Short stories from Indonesia
The collection of photographs entitled Short Stories from Indonesia was created as a result of my five-year stay in Indonesia, between 2002 and 2007.
In order to hold the viewer’s attention, the photographs are presented in the format of short stories that attempt to convey the atmosphere of distant Indonesian regions. These photographic stories, characteristic of Indonesia, are arranged in eight collages, each consisting of six to nine photographs produced using analog techniques.
This combination of image and text is intended to engage the viewer and send them, if only briefly, on an imaginary journey into a different environment.
If these photographs have in any way brought those distant Asian regions closer to you and helped you discover another culture, then my photographic mission has been fully accomplished.
Have a pleasant journey, and I hope to see you again soon in some other stories!
Pavle Kovač
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Fishermen from Pelabuhan Ratu
Pelabuhan Ratu is a small fishing village on the southern side of Java Island, about 130 km from Jakarta, requiring a drive of three to five hours, sometimes even more, depending on rain, traffic on deteriorated roads and the goodwill of other drivers.
“Labuhan” are offerings released into the sea, and “Ratu” is the name of the queen who rules the Indian Ocean, the protector of Java Island. Many supernatural powers are attributed to the queen - from controlling the ocean currents around Parangkusumo Beach to defeating the Dutch colonial army long time ago. Strong ocean currents claim several victims each year, losses that are still often attributed to the punishment or vengeance of the strict Queen Ratu.
The mystical tales end where the daily, arduous work of the fishermen begins. To survive, they set out every morning before sunrise, hoping that the sea queen will show mercy and reward them with a good catch that day. When the queen is in a good mood, the catch is sold at the local fish market. The nets are mended and prepared for the next day until late afternoon, when fishermen can finally head for a well-deserved rest and prepare for yet another day of the same routine - catching and selling a few kilograms of fish that allow them to survive.
Pelabuhan Ratu, Java, Indonesia
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Sunda Kelapa port
Sunda Kelapa is the oldest port in Jakarta. Established in the early 13th century, it served as the main port of the Sunda Kingdom until the 16th century. Today, Sunda Kelapa is used solely by traditional two-masted wooden sailing ships called “pinisi”, which still transport goods - most often exotic wood - between the many islands of the Indonesian archipelago. With the modernization of maritime traffic, Sunda Kelapa has lost much of its commercial importance, but the authorities maintain it as a tribute to the city’s growth.
The ships arriving from Makassar, on the island of Sulawesi, are loaded with ebony and teak wood, highly sought after worldwide. This valuable cargo is unloaded from the pinisi ships to the docks in the traditional way, just as ships have always been emptied – by the strength of dockworkers. Long beams, only about ten centimetres wide, are placed between the ships and docks so that workers can walk across and unload all the cargo. Loaded with beams weighing up to 50 kilograms, the dockworkers unload several cubic meters of wood each day, with moments of rest being rare. Their daily wage of three or four dollars is barely enough to survive, allowing them to return the next day to perform the same, poorly paid, circus-like balancing walk on the beams.
Jakarta, Indonesia
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Tea harvesting at Puncak
Between Bandung and Bogor, about a hundred kilometres from Jakarta, around the mountain pass of Punçak, lie vast tea fields. The ideal temperature of between 18 and 25 degrees Celsius, along with an altitude of 1,500 meters, attracted the Dutch, who established the first tea plantation here in 1916. The original processing factory and machinery from that time are still in use today, and the tea produced is of such high quality that it is used by some of the biggest brands of today.
While enjoying traditional Indonesian tea with milk, known locally as teh susu, it’s hard to imagine how much work and effort are required to grow and harvest the tea, and how much labor goes into producing this highly regarded product. In the early morning hours, when the fields are still covered in mist and dew, after a hearty breakfast, the harvesters are collecting tea leaves in woven baskets and jute bags. By the end of the day, the harvested leaves are gathered near a collection centre and continue their journey toward the drying and processing factory, while the harvesters head off to well-deserved rest, preparing for another full day of picking and survival.
Puncak, Indonesia
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Eid al-Fitr in Jakarta, the end of the holy month of Ramadan
Indonesia has a population of over 270 million people spread across more than 900 inhabited islands out of a total of 13,466 counted islands. This makes Indonesia the largest archipelago in the world and the fourth most populous country. With around 1,100 different ethnic groups, over 90% of the population practices Islam. Indonesia is, therefore, the country with the largest Muslim population in the world, ahead of India and Pakistan. The constitution of this republic guarantees equality for all members of minority religions—Protestants, Catholics, Buddhists, Hindus, and Confucians.
In Jakarta, at the colossal Istiqlal Mosque, the largest mosque in Southeast Asia, up to 120,000 worshippers gather for Eid. Those who are unable to enter the mosque will perform their prayers on the docks of Sunda Kelapa harbor or in wooden boats between traditional wooden sailing ships known as pinisi. Eid is also celebrated in religious schools called madrasa.
Istiqlal mosque, Jakarta, Indonesia
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Pulang kampung, return to hometown village
In the old part of Jakarta, known as Kota, stands the eponymous train station, which was built by the Dutch in 1870. It serves 3 out of the 7 lines of the local "speed" train network, although the exact definition of speed is somewhat unclear…
After Eid, all workers take their hard-earned two-week annual leave to return home and visit their families, often located several days' travel away from Jakarta. During this time of year, locally known as "pulang kampung", or "returning to the village," the Kota station is packed with passengers who share the same goal—boarding the first train to escape from Jakarta, return to their hometowns, and relax with their families, away from the surviving in Jakarta.During this period, the number of available seats is far fewer than the number of passengers, and with little distinction between first and second class, most people end up standing for the entire journey, hanging onto the train doors. Only the lucky few manage to find a seat and can gaze out through half-open windows.
Jakarta Kota train station, Indonesia
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Cockfighting in Bali
Between the islands of Java and Lombok, in southern Indonesia, lies Bali, home to over four million people, more than 90% of whom are Hindus. Before the 2005 law banning cockfighting, it was almost impossible to visit Bali without witnessing a cockfight. Today, cockfighting is only allowed during major religious holidays, and even then, it is strictly controlled by the authorities to prevent uncontrolled betting and gambling.
The mountainous region of Bali is inhabited by traditionalists who resist government regulations by organizing illegal cockfights. The location is easily recognizable by the numerous motorbikes parked along the roadside. In an arena about 6 by 6 meters in size, with humidity and heat, the smell of blood and the cheers of the crowd, for these traditionalists the illegal fights are much more than just money and gambling.
The fight begins by facing the roosters against each other. A blade about ten centimeters long, called tadji, is fixed onto the rooster's talon with special knowledge. The blades are only sharpened during full moon nights, ideally during a lunar eclipse, and women are forbidden from seeing them, as this would cause the blade to lose its lethal sharpness. The rules of the fight are passed down from generation to generation, preserving the tradition, and the judges, whose decisions and authority are unquestioned, are chosen from among the most respected and educated people in the village.
There are two types of bets - between two rooster owners and between any two spectators in the audience. The number of raised fingers in front of one's face indicates the amount of the bet, which is confirmed solely by a glance and a discreet nod of the head, without any written evidence or intermediaries. The winner secures a spot in the next fight, while the loser often ends up in the soup.
Bali, Indonesia
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Chinese Quarter Glodok
Glodok is inhabited by Indonesians of Chinese descent who have been living in Indonesia since the 13th century. Many came for trade and settled in Jakarta, where they built a temple as early as 1630, which was destroyed by the Dutch during a retaliatory attack in 1740. The temple was rebuilt in 1755 but was partially damaged by fire again in 2015.
The Chinese Indonesians have faced similar struggles throughout history. They have endured multiple retaliations, starting in 1740, when the Dutch massacred 10,000 Chinese over the course of three days. During the National Revolution from 1946 to 1949, they also suffered violence, and again in 1998, when over a thousand were killed in Glodok and on the streets of Jakarta, blamed for causing the economic crisis of that time. Some critics claim that 2% of Indonesia’s Chinese population controls 98% of the country’s economy. It is also a fact that Chinese associations, ethnic media, Chinese-language schools, and the giving of Chinese names to children were banned until July 2006, when all forms of discrimination were lifted, allowing Chinese Indonesians to fully integrate into Indonesian society.
Chinese symbols, such as fish for abundance, dumplings for good financial fortune, chickens for health, and sweets for a sweet life, are visible everywhere in the temple. The burning of incense and fake money is believed to ensure good health and, to ensure that health lasts until the next year, huge candles must burn for a full 12 months. Releasing birds from cages is believed to make all wishes come true - the more birds released, the more certain the wish will be granted, and to guarantee a long life, one must release 108 birds. Suitors at the entrance to the temple await the generosity of wealthy visitors, fully aware that Chinese tradition dictates giving money after prayers.
Jakarta, Indonesia
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Vespamania
The production of Vespa scooters began in East Jakarta in 1950. Quickly, this affordable and practical mode of transportation won over all of Indonesia. Today, Indonesia, after Italy, has the second-largest community of Vespa enthusiasts, with over 60,000 Vespas on the road.
Many Vespa models from the 1950s and 1960s are still in circulation, and their owners, mostly passionate collectors, meet once a week at local Vespa clubs where they exchange spare parts and share tips on maintaining their vintage machines.
Once a year, on the first weekend of May, Jakarta hosts a large gathering of Vespa enthusiasts from all over Indonesia. The festival attracts up to 10,000 Vespas—ranging from perfectly restored 1960s models to the latest models. All participants are eager to showcase their beloved scooters. Some enthusiasts, often accompanied by their families, travel more than a thousand kilometers to attend the Vespamania festival, reminiscing about the dolce vita and the good old times.
Jakarta, Indonesia
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