Archaeologists have discovered the world’s oldest known cave painting: a life-sized picture of a wild pig that was made at least 45,500 years ago in Indonesia.
Culture
The dating of an exceptionally old cave painting of animals that was found recently on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi is reported in our paper out today.
Riau Indonesian is spoken in a region of the island of Sumatra. It is a bizarrely simple language.
On December 30, Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s government moved to ban the Islamic Defenders Front (Front Pembela Islam, FPI), one of the most prominent hardline Islamist groups in the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country.
Australian universities are closing the door of opportunity to the wide range of vocations open to students who have skills in Indonesian language.
It’s surprising how many people in positions of power and influence, who often denounce the value of humanities and social science (HASS) subjects, have themselves an arts background – anecdotally, history seems a particularly productive major.
Universities are making a serious mistake in closing down Indonesian-language programs just when Australia needs to strengthen it relationships and trade with Asian neighbours, the head of a leading languages organisation says.
The demise of tourism due to the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a dramatic downturn in Bali’s economy. The artists of the island’s cultural epicenter, Ubud, have been especially hit hard.
Indonesia has long been known as one of the most active Facebook and Twitter nations, but recently Instagram has become the social media of choice for many young Indonesians. Some of the platform’s most prolific users are female Islamic activists who are keen to use social media as a novel tool for proselytisation (or da’wa).
One night, not long after I arrived in Sydney in 2007, my mum told me her friend had given us some lontong for dinner. I jumped at the chance of eating something familiar from home: a compressed roll of rice wrapped in banana leaves, boiled, and cut up into small compact cakes.
Ana Surjanto is exploring links to culture through language and sport to inspire her students with new confidence.
Indonesia’s all-female idol group JKT48 is expanding its fan base by offering more online performances — a major strategy shift forced by COVID-19 restrictions.
For Indonesian people and overseas fans, he is the King of Dangdut, whose songs that started an era of pop music in the 1970s remain the anthem of today.
In celebration of NAIDOC week we’re looking again at the documentary “Trading Cultures” which reminds us of the connection between Makassar, Indonesia and Indigenous Australia that started 400 years ago. A fascinating look at culture and deep connections.
As part of NAIDOC week, find time to watch this documentary where artists from Indonesia and Australia reconnect a 400 year old trade relationship through art.
ReelOzInd! continues its series of Q&As with Fabiana Alam, the producer of ReelOzInd! 2020’s Best Fiction short film, Mayang O Mayang.
