David Metcalf
Into The Heart of The Ancestral Lands of The Punan
Kapuas Hulu regency covers a large area of 29,842sqm (Bali, for example, is just 5,000sqm) with some of the world’s most abundant biodiversity and oldest rainforest. Photos by David Metcalf/NOWJAKARTA “Batu! Batu!”, the man on the bow yelled as our wooden boat ploughed through the turbulent rapids. He was gesturing frantically to the driver to steer us
A Javanese Feast For The Senses
For fifteen years in a row, an extraordinary cultural festival has been taking place in the Menoreh highlands of Central Java, home to five volcanoes. Paying homage to the volcanoes as their source of living and protector, local villagers present their best to nature through offerings, performances and more. I was one of the lucky
The Osing of East Java
“It’s a very tough life for us sulphur quarry workers,” Ali said, “I had to stop quarry work at Ijen crater when I was just 35 years old as my back was in bad shape and the pain in my legs was giving me too much trouble.” Ali is now a porter and has given up hauling
A Journey Into the Heart of Ma’Anyan Country
“We believe that the human body is inhabited by a life giving spirit. We call this an amirue. When a person dies, his or her spirit becomes an adiau, just for the time of its journey to the place where the amirue resides. During the nine days of the Ijame ceremony we help the adiau
An Indigenous Celebration in Ubud
Celebrating indigenous people and culture through dance, music, unity, art and collaboration at the Indigenous Celebration 2018 in May. Various indigeneous tribe will be performaed at the celebration. Photo by David Metcalf/NOW!JAKARTA This May sees the first ever gathering of indigenous people from around the world in a celebration that honours the wisdom passed down
Bringing Back the Culture of the Traditional School
In my travels around the Indonesian archipelago, I have experienced and encountered a variety of traditional cultures. In many communities, I have witnessed a disconnection between the older generation and the younger one. While traditional culture is still alive in some villages, there are others where traditions have completely disappeared. Will those with a connection
