In Search of Yogyakarta 2009

EPILOGUE

2009-07-20T23:08:00.001-07:00

By: Dr Yeoh Seng Guan

17 July 2009

This year’s study trip faced a quick succession of issues that threatened to extinguish its annual coming-of-being. The most serious were the global outbreak of the A (H1N1) virus (in early May) and the Indonesian presidential elections (in early July). Both invoked the unsettling specter of chaos and danger, and questioned the wisdom of persevering with the trip. Early on, another worry was the slow uptake of places which I suspect would have been quite different if touristic Bali was the advertised destination instead.

At the end of it all, I believe the remarkably colorful and graceful city of Yogyakarta fulfilled the promise of providing a portal into the multi-textured complexity of Javanese culture and society as evident in the many stories, videos and photos featured in this blog. If this particular trip has awakened and/or sustained an appreciation of how communities create an array of meanings and relationships in order to live meaningfully for this cohort of travelers, the key motif of these trips has been kept intact.

As in previous years, a venture of this nature would not be possible without the goodwill and help of a number of key people. Firstly, my appreciation goes to Dr Aris Arif Mundayat, the Director of Pusat Studi Sosial Asia Tenggara, Universitas Gadjah Mada, for readily agreeing to be the host institution and for providing various leads. Grateful thanks are also due to the many individuals, civil society groups, and kampong (village) residents for their generous sharing of knowledge and experiences. Without the graceful and tireless assistance of our student guides from Universitas Gadjah Mada in so many areas – Nana, Ike, Adi, Ambar and Arum - this trip would have been clueless. Lastly, a special word of gratitude goes to Nurina Malinda and her sister Diah Martengsari for all the months of background logistical support. Nurina is a veteran traveler of the study trips to the Philippines (2007) and Cambodia (2008), and her enthusiasm for this particular trip to her home city was infectious.

This is the fifth year in which the “In Search of” study trips have unfolded in the diverse human settlements of Southeast Asia – Penang (Malaysia), Bangkok (Thailand), Baguio & Sagada (Philippines), and Siem Reap (Cambodia). In comparative terms, this year’s cohort of enthusiastic and capable student travelers hailing from different countries is the most extensive – Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. Admittedly, at times this proved to be a formidable multicultural challenge requiring patience and forbearance for all concerned. But I am also happy to report that they rose up well to the occasion. The sight of young men and women from different cultural backgrounds striving together to successfully tackle a common task placed at their feet despite all the odds gives one cause for hopeful optimism. For the first time, this year also saw the participation of two alumni and former travelers, Aron and Eunice, and their presence enlivened the motto of Monash University, ancora imparo – “I am still learning”.

These memories of Yogyakarta will live on

WRITER'S PROFILE: Dr Yeoh Seng Guan has been scheming study trips for students of Monash University’s School of Arts and Social Sciences since 2004. In his free time, he continues to research, film, and write on urban subalterns in Southeast Asia.

Accommodating the Accommodation

2009-07-20T22:50:00.000-07:00

By: Eunice Phang Poh Ee

17 July 2009

Kevin Copeland: I'm gonna have a BF!
Marcus Copeland: Oh, my God, she's gonna have a b*tch fit!
Hotel clerk: No, don't d-d-d-don't have a, a, a BF now.
Kevin Copeland: I wanna speak to your supervisor! Better yet, I'm gonna write a letter!
Marcus Copeland: You, are in big, trouble!
Kevin Copeland: Dear Mister Royal Hampton. I am a white woman, in America….

(A scene where Kevin appropriated the “power and superiority” by disguising as a white woman and make demands he never enjoyed as a black man. )

The movie White Chicks crossed my mind the moment I stepped into our hotel. This is no Royal Hampton. It’s THE Hotel Puspo Nugroho. The hotel that was so unbearable that it gave the fellow pathfinders a sense of togetherness. For once, there’s something that everyone agreed upon, the accommodation could have been better…..WAYYYY better. Maybe this is Dr Yeoh’s little trick to make us bond.

So how should I start describing Puspo Nugroho, I guess the fact that I have no pictures of that place to show in this article meant a lot – staying there are not memories I’d want to keep. The smell of the dingy room, the cockroaches that lurk in the toilet, the grimes that stained the sink and the blanket that we used oh-so-reluctantly are just traumatic to us city kids. Nonetheless, we survived without a scratch, just a few miserable nights and the lust for our sweet, sweet bed at home.

Puspo Nugroho halls

In fact, the hotel WAS supposed to be way better but things just did not go according to Dr Yeoh’s plan. Following him and Aron one night through the streets of Losmen and Sosrowijaya, I found paradise. There’s a reason for Dr Yeoh’s eagerness to show us the hotel we were supposed to stay in – Setia Kawan, an artsy-fartsy place perfect for us artsy-fartsy arts students. As he skillfully led us through the alleys which he knows like the back of his hand (from all the hotel scouting), he explained why we were stuck in the dingy hotel instead of THIS. Ta-da!

multiple views inside Setia Kawan losmen, all retrieved from google

The room rates began at Rp.80,000 per night, the environment was fabulous and there were Internet services near the lobby, perfect for the editorial team. To top it all off, the rooms were air-conditioned (not as environmentally friendly like Puspo).

Then we stopped by Bladok , equally posh with a private swimming pool and a tad higher price.

And why you wonder did we not get a chance to stay at these places? One common thing, the place is flooded with White chicks and dudes only. Aaah, this is the perfect case study for post-colonialism and white supremacy. The hotel owners (colonized locals) still hold on to the perception that the Whites (Western colonizers) are of superior status and class, more affluent and the mere association of their hotels being the Whites’ preferred choice is a status symbol of quality and prestige. As Dr Yeoh mentioned, if only he had known earlier that there are 3 Australian students on board this trip, he would have used them to bait the hotel owners to take us in as “international” tourists instead of a bunch of students from Malaysia. It’s not being manipulative but just framing the truth to suit the local context, let no one take this to heart.

Despite their long winded reasons for not accommodating us, Dr Yeoh persisted with letters, showing the previous works and blogs as well as the association to the “prestigious” Monash University in Australia. Alas, the hotel owners stood strong on reserving their rooms for “the others”. Tough luck for the non- whites. (Note they do not discriminate Asians and if you come in a small group of 2-4 they would definitely welcome you. It’s just that there are “special priorities”).

Hence, that explains the story of our miserable stay in Puspo Nugroho, the last resort, literally. Nevertheless, these days should end as postmodernism rise where race and nationalities shall inhibit no more.

Okay, enough of whining about the hotels. Puspo Nugroho is not that bad after all, they have a very nice member of staff and that is the key factor that gave us fellow pathfinders a common hate subject, excuse me, a common ground. And no, none of us threw a fit but did our best to accommodate and survive the place as well as we can….just like any well-mannered kid would. We survived because we are Monash material.

WRITER'S PROFILE: Eunice graduated from Monash two years ago and is now working for L'Oreal as a management trainee for Shu Uemura. She enjoys hiking and is one of the most enthusiastic for hiking Mount Merapi, but changed her mind after realizing that hiking there would require much preparations.

Editor-in-Chief Closing Entry

2009-07-17T00:18:00.000-07:00

By: Siti Nur Farhanah

17 July 2009

Visits to 'DD Net', the cybercafe that is a short walk away from our hotel, Hotel Puspo Nugroho, has been a routine activity of all the travelers present on this trip. Of course, this was facilitated by the fact that each traveler had receive a certain amount of allowance fund our trips to the cybercafe. Ensuring that the blog was kept updated became the responsibility not only of the editorial team but involved the active participation of every traveler as well. Where one might expect lots of dramatic inquisitions as 19 different individuals, including our pathfinder, Dr Yeoh Seng Guan and chaperon, Melanie Chalil, set out in a foreign land, it is safe to say that quite the reverse happened. Quoting from the words of fellow editor, Rachel Lai, “You don't even have to bug people to get their work done”. The responsible and self-motivated nature of the team on this study trip has certainly made the lives of the editorial board members much easier.

Prior to the trip, a schedule of deadlines had been drawn up for fellow travelers and it is certainly a relief to see that minimal changes needed to be made to this schedule once we were at our destination to maintain the up keeping of the blog. Also, there were several travelers who contributed additional articles on top of the topics that they have been assigned to in the trip. It was just great to see so much enthusiasm and responsibility exercised by the fellow travelers. Travelers adhered to the editorial guidelines provided and obeyed the instructions and tasks meted out by the editorial team. To keep readers on par with the activities that the travelers were involved whilst in Yogyakarta, Kemi and Paulista ensured that the 'Twitter' section of our blog was constantly updated, informing readers about our current whereabouts.

twittering our journey

According to another fellow editor, Shazwan, it was also interesting to read the various blog articles given the many different styles of writing adopted by the writers. It was a great experience to have read the views of each writer after attending a particular session and how the writers worked closely with the photographers, Dominique and Natasha, to get great shots of certain places, people or activities relevant to their individual topics.

Joanna Molloy, a member of the video team admitted that she has learnt a lot from being a part of this study trip. Despite the long hours of editing that the video team had to endure under the leadership of Jane Barraclough, it was time well-spent. She described their work process as being one that was “intense but fun”, putting together various clips for us to remember this trip by.

Where the process of maintaining the progress of the blog is not one devoid of errors as another fellow editor, Marina Tan mentioned, everyone managed to work together in order to ensure that any difficulties faced would be eliminated quickly. As the editor-in-chief, I would say that feedback from our pathfinder and fellow travelers have been tended to rather promptly. Our blog web mistresses, Kemi and Abeer were quick to attend to any changes that needed to be made to improve the quality of the blog when informed by the editorial team.

The constant communication between all members of the editorial team has helped to facilitate this learning experience in the city of Jogjakarta. The delegation of tasks has helped to ensure that almost every area of the blog is tended to with great effort and attention. We also appreciate the articles contributed by our student guides, Nana, Adi, Ambar, Ike and Arum. Working with a pool of creative and responsible individuals has been a BLAST and certainly a pleasure. I guess it is safe to say that the balance between work and play has been adequately maintained by the entire team of travelers here.

On behalf of all the travelers of this study trip to Yogyakarta, Indonesia, I thank all readers who have been following us on our journey in search of Yogyakarta through the articles. Also, I can't help but stress the integral role each traveler has played in order to ensure that deadlines are met and how much pride they have taken in their work. All in all, the experience of being the editor-in-chief has been filled with great pleasure, anxiety and urgency, putting together schedules and praying that everything gets done on time. It has been fabulous race course filled with memorable moments within and outside of our work stations within the world of our warnet (cybercafe) 'DD Net'.

Yours truly,

Editor-In-Chief

insearchofyogyakarta.blogspot.com

xoxoxo

Farhanah Bagharib

WRITER'S PROFILE: Farhanah Bagharib aka Nana is currently doing her Honours in Monash University Malaysia. She graduated the previous year with a degree in Bachelor of Communcations. Nana is a citizen of Singapore with immediate ancestry from Yemen in the state of Hadramawt. Being extremely interested in the workings of the feminist theory, Nana's Honours thesis revolves around the concept of feminism in Iranian cinema. Nana is SUPER picky with food but as long as there's fast food, she's all good.

The Importance of Numbers - A Reflection of Our Journey in Yogyakarta.

2009-07-17T00:14:00.000-07:00

By Melanie A. Chalil

17 July 2009

It started with 17...

My experience here in Yogya centers around numbers, literally. Prior to the trip, my duties involved calling up our 17 wonderful participants (it was then 18) and recording their dates of birth and emergency contacts. When I got here, however, it started with daily head-counts, making sure that no one was left behind for our informative sessions and amazing sightseeing trips. Having participated in last year's study trip to Siem Reap, the group this time had a fair share of relatively new faces and in getting to know the city, I ended up getting to know these individuals.

Then plus 5....

Our wonderful student guides are more than just guides. I have to say, they became our eyes and ears to exploring this city. Whenever I had a question, one of them were always there to provide an explanation regarding the customs, culture and language of the Javanese people. At
tonight's farewell dinner, I realized how much I'm going to miss hearing them sing from across my room. I still remember listening to their voices the first time they practiced – I dropped by their room and said, “You guys can make money out of this”. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Nana, Adi, Arum, Ambar and Ike – Terima kasih for being such great guides and most importantly, friends.

When you have too many zeros...

we've all become millionaires in indonesia!

I'll be the first to admit that I cannot count to save my life. I'm always the last person at the table who offers to count the check simply because I just dislike doing it. I was never a whiz at math in school and safe to say, that was one of the main reasons why I chose to study Arts. I was definitely out of my element on a daily basis whenever I had to count the cash that was given to me. Trust me, it took a really long time (especially the first few days) to get used to what is now the familiar rupiah. During the first few days of counting cash, I thought I was going crazy. All I saw were numbers. I think I even dreamt that I was counting money. So anyways, all this venting has a point to it (I am getting there). The truth is, as much as I disliked doing it, I got used to it. And now, I definitely get what Dr. Yeoh was saying about our accommodation here – making the unfamiliar familiar. So yes, I'm much better at counting money now. Of course, I have my little piece of technology to thank but I definitely get how much work goes into planning for a trip like this just by the amount of zeros I had to count.

my duty in this trip includes counting, counting and counting money

9 days and 999 statues...

The highlight of this trip for me was definitely visiting both Candi Borobudur and Prambanan. I knew very little about these temples and I desperately wanted to know about the history behind its architecture. I loved listening to the legend of Loro Jonggrang because its heartbreakingly beautiful. Also, watching the Ramayana Ballet was a refreshing change from the usual hyper-dramatic/expressive operas I love so dearly. I enjoyed every deliberate movement and although I personally think gamelan music is freaky, it doesn't fail to enchant me.

I count myself very lucky to be able to learn so much about this city in such a short span of time. Although we live near a certain tourist infested street called Malioboro, it was the sessions we attended that truly taught me about the people who live here. It is the lives of such individuals that truly inspire us and teach us to not take things for granted.

WRITER'S PROFILE: Melanie is currently writing her Honours thesis on vampire literature
and masochism. She is a mixed bag of different cultures and loves writing short stories during her free time. Melanie is also fascinated by ancient monuments and civilization. This is her first time in Indonesia and is hooked on Javanese Lulur.

Diary Entry: Day 9 (Time to Say Goodbye)

2009-07-16T23:48:00.000-07:00

By: Marina Tan

17 July 2009

"We need a holiday to recover from this 'holiday' " was the common phrase uttered by us Monash travellers, a few days after the In Search Of Yogyakarta expedition began. It seems just yesterday when we were at the LCCT, checking in and competing among each other to be the Winner of the Lightest Luggage Competition. The honour went to Miss Ultimate Light Traveler, Joanna Molloy with just 6kg of luggage, while Dr Yeoh was inagurated in the Heaviest Luggage Owner Hall of Shame with 20kg of luggage. To be fair, Dr Yeoh did have to bring along the camera equipment and appreciation souvenirs for our host organisations.

all the bulky luggage that the travelers brought

boarding airasia to yogyakarta

But here we are, the final day of the In Search of Yogyakarta Expedition. Nine days together in a strange hotel will inevitably create a bond among us travelers, a strange bond perhaps, which enables us all to chat about everything and nothing under the sun. A few days into the trip, it is no surprise to see groups of people previously unfamiliar to each other in each other's rooms laughing or moaning about the amount of walking done on that day, or to hear snippets of conversations among the Monash travelers in the bus ranging from the academically related 'I'm going to Italy next semester to study' to the completely irreverent 'I seriously need to take a dump right now...but our room toilet is too dodgy...'

Other than creating a bond among us Malaysians, Indonesians, Indian, mainland Chinese, Australians and Singaporean Monash students, this trip was invaluable due to the people and organisations we have met. The travelers unanimously agree that it would have been impossible for us to have the sessions with the various organisations such as INSIST and Taring Padi, without Dr Yeoh's wide range of networking. Personally, I found that the sessions deepened my understanding of the topics and theories I learn in the Monash classroom. In Monash University, we learn International Studies theories as merely theories, but in this trip we have met people who live out these theories in their daily lives. Our speaker at Pusat Studi Sosial Asia Tenggara is proudly socialist in leaning, while INSIST showed us the alternatives to the free market capitalist economy. These sessions enabled me to better understand the political theories I have learnt in my INT major, to see the political theories from the ground level.

For those whose majors involve journalism, or communications, this trip enabled them to practise the skills they have learnt in the classroom; the blog is a product of fine journalism, Taring Padi and the murals around Yogya shows the influence of the media and the
'text' in the political and social context of Yogyakarta, while the nightly video editing must have worked to enhance our video editing skills. Through all this, we also learn to meet deadlines, and that in the real world outside of Monash University our bosses would not accept excuses for missing deadlines. It was a 'deal with it' attitude when bumps appeared along the way to meeting deadlines. And we thought assignments were hard! But you can't keep a good student/alumni/guide/tourist down, and we finished all the required work.

Yogyakarta is a very musical and open city, where buskers roam the streets making music and alternative expression is openly aired through street murals and posters found along Malioboro street. We were fortunate enough to have this trip just as the Indonesian election results were announced. The political posters promoting political parties were rampant on the streets, but what was more surprising was the open presence of posters critiquing Indonesian politics or other social issues or posters reminding the politicians that Indonesians deserve more than just lip service. This method of holding the government accountable to their promises and keeping the government on their toes through these posters, is I'm sure good for the Indonesian people and democracy. Perhaps Malaysia could learn a thing or two from Yogya where the artists at Taring Padi had shown us, one does not have to wait to be old or have a political science degree to take an interest in national politics and subsequently try to change the negative aspects of local politics.

Nonetheless, the trip was not all work. While it was eye opening to have the sessions with the various organisations, we also had a lot of fun and light hearted moments when we did the touristy thing like visiting the Kraton,Borobudur,and Prambanan, watching the graceful Ramayana Ballet or playing with the children of HUMANA who steamrollers us in basketball. As summed up by Paulista, we students 'realised that we were growing old' when we were all begging for a time out after the basketball session while the kids and Dr Yeoh were still raring for another go.

Marina moderating for the HUMANA session

So this is the closing diary entry after 9 days. After the fantastic farewell dinner yesterday, the performance by both the Monash travelers and the student guides brought tears to some of our eyes at the thought of parting, What have we found In Search of Yogyakarta? We found a vibrant place, where alternative expression was the norm. We found helpful, gentle student guides, always obliging but having their own spark of mischief in teasing us. We found out how fortunate we all were, with our water heaters and air conditioning while the people of Kali Code relied on the river and weather. Now we find it is time to say goodbye.

the student guides' performance

last night in yogyakarta

abeer couldn't help to shed a few tears

As sung by the student guides at the farewell dinner

Mengapa adek menangis aje
Kalo memang jodo ngga kemana, hei hei

Until we meet again, hei hei!

WRITER'S PROFILE: Marina is a final year student at Monash University Malaysia, doing a double in the Bachelor of Arts in Writing and International Studies. Marina is from Malacca and was particularly impressed by INSIST which opened her eyes to the alternatives to capitalist free market. She finds INSIST fascinating as it is a real-life example of the theories she has learnt in her International Studies unit.

A glance of Taman Sari

2009-07-16T23:43:00.000-07:00

By: Ambar Susilowati, Arum Wijayanti, Ike Irawati, Fajar Ahadi and Giartina Sulistyorini

17 July 2009

Taman Sari water castle is one of the tourist destinations located in Kampung Taman, Kraton District, Yogyakarta. Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono I, who was the first King of Yogyakarta, built it in 1758. This 10-hectare garden was also famously known as Perfume Garden or Fragrant Garden as there were many fragrant flowers grown in it. These flowers made this garden smell good and even more beautiful, but unfortunately those flowers do not exist anymore.

Several shots of multiple areas in Taman Sari

There are two main entrances at Taman Sari, that is Gapuro Agung (in the West part) and Gapuro Panggung (in the East).They are a combination of Hindu, Portuguese, Chinese, and Javanese architectures. Taman Sari used to function as a recreation place for the Sultan’s family, a place for meditation for the Sultan, and also a defense fort to avoid the enemies. After the death of Hamengku Buwono I, Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono II who was the second King of Yogyakarta, used Taman Sari. Sultan Hamengku Bowono I and II are the only kings who used Taman Sari because in 1812 the Merapi Volcano erupted and destroyed it.

Officially, Taman Sari consists of three sections: the water castle, the underground mosque and Kenanga Island or Pulo Cemeti. Guides usually start the tour of Taman Sari from the entrance gate and continue to the water castle, then proceed to the underground mosque, and end the tour at Kenanga Island. There are three swimming pools (two for the concubines and one for Sultan), one dressing room and one private room in the water castle. The Sultan’s concubines usually gather at the swimming pool because one lucky concubine would be chosen by Sultan to accompany him swimming in his private swimming pool. The underground mosque is a place where Sultan used to pray and meditate. There is also a secret path as an escape route from the enemies. This mosque used to be surrounded by water and Sultan had to use a canoe to come to this place. The Kenanga Island or Pulo Cemeti is a fort to scout for enemies as it was the highest building in Yogyakarta at that time. This place got its name because at this place there were many kenanga flowers (Canangium Odoratum) which made this place especially fragrant.

Kenanga Island (Pulo Cemeti) in 1881.

There are many tourists who come to Taman Sari, both local and international tourists. Based on the information given by the guides at Taman Sari; every day there are about 200 visitors coming to this place. Shortly after the earthquake which destroyed Taman Sari in 2006, the number of visitors began to decrease. However, after the renovation and restoration of Taman Sari, the number of tourists visiting Taman Sari has begun to increase.

Taman Sari is under the authority of Kraton. It means that some of the income from Taman Sari is channeled to the Kraton. This also one of the reasons why a visit to Taman Sari is included in the Kraton tour package. Travel agents usually arrange their schedule to visit Taman Sari after visiting Kraton.

Taman Sari opens daily from 9 a.m to 3 p.m. with its entrance fee 2,500 IDR for local tourists, 7,000 IDR for international tourist and 1.000 IDR for a camera fee. A licensed-guide will be available to accompany the tourists (optional).

So for those who are interested in cultural heritage especially in Jogjakarta, Taman Sari will be a good place to visit.

The Art of Understanding the Javanese

2009-07-16T23:41:00.000-07:00

By: Ambar Susilowati, Arum Wijayanti, Ike Irawati, Fajar Ahadi and Giartina Sulistyorini

17 July 2009

Being a Javanese is partly about genealogy, but mostly it is an elaborate art that you have to learn through a long process. It is not as simple as many people think it is. As a Javanese, you learn the customs, norms and values mainly from your nuclear family. However, a Javanese is greatly influenced by the extended family and the whole intricate Javanese society in which he lives. Javanese culture does not only teach its people to respect each other, but also to respect others who are not of Javanese descent. Sometimes it might cause confusion for people from other cultures who do not know Javanese customs, norms and values well. One of the many characteristics of the Javanese is that they want to keep things in harmony, and in order to do so they will try to avoid conflict with others, even if this means they have to “swallow the bitter pills and pretend that those are candies”. Those who do not understand this concept of keeping things in harmony might think that Javanese people in general are pretentious, and superficial. However, once they understand that maintaining the harmonious condition with people around them is a must; people of other cultures will get along well with the Javanese.

So, if you want to understand the Javanese better and get insight regarding the going ons in their lives, especially on how the Javanese relate to people of other cultures, here are some important tips for you:

* The polite language
Javanese people always use polite language when they talk amongst themselves. Unlike Bahasa Indonesia, Javanese has many variations of the same language which differ in usage. The differentiation is mainly based on whom you are talking to. For talking to older people, they have to use the kromo inggil (the highest level), while the ngoko variant is used while talking to ones peers.

Javanese language has many variations

* The tendency to say “YES”
Saying YES is almost an obligation for a Javanese. They say YES to almost anything to please other and keep things in harmony. It is considered to be “un-Javanese” to say NO when someone asks for their favor. Foreigners might have a hard time working with Javanese for they always have YES as an answer, but may not always be able to fulfill their YES. The thing is, non-Javanese do not understand that the Javanese usually say YES because they are reluctant to make the other party upset by saying NO.

For example, a Javanese will say YES to someone who asks for his favor to do something although he or she is actually really exhausted or do not even know how to get the favour done.

* The Saving Face (indirectness)
The next characteristic of the Javanese is the tendency to 'save face'. They usually do that by saying something indirectly. They will not go straight forward in rejecting something. They tend to speak as long as they can and it is just to minimize the “lost of face.”

* The Sensitive Feeling
The Javanese are too obliging in most situations. Consider this as an example; when someone asking for a Javanese about direction, the Javanese will not only show him or her the way to get to the place, but offer him or her a ride to get to the place instead.

Those are the things you need to consider when you try to get to know the Javanese. I know that it is difficult to understand other people's culture, especially within a short time, but having an open mind towards other cultures no matter how different it is from yours is already one big step to get you closer to understand the Javanese and their culture.

Diary Entry: Day 8

2009-07-16T23:30:00.000-07:00

By: Kemi Harahap

16 July 2009

I woke up with a heavy burden on my chest. It was not only the fact that I was enduring a terrible cough (one that I acquired ever since the post-exams holiday) but also because I was waking up to our second to last day in Yogyakarta.

After getting ready, my phone rang, and as I peered to the screen of my phone I saw a message from an old high-school friend, who is studying at UGM. We decided to meet for lunch, and as she picked me up from Malioboro Mall, we exchanged stories over mie-ayam. It was ironic, yet somehow funny at the same time, to find out that throughout the 4 years she has been living in Yogyakarta as a student, she has never visited any tourist sites as we have in the past 8 days. In fact, her knowledge about the city, was limited to the UGM area and several shopping malls.

I do not wish to condescend or intimidate my friend, yet I have come to the understanding that if only I had rejected or pulled out from this trip, I would probably be like my friend. Being Indonesian, but the only knowledge of my country will be what is good to eat or where is good to chill. Living only under the confined, air-conditioned rooms in Jakarta, and not having my eyes open to what there was available for me outside of my little box. I have always lived under this generalized idea that cities outside of Jakarta are somewhat underdeveloped, they do not have the kind of shopping malls or developed districts as we do. Yet this visit to Yogyakarta was an eye-opener. I found out that the gems of this country are not the grand and boastful shopping malls that host a number of luxury brands or franchised chains. What allures people, especially people of different cultures and nationalities, to Indonesia is our culture and our scenery.

As I looked back to the past 8 days of our trip, I couldn't help but agree that however bad our hotel/motel rooms were, it was balanced by all the beauty we saw around us. From Mount Merapi, Borobudur, Prambanan, and even the paddy fields behind INSIST headquarters, I now understand what the commotion about Indonesia being a beautiful country is all about!! By looking at my other traveling mates, I sense that they see it too.

Yet this honeymoon period that we've experienced is coming to an end. We decided that our last night in Yogyakarta must be a memorable one. And yes, memorable it was.

We started the night with our farewell dinner at Bale Raos, a restaurant within the Kraton complex (rumoured to be owned by the Sultan's family members). As our honoured guests arrived, we all queued to get our food at the buffet area. White and Brown rice, sate-ayam, and a new favorite of mine, Timlo Soup (also the Sultan's favorite!), we digged in while chatting and mingling with our guests, which included Pak Roni from Rifka Annisa and Ariebowo.

Arriving at Bale Raos with a parade of Andungs (Horse Carriages)

However, the night was not just for gulping down royal menus. Our student guides, Nana, Adi, Ike and Ambar, wowed us with a performance of them singing a medley of Indonesian traditional songs, including the classic oldie from Benyamin S, "Hujan Gerimis", in full Indonesian traditional costumes! Their friends Ika and Marsela also performed a traditional Javanese dance, the Saung Asmara. As a tradition (which started off two years ago), we also had to prepare a little performance to entertain and show our gratitude to our guides and guests. Our remixed rendition of Oasis' "Wonderwall" echoed the Kraton walls, as we sung,

"We've seen so much our bright new eyes are yearning,
For all we've done, we'll spread the word concerning,
There are many things that we would like to say to you but we don't know how..

Hey maybe,
We say Terima Kasih....
and after all.... you're so Wonderful..."

Saung Asmara dance

Performance by the Student guides

Our Performance at Bale Raos

The dinner ended in tears, as several of the girls hugged and exchanged email addresses. However, for the others, the night had only started.

Leading the pack, Dr. Yeoh, Shazwan and Rashaad lead the way to what was suppose to be the first option for our hotel near Jalan Sosrowijayan. After taking a peek, we embarked on a journey to the darker side of Yogyakarta- the red light district area of Jalan Pasar Kembang.

Jalan Pasar Kembang does not have the bright lights or the laid-back atmosphere as Amsterdam's red light district, De Wallen. As opposed to De Wallen, Pasar Kembang was a long but narrow alley, relatively dark in lighting, but bustling with people and loud dangdut music. There was rooms on each side of the lane, the walls painted green and empty with only a matress, and a girl as the decoration. As our large group walked quietly through the alley, we received calls and pokes from several of the bystanders, both men and women.

At Lucifer's at the end of Pasar Kembang

Throughout our trip, we have always seen the bright side of Yogyakarta- the green fields, the beautiful volcanic scenery, and the majestic pre-historic sites. For some of us it was hard to believe that there was a dark side to all of this, but for others, this is the real, uncensored Yogyakarta, the things we don't see in tourist brochures or advertisements. This is reality.

Talking about reality, it is time for us to get back to our reality. Our reality could be the new semester that starts on Monday, or the fact that graduation leads us to the world of job-searching...whatever it is, Yogyakarta has been a great detour from our reality.

*View more pictures of the day from our photo album

WRITER'S PROFILE: Kemi is pursuing her last semester as a Communication major and International Studies minor. She is among one of the Indonesian students in this trip and is of Javanese descendant (as well as Bataknese, Sundanese and Bugis) which justifies her fondness for sweets. She is in charge of the management of the In Search of Yogyakarta blog as well as the resident tweeter.

A Preview of the Local Dangdut Scene

2009-07-16T23:26:00.000-07:00

By: Dominique Staindl

16 July 2009

Crass, cheap-looking, big fake smiles in glittzy shreads of material was my first, somewhat unsympathetic and judgmental opinion of what I saw in front of me when I'd been taken to Indonesia's local dance scene. Dangdut performances were, to me, a clothed version of stripping...and singing.

Of course, there's a lot more to it than that but I challenge anyone to think otherwise when they're first confronted with one, two or maybe three buxom women up on stage clutching at microphones with painted talons wearing wigs and dressed in strips of sequins and polyester frills squawking at a crowd of men who have long forgotten about their (other) female counterparts. It was quite a show. We had managed to arrive 15 minutes before the end, and perhaps that was enough for me.

Dangdut at Purawisata

Dangdut stars are known for their glitzy (and often crass) performances

dangdut is also known as 'musik rakyat' or the music of the masses

The final act was a duo of 20-something year olds dressed in yellow, and these girls were by far the most daring. There was mutual caressing, girating and hip-grinding action thrown in with complex and athletic posing involving spread-eagles and external props. Need I say more? You get the idea.

Dangdut was started in the 70's by the self-proclaimed “King of Dangdut” Rhoma Irama, among working class Muslim youth, but beginning in the late 1990s reached a broader audience following in Indonesia and Malaysia. These days the girls still perform for predominantly blue-collared workers and cross-dressers in need of a few thrills. The theory is that they dance to a heavy, low drumming sound. I could hear a lot more over the drums, I admit, but where my criticisms lay with the style of singing and dancing, they could not extend to the charming performers I had the privilege to meet afterwards, on the insistence of the friendly club owner. As it turns out, these girls are named Anna and Novi and they are both studying law.

The pair, called “Double Ratu Star” (Double Queen Star), both love what they do because it's stress-free and the pay is good. The club owner states that these two are excellent at what they do, which is explains why they are a popular choice amongst the dance venues which hold Dangdut performances. And as they stare out at me under impossibly long eyelashes I wonder whether or not they really want to do this, or whether it's an easy way to pay for their courses. Anna explains through my translators that her mother encouraged her, as it was a family generational tradition. She goes on to say, with the enthusiastic input of her partner, that they don't even need to practice that much because it comes off so naturally! And the law? Is the more self-sustainable option for when the stardom of being one of the best Dangdut dancers eventually wears thin.

Double Ratu Star

with the two dangdut stars

I thank them so much for their time, especially as I hadn't expected an interview from the Queens themselves. They were all too happy to help.

So as we walk out of venue, which had cleared within minutes of the show's conclusion, my more local friends explain to me their own experiences of Dangdut, and what they understood it to mean. Adi, one of our Pathfinder leaders, explains that a show he had seen in a rural area was a little more "wild" and had even, at times, involved the gratuitous use of raw meat. Mmmm. Rachel, one of the Malaysian students from Monash, understood the Malaysian style of Dangdut dancing to be more 'traditional' and more modest in its costumes.

Well, regardless of what is was, or what it was perceived to be through my ever-widening eyes, I couldn't deny the show's popularity nor the energy and enthusiasm maintained by all the girls. But perhaps I'll stick to the more mainstream venues for my own dancing enjoyment.

WRITER'S PROFILE: Dominique or Dom as we all call her, has a mixture of English, Irish and Austro-Hungarian heritage. The Virgo who is pursuing a double major in French and Photography and minoring in Communication hails from Melbourne, Australia. Dom recalls poco-poco or line-dancing in Purawisata and walking blindfolded through the Banyan trees in Alun-alun Selatan as her favorite moments in Yogyakarta.

Yogya - A Shopper's 7th Heaven

2009-07-16T23:22:00.000-07:00

By: Abeer Yusuf

16 July 2009

I have contemplated a multitude of angles in which to start this essay on shopping. I thought of so many ways in which I could begin a sentence which would properly describe the essence of shopping in Yogyakarta. Alas, I have no avenue. The tale must be told as it is. Shopping in Yogya is simply spectacular. Take from me, this is something you DO NOT want to miss. I believe the higher powers above were indeed working for our greater good when we got a hotel right on the edge of Malioboro Street, the Yogyan street best known for it's shopping. Row after row you see a tempting delight, be it a batik wallet or leather jewelery. Minute after minute you are enticed by dirt cheap bargains.

I believe the best thing that ever happened to me in Indonesia was the fact that I became a millionaireness as soon as I set foot here. The power I felt in my hands (and wallet) was too good a feeling. What was even greater was the prices at which things are sold here. A Coke costs about Rupiah 2000-3000 (approx. RM1) while back home it costs at least Rm1.70. Apart from Coke, just everything else from t-shirts to souvenirs to groceries is unbelievably cheap. What makes the shopping all the more holy is the variety and quality of things you can get.

Take batik for instance. I've come up with a slogan for the batik here- “even before you think about it in batik, it's been made in batik”. I come from a country where batik prints are restricted largely to clothes and the occasional key chain here and there. But this was a real shocker- from wallets to fans to bangles to chopsticks, people here live and breathe in batik! We headed on our final day to a place called Mirota Batik, a shopping haven where you can get everything, and then some. I have never seen SO many things in batik. There were batik plates, drawings, batik on necklaces, mirrors, trays, scarves, bedsheets, table runners, caps, slippers, rings, napkins, table mats, shampoo bottles, t-shirts, just everywhere!

Souvenirs found in Mirota

Wayang is one of the most popular souvenirs for foreign travelers to bring home

Malioboro will be further evidence for this; it seems as though God rained batik in place of water over the people of Yogya. Silver and cow skin are two other mediums that the locals love to utilize. You get lovely fans, foldable table lamps and other little memorabilia made from cow skin while designs in silver echo the Javanese culture that is so typically Yogya. Motifs that I noticed include the Javanese leaf, bullock cart, 'andung' (horse carriage), Rama and Sita, and various types of flowers made into brooches. There is yet another market on Malioboro Street, dedicated solely to clothes, called Beringharjo. This is the place to go when you need to buy clothes and trust me, your head will be spinning after you're done with it. Perched stall after perched stall you will find batik shirts, batik sarongs, dresses, jumpsuits, bags- the list just goes on.

Beringharjo Market

Silver stall at Beringharjo

What's the Everest amongst all of this is the knowledge that everything is bargainable. Malioboro is filled with bargains from start to finish, as is Beringharjo (though a word of caution- even the best fail to bargain here). And for someone like me, nicknamed the Bargain Queen, this place was like paradise. Bargains left and right attack you, threatening to tip your luggage allowance scale even further. Of course, the cardinal rule that the more you buy, the cheaper you get still applies. As such, I think it's safe to say that I bought everything that was buy-able. In fact, I even bargained at a place where it was unimaginable that bargains are possible- the money exchanger. While all this makes you want to thank capitalism for existing, shopping in Yogya has also been one of the most eye-opening experiences of my life. Dirt cheap was good for me, but what about those who make these things? Sellers still scrape by with profits, but the state of the producers just makes me wonder how they get by- and how much they get by on. One other thing that really wrenched my heart out was when we were in Beringharjo and an elderly lady approached me. At first I thought she wanted money, as it's not an uncommon sight to see the elderly begging. But she pointed to her back, and upon a closer listen, I understood that she was offering to carry my heavy bag of shopping. Brash as this may sound, my own personal slave. To follow me wherever I was going, carrying my shopping. Makes you think, doesn't it?

The lady that offered to carry our shopping

(for more information, click Gendhong Women of Beringharjo)

At the end of the day however, it is undeniable that Yogyakarta is one of the best destinations to shop for things- things that are not only good in quality, but are also culturally symbolic and the best part are the bargains. Needless to say, my most favourite word in Indonesian was “bisa kurang” (can lower more?).

WRITER'S PROFILE: Abeer is pursuing Writing and International Studies at Monash University Sunway Campus. Being especially talkactive and chatty, Abeer is also part of the blog team that is in charge of this blog and In Search of Yogyakarta's facebook.

Traditional Medicine

2009-07-16T23:14:00.000-07:00

By: Dominique Staindl

16 July 2009

Any traveller away from home long enough will have a story of being sick. It's one of the most uncomfortable situations you can find yourself in, especially when you're trying to be adventurous far from your comfort zone. However, if you're coming to central Java you have a unique option available. There is a form of traditional, liquid medicine called Jamu passed down from generations of penduduk asli (native peoples) that will supposedly help all sorts of ailments. And for the traveller who does things in style, there are now chic cafe-restaurants serving and specialising in Jamu.

I was shown the local Yogyakarta "House of Raminten" by our guides where we were treated to an assortment of the cloudy tonic. With its plush outdoor garden setting, the rather affordable eatery is just like any other commercialised form of therapy-chic, just like the spas and retreat-farms all popping up wherever there are tourists. However, the menu boasts 39 different drinks to aid symptoms of daily living; from menstrual cramps and increasing milk-flow for breastfeeding women to remedies for pimples, liver problems and migraines (even itchiness!); this place has it all. Of course, the cafe survives on the business of its customers, therefore its main concern is marketing and aesthetic. But the staff and manager truly believe in the power of the Jamu - well, why else would it have survived for so long?

House of Raminten

The antidotes consist of hundreds of herbs, leaves, fruits, barks and spices found in and around the geographical region and there are variations of the styles and recipes as you venture further around Indonesia. Some of the most versatile and staple ingredients are ginger, cinnamon, turmeric and jasmine. Locals buy the juices off local women (Mbok Jamu Gendong), which literally translates to older, mobile seller of medicine. This is witnessed through and on the Jalan Mariboro where old women walk or ride baskets of different coloured cloudy tonics, selling by the bottle or cup. And like most things in Indonesia, the prices are very affordable. You're looking at Rp 3,000 per bottle.

Jamu carts found all over the city

The variety of Jamu available

Mbok Jamu Gendong

And the taste? Well, just like any medicine, it's not designed to please but to heal. Prepare for coloured variations of bitter, peppery flavor. Maybe have a cold bottle of coke on standby for the chaser.

WRITER'S PROFILE: Dominique or Dom as we all call her, has a mixture of English, Irish and Austro-Hungarian heritage. The Virgo who is pursuing a double major in French and Photography and minoring in Communication hails from Melbourne, Australia. Dom recalls poco-poco or line-dancing in Purawisata and walking blindfolded through the Banyan trees in Alun-alun Selatan as her favorite moments in Yogyakarta.

Borobudur: Sharing A Way of Life

2009-07-16T23:09:00.001-07:00

By: Rachel Lai

16 July 2009

Imagine riding on a plane high up above the Central Java Province, only to find a 'mandala' (an ancient Sanskrit word for 'healing circle') amidst the greeneries. Similar to every other world heritage icons, the Borobudur Temple is one of those enigmas that exemplify the wonders of mankind and faith. The Temple portrays Buddhism as a way of life through the tales of resisting temptation and desire as we pursue our journey into enlightenment.

On our excursion day, we took the opportunity to visit one of the 7 wonders in the world. However, it was surprising that the weekend had attracted more of the local visitors than the expected foreigners. As we made our way into the 'international visitors/VIP' entrance, the street vendors trailed behind us to sell us their products. One can't help but be lured to the sunglasses, hats and umbrella offerings due to the blazing hot sun.

After flashing our Monash student IDs to receive a special rate of 7.00USD (rather than 12.00 USD), we finished our welcome drink and got acquainted with our tour guide, Aishah. As we walked through the park she began her introduction to the history behind the Temple's existence. Every now and then the patient lady had to pause and wait for us as we got engrossed within the surroundings. You can only imagine our reaction when we spotted the sight of the Temple from a distance. It was truly one of those moments where you just stop breathing for those few seconds and wished you had more than those silly cameras to capture the moment.

Borobudur from the side

The view of Buddha statues and holed 'stupa' (dome shaped monuments) were accompanied by nature's mountainous backgrounds. We were told that we had to walk up the 3 sections of the Temple in a clockwise manner. As we climbed up the first level known as "Kamadhatu", Aishah explained the deeper meanings of the ancient scriptures. We quickly realized how those images would have meant nothing if it weren't for her explanations. She was telling us how Buddhism describe human lives as a struggle to control desires. One of the images portrayed alcohol and opium as a form of desire that disrupts the journey into spirituality.

these stupas have diamond-shaped holes, while the next level has squared-shaped holes

stories and philosophies carved into the stone

Some of us listened intently while the rest were evidently distracted by taking photographs and videos. We climbed our way onto the large steps into the second level, called "Rupadhatu", which apparently described the life of Siddartha Gautama. Lastly, we made our way into the highest point known as "Arupadhatu", which lies the view of the largest stupa. We were told that in order to receive blessings, the men would touch the fingers of the Buddha, while the women would touch his feet. Regardless of how unrealistic those stories may sound, most of us who seemed like wishful thinkers silently made our wishes as we struggled our hands through the stupa holes to touch the Buddha.

Despite the serenity that we embraced from the magical place, we had to fight our way for space amidst the heavy crowd. As we duck our heads away from the colourful umbrellas, we managed to catch the glimpses of beauty that we sought for. Perhaps what broke the tranquility was when the young locals began to approach some of us for photograph sessions.

“Can I take photo for you?” said a young Javanese girl. I responded by saying, “Sure, I can take a photo FOR you”. She reacted in disagreement and resorted to hand gestures which explained how she wanted to take a photograph WITH ME. And so I reluctantly did. It eventually became hilarious to take several photos with them and yet not understanding the reason behind their request.

With random Javanese students

At the peak of the Temple, Aishah told us that we should begin circling the 'Arupadhatu' area in a clock wise manner. Apparently, it is an ancient Buddhist practice of truth whereby one is to circle the stupa with our vows made in hearts. After we made our rounds, Rashaad and I sat quietly on the edge, staring away to the mountains as though we had reached a higher level state of mind.

Visiting the Borobudur Temple on a weekend is probably a different vibe altogether given that it was overpopulated. I reckon that a weekday visit would have enhanced the placid environment especially when there's no need to battle for a comfortable spot. Nevertheless, it doesn't change the fact that we have now experienced a globally accepted form of sacredness. It was simply up to our imagination to shut out all the unnecessary noise as well as erase the extra images of the rest of the world, only to have a solitary moment of discovery.

WRITER'S PROFILE: Rachel Lai is a Malaysian currently pursuing her FINAL year in Bachelor of Arts (majoring in International Studies and Communications) in Monash University Malaysia. A passionate day-dreamer addicted to exploration, she believes that there is nothing in this world that should stop us from fulfilling our dreams.

Reflections (Diary Entry)

2009-07-16T23:09:00.000-07:00

By: Cheah Wui Jia

15 July 2009

You learn things about yourself that you never knew during a Monash study trip to Yogyakarta.

One thing is certain: when I sleep at night, I need a blanket. To myself. Waging a tug of war with someone else over a piece of cloth does not come across as particularly appealing to me. Nor does immobilising myself in my sleep like a specimen in solution; I had to inhibit the overwhelming tendency to encroach into someone else's sleeping territory when sharing a bed (“Oh my God Wui Jia. You sleep all over the place, I don't have space anymore,”)

Different bed times are tantamount to disaster. Roommates of light sleepers are to be pitied. Twitch a muscle and the light sleeper arouses with a start. With bated breath you would have to inch across the room on tiptoe, stealing a glance at your snoozing roommate whose wrath you just might incur if you ever wake her up with your noise. Feeling as sneaky as a thief would when breaking into a house, you realise that turning on the tap would be a no no; you wince at the fact that your roommate might just stir at the sound of running water.

I used to think that wearing socks to sleep at night was for ninnies, until I came to Yogyakarta. The nights were so cold, that I curled into excruciating positions that I never knew I was ever capable of achieving (“There's something I need to tell you Wui Jia. You sleep in the weirdest positions ever.”). I began having bizarre dreams; one night I dreamt that an army of ants started viciously attacking the stash of food supplies that I had kept in the hotel room. Drenching myself in icy water during a bath in the evening did not help the situation. I developed such phobic tendencies for bath time, such that I was horrified at how I increasingly resembled under aged rascals who refused to obey Mom's orders to take baths. I had to weigh the consequences of smelling like my dog, against the painful repercussions of sending jolts of shock through myself while taking an icy shower.

Menstrual cramps. My poor roommate. Feeling like a cantankerous old woman, I swung like a pendulum from being a talkative ball of joy to becoming a sullen sour prune. During my moody times having meals with eighteen other fellow travelers became like a fight to preserve my sanity in a noisy fish market. The buzzing flies that I encountered at restaurants had the potential to trigger an eruption of stress hormones, and my roommate kept me at arm's length during my moments of silence to prevent a disruption in the qi that had been so harmoniously established between the both of us.

Playing with the children at HUMANA not only released a good rush of endorphins, it made me realise that the simplest pleasures in life could consist of a Freudian memory retreat to childhood. However, I was reminded of how my agility and speed paled in comparison to that of children; during a game of captain's ball, they darted from one end of the court to the other before I could bat an eyelid. After a few rounds of games, I already felt like all the air had been knocked out of me. It was heartening to watch the children dive into the candy that we had brought for them. A simple but nonetheless often taken for granted experience: having a piece of candy to suck on. Those children burst into peals of laughter at almost anything that had the vaguest resemblance to humour.

I am definitely looking forward to the shopping experience tomorrow with my beloved roommate Abeer. I hear she's a bargain queen.

WRITER'S PROFILE: Cheah Wui Jia is doing a double major in Psychology and Writing at Monash University in Malaysia. Hailing from the state of Penang, she has developed a love-and-hate relationship for tasty but unhealthy food. She found the Kali Code experience particularly enlightening as she discovered a profound irony in the joy of a people whose lives are also ridden with poverty. She is immensely grateful for the opportunity to participate in this study trip to Yogyakarta; the people she met whilst touring and the fellow travelers whom she stayed with, have instilled within her the desire to continually live life to the fullest.

Diary Entry: Day 7

2009-07-15T10:23:00.000-07:00

By: Feeza Ashruff

15 July 2009

At the break of dawn on day 7, it was a sure thing to find everyone still covered in their blankets embracing every last bit of their dreams from the night before. On day 7 we knew that there were no early sessions in the morning to wake up for and everyone just slept in except the travelers who had stories due in the morning at 10.00 a.m. Everyone had been reminded the night before that the whole afternoon was free for those who had to pursue their still unwritten stories due in the following days. Hence, in the morning all the travelers were scattered doing their own things; Joanna who had a soft story to write on Batik headed off with our student guide Ike and a few other fellow travellers who were personally interested in Batik to Kampung Kauman, where they were scheduled to learn the art of Batik from Batik master Lukman Jamali. While they were off to their Batik session, the other students were once again out on the streets bargaining their hearts out to buy souvenirs for their folks back home. Occasionally the shoppers would convene and compare prices of the goods bought, to get the best deals.

The results of the Batik session at Kauman

By 2.00pm everyone began heading back to the hotel from wherever they were to meet up with Dr.Yeoh at the lobby before heading off together for the final session in this trip; meeting the children of HUMANA, a kind of day care centre for underprivileged children. However on the way to HUMANA we lost our way and was rescued by Mbak Adis a representative from the shelter. Despite getting lost, we still arrived 15 minutes before the scheduled time of 3pm and thus had plenty of time convening in the HUMANA house and getting to know the adorable kids before heading off to a schoolyard nearby to play some pre-planned games. After lots of translations and miscommunication with the children we managed to play 3 games which were 'wolf and sheep', 'ular dan naga' and also basketball. Everyone including the travelers played along, laughing and running together with the children. A few injuries occurred to the travelers- Shazwan was accidentally hit in the face and I had my foot stomped on. Painful, but I am sure that for both Shazwan and I, these injuries only made the day more memorable, as sometimes memories are made from injuries. At the end of the session we took the compulsory sedate group photograph and Dr Yeoh's favourite 'jumping shot'. We also distributed the candies, toys and books that were brought for the children in the centre. We then slowly walked back to the hotel feeling really exhausted and old.

Playing 'Ular Naga Panjang' (Long Dragon) a traditional Indonesian game with the children

The children laughing and playing with the students

When we arrived, we gathered at the lobby for tomorrow's briefing and right after the briefing everyone was once again free to do their own activities; some headed off for dinner, some to the cyber cafe writing up their blog entries while the rest went shopping.Melanie and i went for a wonderful massage and spa at a hotel near by with Farhanah as our escort. I must say that today was one of the most laidback day on the entire trip to Yogyakarta.

WRITER'S PROFILE: Feeza is currently a third year student (hopefully graduating in 2 days time) majoring in International Studies and minoring in Communication. She is an absolute crazy one. Laughing is her middle name and she is always in love with children. One of the most veteran travelers in the IN SEARCH series organized by Dr.Yeoh and Monash University Sunway Campus, Feeza is also a person with a very complex heart and mind. She hides her feelings a lot (seriously) but adores her family and friends to bits. =)

HUMANA

2009-07-15T10:20:00.000-07:00

By: Wei Jia Xi

15 July 2009

Background Information: HUMANA is one of the NGOs in Yogyakarta which has been helping and supporting street boys, between the age of nine and eighteen. It was established in 1982, with the informal name, Girli. The organization could also be described as a cooperation between street children, the employees of HUMANA and volunteers who are working together seeking alternative possibilities for the life of the street children.

Since 2002, HUMANA started to focus on street children from the kampungs (villages). The main focus of HUMANA’s activities is prevention. Today, HUMANA has 5 bases in 5 different kampungs (villages). In this project, HUMANA chose education and health care accessibility as their main concerns. The reason is that education and health care are basic needs that marginalized children do not have.

On the 15th of July, our group of Monash travellers visited the HUMANA branch located at Yogyakarta's Malioboro Street. Earlier on, those who did not bring gifts from Malaysia went to the nearby mall to purchase some small gifts for the children of HUMANA-sweets,biscuits and a basketball. At 4pm the group arrived at the HUMANA centre, to see the smilling (albeit nervous) faces of the children and teenagers greeting them. As the HUMANA children were rather shy, a short introduction session was held as an ice breaker. The children were then told to pick a Monash traveller and they led to a nearby schoolyard for the games session.

one of the many series of games we played with the children

After the ice-breaking session, the children were especially playful and cheeky

During the intervals between the games we played, the Monash students chatted with the HUMANA children and discovered that most of the children were not orphans. Due to poverty and parents who are forced to work long hours, the children are sent to HUMANA during the day to play and study in a safe environment. Mr Presta, one of the facilitators at the centre works as the middle man between the underprivileged families of the neighbourhood and HUMANA. Being familiar with most residents in the neighbourhood, it is easier for him to act as the point of communication to approach the parents of the children he sees left unattended during the day to join the HUMANA centre. His role is also to help the underprivileged children in their homework and healthcare, but he is not meant to take over the role as a parent to these children. The children see him more as a friend than a parent.

The presence of HUMANA helps prevent these children from becoming child labourers as Mr Presta and the other HUMANA facilitators make every effort to show the parents of the children the importance of education. When asked if there were any conflicts among the parents and HUMANA facilitators, Mr Presta proudly declares "so far, no". He explained that the HUMANA facilitators pay extra attention in maintaining the balance between the parents, the children and the organisation's intervention. He adds that HUMANA wants only "to help the children, ensure the human rights of the children and ensure their access to education and health care" and that they were careful not to create problems for the children by antagonizing their parents. To do this, he says it is sometimes best for HUMANA to keep a distance from the family dynamics of the children.

Interview with HUMANA Facilitators

Mr. Presta and colleague

HUMANA has a wide range of networks including links to the Swiss Embassy which provides a mobile clinic health care service for children who have no access to health care services. HUMANA also hands out scholarships to children until they are 18 years of age. Funds for HUMANA comes mainly from public donations.

When asked if he had any regrets working for HUMANA, Mr Presta smiled and said "this is what I chose. I want to have a full time job taking care of these children. I have a happy family, I just want everyone else to have one too".

Students and HUMANA

*View more pictures of the day from our photo album

WRITER'S PROFILE: Wei Jia Xi or Cici, is studying Bachelor of Arts majoring in Communication. Coming from Chongqing, China, Cici loves to eat spicy food and has a particular interest in film and video recording. She is part of the video team, where she has learned new things, and feels thankful for having the opportunity to participate in this trip

Gendhong Women of Beringharjo

2009-07-15T10:17:00.000-07:00

By: Neneng Retna Kurnia

15 July 2009

Beringharjo, a market which I visited today is located in the heart of Yogyakarta on Malioboro street. The market three floors, each floor selling different goods.The first and second floor are filled up with accessories, jajanan (snacks), food staples like rice, spices, vegetables, and also clothes. The topmost floor is used as a kind of storage area, which sells products in bulk for the smaller stores. All this may make Beringharjo sound like a regular market, but there is something unique about Beringharjo-the gendhong women.

Customers can ask one out of the many Gendhong women to carry their shopping

On the third floor, I finally found a group of gendhong women, the group which I have been curious about ever since I was selected to write about them.Gendhong is a Javanese word meaning to carry something on the back.Based on my observation, one can only see this kind of women in Yogyakarta. The group of these women were chatting with each other on the bridge that links the North and South side of the market. Most of them are old women. Mbak Yatni, 34 years old, has already been working 22 years as a gendhong woman. With a typical Javanese face, brown skin and friendly smile, she shared some information about herself-like anyone else, she was willing to face hardship to make a living. In her mother's footstep, Mbak Yatni whose education ended in the elementary level decided to work as a gendhong woman to support her three children. Everyday, Mbak Yatni carries a variety of items on her back, such as food staples like rice or noodles. Each gendhong carrier has the capacity for 50lbs, and for each carrier load Mbak Yatni usually earns 1000 rupiah, or 10 American cents. Per day, she usually earns a total of 25,000-30,000 rupiah (around 2-3 dollars). It's hard work, especially since women are not physically built to carry heavy loads.

Gendhong women of Beringharjo

When asked about her secret to being able to carry such heavy loads, Mbak Yatni confides that she drinks jamu everyday, like the other older gendhong women. Jamu or herbs is a traditional medicine from Indonesia. For Indonesians, jamu is well known as an energy booster. Jamu is also believed to be beneficial to ones health and beauty. However, the jamu tradition is not popular among the younger generation of women.

Mbak Yatni telling her tale

In another part of the market, there are three young energetic ladies who were carrying many packets of snacks on their back. I followed them to their destination, the Candi store where they work. With permission from their supervisors in the store, I was able to observe how these ladies work and to interview them. Hesti, 25 years old is the oldest among the three and she started working at the store six years ago. She is divorced with a child, and stopped her education in junior high school due to financial difficulties. Hesti introduced me to the youngest woman of the group, 17 year old Linda. All three earns approximately 400,000 rupiahs per month (around 40 USD). Asked about their hopes for the future, Hesti said she wanted to start up her own business while Linda hopes to continue her education when she has the necessary funds. Unlike the older generation of Gendhong women like Mbak Yatni, these young women do not credit their strength to jamu. Instead, they believe that they are naturally strong. Linda added that she has her strength from having sufficient sleep and eating regularly.

These women's stories also indirectly reveal the fluidity of the construction of the ideal masculinity. As opposed to the general consensus that a man should support a woman financially, the men in these women's lives have no problem with them contributing financially. Mbak Yatni's husband is a becak driver (trishaw driver) and it could be possible that there is no resistance on his part in allowing Mbak Yatni to work because it is financially necessary for her to work. Financial neccessity could be the main contributor in modifying the notion of masculinity among these people.

Observing their day, it seems to me life is unfair. These women have tough lives, with no opportunity to education, thus being unable to earn a higher income. Yet to my amazement, these Gendhong women do not complain, instead they are often seen smiling and helping each other good naturedly.

WRITER'S PROFILE: Neneng Retna Kurnia is a final year student in Monash University Sunway Campus. She is pursuing Bachelor of Arts majoring in Communication and International Studies. She is an Indonesian who is mixed with two ethnics of Indonesia, Bugis and Sunda. From several group of NGOs to gendhong women, she thinks that they all teach different knowledge on how to stand tall in this harmful world.

Street Murals

2009-07-15T10:11:00.000-07:00

By: Chong Jinn Wei

15 July 2009

He gets up before the sun even rises. Proceeding to an alleyway, he stares at a wall covered with filth and old propaganda posters. Taking out his brush, he begins his work. Hours later on that same wall, a colorful and uplifting piece of art brightens up the formerly dark and filthy alley. This is the product of a mural artist who spends time painting Yogyakarta, wall by wall, contributing to making the city the colorful place it is is today.

The many street murals that can be seen all over the city are works that require blood, sweat and tears of mural artists in Yogyakarta. Seeing their completed works of art in broad daylight after spending a night or many nights working on it is extremely rewarding for these artists.

In this study trip, I've had the privilege to meet and interview Pak Bambang, one of the many artists who draw murals which give Yogyakarta its colour. Pak Bambang currently works as a lecturer in ISI (Institute Seni Indonesia / The art Institute of Indonesia). He was also part of the now closed, Apotik Comics, a company which was active in mural painting and comic publishing. The style of the many murals he has painted are heavily influenced by his time at Apotik Comics as he structures some of his murals in a comic format. The tools that are mainly used to make these murals are wall paint, roof paint, brushes, long sticks and bamboo scaffolds.

Pak Bambang explained the process of how these murals are made. First, he needs to plan what he wants to draw before actually painting at the site. Secondly, he asks for permission from the people around the area he has chosen by showing them what he wants to paint in their area. He then cleans the chosen wall and begins sketching the outline of his work. Later, he paints the walls with the corresponding colours. This process may take several days and require a lot help from other people before the product is finally completed.

Drawing inspiration from his life experiences and current events from the television and newspapers, he draws art that acts as a parody and critique towards local events and issues. He explains that some of his murals required him to paint large structures like bridges. In such projects the use of bamboo scaffolds is necessary to reach places as high as 8 meters to paint the murals.

Street Murals that acts as a critique to social issues

'Lestarikan Budaya Jawa' (Save Javanese Culture)

His opinion on other artists who also create murals around the city is that their works may bestow the city with striking colours, but these works tend to lack meaningful messages. Pak Bambang strongly feels that murals should have an uplifting theme that relates to the people living in the particular neighborhood where it is drawn. For example, in the lead-up to 17 August th of August each year, during Indonesia's Independence Day, many artists will usually draw murals with colours that match the occasion, but Pak Bambang feels that these murals are nothing but superficial decoration which lack a meaningful message.

There are times when Pak Bambang's murals are painted over by other artists. He feels sad and disappointed when he sees his artwork, a product of hardwork by him and his friends painted over by another mural or worse, defaced by graffiti.

Pak bambang is just one of the many artists active in drawing murals and producing other artworks. His colourful and meaningful works have given life in the city of Yogyakarta that would have otherwise been at best plain and at worst ugly and dirty. Meaningful or not, these various colourful murals in tight corners, wall, shops gutters, bridges and underpasses have given Yogyakarta a unique characteristic.

Murals can be found all over the city

Murals are not just painted on walls- bridges and gutters around the city are colorfully painted

WRITER'S PROFILE: Jinn Wei is a Writing & Communication major from Malaysia. Intrigued when he read books and saw videos of the various street murals in Yogyakarta, Jinn Wei wondered whether there was a deeper meaning behind those murals other than being colourful and fancily designed. The fact that these murals which would have been labelled 'graffiti' in other places served the positive purpose of creating a colourful street atmosphere unique in Yogyakarta drew him to investigate more about them.

Waxing lyrical Batik style.

2009-07-15T10:00:00.000-07:00

By: Joanna Molloy

15 July 2009

Stepping foot on Malioboro, the main street and tourist drag in Yogyakarta, means being struck by the bedazzling array of Batik. Shops proclaim this to be the 'City of Batik', and I most definitely concur. Road-side stalls burst with colour as Batik is brazenly displayed anywhere and everywhere. It is all too easy to get caught up not only in the batik craze, but also in a pattern of consumption. First you are bargaining for a batik patch-work shoulder bag, and all too soon you find yourself laden with piles of intricately detailed cloth, eight bangles, a pair of flip-flops and five of the bags you initially wished to acquire (friend, friend, sister, friend, self). The most standard rule of fashion- to wear no more than one pattern simultaneously- is mercilessly abandoned as locals and tourists alike swathe themselves in this brightly patterned cloth..

Wandering along the colourful streets, I began to wonder how a textile had become so prolific; what could batik really means to this city? Yogyakarta offers a wide array of Batik: machine produced for the masses, finer handmade versions for the more discerning customer and Batik fine art for a select few. I mused over what role this textile played in Yogyakarta, not only culturally, but also in economic, traditional and social terms.

In this search, four students from the Monash team, accompanied by our charming student guide Ike, went on a journey to discover more about Yogyakartan Batik. We found ourselves once again in the Muhammadiyah Muslim community- Kampung Kauman. Teguh Ariebowo and his Father Lukman Jamali, an acclaimed Batik artist, took us on a journey to discover the real Yogyakartan batik. In the early days, Batik was of immense importance to Kauman when the majority of the community made batik for personal use, and some also made this their business. Today, Ariebowo's house is alone in Batik creation in Kauman. The decline in production and demand for handmade batik may be attributed to industrialization, outsourcing and unbeatable prices of factory produced fabric. However, there remains a market in which creativity, quality and skill remain competitive-within the fine art world.

We were privileged to be taught Batik by a master: Lukman is a renowned batik artist who not only exhibits in Indonesia, but also internationally. He has exhibited in the Netherlands and has a considerable client-base in Europe. Lukman studied at the Insitute Seni Indonesia in Yogyakarta within the sculpture department. As the institute did not offer a specific Batik art course, he independently adapted his skills to the traditional medium. His art appears Surrealist with the repeated motif of a mask, and it is not surprising to hear of his passion for the Dutch surrealist M. C. Escher. Lukman's works have greater popularity with a foreign market who may identify with his designs through a western framework of art interpretation as they are aesthetically familiar.

Lukman Jamali, world renown batik artst

Pak Lukman has a particular interest in painting dragons

Ariebowo took us through the steps to make our own first batik. We began by sketching our design on a piece of cotton. The canting, a traditional tool was then introduced to us. With this we applied melted wax to the areas of our design we wished to remain white, as Batik is a resist-dyeing process. This proved to be remarkably fiddly and at times messy, leading us to further appreciate handmade batik and understand the higher prices requested. After we had drawn our designs to the best of our abilities (and managed to make a rather impressive wax design on the tile floor), our colourful desires were unleashed.. We sponged the powder based, acidic dye on our cotton and waited in keen anticipation for the sun to work its magic, exposing the dye to create vivid colours. Once our fabric was suitably bright, we boiled and washed it to expose our finished batik designs.

The canting- the essential tool in batik making

Designing the pattern

The last procedure of batik making; the wash

Although the motifs we used were not traditional, and our art does not fit the conventional understanding of the Batik aesthetic, we did move closer to an understanding of the famous textile. Ariebowo and Lukman showed us that the process and the journey are all important. The mass-produced machine made versions are in our hosts perspective, “not real batik”. Through our investigations and brief foray into design, we became closer to true Yogyakartan batik, than we ever will at the stalls on Malioboro street.

With Ariebowo at Kauman after the session with his father

WRITER'S PROFILE: Joanna Molloy hails from Melbourne, Australia and has recently completed a semester of exchange at Monash Sunway, Malaysia. After Yogyakarta, she will embark on another adventure in Italy, completing her Italian major at L'Universita' di Bologna. Textiles send quivers of joy right through her body meaning this Batik rich Yogyakarta trip has been an entirely exhilarating experience.

Diary Entry : Day 6

2009-07-14T23:18:00.000-07:00

By: Paulista Bunga Surjadi

14 July 2009

After a nice walkabout the last two days, I was dreading the fact that we were going to ride on a bus for hours. Little did I know that the journey would be short, what we were about to see and experience was totally worth the ride and the energy.

Our journey started at about 9am as we made our way to our first destination, the Kraton,or the Sultan's Palace. The palace is just around the corner from our hotel. Passing by Alun- Alun Selatan, a part of the Kraton compound made me realize how the area looked so different during the day as compared to the previous time we saw it during the night. The area was generally quiet and not bustling with activity compared to the crowds and peddlars crowding the area during the nights.

As we entered the Kraton's main gate we were greeted by two Gupalas, two statues made from stone, the guardians of the palace. There are two Gupalas, both on the left and right side of the gate because the Javanese people believe that for there are always two sides to a story, the bad and the good. Hence, upon approaching the main gate, one can see the Gupala symbolizing goodness on the left and that which symbolizes evil is on the left . The Kraton has seven main areas,catered for different purposes, ranging from meeting places to warehouse . In the main complex of the Kraton, known as the Kedhaton there are quite a few major places including Gedung Kuning (The Yellow House), the place where the current Sultan Hamengku Buwono X resides and Proboyakso, the place with a wooden wall used as a warehouse to keep royal heirlooms and sacred weapons. Next, still within Kedhaton, we visited Bangsal Manis literally meaning 'Sweet Pavilion'. This is where the royal family serve their meals during a party or a function.

Kraton gate

We continued our exploration inside the Kraton with a visit to the museum dedicated to Sultan Hamengku Buwono IX. The museum houses a lot of his personal belongings, awards, and pictures to be used as a constant reminder of the Sultan's contribution to the people of Indonesia.

One thing about the Kraton that really grabbed my attention was the fact that all motifs and figures have some philosophical meaning attached to them. Where they may look simple physically, each one of them is significant. Even the name of the Sultan himself has significant connotations. The name 'Hamengku Buwono' comes from Javanese language where 'hamengku' means on the lap and 'buwono' means the world. Altogether, Sultan Hamengku Buwono suggests that the world is metaphorically on the Sultan's lap.

Our short visit to the Keraton ended with the mystical sounds of the Gamelan ensemble entertaining the palace's visitor in the pavilion on our way out.

It was around 11am when we were supposed to continue our journey to another area of the Keraton, known as the Taman Sari (Water Castle) but due to the fact that many of us were hungry, we decided to give this place a miss and head for lunch near the biggest shopping mall here in Yogyakarta, Ambarukmo Plaza.

After we had a nice lunch, we walked over to the mall for a quick exploration before embarking upon our next destination, the Prambanan Temple area for a tour of the area and also to watch the most-anticipated Ramayana Ballet performance. In the mall, some of us sat down and enjoyed the delights of Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts while the others roamed the mall and did a little shopping for snacks and other things.

We reached the Prambanan Temple compound by 3pm greeted by a nice weather. Although there were significantly less visitors to this temple as compared to Borobudur, it does not mean that Prambanan is any less magnificent in its architecture, history and breath-taking view. In fact, most of us were happy moving around in the spacious area with members of the video team and the alumni shooting short clips utilizing the vast amount of space.

The temple was damaged during the 2006 earthquake in Yogyakarta and restoration work was still in-progress within the inner zone. Three out of six shrines in the inner zone are dedicated to the Trimurti( 'three forms') Shiva, Brahma, and Vishnu and the other three are dedicated to the vehicles of the respective gods, Nandi, Hamsa, and Garuda.

We did not hire a guide during this visit and explored the place individually reading the notes available in front of the various structures. The video and photography crew has a great time taking in the beautiful view and posing for different jumping shots at the vast amount of space available.

Our favorite jumping shot with Prambanan as the background

While waiting for the Ramayana Ballet to begin, we settled for dinner at the beautiful Prambanan Restaurant. Admittedly, I entered the restaurant with indifference about the location of our dinner venue but I was in complete awe, staring at the most breath-taking view ever, as we stared out at the Prambanan Temple filling the landscape of the foreground. The romantic scenery prompted one of the travelers to consider it as a potential venue for her future wedding ceremony. After the sun set, we found ourselves sitting under an open starry sky, enjoying dinner, sipping ginger tea, and found it hard to avert our gaze from the majestic view of the Prambanan Temple.

Delicious meal and beautiful background..

The majestic view of Prambanan at night

Soon after, it was time to head to the open-air theater for the Ramayana Ballet. We equipped ourselves with a bit of background information provided by the synopsis of the Ramayana epic provided at the entrance. Two of our lucky travelers, Rachel, who was doing a write-up exclusively for our visit to the Prambanan Temple and Jinn Wei, a member of the video team had an opportunity to interview some of the performers of the ballet before the show commenced. We were greeted with soothing music at the ballet's beginning and as the story unraveled, everyone was in awe of the splash of colors and costumes. The gentle dance movements continued to capture the audience's attention as they told the story of the great Ramayana epic in sequence.

Performers at the Ramayana Ballet

It was the last night in Yogyakarta for our 2 alumni travellers, Aron and Eunice. They managed to present a short speech in the bus on the way home, telling us about the good time they had. We truly enjoyed their company and contribution and wished them a safe flight back to Kuala Lumpur .

It is now 3 am as I write the conclusion to this diary entry. Aching muscles and droopy eyelids prove to have been worthy for a fact, documenting the great day that we had today. I will always remember today's sightseeing trip as one of the very best.

*View more pictures of the day from our photo album

WRITER'S PROFILE: Paulista is pursuing her final year in Bachelor of Arts. She transferred from Monash College, Jakarta last year and is among one of the Indonesian students in this trip. Although having been raised in Jakarta, Paulista has been exposed to the cultures of other regions of Indonesia, and admits that she would rather pick spicy or salty foods over sweet ones.

Sightseeing Prambanan... Storytelling Ramayana

2009-07-14T23:08:00.000-07:00

By: Rachel Lai

14 July 2009

There's never a clear line between mythology and reasoning when it comes to basic human understandings. When we question the unknown, there seem to be this indefinite need to include some form of logic that circulates what we were taught to believe is real. The Prambanan Hindu Temple is precisely one of those mysteries of undefined history.

It was said to be constructed during the Sanjaya Dynasty around the 9th Century to represent the role of Hinduism within the Java Province. However, one can't help but question the possibilities to its construction given the preconception of mankind's primitiveness during that era. Hence, a folklore was passed down through generations to describe a love-tale between Bandung Bondowoso and Roro Jonggrang that had contributed to the temple's existence. It was believed that Bondowoso had used the force of spirits to build 999 temples for the princess within 24 hours upon request. Jonggrang's attempt of refusing his love had left her in a curse to be the 1,000th temple, whereby it is now believed to be within the highest temple, Shiva (Nandi).

Candi Prambanan by day

Candi Prambanan by night

Today, visitors will notice 6 main structures in the main yard consisting of the Brahma(Angsa), Shiva and Vishnu(Garuda) temples. Unfortunately, the present view of the temple has certainly changed from what it was 3 years ago due to the earthquake tragedy in 2006 that had shattered parts of the ancient temple.

The heavy chattering noises from the crowd was suddenly replaced by a sudden silence, with the echoes of the 'gamelan' (traditional Indonesian music) melody playing from a distance.It is absolutely heartbreaking as you enter the park, only to see stacked up stones everywhere that had been preserved from the destruction. Amidst the mixed feelings of amazement and disappointment, the Prambanan remained beautifully positioned in a serene ambient.

Only 2 of the temples were accessible, while the rest remain bounded behind barriers due to restoration processes. The visitors were not only intrigued by the monuments, but were also taking photographs of the working progress by the local workers. They were attending to the Vishnu Temple by carefully sliding the stones down through wood panels onto the rubber tires on the ground. Along the exit area comes another painful view of damaged but neatly piled up stones around, whereby it makes it hard to imagine how long it will take to reconstruct history.

While some people stood and sat in silence within the corners, staring away into the calmness of the space, others found a special interest in capturing the moment in different ways. It was interesting to note how most of the visitors became so engrossed in their photograph and video sessions. Perhaps it was the symmetrical beauty of the place that had resulted to desirable image shots.

students engrossed in their own photo sessions

The Monash crew took the opportunity to film short videos with Shazwan as the voluntary superstar, expressing some form of reminiscence to the Garuda Temple. The other directions showed some of the tourists posing away for photo shots in funny imitations of the Hindu Gods. It was evident that the undeniable beauty of the area had magically enticed these people to record the unforgettable experience of being there.

The Prambanan's architecture show carvings which depicts the tale of the legendary Ramayana. Thus, most of the temple visitors tend to take interest in the Ramayana Ballet performance, which is held in the Prambanan Temple Tourist Complex that overlooks the back view of the Prambanan. The spacious stage is designed with a mimic of the Hindu architecture as well as the Shiva temple as an almost perfect backdrop. The Ramayana tale has been a popular story-telling favourite that has been passed down from generations. The story revolves around the love between Dewi Shinta and Rama Wijaya that was conflicted with the evil forces of Rahwana who wanted to break the relationship. Rahwana's evil intentions brought upon a range of other misfortunes between various characthers like Jatayu, Hanoman and Subali. These chronological events are presented on stage by the performers through a collaboration of drama (role characterizations), dance (delicate and refined body movements) and music (gamelan) choreographies.

Ramayana Ballet stage with a view of the Prambanan temple

The Monash team was fortunate enough to gain a special access to the backstage which had allowed a preview to the preparation process by some of the performers. Entering the room filled with women who were busy putting on make-up was certainly intimidating for a non-formal interview session. Nevertheless, a few of them had managed to share their pride in being a part of the Ramayana performing crew. Apparently, most of the dancers are usually spotted for their talent from Sekolah Menengah Karawitan as well as the Institute Seni Indonesia (ISI) by the director. Some of them expressed that when they are on stage, they want to satisfy the audience by giving their best performance because it is a way of introducing their theatre culture to the people. This motivation perpetuates them to participate in workshops during the day, whereby they attempt to teach interested individuals the art of the Ramayana dance. What was interesting about these experienced performers was that they've reached a point where they don't necessarily need rehearsals. All they have to do is to come in and prepare themselves into their costumes before show time.

Performers in the first part of the ballet

It is no suprise that the Javanese culture takes honour in the beautiful Ramayana show. The grand performance has an unspoken effect on its audience, especially when the Prambanan Temple is visible from a distance. Though the show may be an elaborated and an expensive one, it is simply one of those investment that is worthwhile. The combination of the Prambanan sightseeing through the day and the Ramayana during the night provides a complete experience into the Javanese art and culture that mirrors the essence of Hinduism.

*View more pictures of the day from our photo album

WRITER'S PROFILE: Rachel Lai is a Malaysian currently pursuing her FINAL year in Bachelor of Arts (majoring in International Studies and Communications) in Monash University Malaysia. A passionate day-dreamer addicted to exploration, she believes that there is nothing in this world that should stop us from fulfilling our dreams.

Sightseeing Kraton

2009-07-14T23:07:00.000-07:00

By: Abeer Yusuf

14 July 2009

Our visit to Kraton, like any other tourist attraction, started with an impressive line of souvenir stalls and persuasive peddlers. Our 6th day in Yogyakarta, was dedicated entirely to doing 'the tourist thing'.

The first thing you notice about Kraton, the Sultan's Palace, is how massive it is, yet how the vibe of minimalism and not opulence runs through you. Sprawling far and wide and divided into 7 parts, never once are you overcome by the simplistic grandeur of the premises, yet surprisingly pleased with the calming effect of the whitewashed walls.

I must admit, my own preconception of Kraton was that it would be a fancy place, gilded walls with gold lavatories and whatnot, but I was more than satisfied when I saw the same down-to-earth-ness reflected in the palace grounds as in the people of the city.

Rini, our guide for the day, led us from the 1st part outside for coronations, to the 2nd part (which was where we met her) to the 3rd which is a waiting hall and where the gamelan (traditional Javanese music) is played every Sunday. The 4th part was still under reparation, as it had been badly damaged during the 2006 earthquake, so it was from the 5th till the 7th part in which we really understood the Kraton and its entirety. The first thing that greets you as you make your way into the Kraton is a pair of giant gupalas, monstrous looking statues which are said to be the guardians of the entrance. One statue represents all that is good, while the other represents all that is bad. The reason why both good and bad are represented is to display basic human nature, which includes both, the power of good and evil. Throughout the tour, we were informed about many deep symbolisms around the palace's elements. One that got everyone's attention was the intelligent way in which the Javanese year 1853 was 'written'. In Bangsal Manis, the dining area, one can find 2 red snakes with heads moving in opposite directions. Closer inspection (and a guide's help) will tell you that the swirls add up to the number 8, the crown atop the snakes represents the number 1, the face of Ravana represents the number 5 (because it is believed that every bad person has 5 characteristics, which include promiscuity, theft, alcoholism, and drugs)and the leech on the face number 3, all of which very conveniently adds up to 1853.

Gamelan music playing softly in the background

The snakes at Bangsal Manis, representing number 1

Yet another set of 'signs' was shown to us by our guide when she was leading us to the 6th part of the palace- the male and female residences. As per rule, as soon as the royal children reach the age of 17, they are separated into girls'(“keputrian”) and boys'(“kesatrian”) quarters, and what better way to show that than to use 2 dragons, one male the other female, both looking away but intertwined, to deliver this message? Ingenious I tell you.

Besides that, we all got a chance to look at various 'bangsals'- pavilions. Among them was Bangsal Kotak, where dancers wait in line before performing in front of the Sultan, another was Bangsal Mandolo Sono, where the Sultan listens to various types of music and most importantly, the Bangsal Pochono, where any type of important ceremony, from Muslim religious festivals to the receiving of official dignitaries, weddings and deaths are held.

Finally, we were led into a museum holding the previous Prince's, Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono IX's vast memorabilia. There, we discovered, in our search of Yogyakarta, another interesting fact that set Yogyakarta apart from all other Indonesian cities.In 1945, the first President of Indonesia, President Sukarno passed a decree that allowed the reigning Sultan to simultaneously be the Governer. Many students also giggled at a cage-like playpen for young royals, while admiring intricate artwork on various sedan chairs made for the royals.

Our trip was filled with many bits of interesting information; for example, older abdi dalams (servants of the Sultan) who help out with the Dutch tourists, since most of them are quite fluent in Dutch. Another thing we were told was that there are distinguishing features in terms of the length of service to the Sultan where abdi dalams who have been working for 3 years or less are not allowed to wear a kris, a traditional weapon, though the senior members of staff are often seen wearing them tucked on the backs of their sarongs. Also, the current Sultan Hamengku Buwono X, has only one wife and no sons (only 5 daughters), a stark comparison to his father, Sultan Hamengkubuwono the IX, who had 5 wives. Still, that is not half as shocking as when we found out that Sultan Hamengku Buwono VIII, had 8 wives and 42 children through the genealogy showcased in the museum.

Posing with two Abdi Dalams (royal servants)

Being an Abdi Dalam is considered an honour

All in all, it was a fantastic lesson in Javanese culture, insight into the royal life behind the walls of Yogyakarta's palace and further evidence of the simplicity of the people of Yogyakarta. We were also intriguied that the ground one walks upon in the Palace is actually soil brought in from Mount Merapi, the active volcano in the Yogyakarta.

*View more pictures of the day from our photo album

WRITER'S PROFILE: Abeer is pursuing Writing and International Studies at Monash University Sunway Campus. Being especially talkactive and chatty, Abeer is also part of the blog team that is in charge of this blog and In Search of Yogyakarta's facebook.

Yogyakarta Nightlife: Back on The Streets Again

2009-07-14T23:03:00.000-07:00

By: Rashaad Ali

14 July 2009

No bags. Little cash. Laces tight and purposely under dressed to be more inconspicuous. We thought we were ready for another dive into the Red Light District of Yogyakarta, in search of a good story and prepared for the worst-case scenario.

Shazwan and I set off into the vibrancy of Jalan Malioboro, weakened by the late hour with less people roaming the streets. A short walk-up to the Circle K mini-mart brought us to our first detour, Jalan Sosrowijayan. As we turned into the street, the warmth that generally perpetuates throughout the city dissipated into the night sky, despite the area being a hub for tourists and backpackers. Trying not to stand out or let our anxiety manifest itself, we turned right into an
alleyway that was narrower, darker and more foreboding than those we had previously traversed. We were nearing our destination as people faded away into the shadows. Our next turning appeared suddenly next to us, nondescript and barely noticeable. Signs of life. A steel gate, blocking our path, blocking us from entering the district that was slightly visible from our vantage point.

Undeterred, we searched for an alternative route by joining the main road known as Jalan Pasar Kembang. Having been there previously the night before, the darker streets and the few people caused morals and ethics to become vague and grey. Prostitutes lingered in the darkness of side streets, overseen by their pimps and blocking our entrance into the main area. Others walked the streets quietly as becak (trishaw) drivers slept in their vehicles. Every sound, murmur or clamor rang hostile as the night devoured the streets, sending our adrenaline pumping.

After many unsuccessful attempts to enter the alleyways we turned left along a street; the pathway to Hell at the end of which stood Lucifer's Bar. As we made our way closer, we saw a familiar shady character who tried to entice us to an unknown location for an open purpose the previous night. Thinking that running into him again would be a bad idea, we avoided the bar and made our way back home, not without frustration and disappointment.

Lucifer's Bar at the ungodly hour

Jalan Malioboro was empty. After a brief reprieve at the nearby internet cafe, we made our way towards our familiar alley. "Do you want Indonesia girls?", a man whispered to Shazwan who was sitting near the entrance to the alley of Hotel Puspo Nugroho, the hotel we were currently staying at. Brushing him off, we could not help but wonder that ironically, despite us going to the local Red Light District we were approached at our very doorstep.

The alleyway to our Hotel

The streets transform at night. The sheer absence of people and omnipresent silence distort perceptions of safety and helps to open doors previously unseen. We continued to pry in search of something, anything that would satiate our curiosity for the night. A warning splashed on a door, a turn down a dark alley and walking along a road previously unexplored got us lost in a foreign city at 1am in the morning. More walking in the night breeze along desolate streets until
we eventually managed to find our way back home again.

Trudging along the stairs back up to our room, physically tired but incredibly awake, we slumped to semi-defeat in a battle against the night. Is there another way in? Should we go with a local, with another friend? Unanswered questions swirled in our heads, wondering whether we would ever be able to see the real Yogyakarta before we left, whether our experience would be confined to the boundaries of tourists. Maybe another night, tomorrow night. One last venture into the unknown before we leave this country, one last attempt to see the darker side of the city.

WRITER'S PROFILE: Rashaad is from Malaysia and loves exploring strange places at odd hours, looking for different, eccentric things to do. According to Rashaad, roaming around Yogyakarta at night helps to bring out the inner socialist while the isolation leaves room to think.

Local Music: The Pulse of the City

2009-07-14T22:53:00.000-07:00

By: Natasha Tan

14 July 2009

If Mount Merapi, Kraton, Borobudur and Prambanan were the heart and soul of Yogyakarta then music would be its pulse.

During my first night in Yogyakarta, one of the many sounds I heard were the sounds of guitar strumming, drum beats, tambourine's ringing and melodious harmonies streaming together as one, creating a sound of harmony juxtaposed within the sound of the city's busy streets of motorcyclists zooming down the street to the sounds of vehicles honking at the slightest traffic hold-up and becak (trishaw) drivers offering their services towards just about anywhere.

Students sitting on the streets of Yogyakarta strumming their guitars

To the uninitiated, it would have been a symphony of the most cacophonous. The sights and sounds of this vibrant city might not be seen anywhere else but here, especially along Malioboro Street, a busy street filled with vendors selling their wares ranging from batik clothing and flip-flops to T-shirts that say “I Heart Yogya” to stalls selling funky and colourful accessories to food stalls displaying their array of mouth watering local delicacies. All in all, it is a street filled with pretty souvenirs to bring back home to remind yourself of the wonderful times you had in Yogyakarta and great local street food that will definitely stimulate your taste buds.

However, one of the most striking sights in the streets is that of the pengamen or buskers. They are a dime a dozen here and yet they are respected by the people. They may be busking for the money but many of them are seen to be doing it for the passion and art of music itself. Along the streets of Malioboro, you can find youths hanging out with their friends, singing and strumming their guitar. It seems to be the favourite past time for these youths.

a pengamen playing music for the crowd

My first encounter with the ngamen was when I was walking past the lesehans, a place similar to the mamaks Malaysia but the difference is that customers of the stalls at lesehans sit on mats on the ground. The ngamen would perform at the sides and the group consist of one, two or more performers. The guitar is one of the most popular instruments used by the ngamen to make ends meets. However, there are those who are more elaborate where they have a band consisting of a vocalist, a guitarist, a drummer and a bassist,the whole make-up of a band. I was mesmerized by the amount of ngamen who could be found along the streets. They are well-accepted by the people with many obliging passers-by giving them a token sum for their performance.

I would think that the only venue to be serenade with great music would be whilst dining in a fancy restaurant but little did I know that such an event is also possible while I am sitting down at the lesehan digging in to the local nasi goreng (fried rice).

Rashaad and Shazwan, my fellow travelers and musicians mentioned that the ngamen here are a fresh change from Malaysia and claim that it is a pleasant experience to be able to see the pengamen being able to do what they do without being harassed by the authority. They also commented that the ngamen give the streets of Malioboro more life and makes it a much more cultural experience as it conveys the image that Yogyakarta is not only popular in the arts but also musically inclined, not inhibiting the abundance of talents. Intrigued by the chance at gaining the experience of being a pengamen, Shazwan and Rashaad tried their hand at busking at the Parangtritis Beach, a beach we visited and proved successful at scoring approximately Rp.15 000 from the passers-by.

Rashaad and Shazwan trying their luck as pengamens

I managed to speak to Sapti, a 30-year-old ngamen who performs along the streets of Malioboro. She has been playing her flute for 3 years. She plays every night along Malioboro Street starting at 6.30pm till 10pm or beginning at 8.30pm if she plays in front of the Malioboro Mall. Playing in front of Malioboro Mall sometimes comes with risks as security from the mall restricts this activity. If that happens, she will walk around until the security are out of sight before she resumes her music. Sapti mostly plays Javanese music and Indonesian pop songs. She plays-by-ear where she listens to the song on the radio and then learns the chords from there. Such is the dedication to one's art. Being visually impaired does not stop Sapti from performing and doing what she loves to do even though she does it mainly to make ends meets.

Yogyakarta is truly a place where the city is alive with the sound of music.

WRITER'S PROFILE: Natasha is in her final year pursuing a degree in the Bachelor of Arts majoring in Communications and Writing. She is from Subang Jaya and in this trip, she will be seen lugging the unversity's camera being a part of the photography team, as we embark on a journey in search of Yogyakarta.

Diary Entry: Day 5

2009-07-14T21:40:00.000-07:00

By: Chong Jinn Wei

13 July 2009

The day started at 9am. We the students of Monash University, Sunway Campus comprising of 19 students from 5 different countries (Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and China) began Day 5 of our study trip In Search of Yogyakarta 2009. Our first session for today was the women's group Rifka Annisa.

Rifka Annisa is an action group catered for Indonesian women who've had encountered social problems like domestic violence and discrimination. The Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) was formed on 26 August 1993 in the name of Rifka Annisa Women's Crisis Center. It became the very first Women Crisis Center (WCC) to be formed in Indonesia to cater the needs of women that were facing all sorts of trouble pertaining to their rights. The NGO had compounded a list of ecological factors that dictate the ways in which women's rights abuse are perpetuated.

Rifka Annisa WCC

Rifka Annisa is concerned about how the strong patriarchal culture in Indonesia that place women at a disadvantage position accentuate many abuses like domestic violence, rape and sexual harassment. The NGO holds activities such as counseling sessions,support groups as well as provide shelter for abused women. Rifka Annisa seem to present themselves as an open NGO that is willing to help women in trouble.

After leaving Rifka Annisa we set out again for lunch at Jambon Resto. The restaurant had a very unique setting as the 'gubungs' (huts) we were sitting on were on stilts over a small pond in which fishes were swimming around. Our pre-arranged menu had served us the spicy 'nila' fish, 'tempe' (fried soya beans), fried tofu,oily kangkung, some sweet 'trancan' (diced vegetables with santan) and lastly, fried 'gurumeh' (fried pieces of golden fish meat) . Also, the sambal that was served along with the dishes was extremely spicy, which made the food extremely rich in flavour.

Lunch at Jambon Restaurant

Interestingly, it was amusing to see how the food was disposed off as it was literally thrown into the very pond we were sitting on for the fishes to eat. It was a very ecological and environmental-friendly way of disposing food as it was used to feed the fishes.

Later, everyone went to our last session for the day at Taring Padi, whereby we were privilege enough to meet artists that produce creative works that delve into political issues. A group of artists gathered together to make art that criticized Suharto's regime until 1998. After Suharto had stepped down, these group of artists felt that they needed to continue producing art on political and social issues because they had expected new problems to arise.

Today, they explore issues like the recent 2009 presidential elections by producing 22 pieces of socio-political works to spread messages. They believe that people are free to vote only if they wanted to, as there were some criticisms on the candidates involved during the elections. Some of the other activities that they do include participating in rallies and drawing murals in public spaces to voice out opinions.

Session at Taring Padi

The members of Taring Padi make it a point to take no sides in their surreal and beautiful works of art. The pieces that were shown to us were delving into issues fighting for an uncorrupted government and providing a balanced view as well as fighting for the rights of farmers.

In their works of art there's always a big picture about the primary issue concerned, and along the sides and everywhere else will be filled with smaller details that correlates with the highlighted issues. Hence, the end product is this picture with many minute details that truly goes to show that a picture can paint a thousand words.

After that session has ended we all went back to our hotel to write our stories and rest up for the remainder of our study trip. This marks the end of day 5 of our trip In Search of Yogyakarta 2009.

*View more pictures of the day from our photo album

WRITER'S PROFILE: Jinn Wei is a Writing & Communication major from Malaysia. Intrigued when he read books and saw videos of the various street murals in Yogyakarta, Jinn Wei wondered whether there was a deeper meaning behind those murals other than being colourful and fancily designed. The fact that these murals which would have been labelled 'graffiti' in other places served the positive purpose of creating a colourful street atmosphere unique in Yogyakarta drew him to investigate more about them.

Where the Streets Have No Name (The Nightlife In Yogyakarta)

2009-07-14T21:26:00.000-07:00

By: Shazwan Mustafa Kamal

13 July 2009

Okay, that's not exactly true about the streets of Yogyakarta. The streets and roads here are a traveller's pipe dream-take one turn and you'll find yourself in another area of town where there are five other possible alleys to get yourself lost in. Bono's words echo steadily in my head like a mantra whenever I think of Yogyakarta's many intricate streets because its difficult not to be drawn and taken in by its mysteries-they all look similar but with each turning, each sharp turn to the left or the right unfolds many new secrets and surprises.

One cannot claim to be a full-fledged traveler if one has not unraveled the various locales of a place, trying out different foods whilst exploring and understanding varying cultures and ideologies. And that was precisely what Rashaad and I set ourselves out here to do in Yogyakarta, starting from the humble comforts of our hotel-behind-another-big hotel, Hotel Puspo Nugroho. Within two days of living in the city and after a guilty meal of Mcdonald's which was situated next to a river community, we both decided: We wanted to see the real Yogyakarta, living and breathing in all its glory with the pengamens (Street musicians) and street vendors. Flush out all the McDonalds, sterilize the KFCs, and get to the soul of the city.
The socialist in me was screaming silently to be let out.

The (over) commercialized Malioboro street

The streets tonight had so much to offer-it was teeming with activity, buzzing alive with the bright lights guiding the way all across Malioboro street, But that was not where I was headed tonight in search for my story. No, we had seen and heard plenty of what Malioboro street had to offer us, with its delectable nasi uduk (coconut rice) to the interesting eating arrangements of the lesehan. No, I had decided that tonight would be another adventure, fresh in perspective and uncertain in its outcome. After a satisfying meal of nasi goreng istimewa, Rashaad and I left the comforts of the city lights and ventured into the welcoming darkness of Jalan Pasar Kembang.

The nightlife. Where your every need and desire would be taken care of. With a price, of course.

The thirst for adventure beckoned to us like a hungry tiger playing games with its prey. We took the bait- hook, line and sinker walking steadily into the unknown. We had no idea what to expect of the 'red light district' that is Pasar Kembang. We heard stories of it being the central place for illegal transactions and the ever-elusive trading of the flesh. The first thing that caught my eye as we walked down the street was that it was much more quieter than its neighboring roads. Silence seemed to be the noisiest sound around, screaming at us, hovering around us as we continued our walk. Buildings seemed bigger and yet colder than the familiar petite ones of Malioboro. The first shop that we went into was a Rasta shop, specializing in Jamaican Bob Marley-ish clothing and paraphernalia. The owner of the shop was dressed in the traditional Jamaican way; thick corn-rows with a green and yellow t-shirt. We asked him a couple of questions about the shop and about Reggae culture, but after a few short and curt answers, we realized that he wasn't too comfortable with us asking too many questions.

As we left the shop, Rashaad had spotted an alley that looked 'dodgy' enough to contain activities of the night worth writing about. The little alley was dimly lit at first, but eventually led to another path whichhad two forked little roads at the end. Left or Right? What road should we take tonight?

The 'dodgy' alley... what can we find here?

Left. Funny how things work, because left gave us the right stuff to talk about. The next road was bursting with activity, there was a comfy-looking backpackers hotel where foreign tourists were enjoying dinner. The place had WIRELESS internet. Along with wine, western food and fine dining. I don't know what confused me more, the fact that there were so many people living in what was considered to be the most dangerous part of town; or the fact that the hotels here were full of tourists and were quite well-maintained. Apparently, European and American tourists prefer the Pasar Kembang area as opposed to Malioboro Central.

Pasar Kembang area- the new 'it' place for foreign travelers?

I also noticed that the Malioboro area tend to be more Islamic in nature, with the azan (Muslim call for prayer) emanating from all corners, whilst Pasar Kembang was considerably more westernized, with pubs, restaurants and foreigners flocking the place.

I wish I could say that after that we found what we were looking for, that is we witnessed illegal transactions and girls/guys offering us 'services.' We didn't. Nothing happened. The night called out to us and we dived right into the stereotypes of perceptions of a city, that it had its dirty secrets and sins lying around at every corner.

I'm sure that Pasar Kembang had more to offer than a dazed-looking Rastafarian owner, and swanky western hotels. The night was surely as dangerous as we thought it would be.
We just didn't find it

WRITER'S PROFILE: Shazwan is a Malaysian student at Monash University Malaysia originally from Penang.He has hopefully made it through his final semester with a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Communications and minoring in Writing. He tries to study social sciences when he can, but in truth he thinks life is a big lesson itself. Usually mistaken for an Arab, Indian or Chindian, Shazwan has grown comfortable with the androgyny of his identity.

Guerilla Art

2009-07-14T20:54:00.000-07:00

By: Rashaad Ali

13 July 2009

Bus rides have an almost hypnotic quality. Pulling one self onto the vehicle, fighting the seats for extra space, hearing the groan of the engine and the ensuing bumpy ride all meld together into an insipid, mechanical yet endearing performance where attendance is compulsory. Most of us take the time to unpack our thoughts with fellow travelers, to stare wistfully at the passing landscape, whether residing in thoughts of magnanimity or releasing the mind to nothingness, or to catch up on sleep, lost somewhere in an internet cafe. I chose to get some shut-eye, but before I could drift off to a place anywhere close to sleep we had already arrived.

It was a sunny afternoon when we stepped off our bus into a small village settlement. A short walk further in revealed the meeting place of Taring Padi, an informal organisation bent on press freedom. Straight out of a Socialist textbook, the building was minimalist indesign and simplistic in nature. Home to Ucup and other drifters who come from all around the world, Taring Padi was established on the 21st of December 1998 and their main aim is social awareness as well as to give voice to the marginalised through art. 'Taring Padi' means "small but itchy", and this ideal is represented in their art work, bearing drawings of local politics much to the annoyance of the government. Their guerrilla art also takes the form of street sketches and musical performances, each loaded with a message of social change.

a statue found in Taring Padi's yard

Taring Padi HQ from outside

Taring Padi's studio

The organisation is largely informal and most of its members are fluid volunteers who come and go, the only formal meetings are those held on Mondays and Fridays which include brainstorming and ping-pong. They are painted as outcasts of society because of their unwillingness to conform to the status quo, and this allows the organisation to progress and develop through independence and autonomy. The only rule that exist within Taring Padi is the law of commitment and dedication; to live is to love with passion.

Ucup helped illustrate the creation process of their art, whereby the members come together to discuss ideas until a general consensus is reached, a sketch of the art and text is drawn and a final vetting process confirms the work. The modus operandi with their art revolves around free distribution for social progress, which includes stamping them along the streets and walls of Yogyakarta, and selling their work for profit to those who wish to collect and display their art, inclusive of private collectors and art galleries. They utilise their networks with farmers and labour unions as well as local and foreign NGO's to disseminate information. Ucup's personal philosophy of "semangat baik" or in his words, "good spirit", propels him to work in areas such as the local red light districts where he aims to help prostitutes to find alternative means of income. He does not play the saviour or discriminate against this section of society, he merely wishes to help alleviate their poverty-stricken situation by empowering them with knowledge and skills.

Ucup with several of his artworks

Initially consisting of discarded activists from the downfall of Suharto in 1998, Taring Padi has expanded to include various artists and students as well as spreading out to other places such as Jakarta, Australia, America, and even Malaysia. All their artwork is relative to the social context, such as the recent 2009 election poster series. Taring Padi is also active in demonstrations and rallies, exemplified by their physical opposition to the Bill of Pornography.

'Buruh Bersatu' or 'labour workers unite'

The peaceful serenity of the surrounding lends to an inspiring Romantic environment for envisioning and creating, a place that was built in the village by Ucup and his friends. Walking amidst the greenery it becomes evident how art is only as beautiful as the context of its creation, despite the contrast between the minimalist architecture versus the potency of their work. "The struggle must be consistent, even if it is slow it has to be maintained", says Ucup, as the work for him never ends. Whether it is myopic hippie wisdom or the patient recollections of a weathered activist, there will always be avoid to be filled with the passion of benevolence. Taring Padi takes a seat in that void, comfortable in their little enclave away from the city yet fervent at the forefront of society.

*View more pictures of the day from our photo album

WRITER'S PROFILE: Rashaad is from Malaysia and loves exploring strange places at odd hours, looking for different, eccentric things to do. According to Rashaad, roaming around Yogyakarta at night helps to bring out the inner socialist while the isolation leaves room to think.

Rifka Annisa: Striving for Women's Rights since 1993

2009-07-13T10:56:00.001-07:00

By: Kemi Harahap

13 July 2009

Indonesia might not be the same as every other Asian or Islamic nations. In the past 10 years, we have seen a tremendous change in the women's rights movement in this archipelago. A female women has once lead this nation, setting an example for many patriarchal nations. A domestic violence act was legalized in 2004, marking the 8 year collaboration between numerous Indonesian organizations as a huge success.

One of the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) which played a part in the creation of the domestic violence act is 'Rifka Annisa'. Founded in 1993 by a number of female activists, Rifka Annisa, or translated as “Woman's Friend”, aims to provide a number of services for women who are victims of violence.

Rifka Annisa Women's Crisis Centre

Located in the outskirts of Yogyakarta, Rifka Annisa is not just an office, but a shelter for many women who are victims of abuse. It's bright and airy interior, with its balanced 'feng shui', creates an area that promotes both tranquility and warmth.

Although there have been major changes in women's rights in Indonesia, cases of abuse and violence are still reported. In fact, throughout 2008 there has been more than 300 cases of violence, which included domestic, dating, child abuse, sexual harassment and rape. These
cases show that there is still a grass-root problem within the mindset of the Indonesian community. Many factors, which include religion and culture, influences the mindset and practices of most Indonesians.

In Yogyakarta, the interpretation of Islam perceive cases such as polygamy and 'mahram' (where men must accompany women when they go out of the house) as righteous, whereby men's status is perceived to be higher. Men often use religious texts as justifications to their violent acts. Cultural contexts, such as the patriarchal nature of Javanese culture, also makes way for abuse and violence to happen. Generally, women are taught to be patient and to be obedient to their husbands.

It is because of this that the management of women crises is a very intricate procedure. Rifka Annisa provides an array of services which include counseling for female victims, counseling for abusive men, and shelters for victims and survivors. In addition to that, they also seek to promote and create awareness of women's rights through community service and advocacy.

Rifka Annisa places a major emphasis on the role of men in violence. Since 2007, they have established a counseling service especially for abusive men. At the same time, creating awareness on women's rights should not only happen on the individual level- as it is also
important to create awareness on the family, community level, and in the state system.

“To achieve gender equality, we need to include men!” Elli Nur Hayati, the director for Rifka Annisa stated. She said,“Men are not biologically violent, they are constructed to be violent. We seek to enlighten them with a new concept of masculinity”.

Elli Nur Hayati taking the floor

With support from large modern Islamic groups such as Majelis Ulama Indonesia (MUI-Indonesian Ulama Council), Muhammadiyah and Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Rifka Annisa does not seek to challenge or debate the society's interpretation of Islam, yet they seek to enlighten the society on the fact that women suffer from polygamy, 'mahram' and forced
marriages, and that often cases such like these cannot be brought into current times. In fact, many texts in the Quran has supported this understanding of the religion. In addition, Rifka Annisa believes that counselling should be made obligatory for men who are guilty of domestic violence under the National Domestic Violence Act, as men play a significant role in preventing abuses and sustaining gender equality.

“Women jihad in the household, while men jihad in the community”, Mei Sofia Romas, a counsellor for Rifka Annisa said.

Mei Sofia Romas, the counsellor for Rifka Annisa

Victims of abuse can approach Rifka Annisa by contacting either the hotline service, email service or coming straight to the office. They can also contact the integrated service center, which is linked to the crisis center, hospital and also police.

Real Boys care for others: the campaign

“From there, both women and men alike are provided access to counseling that can help manage their crisis and hopefully, this sets a pathway to a happy and enlightened, religious family”.

*View more pictures of the day from our photo album

WRITER'S PROFILE: Kemi is pursuing her last semester as a Communication major and International Studies minor. She is among one of the Indonesian students in this trip and is of Javanese descendant (as well as Bataknese, Sundanese and Bugis) which justifies her fondness for sweets. She is in charge of the management of the In Search of Yogyakarta blog as well as the resident tweeter.

Exploring the Royal Dimension- The Spatial Allocation within Kraton, the Sultan's Palace of Yogyakarta

2009-07-13T10:46:00.000-07:00

By: Siti Nur Farhanah

13 July 2009

Found in the heart of Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta (DIY) is the palace housing the Yogyakarta sultanate. It is designed with intricate thought and planning that begun in 1755 by Prince Mangkubumi who was also known as Sultan Hamengku Buwono I. Kraton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat, the official name of the Sultan's palace becomes a central point from where the rest of the city crawls out strategically in all directions from this royal residence. The grand display of Javanese architecture is enthralling and proved to have been crafted with careful allocation of different areas of the territory dedicated to different purposes. However, given the extensive compound covering approximately 14 000 metres square, it would be impossible to elaborate on every aspect of this structure.

Every section within the Kraton has its own name accompanied with significant meanings which convey crucial Javanese principles like the Sangkan Paraning Dumadi, the historical past and existential future of the human being. The palace stretches from north to south, both cornered with a front yard known as Alun-Alun Utara and a back yard known as Alun-Alun Selatan respectively. What is most unique about the design of this historical site is that it has been purposefully constructed so that the palace, the Tugu monument, an obelisk 2 kilometres north of the palace, and Mount Merapi is situated in a single file. It is believed that such a decision was deliberately made as this strategic position is essential for its spiritual status, bringing good luck and prosperity to the area.

Keraton is located in the middle of Alun-alun Utara, Alun-Alun Selatan, and Mount Merapi

Nestled on the west side on the north square of the Sultan palace is the Grand Mosque or what is locally known as Masjid Agung. The traditional outlook of the mosque is clearly illustrated via its special roof known as the “tajug”, a characteristic feature used specifically for the construction of an Islamic structure. This is where the weekly Friday prayers, religious ceremonies and activities popular amongst the Javanese Muslim population like 'Sekaten' (an annual event to commemorate the birth of Prophet Mohammad) and 'Grebeg' (an event held during the first of Muharram, to commemorate the Islamic new year) are held at.

The Purworetno, is the main area of the palace, an area that the Sultan frequently visits to perform his duties, made especially more relevant now as the current Sultan Hamengku Buwono X, is the elected governor of DIY. Beside the Purworetno, visitors are introduced to a two-storey building known as the Panti Sumbaga which houses the Sultan's private collection of texts from various eras. The Sultan takes his seat in the Manguntur Tangkil Hall within the area of Siti Hinggil which rests itself on a higher ground as compared to those surrounding it. The elevation of this particular area has been done in line with his status within the society, a figure well-respected by the rest of the community.

The Rahwana - one of the many symbols within the Kraton

A most unique feature within the vast space of this building is the section of the palace known as Regol Gapura. Not only do the various structures installed house great symbolic significance, the fine architecture of the building even takes pride in the type of plantation which exists within this compound. A number of 'waringin' (banyan) trees are grown to symbolize the human body, 'Asem' (sour) trees, grown mostly in the southern section, connote youthfulness and the 'pakel' (a type of mango) tree signifies the puberty stage. Such is the intricacy in the planning of this historical building as extra effort is put in, in order to ensure that the authentic Javanese architecture is showcased on the exterior walls complemented by the palace's interior composition.

Javanese architecture is heavily influenced by Hindu and Chinese culture

The multi-purpose hall

The exquisite design of the Kraton's ceiling

Kraton has been generally accepted by the Javanese community to be a physical symbol with the Sultan as its soul. Despite being an extremely old structure that has been damaged and restored, the philosophy behind its intricate architectural plan is still preserved. Replete with philosophical and symbolical connotations held firmly by the Javanese people, the Kraton is a manifestation of the forces of nature led by the enchanting structures put in place.

WRITER'S PROFILE: Farhanah Bagharib aka Nana is currently doing her Honours in Monash University Malaysia. She graduated the previous year with a degree in Bachelor of Communcations. Nana is a citizen of Singapore with immediate ancestry from Yemen in the state of Hadramawt. Being extremely interested in the workings of the feminist theory, Nana's Honours thesis revolves around the concept of feminism in Iranian cinema. Nana is SUPER picky with food but as long as there's fast food, she's all good.

The Javanese Culture ( Mind Your Language)

2009-07-13T10:01:00.000-07:00

By: Feeza Ashruff

12 July 2009

Upon visiting a foreign country, getting to know bits and pieces of the language will always come in handy. Even though the country visited could have similar culture as our country of origin,it is still important to maintain local courtesy and the right intonations of the language. Coming to Yogyakarta opened my eyes to its different styles of language and how each style differs according to the age and social status of an individual.

The Javanese language is used by almost 2/3 of the people in Java and it is divided into 2 different dialects depending on the social and geographical position of the speaker. The social dialect simply distinguishes the commoner from the Kraton royal family. This difference is similar to the Malay spoken by the local Malaysians and the Malay spoken by the royal families in Malaysia. The Javanese spoken by the local in Yogyakarta and Surakarta both located in Central Java are considered to be the standard Javanese, also known as the “Madya” style of Javanese. The “Madya” style is considered the standard Javanese, as it is the middle ground between the “Kromo” style of Javanese which is used by the royal family and upper class and the “Ngoko” style of Javanese which is used by the lower class.

lower-class Javanese people use 'Ngoko' style Javanese

Middle-class Javanese people using 'Madya' Javanese

'Madya' Javanese has become the standard of the Javanese Language

Basically, the Javanese language is divided into two umbrella categories,Ngoko and Kromo and after sometime within the Ngoko style itself, there has been an evolution into Ngoko Kasar and Ngoko Halus which is a mixture of Ngoko and Kromo. Within Kromo itself it is then divided into 3 parts from the least refined to the most refined ones which is Ngoko, Madya and Kromo. The Ngoko style of conversing is usually used for any informal speech between peers, close relatives, among younger speakers and also by those of a higher ranking to the ones of a lower one. As for Madya it is an intermediate between Ngoko and Kromo where the speech is not too formal and informal for instance between strangers or seller and a customer. Finally, Kromo is used fully when conversing with the elderly and people of higher social status even for public speeches and announcements. The Kromo style is also used widely within the Kraton as it is the most refined dialect of the Javanese culture. Within a conversation in the Javanese language one way on how the styles can be distinguished is by its choice of words used in their conversations.For example, the word “to eat”, in Ngoko is “Mangan”, whilst for Madya it is known as “Nedha” and in the Kromo language it is known as “Dhahar”. All three words have the same meaning but it carries a different rank of politeness and should be used accordingly.

People of the Kraton converse in 'Kromo' style Javanese

The Javanese language is indeed a very complex language and thus is definitely not an easy one to learn. Due to its wide differences and wide range of applications that vary according to the social and geographical differences among its users.

Nonetheless, it is still crucial to have at least a basic knowledge of the language and its different styles and dialect, lest you inadvertently offend a local due to the wrong choice of words, or intonations.

A group of students trying to pratice several Indonesian and Javanese words they have learned during the trip

WRITER'S PROFILE: Feeza is currently a third year student (hopefully graduating in 2 days time) majoring in International Studies and minoring in Communication. She is an absolute crazy one. Laughing is her middle name and she is always in love with children. One of the most veteran travelers in the IN SEARCH series organized by Dr.Yeoh and Monash University Sunway Campus, Feeza is also a person with a very complex heart and mind. She hides her feelings a lot (seriously) but adores her family and friends to bits. =)

Diary Entry: Day 4

2009-07-13T09:05:00.000-07:00

By: Dominique Staindl

12 July 2009

For those of you frequenting our blog, I have the pleasure of informing you that the header for In Search of Yogyakarta 2009 is from one of the places we visited today. Phew! What a day. A lot of the pathfinders here may remember today as the one with the walking. That, we did.

Admittedly, I started off the day in a pretty low mood. It has come to that point of the trip where you're tired physically and mentally but you haven't quite pushed through it yet (I suspect that will come tomorrow). After my exhilarating horse ride on the beach at sunset yesterday, I woke to aching muscles, ligaments and (I'm pretty sure) bones as well. My camera has decided to die mysteriously (helpful, since I'm in charge of photography) and my favourite yellow scarf which had been a popular accessory to many of yesterday's beach photos had gone missing. Yes, the day started out gloomy despite the hot sun. The one solace was that we were allowed to sleep in, and I didn’t even do that!

So, today was all about getting out of our comfort zones and learning about other people's daily ways-of-life. This involved a short walk to the house and studio of a young man Ariebowo who lives with his parents in the Kauman neighbourhood. Besides being architecturally unique with the houses in the neighbourhood being mostly old houses built several generations ago, the Kauman village is also unique in the sense that it is a very close knit community; extended families generally live in houses nearby each other.

Colorfully painted houses in Kauman

Walking along the Kauman neighbourhood, we saw painted shutters, stone houses, pet birds greeting us with their sing-song whistle as well as large, warm smiles from the community locals. When we entered Ariebowo’s father’s studio, we sat in the front room of the house which was used to greet guests while the the inner section of the house was reserved for family. Ariebowo then explained about his father, Lukman's, batik painting work and how it is very well received in Europe particularly Germany where he predominantly sells. I discover that this is where a few of us students will return on Wednesday to try our hand at batik painting with Lukman, the master himself. Ariebowo explained how his mother wakes up early every morning, sometimes at 1am, to prepare local kues which are bought by the vendors who collect them from Ariebowo’s mother and 6am before being resold on the street by vendors. We were lucky enough that Dr Yeoh ordered a box of the delicacies for each of us. Each box contained 3 kues, one of which I liken to a quiche, a vegetable filled doughnut and a soft flat bun. Yum, yum, yum. Especially delicious to those who hadn’t had their breakfast yet.

We learned about the importance of this community to its residents. It's a Muslim sector, lived in by many members of an extended family (Ariebowo's auntie's house faces his and his grandparents live nearby) and it is rare for the house to be sold if one of the extended family decide to live elsewhere for a while. They usually rent it out or allow other family members to live in it, eventually returning because it is ultimately where they want to spend the twilight of their years in due to the familiarity and slow paced environment.

Kauman residents who have just finished their afternoon prayers

As we walked around, some of us stopping-off to pray and some to buy fruit and chat with the locals, it was pretty obvious just how happy people there are. In those tiny streets there is a policy against motorbikes so the safety and tranquility is preserved, and there seemed to be a lot of thought and dedication put in to the lay-out and maintenance of residences.

We eventually made a move, saying thank-you and goodbye loaded with new boxes of kuihs we purchased for the next community we were visiting- the river based community of Kali Code ( pronounced as cho-day).

View of Kali Code from a bridge

We spent a long couple of hours winding along the esplanade - an elevated walkway between residencies and the water - and past the brightly coloured, leafy front doors of the river locals. Kids would whoosh past us, sure-footed and full of sprite, to poke their tongues and pose for photos. I even saw spray-painted chicks (the poultry kind) in green, purple and orange. Mothers with babies would encourage them to wave to us, and gangs of teens would smirk and mutter jokes for the rest to enjoy.

Believe it or not- Colorful chicks!

Down below in the river men fished with bamboo traps and fed their noisy brace of ducks. Sadly, the people living by the river also used it as a dumping ground for rubbish and a site for defecation; I was glad to be walking up stream. Standing on a bridge across the river, I realised that this was where Dr Yeoh took the blog header photo from. So this is where the blog header-photo is from. As you could see from the photos on the blog, the walk was very scenic.

Kali Code

Once we reach our destination (an hour late) we are greeted by the community leader, Darsam, in the community hall. My first impressions were that the layout of the area was similar to that of European places based on steep embankments - full of steps and a mish-mash of levels for houses and walkways. Darsam explained his role as leader of the community in bringing the currently improved way of life to the peoples. He said it was an easy job to look after the community because the residents are dedicated to following his advice.

Walking around the whole day really helped me gain insight into Yogya and its people. I had been invited in to private spaces made by and lived in by people whose lives are so different from my own. I had been diverted from my sour attitude and engrossed in a lot that I saw. Now I'm lazing in the cyber cafe, absolutely wrecked but happy to have an appetite because of the exercise. I don't have a functioning camera, but there's a chance I'll get my scarf back and my aching body is healing. Thank you to the people who made today special and who made a grumpy foreigner smile again.

*View more pictures of the day from our photo album

WRITER'S PROFILE: Dominique or Dom as we all call her, has a mixture of English, Irish and Austro-Hungarian heritage. The Virgo who is pursuing a double major in French and Photography and minoring in Communication hails from Melbourne, Australia. Dom recalls poco-poco or line-dancing in Purawisata and walking blindfolded through the Banyan trees in Alun-alun Selatan as her favorite moments in Yogyakarta.

The Voice of Kali Code

2009-07-13T09:03:00.000-07:00

By: Wui Jia

12 July 2009

He squatted into the river, pulled his pants down, and emptied his bowels. It was perfunctory.

Doing his business, and unfortunately, we managed to get it on tape. Sorry, stranger!

56 families live along the river, Kali Code. The river that runs between the two rows of rundown houses forms an intrinsic aspect of local life at Kali Code: defecating.

“It isn’t so bad now, the pollution, compared to last time,” said Atmo, an 84-year-old resident. He then broke into a toothless grin. When asked if anything could be done to improve life at Kali Code, he wished that prices of basic necessities could be reduced to cater to Kali Code’s meager living standards.

A sense of heritage runs rife in the community. “I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. My family is here…I would want future generations to live here too,” said Atmo, who lives with his 20-year-old grandson. 45-year-old Priyati who makes a living selling chicken noodles has adult children who live nearby in Kali Code itself. The head of Kali Code community, Drs. Darsam, boasts that strong ties bind the community together as one. When the government proposed the building of flats to replace the rundown houses, the community protested, defending these houses as important symbols of poverty that should be preserved for education. In addition, according to Drs. Darsam, if a particular family learnt that amidst the community, they were the sole recipient of a governmental financial assistance package, they would refuse to accept it as a show of solidarity with the rest of the Kali Code residents. This is to effectively avoid any potential division among the people who seem to live by the motto ‘all for one and one for all’.

Atmo and his grandson

200 people dwell in cramped, squatter-like conditions, with mattresses strewn haphazardly on the sidewalk, and clothes lines running rampant, dotting the neighbourhood. Even while they live next to a river that reeks of contamination, laughter and incessant chatter constantly resonate throughout the neighbourhood. Little children squeal as they frolic in the river, and chase one another near the doorsteps. Faces of wizened old men and women wrinkle into smiles at the sight of visitors, like us Monash students. “I like this place. It is convenient to stay here. I can walk to shops to buy things whenever I want,” said 45-year-old Priyati.

Graffiti with designs as simple as life at Kali Code splash across the wooden walls of homes with bold vigour. This vibrant energy that reverberates throughout Kali Code reflects the passion that drove the prominent Romo Mangun to spearhead projects that have improved the lives of many at Kali Code. His launching of a hunger strike to protest the local government’s decision to evict the community brought international attention to Kali Code in the year of 1986.

Romo Mangun’s desire to fight poverty lives on, etched not only in the architecture of the buildings that he designed in Kali Code but also in the heart of Drs. Darsam. As the villagers’ leader, he ran for the recent Indonesian elections with one aim in mind: to make a significant impact in the lives of Kali Code.

“Without a representative voice, there is no direct way to elicit help from the government. No one listens if you don’t have power…there has to be a voice for Kali Code, and that is my mission,” he said.

So while Atmo wishes for the installation of more basic facilities, and the little boy squats in the river and empties his bowels, they know that someone is speaking for them, and fighting for them.

Children of Kali Code

Abeer talking with one of the elders

Wui Jia and the residents of Kali Code

*View more pictures of the day from our photo album

WRITER'S PROFILE: Wui Jia is the only Psychology major (and Writing minor) in this trip. Coming from Penang (Malaysia), Wui Jia may seem like the shyest among the bunch- possibly because prior to the trip she has not known any one of the students! Yet now Wui Jia has become fast friends with all of the students in the trip.

Kampung Kauman

2009-07-13T09:02:00.000-07:00

By: Jane Barraclough

12 July 2009

In the heart of bustling Yogyakarta lies the unique Muhammadiyah Muslim community- Kampung Kauman. With only a small, blue archway to give away its whereabouts, few locals, let alone tourists, visit this place. Once inside the walls of the serene and welcoming neighborhood, it’s hard to believe the traffic, buskers and markets are only meters away.

On day three of our study trip, Dr Yeoh really stepped up the search for Yogyakarta, leading us through a maze of narrow streets towards the home of renowned Batik artist, Lukman Jamali, a long-time resident of Kampung Kauman.

The streets of Kauman

The pace of a rushed journey dodging trishaws and trying to keep up with our ever -adventurous pathfinder, suddenly slowed as we made our way through the traffic-free alleyways, muttering “permisi ibu” (excuse me, miss) to women outside their homes, at the advice of our student guides. Passing the hushed houses, one gets a sense that much prayer has taken place behind these walls. Further down, towards the school, through the colourful delicate windows students can be glimpsed praying. Meanwhile, residents slowly wheel their motorbikes home, adhering to an unwritten rule to maintain the peace and quiet. Even the pet budgies seem to refrain from making a racket.

Ariebowo taking us on a tour of Kauman

The people of Kauman

The calm of Kauman is no accident. The founder, K.H. Ahmad Dahlan intended to shield the community from outside noise and distractions. He set out to establish an atmosphere of study and learning in his quest for a reformed, modernized Islam that embraced the philosophies of Al Quran. After founding the village in 1912, Dahlan set up charity schools, libraries and hospitals which are still having a positive impact today. The boarding school, Kweek, which is known for its broad curriculum, draws girls from all around Indonesia, while the local library still carries out a tradition of knowledge-sharing by insisting that every hired book must be passed around to a network of seven people. The town was also the base for Dahlan’s batik design work, which he managed to turn into a successful trade.

Today’s residents are no less entrepreneurial, creative, and educated than their forefather.
Ariebowo Jamali, the son of Lukman Jamali who took up Dahlan’s mantle in the Batik business, is currently studying English literature at a local university. He kindly welcomed the study group into his family’s home this morning to tell us about the work of his father and mother, who are both masters of their craft. Sitting on the floor of his father’s studio, Ariebowo told us about Lukman’s batik paintings, which, he said were very popular in Europe, as well as locally. Examples of Lukman’s trademark, surreal faces hung on the walls of the studio, creating an artistic vibe in a space which doubles as the family room.

Only doors from the studio, Ariebowo’s mother, like many women in Kauman, works every evening at her own craft, which are no less popular around Yogya. Every morning the sound of people selling comforting, breakfast treats, or Kue Pukis, can be heard like a chant for the morning appetite. “Kue, Kue, Kue.. dua ribu dua ribu…”. At Ariebowo’s house, we had the chance to try some of Yogyakarta’s best Kue. Kue Pukis from the Kauman is known for being especially tasty, and the treats definitely lived up to their reputations. The assortment of soft, sweet bakery treats, from veggie doughnuts to butter cake, are made every day, in the wee hours of morning. For this reason, Ariebowo couldn’t introduce us to his mother, who was sleeping.

Kue, or the local delicacies made by Ariebowo's mother

Ariebowo plans to leave Kauman for further studies, but he plans to return to Kampung Kauman later to bring something back to the community as a member of the next generation and live out his twilight years in Kampung Kauman.

*View more pictures of the day from our photo album

WRITER'S PROFILE: The 24 year old Jane is an exchange student from Monash University Caufield Campus, majoring in Journalism. Originally from Canberra, Jane is one adventurous traveler- before this trip she had went on a homestay program in Sabah (East Malaysia) and on a trip to Cambodia. Being especially good with the video-camera, Jane is heading the video team.

Many Tastes of Yogyakarta

2009-07-13T08:38:00.000-07:00

By: Paulista Bunga Surjadi

12 July 2009

The cultural capital of Indonesia, Yogyakarta is truly a heaven for anyone in search of gastronomic delight. The city entices you with many resturants and warungs or lesehans to choose from. However, I am specifically interested in the countless warungs or lesehans I found along the Malioboro street where the choice of delicacies range from main course to dessert; all of which are sold along the kaki lima or sidewalks. Here in Yogyakarta, the real eating experience is equated to duduk lesehan (sitting on a mat) in the dusty street side, munching on tasty local foods and listening to the occasional entertainment from the pengamen (street musician). What an experience! Especially when each on the menu will not cost you more than Rp 20,000 or USD 2 per plate.

One of the many lesehans in Malioboro

To us Indonesians, there is a saying shared among us that “Orang Jawa bermulut manis” or 'Javanese people have the sweetest everything'. The saying has come from how the Javanese cook their dishes, which involves a lot of sugar and is thus renowned for their sweetness. However, being a multi ethnic island itself, Javanese dishes should be divided into about four major groups which are the Sundanese, Maduranese, East Java dishes, and Central Java dishes.

East Java dishes generally use more chili and less sugar, while Central Java dishes are sweeter and use less chili.

Yogyakarta dishes are known for their sweetness. Its most popular traditional dish, one that you can find almost anywhere in the city is Gudeg. Gudeg is variety of dishes including chicken, jackfruit, hardboiled egg stew, tofu, and tempe cooked in the mixture of coconut sauce, kluwek (traditional herb), and teak leaves (which gives the brown color into it), known as Areh. It tastes uniquely sweet and slightly spicy. The meal will not be complete without its staple complement- warm rice and sambal krecek which is bull's inner skin deep fried and cooked with chilli giving it a spicy taste.

Gudeg Kering (Dry Gudeg)

I took the above picture of Gudeg at one of the many food stalls in the famous Gudeg station, Jalan Wijilan. After a talk with the locals, I found out that there are actually two kind of Gudeg in Yogyakarta. What we had in Jalan Wijilan is apparently what considered as Gudeg Kering (dry gudeg)- the coconut milk and the herb is cooked in less water. While the other Gudeg type is Gudeg Basah (watery gudeg). My curious palette was finally led me to this lady in Malioboro street side who sells the watery Gudeg type.

Purchasing Gudeg Basah (Watery Gudeg) from a street vendor

The distinctive feature between these two types of Gudeg would be its watery Areh. I prefer the watery Gudeg as I love having that much Areh with my warm rice But both undeniably tastes awesome and it just leaves me wanting for more so I am very sure that I definitely will have more Gudeg again as soon as possible before the trip is over.

We shall move on to another dishes called Wedang Ronde. It is a warn ginger drink with peanuts, kolang-kaling (made from palm tree and coloured pink), shredded bread, and ronde (sticky rice with peanuts filling). According to my fellow travellers, Wedang Ronde smells beautiful and indeed it does. The taste and the smell of Wedang Ronde is best experienced during the night when the temperature is lower, as it gives you extra warmth feeling as you swallow. You can purchase this ‘warmth’ for only Rp 3000, or less than USD 50 cents

Wedang Ronde cart

Still in search of some local taste I found this famous local food which usually come in boxes as people love to bring it back for souvenirs, it called Bakpia Pathok. It is made from thin dough pastry with green bean paste inside. Bakpia Pathok would be a perfect bite size snack when served with hot coffee or hot tea anytime, or even just for munching it by itself. In case you are wondering, Pathok is the name of the place where Bakpia first gain its prominence among Yogyakarta people and even the tourists. Cater to many different tastes, many Bakpia producers nowadays do experiment with using other fillings, ranging from chocolate paste, cheese, to even durian. Generally, a box of this sweetness will cost you around Rp 15,000 or USD 1.50.

Bakpia Pathok

In this article I picked what I personally considered the best of the best food in Yogyakarta here. So, you might want to try those and many other dishes for yourself when you visit Yogyakarta sometimes. Happy eating!

WRITER'S PROFILE: Paulista is pursuing her final year in Bachelor of Arts. She transferred from Monash College, Jakarta last year and is among one of the Indonesian students in this trip. Although having been raised in Jakarta, Paulista has been exposed to the cultures of other regions of Indonesia, and admits that she would rather pick spicy or salty foods over sweet ones.

Diary Entry: Day 3

2009-07-13T05:26:00.000-07:00

By: Wei Jia Xi

11 July 2009

The sunrise in Indonesia is earlier than in Malaysia. At six o’clock, people are getting ready for the day’s activities. We had an early journey today, leaving around 7:10am and proceeding to leave the hotel for higher ground known as Ketep Pass, to get a view of the volcano, Mount Merapi.

It took us about an hour and a half to reach our destination. At beginning of this trip, most of us were sleeping and resting in the bus. This was not only because we needed to get up early in the morning but we had a full day scheduled for us. The scenic landscape we witnessed on the journey towards Ketep Pass was breathtaking.

View of Mount Merapi from inside the bus

Snapping away on our cameras, the views, such as the one captured above made me wonder whether these farmers realize the dangers of living near an active volcano. Nana, our student guide gave me more information on the matter. According to her, Javanese people are aware that they will have to pay the price of reaping the benefits of volcanic soil and they understand the risks of being near an active volcano. They love the land deeply because the share a bond between the land and the volcano, connected by a person known as Mbah Maridjan, their ‘spiritual leader’. Nana told me that Javanese people rely on the information from him more than the government and they will not budge unless he commands them to do so.

Mount Merapi during an eruption

As the bus continued to ascend the dirt road, the temperature began to drop. When we reached Ketep Pass, everybody was shivering from the strong winds that were blowing. We took many photos given the picturesque landscape in the background.

After that, we made our way to the Ketep Volcano Centre, which exhibits educational materials on Mount Merapi. A model of the volcano at the center of the museum showed us the movement of volcanic activities, as did The Ketep Volcano Theatre which provided us a documentary of the volcano.

After the screening, we had a half hour of free sight-seeing time until we continued our journey to “one of the forgotten wonders “—Borobudur. Borobudur is a ninth-century Mahayana Buddhist Monument in Magelang, in Central Java. We had a guide to introduce us to the history background of the Borobudur. The tourists comprise primarily of locals who oddly enough, were very keen to take pictures with us. One begins to wonder whether we were as inconspicuous as we believed ourselves to be.

Candi Borobudur

Finally, we arrived at our last stop for the day—Parangtritis, the south beach. According to folklore, the queen of the South Sea loves the colour green and anyone found wearing it run the risk of being dragged into the ocean as her slave. We enjoyed ourselves thoroughly at the beach, where Dominique took a horse ride along the beach side. Shazwan and Rashaad played the role of street musicians and managed to earn 14500RPs. We rounded it off with another group photo against the background of the sunset, our longest day but by far the best day yet.

Sunset at Parangtritis Beach

*View pictures of the day from our photo album

WRITER'S PROFILE: Wei Jia Xi or Cici, is studying Bachelor of Arts majoring in Communication. Coming from Chongqing, China, Cici loves to eat spicy food and has a particular interest in film and video recording. She is part of the video team, where she has learned new things, and feels thankful for having the opportunity to participate in this trip

The Land of Volcanoes

2009-07-11T19:34:00.000-07:00

By: Aron Raj

11 July 2009

When I first arrived in Yogyakarata, I was only aware of Mt.Merapi, one of the world’s most active volcanos located on island of Jawa. Today’s entourage journey took us to the Ketep Pass, a viewing point for the volcanoes of surrounding the central Java Island.

Little did I know that Yogyakarta was home to not just Mt.Merapi but also to a number of other volcanoes. From the viewing point atop the hill at Ketep Pass, we could see the hot steam blowing out from the mouth of Mt.Merapi. The strong breeze did not turn down our spirits to take photos and also admire what I would say as the living jewel of Java.

Words cannot describe the view of this magnificent formation of nature. Although Mt. Merapi remains active, there were also a few dead volcanoes surrounding it. On the opposite lay Mt.Serembau and Mt.Senai, 2 extinct volcanoes believed to have erupted even before the formation of the new Mt.Merapi. The earlier volcano located just beside it, was believed to have erupted some 1000 years ago. It has now become a site for tourists to hike up and have a panoramic view of Mt.Merapi.

The spectacular view of Mount Merapi

Over the years of its existence, Mt.Merapi has been believed to have consumed thousands of lives. Some 1000 years ago, an eruption caused the ancient Hindu-Buddhist civilization in Borobudur to be covered in ashes. Other major eruptions were recorded in the 1800s and the 1900s. The last eruption in 2007 had seen the evacuation of many people living around the mountain.

Although the volcanoes of Java have claimed many lives, it has also enabled the agriculture industry through fertilizing the land. As our bus journeyed slowly up the steep roads to Ketep Pass, we could see the blossoms of vegetation all around us. From paddy to tobacco to vegetables, it seemed as if that there was never a volcanic eruption. The ashes and lava on the land over the years have enriched the soil making it perfect for vegetation.

From the top, we could see that the whole area around the volcano was indeed green with vegetation. What amazed me most was that the people were willing to come back to their farms and continue with life although they knew the situation they are facing. And it amazes me even more to imagine what it would have been liked to live in Borobudur during its prime near the active volcanoes. I also learnt that Mt.Merapi is considered to be sacred among many and occasional ceremonies are held.

As we spent our time taking pictures of the volcano and admiring nature, I realized sometimes it doesn’t really matter how close to death one may live. I guess the most important thing is to believe that life will go on. The volcanoes of Java may have taken a lot from the Javanese people but they have rewarded them as well in many ways. Whatever it may be, the volcanoes of Java certainly have proved their point. The living jewel of Java will surely continue to give the people something to live up to.

Posing in front of the natural beauty

*View more pictures of the day from our photo album

WRITER'S PROFILE: Aron Raj is a Monash Alumni, currently working with The Star (a Malaysian newspaper), as a video journalist. He has joined several study trips organized by Dr Yeoh previously. In his own words, Aron is "single & available". He chose to write about volcanoes because he found them "hot & cool at the same time". Aron believes that "Real Men Like Fire".

Diary Entry: Day 2

2009-07-11T07:11:00.000-07:00

By: Rashaad Ali

10 July 2009

Space is a matter of perspective. The Comfort Zone is relative to the individual, I thought, whilst squeezing onto my bed trying to find some sleep before the long day that awaited us. Space is relative, as porous as the walls, as thick as the mattresses, as loud as the aerobics lesson next door.

I woke an hour before I thought daylight would arrive in Yogyakarta. Skipping breakfast because of my tardiness, I bundled out of the shower and hurried into the bus with my fellow travellers, sleepy-eyed for the beginning of our journey.

Our first stop was Universiti Gajah Mada (UKM) where we attended a small session, elucidating the political situation of Indonesia in light of the recent general elections. Conducted by Dr. Aris Arif, we listened in as he described his general disdain for the candidates of the election. According to him, 40% of the country’s population abstained from voting, whether due to administrative problems or as a form of political dissent. Furthermore, in Indonesia there is no compulsion to vote, and Dr. Aris practised this by abstaining as each candidate came from a military background with plenty of skeletons in their respective closets. These include the repression of student activism with state violence and involvement in the East Timor turmoil in the late 90’s to name a few.

Session at Universitas Gadjah Mada

He continued to expound the flaws of the candidates from Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) to Megawati revealing their dark dealings to us in the comfort of the Centre for South East Asian Studies’ meeting room. One thing seemed clear however, political awareness in Indonesia was not merely reserved for the intelligentsia as politics appears to permeate through all levels of society. The general election seemed to morph into a battle between the lesser of evils with citizens voting for candidates they trusted more over others. When this option would not suffice, the choice of abstention was also on the table.

A group picture in front of the UGM Post-graduate building

We left the university with a better awareness of our surroundings and an appetite for lunch. While Shazwan, our student guide, Adi and I made a momentary diversion for the Friday prayers at a nearby mosque, the rest of the group settled themselves at the FoodFezt restaurant. Joining up with the rest half an hour later, I ordered a plate of nasi kebuli with chicken and a plate of Indonesian satay. Similar to its namesake in Malaysia, satay in Indonesia is served dipped in chili soy sauce, tasty despite the fiery sensation in my stomach.

Our next excursion took us away from the city to the grounds of a local NGO known as INSIST (Indonesian Society for Social Transformation), which focuses on micro supporting systems for the local populace for social sustenance while also conducting research programs to improve the self-determination of the individual, relieving them from market dependency. INSIST has many member offices and training grounds spread across Indonesia, providing agricultural training for the locals. The presentation was delivered by Mr. Roem, who himself has been active in the political scene for many years and his anti-establishment sentiments are reflected in his personal philosophy especially with respect to the running of his unit here in Yogyakarta. His leftist ideals were teeming with altruism, invoking my inner Guevara out from its dormant period into activity.

Walking to INSIST

Another bus ride home and we returned to the confines of our residence, only to embark outward once again in search of food. We took a long walk and stopped at the Alun-Alun Selatan which is part of the Sultan’s palace. Reluctant at first, I eventually succumbed to the romantic notion of eating sidewalk food to discover an amazing plate of soto ayam which I enjoyed on the grass alongside those who embraced the questionable hygiene of the food. Satisfied with our delicious and cheap meal, we tried our hand at walking blindfolded in a straight line between two banyan trees, a task proven to be a lot harder than it sounds. Bumping into strangers, bee-lining in the opposite direction whilst watching friends try their luck caused an eruption of laughter amongst friends and strangers alike. Walking back across the field to catch a cab home, a warmth of satisfaction began to diffuse in the air contrasting the cool of the breeze, at the enjoyment and satisfaction that the second day in Yogyakarta had provided for us. Dragging our tired feet across the cobbled pavement a slow sense of familiarity begins to transcend physical space, broadening the boundaries of comfort.

*View more pictures of the day from our photo album

WRITER'S PROFILE: Rashaad is a Malaysian doing a double major in Writing and International Studies under the Bachelor of Arts program at Monash University Malaysia. He loves reading, writing, eating and sleeping. He loves the nasi padang in Yogyakarta because there is nothing like good food to supplement a life-changing trip.

Indonesian Society for Social Transformation (INSIST)

2009-07-11T06:59:00.000-07:00

By: Marina Tan

10 July 2009

On 10th July 2009, a group of 18 Monash University Sunway Campus students gathered at the Yogyakarta INSIST Centre, as part of a study trip to explore Yogyakarta’s cultural and political climate. The group was received by Mr Roem Topatimasang, a senior committee member of INSIST. Moderator of the session, Australian exchange student Joanna Molloy got the ball rolling by introducing the Monash group to the INSIST staff and inviting Mr Topatimasang to introduce INSIST, giving a brief idea of its history, vision and the challenges faced when implementing its aim of achieving a self sufficient Indonesia.

Founded in 1997 by a group of like-minded activist, INSIST initially stood for Institute for Social Transformation. On 20th May 2004, the INSIST committee members unanimously signed the Declaration of the New Insist, effectively changing INSIST to be an abbreviation for the Indonesian Society for Social Transformation. This change of name was in line with the organisation’s aim to be more inclusive to the whole Indonesian nation and to avoid the flaw of centralisation according to a senior INSIST committee member Mr Roem Topatimasang.

Mr Roem Topatimasang smiling for the camera

In line with INSIST’s vision of transforming Indonesia’s agriculture sector from a very commercial-orientated venture into a venture which focuses more on agricultural and energy self- sufficiency, the 10 acres of land where the INSIST Centre in Yogyakarta is built upon is a showroom of self-sufficient organic farming, being surrounded by model organic paddy fields and rows of chilli plants. A wooden building behind the office is made out of sustainable local wood beams and banisters made out of coconut trunks. Below the building is a container with the capacity to collect cattle manure and legumes-material for biofuel, one of the forms of sustainable energy being promoted by INSIST. According to Mr Topatimasang, biofuel was more suitable for the Indonesian villagers as it did not require the installation of the expensive solar panels required to convert solar power into energy.

Because INSIST is merely a supporting organisation and not an implementing organisation, INSIST is not involved directly with the scientific aspect of research on agriculture. Instead,its member organisations will conduct the necessary research and send its findings to INSIST who will then implement the findings such as the more effective methods of planting rice on the model paddy fields in the INSIST Centre compound. As mentioned by Mr Topatimasang INSIST focuses on exposing the system of self sufficient agriculture to the rural farmers.

INSIST's lovely backyard

When asked about the main obstacles in achieving their vision, Mr Topatimasang shrugged and said that “The biggest challenge would be changing the mindset of the rural farmers”. Having been used to farming being strictly regulated under the Suharto regime and following government recommendations for the growing of crops, most farmers have been ingrained with the mindset that farming is for the commercial market and not for the purpose of achieving self-sufficiency. Nonetheless, Mr Topatimasang says that the people are now open to the idea of farming for self- sufficiency, but the problem remains that many farmers lack the knowledge and accessible information on self-sufficient organic farming. This is where INSIST plays an important role in making the information on self-sufficient farming available to the rural farmers. This is either done through formal methods such as workshops and seminars or informal methods like participating in the villagers everyday activities of fishing or simply by having a drink while informing them about self- sufficient organic farming.

Asked by a Monash student on whether the organic products produced by the farmers were sold commercially, Mr Topatimasang adamantly shook his head and said commercialising the produce would just defeat the purpose of the whole self-sufficient organic farming which focuses on the grassroot level of agriculture, in this case, the rural farmers. Instead, Mr Topatimasang said INSIST’s main revenue were from research published by its publishing house, and the fees imposed on its member organisations.

“It is all about autonomy, a person could be politically autonomous, but if he depended on others to supply food, he would not really be autonomous”,claimed Mr Topatimasang. He explained that if one had enough food for himself, he maintains his own autonomy and depends on no one. A staunch supporter of human rights, Mr Topatimasang believes that the fundamental human right is self-dependence, not just at the national level but done via the achieving of collaboration with several players in the field.

A group picture of the travelers with Pak Roem

*View more pictures of the day from our photo album

WRITER'S PROFILE: Marina is a final year student at Monash University Malaysia, doing a double in the Bachelor of Arts in Writing and International Studies. Marina is from Malacca and was particularly impressed by INSIST which opened her eyes to the alternatives to capitalist free market. She finds INSIST fascinating as it is a real-life example of the theories she has learnt in her International Studies unit.

Political Space and Images of Representation

2009-07-11T06:56:00.000-07:00

By: Shazwan Mustafa Kamal

10 July 2009

Within five minutes past the 2 billion Rupiah gates of Universiti Gadjah Mada (UGM), the first thought that immediately crossed my mind was the vastness of the institution. That thought was quickly reinforced as we went deeper into the university’s huge compounds with faculties known as ‘gedung’ literally meaning warehouses in the Malay language.” Indeed, sounds of awe and amazement were shared by all of us as we entered Indonesia’s oldest University.

And my word, it was certainly a sight to behold. UGM seemed to stretch on for miles and miles. Students could be seen walking to and fro to buildings and little motorcycles buzzing in and out of campus despite it being the semester holidays.

There are a few interesting things to note about UGM. First of all, UGM is open to the public at all times. One does not need to flash a student card of any sorts to enter the grounds of the university. Secondly, UGM is pronounced ‘u-u-K-m’, with the G pronounced as K, in congruence with the local Indonesian way of enunciation. Most of our students guides were current students of UGM, so showing us around the campus and getting to our destination was a smooth and enjoyable process.

We were here to visit one of the many faculties of UGM which is the Centre for South East Asian Social Studies (CESASS), also known as Pusat Studi Sosial Asia Tenggara. This centre specifically deals with issues pertaining to human rights, democracy and politics, with a direct focus on Indonesian politics. We had a chance to visit the library for the centre before the talk, one which boasted a variety of books about politics and nationalism, ranging from international publications as well as local publications. International books were translated into the local Javanese language or Bahasa Indonesia, and theses from post-graduate students were also compiled and made accessible.

Visiting CESASS's Library

After a good ten minutes of exploring the library, we proceeded to enter the designated room where the discussion would be taking place. The speaker for the discussion introduced himself to us as Dr. Aris Arif Mundayat, Director of CESASS. A pleasant fellow with a voice that evoked immediate thoughts of wisdom, Dr. Aris wasted no time in launching the lecture-cum-discussion.
It started off with a summary of the recent Indonesian general elections. I was personally quite surprised upon finding out that the three candidates who ran for the president’s post all had or still have active military history and influences, with the most notable amongst the three being Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono commonly referred to by his initials SBY in the newspaper reports. According to Dr. Aris, further empirical research into the previous general elections showed that out of the country’s entire populace, only 60% exercised their rights to vote. Quite a number of us were shocked by the statistics, and were curious about the situation

Inked fingers mark the voters of the presidential election

Dr. Aris, with a subtle hint of a grin, replied by saying that there is no compulsion to vote in Indonesia. People have the right to either practice their voting rights or otherwise. No legal actions would be taken against those who do not vote. He also added that there are a number of reasons why people voted for SBY given his vast experience in politics alongside several others. He is considered a great leader by many, given his capability in the handling of the nation’s affairs in times of turmoil. He has also been successful to an extent in reducing corruption rates in Indonesia as claimed by the speaker.

However, politics in Indonesia do not necessarily work in binaries. People do not vote for a candidate simply because he or she represents a party with a convincing manifesto. Rather, the people in Indonesia base their votes on a more personal preference. It seems to be a battle of portrayed ‘images’, as even SBY has been known to utilize a variety of advertisements. The question that came to my mind at this point was whether presidential candidates are then used more as a form of commodity, a product to be sold to the pseudo-buyer also known as the voter. The media apparently also plays a prominent role in the image profiling of political aspirants. For example, middle class people voted for SBY while lower class citizens voted for Jusuf Kalla.

Dr. Aris Arif Mundayat & Budi Irwanto, MA

Some of us found the talk to be really thought-provoking. Rashaad Ali, a fellow traveler at the session felt that the talk provided an interesting insight into the political site in Indonesia, particularly the participation of demographics into the Indonesia populace. On a final note, one major difference between Malaysian and Indonesian politics could be theorized here. I think that there is definitely a better dissemination of information in Indonesia with a deeper level of participation in political discourse on a grassroots level. A Friday morning well- spent indeed.

*View more pictures of the day from our photo album

WRITER'S PROFILE: Shazwan is a Malaysian student at Monash University Malaysia originally from Penang.He has hopefully made it through his final semester with a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Communications and minoring in Writing. He tries to study social sciences when he can, but in truth he thinks life is a big lesson itself. Usually mistaken for an Arab, Indian or Chindian, Shazwan has grown comfortable with the androgyny of his identity.

Diary Entry: Day 1

2009-07-10T09:59:00.000-07:00

By: Natasha Tan

9 July 2009

The view of Mount Merapi seen from up above in the comforts of our cramped AirAsia seats signalled the end of a gruelling two hours and thirty-five minutes flight. We have finally arrived after months of planning and constant exchange of emails between the pathfinder, Dr. Yeoh Seng Guan, local student guides as well as the other 17 eager travellers.

View from the airplane

It became apparent that the adventure of our lifetime was about to begin; from the bumpy descent to the tasting of a local dish labelled as ‘gudeg’, a sweet dish eaten with rice and ‘krecek’ (bull’s skin), to the discovery of a 24-hour McDonalds (you can imagine the happy faces of our travellers!)

Arriving at Adi Sutjipto Airport

Tired and hungry, we started the festivities with a getting-to-know-you session where we each had to introduce ourselves, providing our names, course of study and giving an interesting fact about ourselves. Our team traveller’s had it easy as we’ve already known each other before the trip began but for the local student guides, it was a test of their memorising skills. Each of the five local student guides had to mention the names of 5 travellers! Granted that they only started to know us about 5 minutes ago, they managed pretty well getting our names and faces right.

After that, we began our hunt for dinner and at the same time, managed to have a tour of Malioboro Street, a shopping haven for any shopaholics out there. There were T-shirts, batiks, souvenirs and the likes going at low and affordable prices. Food stalls too were aplenty, all displaying their delicacies, making us even hungrier as we continued on our journey to the restaurant.

Road-crossing is certainly hazardous to one’s health! The zebra crossing is there but there are no proper indications to point out to pedestrians whether it’s an OK-go. Instead, we had to rely on the traffic and move according to them. If there’s a red light, we would literally have to speed across or risk being knocked down by the opposite traffic. Crossing the road is an experience itself here in Yogyakarta!

On the other hand, the food may require an acquired taste. It was sweet and slightly spicy but nonetheless, extremely good. Nothing was going to ruin a hungry appetite. Everyone finished their dinner and chatted with the local student guides, resting our tired legs before heading back to the hotel.

Gudeg at Jalan Wijilan

But before heading back to the hotel, there was a detour where we stopped by ‘Alun-Alun Utara’ and had a local dessert which consisted of ginger, bread and some local fruit thrown into the mix. An interesting fact about ‘Alun-Alun Utara’ is that it is located directly in front of Kraton (the Sultan's Palace) where the road leads directly to Mount Merapi. It is believed that the King receives his power from Mount Merapi. Interestingly enough, the King also receives his power from the South Sea, which is the opposite direction of ‘Alun-Alun Utara’.

'Pengamen' (Street Musicians) on our way to Alun Alun Utara

All in all, it was a promising first day where the sights and sounds of Yogyakarta are waiting to be discovered by us 17 travellers.

Here’s to 8 more days of adventure to go...

*View more pictures of the day from our photo album

WRITER'S PROFILE: Natasha is in her final year pursuing a degree in the Bachelor of Arts majoring in Communications and Writing. She is from Subang Jaya and in this trip, she will be seen lugging the unversity's camera being a part of the photography team, as we embark on a journey in search of Yogyakarta.

MEET THE TRAVELLERS!

2009-07-07T05:29:00.001-07:00