Another Victoria's Secrets

Another photo challenge competition is held by Boyanese Bags. This brand supports Indonesian handwoven textile by producing high quality bags with beautiful Indonesian tenun. And I'm supporting this brand for this! Come join the challenge and win 2 bags or a 50% discount voucher from Boyanese!

After Plewo Doi, this is the next gig for Indonesian tenun lovers in Bandung next June 5th. Save the date!

two more comics to add to my collection

Many things happened yesterday, as we woke up early and already left house at 8:30 a.m. I got two packages from the previous' day deliveries: a yellow Everlast hand wrap for muay thai and two volumes of Baladeva comics arrived. I've been waiting for the comics to arrive, especially the "chibi" version that is just so cute. These are really nice addition to my graphic novel/Indonesian historical collection.


Mom and I went to Dia.Lo.Gue Artspace for Plewo Doi, a Sikka textile exhibition. "Plewo Doi" in Sikka language means "self-introduce". Sikka is a regency in Nusa Tenggara Timur province on Flores island, with Maumere as its capital city. I was born in Wolowaru (where my dad was stationed to practice and service as a young doctor), west of Sikka, and 3 hours drive from Ende city. That's why I have this special attention for NTT, for I had lived there during my 9 months inside my mom's womb and for the next few months after.

Watubo: natural-colored Sikka textiles

many creative products made from Indonesian tenun & dyes

We arrived at Dia.Lo.Gue at around 10 a.m. but the Natural Dyeing Workshop had begun so we missed it. But we had 2 hours to look around and choosing all those tenun. I bought a Sikka textile, a Sumba textile, a Sikka camera strap, a plaid bracelet for myself, and a Sumba shawl for Mom. Sumba is an island at south of Flores island, and famous with its animal patterns for the tenun and the checker-and-stripe weaving at the end of the cloth.

spinning the threads spinning the threads

Now let me introduce more about NTT and its famous tenun. So firstly they harvest the cotton bur (opened boll) from cotton tree, and separate the seeds with a tool (that I forgot to take the photo) and rolled the cotton to 12cm small rolls (look at that rolls inside the woven basket in the picture above). Then using the spinning machine, they made the cotton into long continuous thread. One small roll of cotton can make up to 40 metres of thread. Fantastic, isn't it?

colorful natural dyes

Next, they dye the threads into many colors using natural sources. For blue hue, they use indigo leaves; for red morinda roots; for yellow tumeric or candlenut; for green katuk leaves, green bean leaves or mango leaves; for brown/orange sappan tree, jackfruit tree, mangrove tree or mahogany tree; and many other local plants such as ai telo, ai waher and ai reo.

ikat machine to create the patterns

After that they make the pattern using this ikat machine (see the picture above). Sikka tenun is famous with bird pattern, if not other ornamental patterns, and have many patterns in one sheet of fabric. They like to combine patterns with lines and play with more colors. The end of the fabric is usually just braided. Sumba tenun is famous with its many animal patterns: from chicken, bird, horse to komodo--all of the animals they have on the island. And Sumba tenun has checker-and-stripe plait on its ends before the braids.

traditional weaving by hand

Now the threads are ready to be woven. The difference with Baduy's tenun is that the NTT ones create the ikat pattern separately while the Baduys counted only by the threads separation to create patterns. That's why Baduy tenun looks more simple and boring to be compared with more complicated and crowded NTT ones.

traditional clothes for Sikka (and other NTT) men

Now that the fabric is done, it's time for some designing. The men of Sikka don't wear shirts. They are bare-chested and use dark blue plaid fabric for covering their lower body. They wear long necklaces with ivory pendant and a thin woven sling bag. They wear sarong, crossed over their bodies, and simple head and neck accessories.

traditional clothes for Sikka (and other NTT) women

The women wear more colorful and crowded patterns: the more crowded for lower body and more plain with single-lined pattern for the top. The younger girls wear short sleeves and less accessories; their hair made into small buns on the back of the head, while older women wear long sleeves--bubbled at its ends, and more accessories on their necks and arms; their hair circled on the top of their head. As other women everywhere else, Sikka women also use thicker (which means bigger) bags than the men's.

yellow Everlast semi-elastic handwrap

After shopping, Mom & I went to Le Seminyak for lunch (we were starving and melting from the heat) then went home, where I continued for muay thai training at the complex's sport club (which I still feel strange myself that I am capable of doing such high impact martial art) with my cousin Goldi. It was indeed a long and tiring day but I am happy with all the stuff I brought home (I guess I must be called as a shopaholic now--oh, no!).

this is tenun Sikka with Dimun Lekon pattern, in form of a blouse for young women (with short sleeves); "Darius Tengge Cok Biru" from Watubo

this is another pattern of tenun Sikka; made as camera strap, from Noesa

this is tenun Sikka with bird pattern; a large 150 x 64 cm cloth that can be used for making a girl's clothes (but I'm gonna wear it just as body wrap / shawl; "Virgensia Burung Biru" from Watubo

this is the green tenun Sikka my Mom had since 1984 with other tenun Ende; that "Bienvenue Chez Moi" print was my creation via Pélopé Shop

You can see from three pictures above that Sikka's hand-weaving character has more playful combinations of graphic or bird patterns with stripes/lines and they use more colors for dyeing.

this one is tenun Sumba with horse and bird pattern; the ends of the cloth are plaited in checker and stripes; I bought this cool indigo shawl for Mom.

this is another tenun Sumba with chicken (unseen) and komodo pattern; this is a wide and long cloth I'll use as tapestry or sofa throw one day and I love the way the colors blend, as if it was water-colored

Sumba's hand-weaving has more animals patterns and have more tidy and strong ends with those checkers and stripes plaits. They are not as colorful as Sikka's tenun but more crowded with animals.

and this one is tenun Ende; Mom got it from 1984 but never used this for anything because she doesn't like the very crowded pattern and its colors.

Today I went to two exhibitions in Jakarta, which is rare because a) the traffic in Jakarta usually don't allow us to attend more than 2 occasions in a day and b) it's been a while since I come to any exhibition. The first one was Pesona Tenun Baduy (The Marvel of Baduy's Handwoven Fabric) at Omah Yado, Radio Dalam, South Jakarta.

many colors and patterns of Baduy's handwoven fabrics and other crafts

I came at around 10 a.m. and was kind of too early for the festive but lucky to have first peek at the beautiful and colorful fabrics there. I learned a bit about Baduy's traditional hand-weave patterns (there are songkét, swastamata, poléng hideung, poléng kacang hérang, poléng capit hurang, and adu mancung among others) and bought myself a piece of 90x180cm pink fabric and a dark purple shawl.

hand-weaving a tosca-red songket fabric

Basically it's not too difficult to hand-weave once you understand the way to do it. The tricky part is to set those wood and bamboo sticks and to slip all thousands of threads through the comb-like component to avoid them to tangle (more about the traditional machine can be read here). And designing a pattern would be another challenge. Baduy's patterns are mostly lines and rectangles--thus considered to be the most plain if compared to the other tribes' patterns.

cooked beansprout, a Betawi culinary

My aunt Ellen came by also and we mingled with the guests that literally filled the house and we all brought home those pretty cloths. I also got myself some bracelets made out of root but forgot to buy more of the merchandise because I got hungry (they had the taugé goréng/cooked beansprout, grilled rice, dumplings and many others--the guests were spoiled) and quite busy chatting with other guests.

Andris Halim was talking to the audiences

We left at 3 p.m. and went to Bentara Budaya Jakarta where the RetroSpektif Komik Indie exhibition was held. We came just in time at the Cakrapolis' talk show, where my lecturer/illustrator Toni Masdiono and colleague/illustrator Iwan Gunawan were on the stage. They had roles in the making of this comic series. I got the honor of meeting the author, Andris Halim, and got signatures from all those 5 artists behind this comic.

My aunt, Pak Toni, Pak Andris, Pak Canser, Pak Iwan, Pak Hari and me

At around 6 p.m., after the book-signing, mingling and chatting, my aunt and I went to Gandaria City for our dinner before going all the long way back home. I'm so glad for having this day, although I started it a bit gloomy. But I met friends (tho all of them are 50+ years old) and new people and new stuff and new experience--for sure. Days like this are my favorite indeed!

two first volumes of Cakrapolis comics

www.boyanesebags.com

I just got my new tote bag delivered today and I'm so happy to get it. I found the link to the online store at boyanesebags on Sunday and it's already here today (Wednesday). The sewing is very neat (and has a lifetime guarantee if you're in Indonesia), the bag is light but made of strong synthetic leather material and waterproof inside layer) and it's pretty convenient to bring my stuff but still comfortable to wear all day.

day to night work outfit with Timor Blackbuck Tenun Tote Bag

This one I have is made of Tenun Rangrang, a handwoven fabric from Nusa Penida, Bali. It's really nice to wear with both of my casual and formal urban outfit (because I chose the most neutral color). It is also limited, for each model is produced in only 3-4 items maximum. And the fun part is that the price is very reasonable (if not to be said CHEAP!) and they give free shipping all around Indonesia!

What I like about the brand is they produced bags in order to save Indonesian tenun (handwoven fabric) so the craftsmen can keep on producing and creating, developing their inherited legacy from the ancestors. I highly support this brand, because they keep the price low enough but maintain high quality for both the design and production. I wish more products are made with this kind of spirit!

www.boyanesebags.com

Check their website and instagram for more choices.
#saveourtenun #ilovetenunindonesia #walkingwithculture

my first novel of a trilogy

My book has just released today at all Gramedia bookstores. The book's genre is sci-fi adventure for teenagers with the background of Javanese culture and history. It tells the story of a pair of 16 years old cousins who incidentally found a portal ("Gerbang" or "The Gate") to "another world/dimension" that had been living side-by-side with us all along!

Grab the book now on stores!

Genre: sci-fi adventure for teenagers
322 pages of novel, 13 x 19 cm
Price IDR 69,000

The whole residents of Bali is going to enter the Silence Day tonight and celebrating the Tawur Kesanga with ogoh-ogoh parade this evening. What exactly is happening in Nyepi day? Find out more about it in victoriatunggono.com.

Meanwhile, I greet you all a happy Silence Day, Çaka year 1937. May we all find the peace and pureness in our hearts.

www.victoriatunggono.com

Anyway, I posted some fun facts about Gerbang Nuswantara book, about Indonesia and about Nuswantara in my website. I put the English translation there, too, to help you to understand about the whole book and concept. I update it every day for now (except on weekends), so check it often!

This is the second and my new entry for blog contest by @VisitJawaTengah and @BlogJateng2015. My former post was about Yogyakarta (which shouldn't be part of Central Java because it is a Special District of Yogyakarta, but to us Jakartans they just 'feel' the same). My last visit to Solo was in September 2013, and I just realized I didn't post about it due to my hectic timing then.

it was past midnight when we arrived in Solo Balapan station

So let me tell you about my journey there. We went by train from Gambir, Jakarta, to Solo's Balapan. It was another few hours trip by car to Pogog village, a very secluded barren hill and the people live by farming papaya and durian (along with other fruits and vegetables), although the land there is way too dry and arid! In that trip we met Mas Jiwo 'Pogog' whose project is to bring the village's standard of living higher and farther.

talking with local people and Mas Jiwo 'Pogog'

the very barren land of Pogog

the only mosque in the village

baby papaya tree

the fruits to be sold in big cities

It is amazing how a very barren land could still produce fruits and vegetables for its inhabitants. I had such a privilege to have visited the humble 'out of nowhere' place like that and witness that act of kindness from a person who had nothing to do with the village at first but then fall in love and dedicated his life for the people on his community service program in college.

the seeds were named after the man who cultivate this kind of durian sunan

and this one, Simus Raja for Indonesian 'king of fruits'

I also noticed, during the hours of road trip, how perfectly the hills and mountains are shaping the form of pyramids with precise tilting angle in all sides. Too bad I had only my phone camera by then so it was blurry to take objects when we were moving in the car. But one thing I should add in this journey is my amazement of how a barren land with very dry earth and almost no rainfall all year could produce fruits and vegetables, and make a living to the people of Pogog.

the view was very beautiful, the air cool and fresh up there in Pogog

As the old Koes Ploes's song "Kolam Susu" had once mentioned, "orang bilang tanah kita tanah surga; tongkah kayu dan batu jadi tanaman," which translates as: "they say our land is (like) paradise; (even) a piece of wood and rock (can) become a plant"--this song can literally manifested to the village of Pogog. Or perhaps Koes Plus made the song here from Pogog? ;D

Isn't it wonderful, how rich and miraculous the land of Java is?
I know, that's why I love Indonesia so much, our Nuswantara Jaya. (;

This was my old post on May 2013 but I re-post it for the @VisitJawaTengah and @BlogJateng2015 blog contest. A little refreshing for my eyes to remind me the beauty of Yogyakarta and the lovely scenery it has. I'll make another new post but I love this post so much that I had to re-post it here. :D
Enjoy!


I was invited to come to Yogyakarta for my project last weekend, so I woke up so early in the morning on Friday and flew to the city by 7 a.m. (GMT+8) flight. Somehow I felt the flight was different with the last time I went to Yogyakarta (Aug 2011) for now I'd known much more about Nuswantara: the legend and the secrets the place holds. So I felt it was extremely magnificent to see all the hilly landscape of South Yogyakarta.

I saw from above all the strange sea landscape about 1-2 km south from the land, the weird form of hills on the savanna on the west, the magnificent volcano mountains of Merbabu and Merapi, all the range of mountains of Gunung Kidul, and finally I landed at Adisucipto airport at 7.15 a.m. (GMT+7). I was welcomed by the team and we went to Kaliurang area.


First stop was for breakfast. We went to Jl. Argo for SGPC Bu Wiryo (SGPC stands for Sego Pècèl or rice with vegetables and peanut sauce), a great place to eat traditional food since 1959 that became famous because of the students of UGM (Universitas Gajah Mada) that located near the restaurant. They even have live band playing at 8.30 a.m.!
The place really is legen--wait for it--dary!

Then we went toward north to the Kaliurang area. It's a high land of forests and villas, a bit similar to the landscape in Puncak, Bogor, West Java. They set a viewing tower from which we can see the top of Merapi volcano. But we didn't go there. This time we went to Ullèn Sentalu, a private property that made a museum of Yogyakarta and Solo Keraton (kingdom) heritages.


We were too sleepy and the museum wasn't open yet so we went first to the café at the back, having hot black java coffee and pancake. The pancake wasn't recommended tho. But I love so much the Dutch/colonial architecture, the high trees canopy and the chill air. It was both so old and so fresh that brought us to another dimension. It wasn't feel like being in Java at all.


At around 10.30 a.m. we started the museum tour that had to wait for 10-20 people per group. We weren't allowed to take any picture during the tour, so I couldn't share with you all the 3D paintings, old royal instruments, batik and sculptures they exhibited there. The tour was worth the price (IDR25,000 per person) but don't really believe all the history the guide say. Better wait for the extraordinary truth of Nuswantara, soon. ;)


After the tour we went back to the city and stopped at the original Gudeg Yu Djum near the SGPC and UGM. The place remained the way it was from 1946, with the traditional fire stove and big pots and everything else. It was so traditional, even the live band playing were already on their 50s-70s. They played old keroncong music. Another legendary place!


Next, we headed south to Ganjuran area and stopped at the Catholic Church of Divine Heart of Jesus, where Jesus showed himself to the people of Ganjuran and asked them to build a place for him there. People then build a temple for Him, similar to Hindu and Buddhist temple around, minus the difficult carvings. Inside, a statue of Jesus in Javanese face was placed.


We spent about an hour at the complex, took pictures and prayed in the temple. Afterward we washed our face at the holy water source at the west side of the temple. I think it was supposed to be the first step before going up the temple, like the wudhu water for Moslem, but we just did what we saw first. The church is also nice because it's open space with joglo architecture style.

We went to the hotel after that and I hibernated for about 12 hours for I couldn't sleep the night before. I woke up at around 6-7 a.m. the next day and spent the morning watching TV. They played We Bought A Zoo, Bounty Hunter and The Pirates of the Caribbean before we should go. We chilled at Viavia Traveler Café at Jl. Prawirotaman.



The café was really nice. It has a shop that sells local arts, crafts, toys, shirts and herbs. They also have travel agency around Yogyakarta and sells exotic food like shoarma with pita bread and curry with chapati beside Indonesian culinary. This is a must-go place to hangout. The neighborhood was small and cheap motels for backpackers so the prices are wallet-friendly also.


After that I had a chance to have spa massage at Jemari Menari at Jl. Suryotomo, opposite of Meliá Purosani, for 90 minutes. My masseuse had a strong power and I felt so good afterward but my friend's masseuse was a newbie so better ask how strong the pressure you want for the therapy. It was almost night already when we finished so we went to House of Raminten for dinner (more about it here).


We still managed to have supper at Gudeg Permata at Jl. Gajah Mada which starts to open at 11 p.m. onward. The place was on the pedestrian or they call it as lesehan. It tasted different than the other famous gudeg, and it also served wedang tapé. They are so worth trying. Still many other Yogyakartan food that I haven't tried, save them for my next visit. I went back to Bali on Sunday morning and, again, collapsed for a day.

I spent the rest of my Sunday watching marathon How I Met Your Mother Season 1 in my room because it was raining all day. It was also for my adaptation to be back to 'real' life as Yogya has a very different culture with Bali, especially the language people are speaking. I am kind of surprised how I could experience the culture shock even Yogya-Bali is only 600km away. That's the richness of Indonesia, I believe. :)