Showing posts with label Indonesia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Indonesia. Show all posts

Friday, September 19, 2025

Indonesia - Sumatra - Acheh's Tsunami



Significant catastrophic event of Acheh's tsunami in 2004.

Sent by Regina from Medan in Sumatra, Indonesia.

On 26 December 2004, at 07:58:53 local time (UTC+7), a Mw 9.2–9.3 earthquake struck with an epicenter off the west coast of Aceh in northern SumatraIndonesia. The undersea megathrust earthquake, known in the scientific community as the Sumatra–Andaman earthquake, was caused by a rupture along the fault between the Burma plate and the Indian plate, and reached a Mercalli intensity of IX in some areas.

The earthquake caused a massive tsunami with waves up to 30 m (100 ft) high, known as the Boxing Day Tsunami after the Boxing Day holiday, or as the Asian Tsunami, which devastated communities along the surrounding coasts of the Indian Ocean, killing an estimated 227,898 people in 14 countries, especially in Aceh (Indonesia), Sri Lanka, Tamil Nadu (India), and Khao Lak (Thailand). The direct result was severe disruption to living conditions and commerce in coastal provinces of these and other surrounding countries. It is the deadliest tsunami in history, the deadliest natural disaster of the 21st century, and one of the deadliest natural disasters in recorded history. It is also the worst natural disaster in the history of Indonesia, the Maldives, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

The earthquake itself is the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in Asia, the most powerful earthquake of the 21st century, and the second or third most powerful earthquake ever recorded worldwide since modern seismography began in 1900. It had the longest fault rupture ever observed, between 1,200 and 1,300 kilometres (746 and 808 mi), and had the longest duration of faulting ever observed, at least ten minutes. It caused the entire planet to vibrate as much as 10 mm (0.4 in), and also remotely triggered earthquakes as far away as Alaska. Its epicentre was between Simeulue and mainland Sumatra. The plight of the affected people and countries prompted a worldwide humanitarian response, with donations totalling more than US$14 billion (equivalent to US$23 billion in 2024 currency) (read more).


Indonesia - Sumatra - Berastagi


Brastagi is a town on croassroads to the two active volcanoes Mount Sibayak and Mount Sinabung in North Sumatra, Indonesia. 

Sent by Regina from Medan in Sumatra, Indonesia.

Berastagi (DutchBrastagi), is a town and district of Karo Regency situated on a crossroads on the main route linking the Karo highlands of Northern Sumatra to the coastal city of Medan. Berastagi town is located around 66 km (41 mi) south of Medan and about 1,300 m (4,265 ft) above sea level. The village rose to significance when Dutch settlers in Sumatra opened a boarding school there in the 1920s.

Located in the Barisan Mountains area, the mean annual temperature of the district is 18 °C (64 °F). During the day the temperature rises over 25 °C (77 °F) but at night to early morning it could drop to as low as 12 to 16 °C (54 to 61 °F), it could also reach 9 °C (48 °F) during the rainy season. The weather can be fair and sunny during the day but may become foggy around dusk to night (read more).



Indonesia - Sulawesi - Tarsius spectrum (Spectral tarsier)


Tarsius spectrum on the branch.

Sent by Dr. Ari from Manado in North Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Spectral tarsier or Selayar tarsier (Tarsius tarsier, also called Tarsius spectrum) is a species of tarsier found on the island of Selayar in Indonesia. It is apparently less specialized than the Philippine tarsier or Horsfield's tarsier; for example, it lacks adhesive toes. It is the type species for the genus Tarsius. While its range used to also include the population on nearby southwestern Sulawesi, this population has been reclassified as a separate species, Tarsius fuscus. Some of the earlier research published on Tarsius spectrum refers to the taxon that was recently reclassified and elevated to a separate species, the Gursky's spectral tarsier (Tarsius spectrumgurskyae).

"Tarsiers were once thought to be of the Strepsirrhini suborder, grouped with Lemuroidea and Lorisidae because of their similar appearance and because they have a small stature and are also nocturnal. It has been decided that tarsiers are members of the suborder haplorrhine, which is a suborder of primates that hosts tarsiers and the simians (Archuleta, 2019)." According to Gursky et al. 2003, based on phylogenic research, tarsiers are more closely related to monkeys and apes than lemurs and lorises. Some scholarly articles suggest dividing the genus into 3 and some references reflect this attempted revised taxonomy. "This taxonomic discrepancy is strongly supported by data collection of physiological attributes such as coat colors, tail lengths, and size as well as molecular data (Gursky et al. 2003)." (read more)


Thursday, August 14, 2025

Indonesia - Jawa Tengah - Sam Poo Kong Temple


SAM POO KONG TEMPLE
The oldest Chinese temple in Semarang, Central Java. Originally established by the Chinese Muslim explorer Zheng He around 1400 - 1416.

Sent by Aghni from Semarang, Jawa Tengah, Indonesia.

Sam Poo Kong (Chinese三保洞pinyinSānbǎo Dòng), also known as Gedung Batu Temple, is the oldest Chinese temple in SemarangCentral Java, Indonesia. Originally established by the Chinese explorer Zheng He (also known as Ma Sanbao), it is now shared by Indonesians of multiple religious denominations, including Muslims and Buddhists, and ethnicities, including Chinese and Javanese.

The foundations of Sam Poo Kong were set when Chinese Muslim explorer Admiral Zheng He arrived in the western part of what is now Semarang via the Garang River; the year is disputed, with suggestions ranging from 1400 to 1416. After disembarking from his ships, Zheng found a cave in a rocky hillside and used it for prayer. He established a small temple before leaving Java but, having grown fond of the area, his deputy Wang Jing and several crewmen remained behind. A statuette of Zheng was installed in the cave (read more).


Indonesia - Sulawesi - Gorontalo


Traditional House in Gorontalo, Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Sent by Dr. Arie from Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Gorontalo (Gorontaloan: Hulontalo) is a province of Indonesia on the island of Sulawesi. Located on the Minahasa Peninsula, Gorontalo was formerly part of the province of North Sulawesi until its inauguration as a separate province on 5 December 2000. The province is bordered by the provinces of North Sulawesi to the east and Central Sulawesi to the west, as well sharing a maritime border with the Philippines in the Sulawesi Sea to the north, and a coastline on the Gulf of Tomini to the south. The provincial capital, as well as the main gateway to the province and its most populated city, is Gorontalo (also often called Hulontalo). The size is comparable to Vanuatu.

The province covers a total land area of 12,025.15 square kilometres (4,642.94 sq mi) and had a population of 1,040,164 at the 2010 Census, and 1,171,681 at the 2020 Census; the official estimate as at mid 2023 was 1,213,180 (comprising 611,780 males and 601,400 females), resulting in a population density of 100.887 inhabitants per square kilometre (261.30/sq mi) (read more).


Thursday, November 14, 2024

Indonesia - Komodo National Park (3)

 


Taman Nasional Komodo 
Labuan Bajo/East Nusa Tenggara
Indonesia

Sent by myself during my trip to Labuan Bajo in Flores Island back in September.


Now I have 3 postcards of Komodo National Park. My other two are here and here.

Indonesia - Komodo National Park (2)

 

Taman Nasional Komodo 
Labuan Bajo/East Nusa Tenggara
Indonesia

Sent by myself during my trip to Labuan Bajo in Flores Island back in September.



Thursday, May 1, 2014

Indonesia - North Sumatera - Batak Traditional House


Batak Traditional House - Samosir Island Toba Lake (North Sumatera).

Sent by Jeri from Medan, Indonesia.

Batak is a collective term used to identify a number of ethnic groups predominantly found in North Sumatra, Indonesia. The term is used to include the Alas, Kluet, Singkil, Karo, Pakpak, Simalungun, Toba, Angkola, and Mandailing which are distinct but related groups with distinct, albeit related, languages and customs (adat).
In North Sumatra, Toba people typically assert their identity as 'Batak', while other 'Bataks' may explicitly reject that label, preferring instead to identify as specifically 'Simalungun', 'Karo', etc. (read further)



Sunday, April 28, 2013

Indonesia - Wayang Puppet Theatre


Javanese Wayang Kulit puppet performance - A shadowy world where good and evil contend.

Sent by Shinta from Semarang,Indonesia.

Renowned for its elaborate puppets and complex musical styles, this ancient form of storytelling originated on the Indonesian island of Java. For ten centuries wayang flourished at the royal courts of Java and Bali as well as in rural areas. Wayang has spread to other islands (Lombok, Madura, Sumatra and Borneo) where various local performance styles and musical accompaniments have developed.

While these carefully handcrafted puppets vary in size, shape and style, two principal types prevail: the three-dimensional wooden puppet (wayang klitik or golèk) and the flat leather shadow puppet (wayang kulit) projected in front of a screen lit from behind. Both types are characterized by costumes, facial features and articulated body parts. The master puppeteer (dalang) manipulates the swivelling arms by means of slender sticks attached to the puppets. Singers and musicians play complex melodies on bronze instruments and gamelan drums. In the past, puppeteers were regarded as cultivated literary experts who transmitted moral and aesthetic values through their art. The words and actions of comic characters representing the “ordinary person” have provided a vehicle for criticizing sensitive social and political issues, and it is believed that this special role may have contributed to wayang’s survival over the centuries. Wayang stories borrow characters from indigenous myths, Indian epics and heroes from Persian tales. The repertory and performance techniques were transmitted orally within the families of puppeteers, musicians and puppet-makers. Master puppeteers are expected to memorize a vast repertory of stories and to recite ancient narrative passages and poetic songs in a witty and creative manner. (Source).





Thursday, April 25, 2013

Indonesia - Indonesian Batik


The art of hand-waxed batik tulis is still practiced in the traditional manner.

Sent by Shinta from Semarang, Indonesia.

The techniques, symbolism and culture surrounding hand-dyed cotton and silk garments known as Indonesian Batik permeate the lives of Indonesians from beginning to end: infants are carried in batik slings decorated with symbols designed to bring the child luck, and the dead are shrouded in funerary batik. Clothes with everyday designs are worn regularly in business and academic settings, while special varieties are incorporated into celebrations of marriage and pregnancy and into puppet theatre and other art forms. The garments even play the central role in certain rituals, such as the ceremonial casting of royal batik into a volcano. Batik is dyed by proud craftspeople who draw designs on fabric using dots and lines of hot wax, which resists vegetable and other dyes and therefore allows the artisan to colour selectively by soaking the cloth in one colour, removing the wax with boiling water and repeating if multiple colours are desired. The wide diversity of patterns reflects a variety of influences, ranging from Arabic calligraphy, European bouquets and Chinese phoenixes to Japanese cherry blossoms and Indian or Persian peacocks. Often handed down within families for generations, the craft of batik is intertwined with the cultural identity of the Indonesian people and, through the symbolic meanings of its colours and designs, expresses their creativity and spirituality. (Source)



Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Indonesia - Trowulan - Former Capital City of Majapahit Kingdom


Trowulan Temple, Indonesia.

Sent by Shinta from Semarang, Indonesia.

The Trowulan site is the only city site of the Hindu-Budha classical age in Indonesia that can still be found. The site covers an area of 11 km x 9 km, which includes the Districts of Trowulan and Sooko within the Regency of Mojokerto and the Districts of Mojoagung and Mojowarno under the Jombang Regency. The site of the former capital city of the Majapahit Kingdom was built on flat terrains at the foot of three mountains, namely the Penanggungan, Welirang, and Anjasmara Mountain. Geographically, the Trowulan area was suitable for human settlement since it was supported by plane topography with relatively shallow ground water. Hundreds of thousands of archaeological remnants of the old city in the Trowulan Site were found buried underground as well as on the surface in the form of: artifacts, eco-facts, and features. (read further)



Indonesia - Riau Province - "Persembahan" Dance Costumes


"Persembahan" Dance Costume of Riau Province, Indonesia.

Sent by Shinta from Semarang, Indonesia.

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Indonesia - Masjid Agung

Masjid Agung in Surakarta (or Solo), Indonesia.

Sent by Shinta, a postcrosser from Semarang, Indonesia.

Monday, February 13, 2012

Indonesia - Dani Tribe


Dani tribe's youngsters wearing 'Sali', traditional outfits with beads made of seashells.

Sent by Juned, a postcrosser from Bogor, Indonesia.

This is from Wikipedia : The Dani people, also spelled Ndani, and sometimes conflated with the Lani group to the west, are a people from the central highlands of western New Guinea (the Indonesian province of Papua).

They are one of the most populous tribes in the highlands, and are found spread out through the highlands. The Dani are one of the most well-known ethnic groups in Papua, due to the small numbers of tourists who visit the Baliem Valley area where they predominate. "Ndani" is the name given to the Baliem Valley people by the Moni people, and, while they don't call themselves Dani, they have been known as such since the 1926 Smithsonian Institution-Dutch Colonial Government expedition to New Guinea under Matthew Stirling who visited the Moni.

A small fringe group of the Dani, living south of Puncak Trikora and presenting themselves as the Pesegem and the Horip tribes, were met on October 29, 1909, by the Second South New Guinea Expedition led by Hendrikus Albertus Lorentz, who stayed several nights in their village. First contact with the populous Western Dani was made in October 1920 during the Central New Guinea Expedition, which group of explorers stayed for six weeks with them at their farms in the upper Swart River Valley (now Toli Valley). The Grand Valley Dani were only sighted in the summer of 1938 from an airplane by Richard Archbold.

Sweet potatoes are important in their local culture, being the most important tool used in bartering, especially in dowries. Likewise pigs feasts are extremely important to celebrate events communally; the success of a feast, and that of a village "Big Man" (man of influence) or organiser, is often gauged by the number of pigs slaughtered.

The Dani use an earth oven method of cooking pig and their staple crops such as sweet potato, banana, and cassava. They heat some stones in a fire until they are extremely hot, then wrap cuts of meat and pieces of sweet potato or banana inside banana leaves. The food package is then lowered into a pit which has been lined with some of the hot stones described above, the remaining hot stones are then placed on top, and the pit is covered in grass and a cover to keep steam in. After a couple of hours pit is opened and the food removed and eaten. Pigs are too valuable to be served regularly, and are reserved for special occasions only.

Ritual small-scale warfare between rival villages is integral to traditional Dani culture, with much time spent preparing weapons, engaging in both mock and real battle, and treating any resulting injuries. Typically the emphasis in battle is to insult the enemy and wound or kill token victims, as opposed to capturing territory or property or vanquishing the enemy village. The Dani practiced cannibalism well into the 20th century, as documented by missionaries who were invited to witness tribe members dismembering the body of an enemy slain in battle the day before as the fallen warrior's kin watched from a nearby hilltop.

Changes in the Dani way of life over the past half century are tied to the encroachment of modernity and globalization, despite tourist brochures describing trekking in the highlands with people from the 'stone age'. Observers have noted that pro-independence and anti-Indonesian sentiment tends to run higher in highland areas than for other areas of Papua. There are cases of abuses where Dani and other Papuans have been shot and/or imprisoned trying to raise the flag of West Papua, the Morning Star.


Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Indonesia - South Kalimantan


Bamboo rafting in South Kalimantan, Indonesia.

Sent by Maya from Banjarmasin in Kalimantan, Indonesia.

This is from Wikipedia : South Kalimantan/South Borneo (Indonesian: Kalimantan Selatan often abbreviated to Kalsel) is one of the thirty-three Provinces of Indonesia and one of four Indonesian provinces in the Indonesian part of Borneo. The provincial capital is Banjarmasin. The province boundaries are with Makassar Strait in the east, Central Kalimantan in the west and north, the Java Sea in the south and a small part of East Kalimantan in the north.

The population of South Kalimantan was recorded at just over 3.625 million people at the 2010 Census. In 2008 the number of visitors to the province was 339,000 of which 21,000 were international visitors, mostly from China, Philippines and India.

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Indonesia - Komodo National Park (1)


Komodo dragons, the world's largest lizards, tearing a goat apart.

Sent by Shinta from Semarang, Indonesia.

This is from UNESCO : The generally steep and rugged topography reflects the position of the national park within the active volcanic 'shatter belt' between Australia and the Sunda shelf. Komodo, the largest island, has a topography dominated by a range of rounded hills oriented along a north-south axis at an elevation of 500-600 m. Relief is steepest towards the north-east, notably the peak of Gunung Toda Klea which is precipitous and crowned by deep, rocky and dry gullies (read further)

Monday, September 5, 2011

Indonesia - Ulundanu Temple


BALI
Ulundanu Temple near Bedugul.

Sent by Bara, a postcrosser from Indonesia.

This is from Wikipedia : Pura Ulun Danu Bratan, or Pura Bratan, is a major water temple on Bali, Indonesia — the other major water temple being Pura Ulun Danu Batur. The temple complex is located on the shores of Danau Bratan (Lake Bratan) in the mountains near Bedugul. Water temples serve the entire region in the outflow area; downstream there are many smaller water temples that are specific to each irrigation association (subak).

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Indonesia - Wisma Kuwera


Wisma Kuwera in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. 1986 - 1999.

Sent by Maya from Kalimantan in Indonesia.

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Indonesia - Sangiran Early Man Site


Sent by Shinta from Semarang, Indonesia.

Sangiran is one of the key sites for the understanding of human evolution. It illustrates the development of Homo sapiens sapiens from the Lower Pleistocene to the present through the outstanding fossil and artefactual material that it has produced.

The archaeological site of Sangiran is situated 15 km east of Solo. The geological stratigraphy of the Sangiran area covers 2 million years, from the late Pliocene to the recent periods. The Lower and Middle Pleistocene Ievels have produced considerable fossil and artefactual material. Fifty early human fossils (Pithecanthropus erectus/Homo erectus ) have been found, representing 50% of all the known hominid fossils in the world, together with numerous animal and floral fossils such as rhinoceros, elephant ivory, buffalo horn, deer horn and many others.

Palaeolithic stone tools (Sangiran flakes) found at Ngebung include flakes, choppers and cleavers in chalcedony and jasper and, more recently, bone tools. The site has also produced Neolithic axes. This evidence indicates that hominids have inhabited the area for at Ieast 1.5 million years. The Palaeolithic tools can be dated to around 800,000 BP, and the sequence of cultural material from this period through to the Neolithic illustrates continuous evolution of man in relation to the ecosystem over a long period.

The geology of the Sangiran Early Man Site is sedimentary in origin, beginning with the late Pliocene. It was deformed into a domed anticline by diaper intrusion. The summit was subsequently eroded by river action, turning it into a recessed, reversed dome. Early hominid fossils occur in successive formations, starting with the Pucangang (0.5-1.5 million years BP), but more particularly in the Kabuh (0.25-0.5 million years BP) and Notopuro (11,000-250,000 years BP). Nowadays, it is an unfertile hill and the region is now entirely devoted to peasant agriculture.

Ever since von Koenigswald found flake tools in the Ngebung village in 1934, the site has made an immense contribution to the study of evolution over the past million years by illustrating the evolution of Homo erectus . Homo erectus is important to the study of the early history of mankind before the emergence of the modern Homo sapiens . Fossils of Homo erectus have been found from time to time in a site covering 8 km by 7 km since 1936 to the present day.

Not only has the Sangiran site contributed to the understanding of the family tree of mankind, it has also thrown much light the evolution of culture, of animals, and of the ancient environment. Large quantities of human and animal fossils, along with Palaeolithic tools, have been found on the Sangiran site in a geological-stratigraphical series that has been laid down continuously for more than 2 million years. (Source)


Indonesia - Prambanan Temple Compounds (2)


Prambanan Hindu Temple in Yogyakarta.

Sent by Shinta from Semarang, Indonesia.