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.