Culture Columns

Due to its sheer vastness Indonesia contains a rich variety of cultures. Jakarta, Indonesia's capital city and the center of national politics and economics, is the melting pot of many such cultures. Starting from the colonial era - when the city was known as Batavia - people came from all corners of the archipelago to this developing megacity in search of a livelihood. As a consequence Jakarta currently has a population of almost ten million people (official figure). The distance from the area of cultural origin, however, has resulted in a fading of some cultural features (especially for those families that have been living in Jakarta for multiple generations), but it has been 'enriched' by a distinct urban culture.

  • New Major Earthquakes Strike Lombok

    New Major Earthquakes Strike Lombok

    While residents on the island of Lombok were still in the process of recovering from the deadly earthquakes in late July 2018, the area was again hit by a series of devastating earthquakes in August.

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  • Public Holidays in Indonesia: Nyepi, the Day of Silence on Hindu Bali

    Public Holidays in Indonesia: Nyepi, the Day of Silence on Hindu Bali

    Saturday 17 March 2018 is a public holiday in Indonesia. On this day the Hindu community of Indonesia, which mostly lives on the island of Bali, celebrates Nyepi i.e. the Day of Silence or the Hindu New Year in the Balinese Saka calendar. As Nyepi is a day of self-reflection for the Indonesian Hindu community, activities come to a near complete standstill from 6 am to 6 pm. Local rules instruct that Hindus are not allowed to light fires (or lamps), work, eat, talk, nor are they allowed to be engaged in any sort of other entertainment.

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  • Tourism Industry Indonesia: Gov't Seeks $20 Billion of Investment

    Tourism Industry Indonesia: Gov't Seeks $20 Billion of Investment

    The Indonesian government is looking for big direct investment - both domestic and domestic direct investment - in Indonesia's tourism industry in its quest to turn the tourism industry into the nation's top foreign exchange earner, hence strengthening this industry's role toward the national economy. Therefore, the government formulated ten priority tourist destinations that are regarded to have great tourism potential.

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  • Opinion Piece: the Potential of Resource Development in Yogyakarta

    Opinion Piece: the Potential of Resource Development in Yogyakarta

    In order to boost overall economic expansion as well as growth of several local industries, it is important for the city of Yogyakarta - located in the center of Java island - to see more infrastructure development. The local government has the crucial task to either invest directly in infrastructure development or to encourage private investment in infrastructure development by safeguarding a conducive regulatory environment and attractive investment environment.

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