Each month, NOW! Jakarta brings you tales of hidden heritage from our intrepid traveling Stephanie Brookes, writer. During 2018 they have brought stories back from Lombok, Sumba, Lembata, Belitung, Sulawesi, Kalimantan and Bali. From meetings with traditional whalers,...
—There’s more to Bali than beach clubs and Bintang. Stephanie Brookes gets an intimate glimpse into the elaborate preparations for Galungan, a festival that reminds you of the spiritual charms of the island— Galungan is a wonderful time for the Balinese, Ibu Wayan, an...
Have you ever wondered why sometimes when you are in Bali you see rows of beautiful bamboo poles lining the streets? Why can they be seen at some times and not at others? Well, the streets get decorated every 210 days for a celebration known as Galungan. Galungan is a...
Nyepi in Bali is unique. It is known as the Day of Silence. The three to five day period leading up to Nyepi Day (a Balinese Hindu ceremonial religious day), is one of the most exciting, colourful and festive times. However, from the stroke of midnight on Nyepi Day,...
I arrived late in the evening to catch the Prince and Princess Tourism Competition. Suddenly chairs were parted and bodies shifted to make room for me in the front row. I was ordered to sit here, by one of the Dayak ladies, so I quickly took my place between a very...
