Indonesian Heroes ; R. A. Kartini

Raden Ajeng Kartini, is a Javanese and an Indonesian national heroine. Kartini was a pioneer in the area of women’s rights for Indonesians.  Kartini was born into an aristocratic Javanese family when Java was part of the Dutch colony of the Dutch East Indies.  She was born into a family with a strong intellectual tradition.
Kartini’s family allowed her to attend school until she was 12 years old. Here, among other subjects, she learnt to speak Dutch, an unusual accomplishment for Javanese women at the time. After she turned 12 she was ‘secluded’ at home, a common practice among Javanese nobility, to prepare young girls for their marriage. During seclusion girls were not allowed to leave their parents’ house until they were married, at which point authority over them was transferred to their husbands. Kartini’s father was more lenient than some during his daughter’s seclusion, giving her such privileges as embroidery lessons and occasional appearances in public for special events.

Indonesia National Costume; Kebaya

If japan has kimono, korea has hanbok, india has sari, then in malay we have “kebaya”. In every formal events, such as wedding party, malay women, including indonesian women,  wear kebaya.

A Kebaya is a traditional blouse-dress combination that originates from Indonesia and worn by women in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Burma, Singapore, southern Thailand. It is sometimes made from sheer material such as silk, thin cotton or semi-transparent nylon or polyester, adorned with brocade or floral pattern embroidery. Kebaya usually worn with a sarong or batik kain panjang, or other traditional woven garment such as ikat, songket with a colorful motif. 

Indonesia Famous Public Figure; Singers

Well-known Indonesian singers;
TOMPI

Tompi

Teuku Adifitrian or well-known as Tompi is Indonesian Jazz Singer, born in Lhokseumawe, Aceh, 22 September 1978. Tompi is also a doctor, he was currently completed studies in the field of Plastic Surgery specialist in 2010 (from University of Indonesia). Album lists:

• Cherokee (2004)
• Bali Lounge (2004)
• T (2005)
• Soulful Ramadhan (2006)
• Playful (2007)
• My Happy Life (2008)
• Paris Jakarta Express (2009)
• Tak Pernah Setengah Hati – translated as ‘Never Half-hearted’ (2010)

One of his hit singles; ‘Sedari Dulu’ from My Happy Life Album

Tompi’s official site

ANGGUN C. SASMI

Anggun Cipta Sasmi (born 29 April 1974, in Jakarta, Indonesia) is an Indonesian-born French singer/songwriter. She has released 12 studio albums (5 in Indonesian and English, 4 in French) and one soundtrack album (Open Hearts), and her songs have also been included on various compilation albums. (source: Wikipedia)

Anggun C. Sasmi

Mother Songs of Indonesia

Famous songs that written and dedicated by Indonesian songwriters to their mother.

Bunda – Melly Goeslow

Kubuka album biru
Penuh debu dan usang
Ku pandangi semua gambar diri
Kecil, bersih, belum ternoda

Pikirkupun melayang
Dahulu penuh kasih
Teringat semua cerita orang
Tentang riwayatku

Reff:
Kata mereka diriku slalu dimanja
Kata mereka diriku slalu dtimang

Nada nada yang indah
Slalu terurai darinya
Tangisan nakal dari bibirku
Takkan jadi deritanya

Tangan halus dan suci
Tlah mengangkat diri ini
Jiwa raga dan seluruh hidup
Rela dia berikan

Indonesian Famous Poems

Some of many well-known poems written by Indonesians poets. These are old but very popular and appear in many Indonesian movies as quotes.

AKU INGIN (1987)
Sapardi Djoko Damono

Aku ingin mencintaimu dengan sederhana;
dengan kata yang tak sempat diucapkan kayu kepada api yang menjadikannya abu
Aku ingin mencintaimu dengan sederhana;
dengan isyarat yang tak sempat disampaikan awan kepada hujan yang menjadikannya tiada

I WANT TO
Sapardi Djoko Damono

I want to love you with simple way;
with words that the wood didnt get to say to the fire which burn it into ashes
I want to love you with simple way;
with cues that the cloud didnt get deliver to the rain that make it disappear

DENGAN PUISI, AKU (1965)
Taufik Ismail

Dengan puisi aku bernyanyi
Sampai senja umurku nanti

Traditional houses (rumah adat/ rumah tradisional) in Indonesia

There are traditional houses in Indonesia in each province. Yet, it’s not completed, because each province could have many tribes and various architectures.

Tongkonan House, Sulawesi Selatan

Soraja House, Sulawesi Tengah

Traditional costumes (pakaian adat/ pakaian tradisional) in Indonesia

There are traditional costumes in Indonesia in each province. 
Yet, they are not completed and also not detailed pictures here, 
because each province could have many tribes and characteristics. 
Besides, each tribe have various design of customes, 
for example; clothes design for wedding is different than other design 
for traditional dance to welcoming guest. 
Kalimantan Tengah

Kalimantan Selatan

Kalimantan Barat

Jawa Timur (Madura) -> Other places in Jawa Timur have traditional costums 
like Jawa Tengah's 
 

Indonesian’s Folktales

There are so many folktales (cerita rakyat) in Indonesia. And each story have legend site which it proves the tale. For example a famous folktale “Malin Kundang Legend” from West Sumatera. The story tells about a son, named Malin Kundang, who went to the other place to find prosperity and after he success, he forget his mother and birth land. He sail around the world and become succesful merchant. One day, his ship came to the place where his mother live. His mother happy when she heard his son came home. But the son, Malin Kundang, asshamed and throw away the poor woman whom acctually is his mother. Her mother felt down and cursed his son to be a stone. God heard and accepted that curse so Malin Kundang become real stone. Nowadays, you can find Malin Kundang stone in West Sumatera beach.  Even modern parents advise their delinquent children with this story (“don’t be like Malin Kundang!”).  There’re also many folktales in Indonesia such as: Sangkuriang, Roro Jonggrang, and many more.

Indonesia’s Seasons

If you have travel plan to Indonesia, please don’t bring warm cloth except you have plan to visit mountains or you want to hiking there. In Indonesia the average temperature is never below 20 degree Celcius. Coolest temperature is felt only in rainy season. There are only two seasons in Indonesia (because its tropical area): rainy season (musim hujan) -October until March- and summer season (musim panas/musim kemarau) -April until September-. But because of the effect of global warming, Indonesia season have fluctuatively changed, and its called ‘pancaroba’. So you must bring umbrella or rain coat everytime you travel in Indonesia.
This ‘pancaroba’ season have more rain than sunny weather. It disserves Indonesian tourism, because Indonesia is archipelago (consist of thousand islands), so the most potential tourism are beaches and water activities (such as surfing, snorkling, diving). Not only sea, if its rainy, you also coldn’t enjoy mountain (hiking, climbing, rafting in river) and sky sports (such as paraceiling, skydiving). But you can enjoy cultural and historical tourism. You can try to enjoy living as indonesian people by visiting village (rural tourism/desa wisata) or if you love history you can visit old temples (Borobudur, Prambanan) and visit archeological museum which shows artefacts, fossils and many more antique things. Or maybe you can see various unique plants and animals in national park; wildlife sanctuaries (elephant, rhinocheros) or protected rain forrests (raflesia arnoldi). Just remember; tourist resorts in Indonesia are not only in Bali Island!!!!

up to date
———-
current weather since last week (now: May 15th, 2011) Its hot!!! no rain.. (maybe around 37-40degree Celcius) And I think it will be same temperature until next month.

Religions in Indonesia

Don’t suprised if you found Indonesian people who have religion but they don’t pray or do religious activities. Because if you were Indonesian, you have to choose one of six religions: Christian, Chatolic, Islam, Hindu, Buddha and Kong Hu Cu.  Indonesia officially admits only those 6 religions (it means if you want register your national ID card you just have those 6 choices in religion field form). It’s because in basic concepts of nationality, Indonesia have point “Ketuhanan yang Maha Esa”, it have a deep meant that Indonesia protected by God and Indonesian people have to trust that they is possesed by God and will be back to God. Only 6 religions allowed to prevent another cults or stray sects that bring human go far from God. The 6 religions are determinated by historical view, in past Indonesia have influent religion from Arabian, Persian, Chinese, Indian who came as merchants or travellers and get along with Indonesian people and western came during colonialism era (Indonesia under taken by Dutch for 350 years).
-please CMIWW-