Category Archives: Religion

For Balinese New Year, the meaning is in the doing

Posted on March 30, 2014 by Katherine

On the raucous party island of Bali, Nyepi is a fascinating example of one culture’s sanctity being preserved against the odds. Continue reading →

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Bangkok can provide lessons for Jakarta

Posted on November 3, 2013 by Katherine

When describing Indonesia, people often refer to its nearest neighbors as points of comparison. These include Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Thailand. Its two fellow middle-income countries, the Philippines and Thailand, make useful points of comparison because their respective capitals, … Continue reading →

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Jakarta’s festive, grisly holiday

Posted on October 18, 2013 by Katherine

On Tuesday, Indonesian Muslims sacrificed animals to please Allah. In doing so they remembered the story of Abraham from the Quran, who was willing to sacrifice his own son for God, and they remembered God’s kindness for providing a sheep … Continue reading →

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Streetside livestock bring redemption and risk

Posted on October 14, 2013 by Katherine

Once a year New York City sidewalks fill up with pine trees for sale. Once a year Jakarta sidewalks fill up with livestock for sale. As Muslims plan to sacrifice them in Allah’s name – as I wrote in our … Continue reading →

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In Jakarta, surge in urban husbandry precedes day of sacrifice

Posted on October 10, 2013 by Katherine

As I’ve mentioned, Jakarta is a city of strange juxtapositions. Our lovely housing complex is surrounded by a wall; on the other side, just behind our house and slightly uphill, is a quarter-acre lot that until last week was vacant, … Continue reading →

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Extremists’ moral muscle forces detour for female stars

Posted on September 29, 2013 by Katherine

Jakarta is no stranger to major international events and concerts, such as a recent Metallica concert and the Mixed Martial Arts (cage fighting) world championship. But many events planned for Jakarta are canceled on short notice for vague reasons; some … Continue reading →

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Jakartans mark end of Ramadan with family and forgiveness

Posted on August 8, 2013 by Katherine

Lebaran (aka Idul Fitri), the end of the Muslim Month of fasting called Ramadan, is finally here. Last night, Jakarta was full of sounds, with Koran readings blaring from the megaphones of mosques, small firecrackers popping in the street and … Continue reading →

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Doughnuts for Ramadan

Posted on August 3, 2013 by Katherine

                  Since Lebaran is pretty much the only thing going on in Indonesia for the next week, we will continue to share small tidbits about what it is like here. I think … Continue reading →

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More Lebaran Cheer

Posted on August 1, 2013 by Katherine

In the interest of sharing a little more on the last post, “It’s beginning to look a lot like Lebaran” (see below), I thought I would share these photos of the Lebaran excitement. We took these one evening in a … Continue reading →

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It’s beginning to look a lot like Lebaran

Posted on July 31, 2013 by Katherine

Much like Christmas in the U.S., Lebaran in Indonesia has been co-opted somewhat by commercial interests. Just as Christians do, Muslims get swept up in the shopping and the pressure to spend money for their biggest holiday of the year. Continue reading →

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