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Dave

The Dark Night – Bali

Life in Bali revolves around ceremonies, and one of the major highlights in the Balinese Calendar is Nyepi, the Day of Silence. The three to five day period leading up to Nyepi Day is one of the most exciting, colourful and festive times on the island.

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Dave

Sebangau National Park – The Archipelago Journal

In less than two hours, you can fly from the bustle of Jakarta to the fringe of Sebangau in Kalimantan Indonesia Borneo, world-famous for its orangutans. Stephanie Brookes takes an exotic river journey. Photography by David Metcalf. I start my trek into Sebangau National Park at

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Dave

A Stone Chair Village, Lake Toba, Sumatra

On Samosir Island, Lake Toba lies the little village of Ambarita. Tales abound there of rough justice, and possibly even cannibalism. While these are from long ago, more benign old ways live on, for example in the village’s traditional architecture, and an ancient craft still practiced

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Dave

Setulang – Deep in the forest, North Kalimantan

When I arrived at Setulang Village, I noticed there were no supermarkets to be seen anywhere. The village is located in North Kalimantan, miles from any major town. It is nestled along the edge of a forest which dates back 130 million years. Author in Source

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Dave

Ancient Threads Woven in Karangasem

The long trek to the village of Jungutan, East Bali, the site of the Karangasem World Cultural Village Festival is well worth it. Imet Miliwanga Wurrben, an Australian aboriginal elder and healer, in a most unlikely place. We came across each other in the remote village of Jungutan

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Dave

Paradiso Ubud celebrates indigenous voices through film

The Paradiso Ubud in Ubud, Bali, is holding Indigenous Movie Nights in the months leading up to the second edition of the Bali Indigenous Film Festival, which it is hosting on May 10-12, 2019. (Shutterstock/Enjoyphoto80) The Paradiso Ubud movie theater in Bali saw a full house for its Papua-themed Indigenous Movie

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Dave

The Dancing Masks of The Babukung

Pangkalan Bun in Central Kalimantan is a long way from anywhere. However, as soon as I heard about the Babukung Mask Festival held there every year, I went on the hunt to find out more. Not long afterwards—after two connecting flights from Jakarta to Pangkalan Bun—I

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Dave

Tamarind Temptations – A Spa in Ubud, Bali

It can take a lot of searching to find a perfect spa in Ubud as there are so many choices. You can seek out the five-star, high-end establishments, set in hanging gardens and on cliff tops, but they often come at a price that is over the

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Dave

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

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