I convinced my Beringharjo guide to speak to me in Indonesian. His aunties thought they were speaking to me in Indonesian too but I thought they were speaking Javanese. It didn’t matter much as we were soon speaking the language of cloth. Their second-hand fabric Read More …
I changed my website theme today and in the process I revisited a journey I made over twenty years ago. I was looking for something suitable to use as a background for my header image when I came across my old batik shirt. The fabric Read More …
I’m feeling guilty. The sequel to Tiger Stone has taken longer than expected. I’m working on it though, I promise. In the meantime, I thought I’d try to answer a question I get asked a lot: who is Kitchen Boy really? The short answer is that I Read More …
Today, I spent a bit of time in a pondok. Not literally. Literally, I spent my time at the kitchen table staring at a computer screen. But in my imagination, I was walking through a forest and rice fields towards a pondok where I was looking forward to having a bit of a lie Read More …
I was speaking at a teachers’ conference recently about the IndonesiaZine project and there were a lot of questions from teachers about how to make a zine. So, I thought I’d post a ‘how to’. First up – this is not the only way to make Read More …
After reading Tiger Stone, my friend Helen gave me a biography of Nyi Njatatjarita, a female dalang (puppeteer) who was born in Java in 1909. Helen saw something of Kancil’s spirit in the dalang, who had a difficult childhood but through determination and charm became a highly Read More …
“What’s the worst thing about being a writer?” “What’s the best thing about being a writer?” “Are we going to find out what happened to Kancil’s brother in the next book?” “What’s the deal with Kitchen Boy and the tiger?” “Have you started writing the Read More …
I admit that before Tiger Stone was included in its 2015 catalogue, I had never heard of the White Ravens. But it only took a little bit of research to realise what an honour being included in the catalogue is. The White Ravens is an Read More …
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve visited Indonesia, but this is my first time in Sulawesi. It’s the jigsaw-piece-shaped island that always seemed somehow remote, even though it’s only a two-hour flight from Jakarta. My visit here this time is the result of kebetulan. Read More …
I finally got to see the Wonoboyo Hoard at the National Museum of Indonesia today. It’s an incredible collection but photos are not allowed, unfortunately, so you’ll have to come and see it for yourself. On my way into the museum I picked up a Flat Read More …
