Traditions and everyday life in IndonesiaFestivals, family customs, favourite places and everyday traditions, written by members of Global Penfriends who live in Indonesia. Each cultural keepsake is a short note about life where they are.
66 keepsakes from Indonesia · page 1 of 3
The cone-shaped yellow rice or in our language called Tumpeng Nasi Kuning. People in Java, Bali and Madura usually make tumpeng to celebrate important events. However, all Indonesians are familiar with tumpeng. The philosophy of…
Shared by Dna
Indonesia is a country that consists of many different cultures. Each region has its own culture, as well as the Special Region of Yogyakarta, my hometown. It’s called Special Region because it is the only region in Indonesia…
Shared by Dna
The green turtle is one of the rare and endanger animals protected by the Indonesian government. To protect the green turtle and its habitats, the Indonesian government collaborates with the local community. The people of this…
Shared by Dna
Merdang Merdem or Work Year is a celebration of the Karo tribe in Karo Regency. It is said that merdem merdem is a routine activity every year which is usually carried out after the rice planting event is completed. The…
Shared by HSSP_Hans
Ramayana Ballet at Prambanan is the most spectacular performance in Yogyakarta that held in open theatre of the complex Prambanan temple UNESCO world culture heritage during the only dry season. This performance will offer you a…
Shared by Dna
astar or pineapple jam filled cookie Nastar is one of the clasic and very popular cookie in Indonesia, specially when it comes the holiday, like Cristmas, Eid al-Fitr and Chinese New Year when the grown up children comes to visit…
Shared by pinewood
Grebeg is a ritual held Yogyakarta Palace as the top event or series of events Sekaten in Yogyakarta. Grebeg is held several times a year according to the Javanese calendar. The procession started by parading Gunungan (a variety…
Shared by Dna
Gunung Merapi (literally means Mountain of Fire Mountain), is an active stratovolcano located on the border between Central Java and Yogyakarta, Indonesia. It is the most active volcano in Indonesia and has erupted regularly…
Shared by Dna
Hi there! If you ask any Indonesian about their ultimate comfort food, 9 out of 10 will definitely scream "Indomie!" It is our national treasure of instant noodles. While the world highly praises the legendary Indomie Mi Goreng…
Shared by cathnei
Indonesia is a wonderful place to visit. Located in the South East Asia, it has many extraordinary things you can found in almost anywhere. Here, the major religion is Islam, so don't be confused to find us beating the drums at…
Shared by Alegra
Kebaya is the national costume of Indonesia, worn by women. Modern Kebaya is combination of blouse and dress in traditional pattern and can be used in every formal ocassion and casual activity. Women with kebaya can be found…
Shared by pinewood
Considering Indonesia’s huge Muslim population, Eid Fitr is a major celebration each year. It is known as Lebaran in Indonesia and it is a very festive day filled with great decorations and many traditions. Before Lebaran…
Shared by vanillaicecream
Nasi Goreng is Indonesian local food in general. Every province has their own style. We can eat this dish on breakfast, lunch, and dinner. When in doubt what to eat, Indonesian people tend to spontaneously pick Nasi Goreng to the…
Shared by Sasakya
Imagine a group of people gathered around a table, each carefully painting intricate patterns onto fabric with tiny tools called canting. Their faces show a mix of concentration and joy, as if they’re on a secret mission to…
Shared by Aeloria
Mount Tempur, also known as Tangkubah Perahu, is a mountain located in North Sumatra, Indonesia. The mountain is famous for its stunning natural scenery and active crater that often emits smoke. Tangkubah Perahu offers various…
Shared by itsme.elliee
*Odalan* is a Balinese temple anniversary ceremony held every 210 days, based on the Pawukon calendar. It is a sacred event featuring prayers, offerings, traditional dance, and gamelan music to honor deities and spirits. The…
Shared by Dian Purnama
Some of the oldest cave paintings in the world were discovered in Sulawesi, Indonesia. Inside caves in Maros and Muna Island, researchers found ancient handprints and animal drawings that are estimated to be more than 40,000…
Shared by Bellaswan14
Kuta Beach is a 2.5-km stretch of cream-coloured sand, bordering Legian to the north and Tuban (home of the Ngurah Rai International Airport) to the south. This beach on Bali’s southwestern coast is one of the most popular resort…
Shared by Dna
In Indonesia there are many main holiday to celebrate every year. However, this is only three national holiday that I celebrated every year. The first one is Indonesia Independence Day on 17 August, the second one is, Eid al-Adha…
Shared by Rena Barus
Crocodile was kind a my hometown national animal, since the natural geographic of my town are swamp area, so mostly during the flood, there will be crocodile spawn at civilian house, but thankfully we've build crocodile sanctuary…
Shared by Revsbass
The temples are on the slope of mount Ungaran, Central Java, about 900 meters above sea level. Gedong Songo is a group of small 8th century Hindu Javanese temple. It belongs to the earliest antiquities of Java, built between 730…
Shared by Dna
Every Sunday morning, the capital city of Jakarta would block several designated streets from motorcycles and cars allowing only public intercity buses and bicycles to enter. People from all over Jakarta and nearby cities would…
Shared by philalala
Kue putu is a type of traditional Indonesian snack in the form of a cake filled with Javanese sugar, coated with grated coconut and coarse grain rice flour. This cake is steamed by placing it in a bamboo tube that is slightly…
Shared by Lyn7
"Ranca Upas, a place where you will meet deers in Bandung area."A self-explained title. It was back in 2023 ish? Me and my firends went to Bandung for short escape. There was lots of deers waiting to be fed. LOLIf any of you want…
Shared by Handaru
Balinese Dance: Known for its expressive gestures, elaborate costumes, and integration with religious ceremonies.Javanese Gamelan: A traditional orchestra consisting of percussive instruments like gongs and metallophones, central…
Shared by ShibuyaTragedy
Nyadran is a religious tradition in my hometown, Boyolali, Central Java. It occurs every Shaban month(it's 8th month of islamic calendar). We usually cook various cuisines for the day of Nyadran, and then we bring it near to the…
Shared by walaupun_keujungdunia
Lamut is a storytelling tradition from South Kalimantan, telling legends and heroic stories with cultural values. This is a less popular oral tradition in my region, but I'm proud to contribute to one of its related research…
Shared by Nau
Every year, a Sandeq race is held in mid-August. The route from Mamuju, West Sulawesi to Makassar, South Sulawesi covers a distance of 300 nautical miles (560 km; 350 mi).Sandeq Race is an effort to preserve the oral traditions…
Shared by Moon we
Ledug Suro is an annual event held in Magetan, a small town in East Java to welcome Islamic New Year. The main event of this event is the "Bolu Rahayu". Bolu is similar to sponge cake and its shape is like an egg, whereas the…
Shared by MatchaDayWant to hear about life in Indonesia first-hand? Write to a penpal who lives there.
Find penpals in Indonesia
