Showing posts with label Indonesia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Indonesia. Show all posts

May 20 - Independence Day in East Timor

  Posted on May 20, 2022     


This is an update of my post published on May 20, 2011:


East Timor, also known as Timor-Leste, is one of the youngest nations on earth. Having been colonized by Portugal rather than by the Netherlands, as surrounding islands of Indonesia were, East Timor did not welcome rule by Indonesia after the colonizers left. Unfortunately, there was violence between the people of East Timor and Indonesia for decades before East Timor finally became independent on May 20, 2002.



It's interesting to see how language and religious differences are dealt with during times of conflict. You may know that more Muslims live in Indonesia than anywhere else in the world; East Timor, on the other hand, is one of only two Asian nations that is predominantly Roman Catholic. (Can you guess the other?) The Portuguese language, alone with Tetum, is widely spoken in East Timor, but when Indonesia ruled over East Timor, Portuguese was banned! The language was still used by the resistance forces, however, and it became a symbol of freedom. Isn't it ironic that the language of a conquering / colonizing force (Portugal) -- which squelched freedom for centuries -- became a symbol of freedom against another invasive force?

Check out some of the natural beauty of East Timor:





East Timor is part of the so-called Coral Triangle, an area of coral reefs with the highest coral diversity in the world.


See the triangle of red dots,
which show three national parks?
That's the Coral Triangle!

Note that East Timor is called Osttimor. 
Ost means “east.”




 
Check out coral!


You probably already know that coral reefs are built by tiny animals that are cousins of jellyfish. Coral polyps secrete calcium carbonate to built a hard skeleton, and there are many different colors and shapes of living corals. Coral reefs provide great homes to many other creatures such as mollusks and fish.

Art Predator has gathered together some links to help kids learn about coral reefs. 

The Reef Education Network has a website with info and activities and opportunities to make a difference in the worldwide efforts to protect coral reefs. 









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April 21 - Kartini Day in Indonesia

 Posted on April 21, 2022

This is an update of my post published on April 21, 2011:


Raden Ayu Kartini lived a long time ago—she was born on this day in 1879—and she had no political power—not all that much control, even, over her own life—and she died when she was just 25 years old. But she made an impact on her society and, 60 years after her death, a national holiday was created in honor of her.

Kartini is known as a pioneer in women's rights for native Indonesians.

At the time that Kartini lived in Java (part of Indonesia), it was part of the Dutch colony the Dutch East Indies. Her parents were aristocratic and thought education was very important. That's why they allowed their daughter to attend school all the way until she was 12 years old!

She learned fluent Dutch, which was unusual for a Javanese woman of her time.


As was typical of Javanese nobility, at age 12 Kartini went into “seclusion,” which meant that she had to stay in her parents' home until she was married. Kartini's father allowed her to take embroidery lessons in the home and even allowed her to appear in public a few times—for special occasions.

Kartini could read, though, and she could even read Dutch—so her “seclusion” (which would seem like imprisonment to most modern teenage girls!) didn't stop her education. She read, read, read, and she wrote to Dutch pen pals, and she learned about life for women in other places. Kartini began to care about freedoms for women, but she also cared about the problems of her society and saw women's rights as part of a wider movement.

Against her wishes, Kartini was married at age 24 to a man who already had three wives (polygamy was legal and customary then). Kartini's husband allowed her to establish a school for women. However, Kartini died less than a year after her marriage, due to complications of childbirth.


Inspired by Kartini's example, a Dutch family set up the Kartini Foundation, which built schools for women. Kartini schools were built in many areas of Java.


In 1964, President Sukarno delcared Kartini's birthdate as Kartini Day.

Learn about Indonesia.


This Southeast Asian country is made up of 17,508 islands, including these five largest: Java, Sumatra, Borneo, New Guinea, and Sulawesi. With more than 238 million people, Indonesia is the fourth most populous country.

You might be surprised to learn that Indonesia has more Muslims than any other country! More than Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia—more than any of the Middle Eastern and Northern African countries most people associate with Islam!


 


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August 17 - Indonesia's National Day

 Posted on August 17, 2021


This is an update of my post published on August 17, 2010:


This holiday celebrates Indonesia's independence from 350 years of Dutch rule. Many people and businesses decorate in red and white and display flags, and many cities host parades.

 
There are festivities such as races, bicycle decorating contests, and eating contests – how many shrimp chips can you eat?




One of the most popular contests is involves climbing palm trees whose trunks are well greased with a mixture of clay and oil. In the top of each tree hangs a prize, such as a TV or a bike.
Whoever gets to the top first gets the prize. Apparently muddy, greasy kids and adults climb over each other in their eagerness to get to the top first.

In the photo above, a worker is greasing the poles before the contest begins.




Did you know...?

The vast majority of Indonesians are Muslim, but Indonesia is home to the largest Buddhist monument in the world, Borobudur.


Indonesia has many, many, many active volcanoes—at least 150! This number includes Krakatoa and Tambora, both famous for devastating eruptions during the 1800s. The Toba supervolcano erupted around 70,000 years ago - one of the largest eruptions EVER, anywhere on Earth. That supervolcanic eruption is thought to have caused most humans then alive in the entire world to die.



Toba looks lovely now!!

Indonesia is made up of 17,500 (or more!) islands. Only around 6,000 are occupied.


Indonesia is home to some amazing creatures, including the nine-and-a-half-foot Komodo dragon and the orangutan.


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