Makassar: A Living Maritime Heritage of Island Traders

Makassar: A Living Maritime Heritage of Island Traders

Walking towards a long line of tall traditional pinisi boats in the historic Paotere Harbour in Makassar, I caught whiffs of freshly cut timber. I watched strong, sinewy sailors navigating gangplanks with great agility, balancing neat stacks of wood on their...
Galungan in Bali

Galungan in Bali

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...

COCKFIGHTING SHOWDOWN

Share This: COCKFIGHTING SHOWDOWN   I witnessed my first cockfight in Bali, in a small village just outside Ubud. I stumbled upon it by chance when I was running, with a local sports club, on a Saturday afternoon. Our route took us through a temple complex in the...

Kalimantan – Festival of Colour

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...