Indonesia General Information Part 2

Indonesia General Information Part 2:  Art and Culture, Flora and Fauna, Cuisine, Monuments, Livelihood, Economy, Mining, Social Welfare....

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Art and Culture

Indonesia is rich in art and culture which are intertwined with religion and age-old traditions from the time of early migrants with Western throughts brought by Portuguese traders and Dutch colonists.

The basic principles which guide life include the concepts of mutual assistance or “gotong royong” and consultations or “musyawarah” to arrive at a consensus or “mufakat” . Derived from rural life, this system is still very much in use in community life throughout the country.

Though the legal system is based on the old Dutch penal code, social life as well as the rites of passage are founded on customary or “adat” law which differs from area to area. “Adat” law has a binding impact on Indonesian life and it may be concluded that this law has been instrumental in maintaining equal rights for women in the community.

Religious influences on the community are variously evident from island to island.
Unlike some countries art forms in Indonesia are not only based on folklore, as many were developed in the courts of former. kingdoms such as in Bali, where they are part of religious ceremonies.

The famous dance dramas of Java and Bali are derived from Hindu mythology and often feature fragments from the Ramayana and Mahabharata Hindu epics. Highly stylized in movement and costum, dances and the “wayang” drama are accompanied by a full “gamelan” orchestra comprising Xylophones, drums, gongs, and in some cases string instruments and flutes.

Bamboo xylophones are used in North Sulawesi and the bamboo “angklung” instruments of West Java are well-known for their unique tinkling notes which can be adapted to any melody. The Bataks of North Sumatra form popular singing groups to entertain visitors in many international hotels.

There are also various forms of puppet shows. The “wayang kulit” of Java is performed with leather puppets held by the puppeteer, who narates the story of one of the famous episodes of the Hindu epics, the Mahabharata or the Ramayana. It is performed againts a white screen while a lantern in the background casts the shadows of the characters on the screen, visible from the other side where the spectators are seated. The “Wayang Golek” (wooden Puppets) of West Java is based on the same concept.

The crafts of Indonesia vary in both medium and art form. As a whole of the people are artistic by nature and express themselves on canvas, wood, metals, clay and stone.

The batik process of waxing and dyeing originated in Java centuries ago and classic designs have been modified with modern trends in both pattern and technology. 
There are several centres of batik in Java, the major ones being Yogyakarta, Surakarta, Pekalongan, and Cirebon. Batik is also being produced in same other areas as in Bali where local designs are incorporated. Other provinces produced hand-woven cloths of gold and silver threads, silks or cottons with instricate designs.

Paintings are numerous all over the country, both traditional and contemporary, woodcarvings for ornamentation and furniture, silverwork and engraving form Yogyakarta and Sumatra, filgree from South Sulawesi and Bali with different styles of Clay, sandstone and wood sculptures. These are but a few of the handicrafts found in Indonesia.

Flora and Fauna

British naturalist A.R Wallace (1823-1913) postulated an imaginary line (named after him-Walace’s Line) as the dividing line between Asiatic and Australian Fauna. It psses between Bali and Lombok islands between Kalimantan and Sulawesi, then continues south of the Philipines and north of Hawaii.

This theory probably explains the presence of species of fauna familiar to both Asia and Australia found in Indonesia. However, there are species indigenous to Indonesia, like the “orang utan” apes of Sumatra and Kalimantan, the giant “komodo” lizard which are the only ones of their kind in the world today roaming free on the island of Komodo; the one horned rhinoceros of Java, the wild “banteng” oxen, tigers and many others species which are now protected in wildlife reserves.

The flora of Indonesia ranges from the tiny orchid to the giant “Rafflesia” plant which has a bloom almost a metre (3.2 feet) in diameter - the largest flower in the world - and many other species of plant life which can be seen at the Bogor Botanical Gardens.

Agriculture produce include rubber, coconut, coffee, tea, cocoa, corn, spices, kapok, tobacco, rice, etc. and an abundance of vegetable and fruit. Indonesia has some of the richest timber resources in the world and the largest concentration of tropical hardwoods.

The total area of state-controlled forests is approximately 12,9 million hectares. Meranti constitues about 56% of the timber export. Other varieties include ramin, agathis, teak, pinewood and a range of other timber in smaller quantity, rattan and bamboo.

Cuisine

The staple food of most of Indonesia is rice. On some of the island in eastern Indonesia, staple food traditionally ranged from corn, sago, cassava to sweet potatoes, though this is changing as rice becomes more popular.

From the surrounding seas as well as from fresh water fisheries fish is abundant and of great variety, such as lobsters, oysters, prawns and shrimps, squid, crab, etc. Fish features prominently in the diet as fresh, salted, dried, smoked or a paste.

Coconut is found everywhere and besides being produced for cooking oil, its milk - the juice from the white meat - is an ingredient for many dishes.

Spices and hot chili Peppers are the essence of most cooking, and in some areas they are used generously such as in West Sumatra and North Sulawesi. Each province or areahas its own cuisine, which vary in the method of cooking and ingredients.

The Javanese cuisine is probably more palatable to the general taste and consists of vegetables, soybeans, beef, chicken and other varieties. The Sumatrans generally eat more beef compared to the other regions. West Sumatra particularly is known for its Padang (capital of the province) specialty restaurants found nationwide.

Beside the hot and spicy food, these restaurants are known for their unique style of service.
Further to the east, seafood features on the daily diet, either grilled or made into curries.

In Bali, Papua and the highlands of North Sumatra and North Sulawesi pork dishes are specialities. As the population of Indonesia is predominantly Moslem, pork is ussually not served except in Chinese restaurants, non-moslem regions and in places serving international cuisine.

There is a wide variety of tropical and sub-tropical vegetables all year round. Fruit is available throughout the year. Some fruits such as mangoes and water melons are seasonal, but most of the other fruits can be bought throughout the whole year, such as bananas, apples, papayas, pineaples. oranges, etc.

Coffee and tea plantations are plentiful, growing on several islands, and served everywhere from fine restaurants to small village stalls.

There are several breweries which produce local beer. Bali produces “brem” which is a rice wine, whereas Toraja has its “tuak” which is also known in North Sumatra and other areas. For most people, a meal consists of Paddy Fields steamed white rice with side dishes of meat, chicken, fish and vegetables along with a glass of tea.

There is such a rich variety in the Indonesian cuisine that one should sample specialities in each area. However, most common nationwide are “sate” (skewered grilled meat),"gado-gado" (vegetable salad with a peanut sauce), “nasi goreng” (fried rice served at anytime) and “bakmi goreng” (fried noodles). Chinese restaurants are found all over the country. There are fine restaurants spesializing in Continental and Japanese and Korean cuisine.

Monuments

Indonesia abounds in monuments of the past. There are the temples of the Buddhist and Hindu dynasties; Hindu temples of Prambanan and the Dieng Plateau, the "kraton" (palace) of sultans in Surakarta, Yogyakarta, the Maimun palace of the Sultanate of Deli (in Medan), the Hall of justice in Bali, ruins of ancient fortresses and museums, mosques and churches steeped in folklore.

Graves of past royalty and national heroes are also monuments whereas many war garaves of world war II still hold a certain interest.  The main destination areas contain many of these places of interest which are easily accessible.

Livelihood

Although the industrial sector of the economy is gradually gaining importances as a result of conscientious government policies, Indonesia is still predominantly agrarian.

Major agricultural products for domestic consumption and export include rice, corn, cassava, soybeans, timber, rubber,palm-oil and various species for which it has for centuries been famed.

Indonesian agronomists, in co-operation with the International Rice Institute based in the Philippines, are continously developing new rice varieties suitable for growing under particular conditions prevailing in the various regions of Indonesia.

The government has since 1968 been actively involved in providing guidance programme, with considerable results. Similiar progress has been made in the field of fishery. Shrimp has become a major foreign exchange earner. To support the growing shrimp culture, a Shrimp Research Centre has been set up in Jepara (Central Java) with UNDP assistance. Under government guidance, fish production in the Indonesian waters is estimated to have
increased at a rate of 5.4% annualy.

Snail production is also growing as an export item to countries in Europe where it is considered a delicacy, like in France.

Estates play an important role within the context of agricultural Traditional Floating Market, South Kalimantan development, as their totak area covers approximately 6.6% million hectares of which 83.7% are smallholders.

Tobbaco planting has been intensified in several areas, the largest estates being in East Java where they cover a total area of 1,000 hectares. Tea is continuously being cultivated. The rejuvenation of coconut plantations proceeds in order to regain Indonesia’s prominent pre World War II position in the export of this crop. Rejuvenating rubber estates the majority of which are located in Sumatra, is also being encouraged.

Developed in the field of palm-oil has resulted in a steady increase in output, i.e. around 15% annualy.

Indonesia’s first cotton growing company was set up in 1978 in South Sulawesi to answer Indonesia’s present need for around 350,000 bales annually for its growing textile industry.

Economy

The country is rich in natural resources. While 90% of the population is engaged in agriculture, oil and gas contribute 70% of total export earning and 60% of the government revenues. However, fluctuations in world prices of traditional export commodities have led to a change in recent years in the stucture of the economy.

Tourism is gaining a moreimportant sector as a foreign exchange earner. To production and growth in the industry, the government has formulated new policies and improved facilities.

Significant progress has been made in communications and transportation and since 1976, Indonesia has had its own communications satellite system which has enabled rapid expansion of telephone, television and broadcast facilities to all 30 provinces.

Air and sea port are being extended to cater to the growing traffic on both domestic and international sectors, of passengers as well as freight.

Besides oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG), forestry products, rubber, coffee, tea, tin, nickel, coper, palm products and fish make important contributions to export earnings.

In recent years a number of steps have been taken to promote and stimulate non-oil export which include handicrafts, textiles, precious metals, tea, tobacco, cement, fertilizers as well as manufactured goods.

To meet domestic needs, Indonesian plants assemble various types automobiles, trucks, buses and motorcycles under licence from manufacturers. Also produced are electronic equipment Rubber Plantations and electrical appliances.

In the agricultural sector, Indonesia has become self sufficient in rice and does not need to import this staple food as it had for years.

Indonesia maintains a liberal foreign exchange system and has few restrictions on transfer abroad, and in general freely allows conversions to and from foreign currencies. Bank Indonesia, the Central Bank, maintains the stability of the Indonesian Rupiah and reviews exchange rate in terms of other currencies on a daily basis. The Rupiah is linked to a basket of currencies of Indonesia’s major trading partners.

The unitary exchange rate allows for fluctuations. With the objective of a more equitable distribution of development gains, the government gives high priority to expansion in the less developed regions of the country’s growing labour force. To attack foreign capital, certain incentives are provided and several sectors are open to foreign investment.

Mining

Indonesia is rich in minerals although only less than half the country’s geology has been explored. Oil and gas accounts for a major part of the nation’s foreign excange earnings.

Exploration of oil dates back to 1871 in West Java but it was not till 1883 that the first successful pil well was drilled in North Sumatra and the first commercial oil field established. Since then there have been several oil discoveries, including those off-shore.

Pertamina, the state-owned oil company has the sole right in oil and gas production which is carried out mainly by a production sharing agreement with foreign oil companies.

Apart from oil and gas, exploitation of geothermal reserves are being accelerated, coal production is increasing.

Indonesia is the third largest producer of tin in the world. Copper is found throughout the archipelago. There are also large deposits of nickel oxide, bauxite, gold, lead, manganese, silver, titanium, uranium, zinc, etc.

Social Welfare

The Department of Social Affairs supervises all activities in the field of social welfare.
Houses for the aged, orphanages and schools for the handicapped are found all over the country, operated by either the government or by private institutions.
Especially well-known is the Rehabilitation Centre for the physically handicapped in Solo, Central Java.

For public health-care among the masses and especially in places far removed from modern hospitals, community health centres have been set up in even the remotest areas.

Through such efforts, modern medicine is gradually taking over from more traditional methods, although the practice of witch-doctors and the use of herbs for curing has not entirely disappeared, especially in isolated areas.

Quite well-known are the herbal medicines of Java known as “jamu”, now becoming increasingly popular.

Another area which has of late received increased government attention is that of housing. More focus is aimed at providing low-cost housing for the public besides improving “kampong” neighbourhoods, especially in the over populated urban areas. However, in spite of all aforementioned efforts very much is still to be done.

Next...

• Click here to continue to Indonesia General Information Part 3: The Performing Arts, Theatre and Dance, Javanese Classical Court Dances, Javanese Ballet, Wayang Wong, Ketoprak, Music, Gamelan, Bali, Taman Ismail Marzuki, Taman Mini, Ancol Art Market...