Indonesia: Jakarta - Ondel Ondel Puppet

Ondel-ondel is a form of folk performance using a large puppets. It originated from Betawi, Indonesia and is often performed in festivals. The word ondel-ondel refers to both the performance and the puppet.

 

Ondel-ondel, the puppet, is about 2.5 meters tall with ± 80 cm diameter, made of woven bamboo. It is constructed in such a way so that it easily lifted by one person from the inside of the puppet. The puppet is usually dressed in brightly coloured garments, and in some occasions, in traditional Betawi clothing. The puppet's mask face is typically made of wood, and the hair from dried coconate trees leaves that has been shredded lengthways. An ondel-ondel can either be of the female or male gender. The wooden mask of the male puppet is traditionally painted red, while the female painted white.

Ondel-ondel as a folk performance is also practiced in other parts of Indonesia. In Pasundan, it is known as Badawang, while in Central Java it is called Barongan Buncis. In Bali, it is better known as Barong Landung.

 

Male Ondel Ondel

Traditionally, ondel-ondel is performed to provide protection against calamities or for warding off wandering evil spirits. It is often thought of as a spiritual representation of the ancestors who safeguards the village residents and their descendants. Although, as of late, ondel-ondel is utilised more for livening up festivals or for welcoming guests of honor. Ondel-ondel is one of only few Indonesian folk performances that has survived modernisation and is still being regularly performed, while other folk performances are slowly dying out.

 

The musical acompaniment for the ondel-ondel performance varies with regions, occasions and groups of performances.

Female Ondel Ondel

 

reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ondel-ondel

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Indonesia: Rice Fields

Indonesia is the third-largest producer of rice in the world.  Rice production in Indonesia is an important part of the national economy since it was the staple food in the Indonesian diet, accounting for more than half of the calories in the average diet, and the source of livelihood for Indonesian people.

Rice cultivation covered a total of around 10 million hectares throughout the archipelago, primarily on sawah. The supply and control of water is crucial to the productivity of rice land, especially when planted with high-yield seed varieties. Rice fields are agricultural lands that are physically flat surface areas, bounded by dikes, and can grow rice or other crops.

Most of the fields used for rice cultivation. For this purpose, the field should be able to hold the water because of flooding in rice requires a certain period in its growth.

Irrigation system was used to irrigate the rice fields by the spring, river or rain water. The latter is known as the rice fields of rainfed rice, while the other is irrigated. Rice grown in paddy fields known as wetlands (Lowland rice)

On land that has a high slope, terraced rice fields, or better known printed terracing (terasiring) or swales (sengkeden) to prevent erosion and hold water. There are many terraced rice fields on the slopes of a hill or mountain in Java and Bali.

reference: http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sawah

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Kuala Lumpur: Petronas Towers

The Petronas Towers, also known as the Petronas Twin Towers (Malay: Menara Petronas, or Menara Berkembar Petronas) are twin skyscrapers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. According to the CTBUH's official definition and ranking, they were the tallest buildings in the world from 1998 to 2004 until surpassed by Taipei 101. The buildings are the landmark of Kuala Lumpur with nearby Kuala Lumpur Tower.

Petronas Towers

History
The towers were designed by Argentinian architect César Pelli, Indonesian architect Achmad Murdijat. They chose a distinctive postmodern style to create a 21st century icon for Kuala Lumpur.

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