Kei Islands – Caves and Kings

Kei Islands – Caves and Kings

The remote Kei Islands are known to have some of the world’s most beautiful beaches, with untouched sand so powdery white that the locals refer to it as flour. This remote island chain sits in the far east of the Maluku province, close to Papua. The Fate of a King  I...
Seram Island – Meeting the Nuaulu Tribe

Seram Island – Meeting the Nuaulu Tribe

Seram Island in Maluku Province of Indonesia is steeped in tradition. Deep in its mountains and along its coast, several indigenous tribes still hunt with long wooden spears and adhere to their old ways of life. The largest island in the Maluku archipelago, Seram is...
Rituals and Heritage of Mount Bromo

Rituals and Heritage of Mount Bromo

“I am Tenggerese, and our people are descendants of the 13th-century  Majapahit Kingdom”, the flower seller said as he adjusted his bouquets. “Please leave these flowers on the crater rim and offer a prayer. This offering will make the gods of the mountain very...
The Magic Eels Of Ambon

The Magic Eels Of Ambon

On a sailing voyage through the Maluku Islands, I found myself in Ambon. The Portuguese sailed into these waters in the 16th century with their tall ships, on a quest to conquer the islands. They built forts and attempted to monopolise the spice trade, which was...
Ancient Threads Woven in  Karangasem

Ancient Threads Woven in Karangasem

The long trek to the village of Jungutan, East Bali, the site of the Karangasem World Cultural Village Festival was well worth it. I met Miliwanga Wurrben, an Australian aboriginal elder and healer, in a most unlikely place. We came across each other in the remote...