, one thing to be sure, get a big hands and by standing ovation as an appreciation for this Amazing Acehnese icon.

As a traditinoal dance, the participants always using an unique uniform of local motif knitted by Gayo tribe  as seen in the the last two photos, colorful design.

Visit Aceh, the origin of this a thousand hand dances, you may take a flight from Singapore or from Jakarta and stop over in Medan, capital of North Sumatera province. Then proceed North by local plane or by land for 4-5 hours drive to Banda Aceh, the capital of Aceh province. You may see how massive the wrekage of building by Tsunami, that everybody watching in CNN and TV breaking news.

HORSEMEN FIGHTING TO DEATH

PASOLA is a name of war game championship played by 2 groups, riding running horse using spears as a weapon without holding a shield. The horses decorated colorfully and the men using traditional custom.

Both men and the horses are a brave one, took a trained by themselves before the event, since the spears may wound their enemies and some time injures to death.

The local Government allow this kind of dangerous game as a part of the old culture as a main reason and later utilized to attracted tourists to visit this island in order to get side income for the community.

Take a look at the photos, the spears may overshoot and wound crowded people who watcing the game close by inside the arena and without any appropriate fences.

MARAPU is a part of ritual traditional Sumbanese hores men to kill each others, shedding of blood, the lost of an eye and sometime until death.

Make sure your visit to Waingapu, West Sumba in February - March as Pasola held regularly
each year. You may buy direct tiket to Ngurah Rai Airport, Denpasar, Bali or transfer flight in Sukarno Hatta Airport, Jakarta. and proceed your adventure vacation with local flight an hour or so to Waingapu, capital of west Sumba island as a part of East Nusatenggara province.

Many travel agents offer few days stay in this Sumba island, including visit a grave of the late Kings who buried in a special tomb design (photo). The stone of grave build outside the village then carried away  by relatives to the cemetry who locate far in another place in a special ceremony. 

FUNERAL WAIT FOR YEARS

The skulls inside the rock

                                             Carry the corpse and lay it down in a hole
If you have any plan to travel to Celebes or Sulawesi island, the best place to go is to visit a funeral ceremony at a certain time in a year. This old tradition or culture still keep running in modern age even a lot of the member tribes got a higher education and most of population were christian.

Actually he body didn't buried but they keep it at  Tongkonan home for some time, some  to 10 years until family members can afford to held a big ceremony. The skulls of their love one, then take to the grave yard or hole in the rocks belong to the certain family. Some grave locate in a higher rock hill facing the road. The ceremony will take place after the last harvest, usually start from June to October each year.

The ceremony or the procession will take days and by the culture summons all  of  their big family members  . Every single members will come with their sacrifices as pigs and cows. The higher status of the pass away in the community affect the length of days of the celebration and spend much more money to feed all communities attending the funeral.

The way they cutting to pieces not in a general ways as they do in the market places but follow a certain culture rule. The consequences will be time consuming  and only certain older can do the works.

A very closed family members should sacrifice time, a lot of animal he raised or much money to spend to be eligible to follow this ritual event. Even sometime they should borrow money just to buy animals fo this celebration. So to speak, some time they postpone the funeral ceremony day for a long period of time.

                                                             Tongkonan home.

This unique ceremony just like one in Bali Hinduism ritual, become a attractive event to see, and now travel agents sell it as a special tourist destination. So in the event we will see a foreigners among people take a pictures when amazing procession take place.

To visit Rantepao, the capital of this district you may take a plane from Jakarta or from Bali stop over in Makassar. Make sure you catch up the flight to Rantepao airport in Tuesday and Friday, since the flight schedule unreliable, you may take 8 hours drive for 250 kilometers north of Makassar by Bus from Panakiang station, including break for a meal. Along the way you will not boring watching beautiful sea shores , green scene, paddy fields, since South Sulawesi is a fertilize land and produce rice, enough for their consumption.

The common cost for entry to the site around Rp. 10.000, (US$.1) and if you can a little Indonesia, no need to hire guides. For a day you may rent Rp.60.000 motor bike or rent a minibus/car and the driver for Rp. 150.000,-

Don't worry a lot of hotels and restaurants at last destination Rantepao or Makale town, and make reservation beforehand, so your arrival will be convenience at that remote area.

K-O-M-O-D-O... 7th MIRACLE IN THE WORLD.

Thanks God that Komodo reptiles acknowledged as the 7th world miracles of the world. Indonesia should be proud of this good news and use it to the welfare of people and business related to Komodo. Lets say travels agencies, plane tickets, ship rental with accommodation,  new employment opportunities especially related to feeding, maintenance the reptiles as well as tourists facilities at Komodo islands.

You allowed come closer to see or to shot pictures of these dragons, but keep the distance or obey what your guide to say. You are not allowed to feed them, since they had a regular schedule of feeding a lot of amount of fresh meat. Besides, you are not free wherever you want to go, because this reptiles categorized as a danger, so be sure the appointed tour guides be with you all the time.

From transportation and communication point of view, Komodo island more easier reach from Denpasar, Bali or from Mataram, Lombok island and then arrange another transportation to Komodo island.  So for tourist convenience, this heritage should manage directly by a special body with a certain authority to handle the routine activities and tackle the problems as fast as possible.

You are not only astonished to see this amazing creatures, but you may  take a walk on the white sand beach and then ready to dive, to explore the beauty under the sea the corals or multi colors of fishing, swimming freely side by side with human, not disturbing at all.

You may arrange the trip by your agents in your country as well in Jakarta, Bali or  Lombok. We suggest you prefer to find one in Jakarta or Bali who fully understand the best and convenient accommodations related to this amazing journey. In your way home you may spend your holiday to enjoy the beauty of beaches in Lombok islands and or spend few days to see the way of life Balinese, the extra ordinary one in the world.

We do hope Central Government don't rely solely on local authorities to manage this heritage where they resided far away in another islands. Province Government locate in Kupang, Timor island and no direct flight to this island. The closer authorities reside at Labuhan Bajo, district capital in west Flores island. Its better off if Government set up special body to manage this Komodo National park, independent unit fully authority to handle routine activities and development.

INHERIT C-R-A-F-T-M-E-N-S-H-I-P

If you happened invited by middle - upper class family in Indonesia or if you enter a guest room of an Indonesian star hotels, you might be astonished to see a special wooden furniture  in complicated and interesting design. Asking your host or information desk, surely they will answer  that brown furniture's  name is  "Jepara craft", means that the design done by Jepara craft men.

Most furniture produced in Jepara district, but some products made in another parts of the country, done by the craft men imported from Jepara, since they had been nurture this craftmanship hundred of years from their ancestors. I put this topic in Culture label due to their blood inherited their skill automatically  without going to formal training.

Jepara town located in North part of central Java, about 90 minutes flight from Jakarta and about 2 hour drive from Ahmad Yani airport, Semarang, capital of Central Java. You may buy a round trip ticket and back to Jakarta late in the afternoon or spend a weekend in Semarang to take advantage to visit minimum two destinations, Jepara and Borobudur temple, to make your day an amazing experiences to tell relatives and others. As you know this temple is one of the 7 miracles in the world.

When you enter the border of Jepara district, a long the way your eyes astonished to realized that you enter a place full of workshops, display rooms, wooden stocks, warehouses, a special and amazing circumstance differ from another parts of Indonesia.

The attractive things not just in the classic design but also in a solid wood materials as well, planted in Java island name "Jati woods" that will last for decades, as in my house. I bought in 25 years a go and still in a very good conditions. The type of products varies from chairs, tables, cupboards, desks, dividers (photo), show cases, phone standing, mirror frames, carts for liquors and many more including craft of last supper, head of Jesus Christ craft.

In the last 25 years the local companies face a fierce competition when many new companies came in, back up by foreign capital. Their market destination is for export oriented to their own country or beyond. in 2004 alone export value of furniture reach US$ 141 millions. Right now ex patriate working in Jepara related to this industry reach 3.000 persons related to this industry, including marketing and design especially for antique and classic design..

So, spare your time going around or walking door to door in Jepara town and if you fall in love with some kind of design, you may placed order and they will send it by Fedex to your doorstep.

But in case you are in a hurry, just asking hotel receptionists or taxi drivers in big cities to take you around and stop by in workshop and show rooms of  Jepara furniture in another towns.

Due to the craftmenship, this furniture produce in slow motion manually by design, sand paper, polish and needed a lot of time to do, ultimately will affected the price. That is why this attractive wooden furniture relatively expensive and only middle - high class society could afford to pay,  including the star hotels, restaurants in cozy or classic atmosphere.

In your next visit to Indonesia or Bali, make sure your schedule included insert Jepara visit or collect information on the website beforehand or stop by in our embassy before leaving your country.

A NEW BORN BABY CALLED "GRANDPA"

Ompung na burju or The kind grandparents

Why do you call me Ompung ?", means Grandpha,  I wrote in facebook one evening in the first week of September 2009, as a respons to someone from North Sumatera with the same family name "Situmeang".

After Q and A chatting, then he aplogized after memorized his accurate family tree. Ultimately he change his mind and changed my title too,  to be father (Bapak Tua) in a father level, since he is 16th generation and mine is 13th.
In Batak culture, the family tree simplified just in 3 level, children - father - grandpha. After grandpha level, we return to father level again. That is why the 16th generation called me back to father, not grandpha.

This Family tree (Tarombo in local language) is a special culture in Batak clan, a clan origin coming from North Sumatera around Tarutung town, North Tapanuli district and Sibolga town, Central Tapanuli district and surrondings. Every single person, mostly man, ought to keep this Tarombo with them wherever they lived, since it used in daily life on Batak community.

In social relationship among Batak community, when introducing each other, firstly not mention their name, but the clan's name or in what clan they belong. And if its happened to be the same clan, then they seek more detail what is each number in generation. This number very important to know exactly each status in the comunity. Nowadays, in Situmeng clan the generation numbers reach to 17th generations, but some families still in 15th.

Amazingly, in November 1, 2009 I got FB message that someone, Mr.Allan acknowledged that he is number 11 and I am no 13. I'd changed his title from brother to be Old Grandpha. I was amazed that nowadays we may find Situmeang in a wide generation, beetwen number 11 to number 17.
How the last generation shoul call a man in 11 generation ?. As I said before, this youngest generation have to called no.11 with Grandfather, Ompung again.

I didn't know how many Batak's clan were, maybe we  can find it in North Sumatera Library, if any. You may ever heard the clan's name like mine Situmeang or Situmorang, Lumban Tobing, Pardede, Nasution, Sihombing, Pasaribu, Pandiangan, Sinaga and many many more. And every single clan kept and maintained their own Family tree and up dated otomatically by each person.

A new born baby like my grandson Jonas Situmeang be number 15 and whoever Situmeang of 16th generation must called him Amang (Papa) no matter how old is he or what is his marital status. And whoever No.17 should call him grandpa.

It happened to me once, when we got an invitation on opening ceremony to set up new Law firm in Jatinegara, Jakarta. Unexpected, without advance noticed, the owner, Mr.Habonaran Situmeang S.H, lawyer, asking me to open up  the curtain who covered Law firm name, to be dedicated.
This honor gave to me because, I was his Grandpha in family tree. Hamonangan is 15th generation and mine 13th. For long time in Situmeang community with humble, he always called me Ompung (Grand pa).

It is not funny and interesting ???

B A T I K.......WORLD HERITAGE

......traditional motif in a dinner party with my wife


Batik......is Indonesia icon well known at least in South east Asian countries. When using batik shirt in an event in South east Asian countries, they know that we are not one of them, since our face seemingly look alike. We proud of using this shirt or women dress and become Nation icon. Its become popular when October 2, 2009 Batik crowned as a World Heritage.

....modern motifs under traditional colou
s.





In Indonesia, without mention what dress code on the invitation cards, its common to come using Batik, especially for the men,  expensive one, beside full dress. We had a lot of types,  models, colors, motifs and the kinds of materials who affected the price, ranging from Rp. 25.000  to Rp. 1 million , equivalent to US$ 2,50 to $ 100.

If you prefer the traditional motifs and colors, just ask the sellers they will show you. depend on your wallet what material do you prefer. The silk come out softly and look expensive. But have in mind that its common using short sleeves in daylight, in hot climate and long one in formal event, day or night. Don't worry you are welcome using long sleeves Batik among other guests coming with full expensive dresses.

 
Central of production of Batiks where in Solo, Pekalongan in Central Java and Yogjakarta, but some provinces produce Batik as well with "special" design related to their local cultures. On your tour we may see how they draft the design, mixing the colour paint , writing by hand in slow motion, washing till to drying. In tour package asking the venue to see, women seat on the small cair while designing and painting with a hot paints. One handwritten Batik in expensive materials may take months and affected the price. Not calculated man hours methode, but just simple mathematic, they afford their daily tradtional way of life. They enjoyed and happy. 

.........white modern Batik, when reading my poem


Once when APEC, Asia Pacific Countries leader meet in Bogor palace, outside capital of Jakarta, all head of states using batik shirts. It look funny, some of them using Xtra Large in extra large bodies. Some newspaper comments of how artistic those uniforms with nice design. 

.....modern motif for ladies


















If you have the opportunity to visit Indonesia, please make sure to spend few days to see Batik center in Central Java, especially at Yogjakarta city, Solo and Pekalongan. You may try to design manually how the proces of Batik.