Indonesia Etc. Exploring the Improbable Nation
9 February 2015 | Culture
I’m a firm believer that you often learn a lot more about a place by exploring it than you ever will by sitting at a desk and reading briefings. Particularly if they come from somebody like the CIA. Indonesia Etc certainly proves that although it definitely helps that...
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Papermoon Puppet Theatre in Indonesia
18 February 2014 | Culture
The Melbourne Ring Cycle has to be my cultural highlight of 2013, after all Maureen played a big part in getting it to the start line. But the Papermoon Puppet Theatre was a small delight. We caught a performance of these unusual puppets – and their unusual puppeteeri...
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Australian Fires
4 July 2013 | Transport
It’s the time of year when fires – natural or deliberately lit – break out all over Sumatra in Indonesia and the smoke drifts across Malaysia and Singapore causing local outrage and international disputes. It seems like every year is worse than the year before.
...
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Canangsari – Balinese offerings
2 April 2012 | Culture
Observant visitors to Bali soon become familiar with canangsari, the little offerings which are put out every morning for the spirits, good and bad, which pervade everything in Bali. A little woven tray sports a few flower petals, a few grains of rice, perhaps a crack...
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Ogoh-Ogoh & Nyepi
18 March 2012 | Culture
Everywhere I went in Bali giant ogoh-ogoh figures were under construction. Not only everywhere, but everytime – when I set out from Ubud at midnight to drive to the foot of Mt Agung to climb that iconic volcano ogoh-ogoh constructors were still hard at work.
The ...
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