Stephanie Brookes glides through the streets of Malang, on foot and by becak, to discover its urban colonial charm and rural countryside. I stood outside the Tugu Hotel in Malang, pondering which becak (cycle rickshaw) driver I was going to use for the day. All of...
Ayah Armad, a Baduy Dalam, told me about his regular journeys to Jakarta. “It takes me three days to reach Jakarta from my village. It’s 167 km and I must go on foot. I go everywhere by foot because it is forbidden for me to use transport with a motor or a...
Every May, on the night of the full moon, thousands of Buddhists gather at Borobudur Temple for Waisak Day. This holy festival celebrates Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and parinibbana (ultimate freedom). It is affectionately known as Buddha’s birthday. The...
Pontianak in West Kalimantan is the starting point for a trip to the Karimata Islands. The bustling harbour is alive with activity and home to a myriad of traditional boats. After stepping down from the pier, I had to scramble across a number of unseasworthy looking...
Saving Lives and Rainforest An Interview with Kinari Webb, MD of ASRI Medical Clinic, West Kalimantan How does a remote medical clinic, in West Kalimantan, come up with ideas like “payment in kind”, a non-cash exchange for medicine and life-saving treatments? What is...
Life & Death in Toraja Believed to have descended from the stars, the Torajans of Sulawesi are a unique people who practise elaborate funeral rituals for their deceased. Words: Stephanie Brookes Located in the middle of the Indonesian archipelago, between...
Romance for many unfolds around nature, the whispers of the inner and the outer world, framed by a setting that allows you to climb to the top of stairs and shout “yes”. Whether you are planning to get married, wish to fall in love for the weekend or have loved with...
The Sasak and Bugis coastal settlements, some dating back as far as 4,000 years, hug the Lombok coastline and many traditional small fishing villages can be found in between mountain regions and fertile alluvial plains. The local people of Lombok, known as “Sasak”,...
As mina (aunty) Herta sat on the wooden floor of her humble weathered eighty-year-old home, she flexed her big toe and masterfully plaited three strands of rattan. This would soon become a handle for the rice basket she was making. Between the strands of a woven...
The Hornbill Festival of Northeastern India celebrates the 16 major tribes of Nagaland, bringing to life the ancient tales of the Naga people through song, dance and storytelling. Elaborate headdresses adorned with Hornbill feathers are worn when performing ceremonial...
