Poetry

Five poems celebrating Kartini and her contribution to Indonesia's feminist movement.

An emerging poet takes the international stage

Two young Solo poets believe poetry should serve the people

Indonesian artists are using new media to rethink urban space

Essays, reflections and poetry on East Timor, 1999-2010

The peacock is no more

As Minang dance shows, the guiding rules of culture are often unspoken

A law on pornography still divides the community

The arts scene has changed radically since 1998, but some of the old uncertainties remain

Local writers help combat illiteracy in rural Banten

Journalists strike after West Java’s most famous newspaper ‘withdraws’ poem.

A community takes a fresh look at water

From Sajak-sajak cinta dari balik terali (Love poems from behind bars) by Bambang Isti Nugroho, published by Penerbit Widya Mandala, Yogyakarta, 1994.

Prajurit jaga malam

Two poets tour Australia

Protest poetry lives on in post-Suharto Indonesia

Subversive ‘underground’ voices in Indonesian rap Michael Bodden It’s Jakarta, June 2004 and the boom box is playing a hip-hop beat. It’s a far cry from the meditative gamelan music, saccharine love songs or even the sensual dangdut one expects to hear in Java. The rapper is Xaqhala and he spins a gritty, rhythmic poem of everyday youth experience.

Australia: an alternative West in Asia?