I-Magazine Bali 3#2

PROTECTION

SAVING ORANGHUTANS IN INDONESIA BALI SURF CULTURE CONDOM USE IN INDONESIA FRED STICHNOTH

FASHION, ART, SURF, LIFESTYLE BALI

CONTENTS

SYLE

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FEATURES

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DIVINE INTERVENTION

BY BIANKA

36

NOTHING’SQUITEWHAT ITSEEMSINTHECITYOF DREAM KATE

COVER GIRL

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THE POWER OF ONE

BY BIANKA

ORANGUTANSALIVEAND KICKING KAYTI

46 64 66

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PERCEPTIONSOFAHEALER

REVIEW

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FRED STICHNOTH

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POETRY

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BY REBEKAH

VIVA LA VORTEX

SURF CULTURE IN BALI

BY MARIAH

PUT IT ON

CONDOMUSEANDTHEINDONESIAN AIDS/HIV EPIDEMIC

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WECATCHUPWITHGERMANPHOTOGRAPHERRESIDINGINBALI

BURNING DOWN LIBRARIES

BY TARO

FILM

OUREURPOEANROVINGREPORTERCATCHESUPWITHDAVID CRONENBERG

DESTINATION OAZIA

BALI’SNEWESTCONCEPTSPA

PUBLISHER”S NOTE

EDITORS NOTE TO PROTECT OR NOT

What does it mean to be protected? How do we go about thwarting danger?

Whether it be psychic or literal daggers, spells, black magic, traffic, accidents, aggression, violence and for that matter the full gamut of negativity, humans instill a ton of shit onto each other and the planet, and yet nothing speaks louder than the serum to nasty negativity: Love! At the core that’s the only protection you’ll ever have. Love protects! Love Inspires! Love heals the deepest wounds.

How do you love yourself and therefore others? What you give is what you get, right? Do you share with others? Do you give and therefore receive? Do you wake the fuck up and say to yourself lets do THIS!?!? Because that’s what we need right now, people ready to stand up for what they believe in instead of paying lip service and being passé about what’s important, real and true. This months Protection issue takes us to Borneo and how you can help save orangutans. What is it about the vortex of Bali’s surf culture? Are there things that might make someone spiritual versus biting into a big juicy atheist burger of toxicity? Katie Stone writes a wonderful piece telling us how Nothing’s Quite What It Seems In The City of Dreams.

In the end there’s one thing for sure, to protect does not mean to retreat, hide out, and incubate till the storm passes. Protection means full trust, to ride the storm, the wave of mutilation, inspiration, selflessly so that you can share wisdom to the whole tribe and therefore heal everything you touch.

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CREDITS

PUBLISHER

(PT MITRA MANDIRI SEMP URNA) TRAFFIC@WWMEDIA.ASIA REG. NO. 65/HK.HM/IV/BITD/2008

CONTRIBUTORS

ADMINISTRATION MANAGER OCHA (TRAFFIC@WWMEDIA.ASIA)

TAMAM, ALEX, ANDREW, ASHIYA, MARIAH, KATE, BIANKA, KAYTI, JULHENRY, TARO,REBBEKAH, KENZA, JAYA

DISTRIBUTION ADHI KET UT OKTO INTERN JAYA SALES ENQUIRIES P +62 857 9295 3502 JL. PETITENGET NO. 100X, SEMIN YAK - BA LI P + 62 361 863 79 79 VIEWS EXPRESSED ARE NOT NECESSARILYTHOSE OFTHE EDITOR’S AND PUBLISHER’S. ALL MATERIAL COPYRIGHT©2008PT.MITRAMANDIRI SEMPURNA.THE PUBLISHERWILL NOT BEHELDRESPONSIBLEFORCOPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENTSONIMAGESSUPPLIEDBY ADVERTISERSAND,ORCONTRIBUTORS. WWW.WWMEDIA.ASIA

STUFF...

Gorilla Bling played out their last at MM last month... Fa is off to the far reaches of Indonesia’s jungle to fight to save the Orangutans (see her report in a few months!)... W Hotel has their 1 year aniversary... Word of mouth takes a couple weeks off and gets a revamp...

Holy bajesus riots in Kerobokan jail, what the fuck happened? Our editor detoxes, quits smoking, and converts to veganism... Dubstep hits Crystal Palace... Mint charges forth bringing A list Dj’s to the island... Whos who? - So Wanted models night at Metis... Foods floods floods, put your wellies on!

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THE BEST PROTECTION FOR

THE PEOPLE IS NOT NECESSARILY TO BELIEVE EVERYTHING PEOPLE TELL THEM.

F E AT U R E

NOTHINGS QUITE NOTHINGS QUITE WHAT IT SEEMS WHAT IT SEEMS IN THE CITY OF IN THE CITY OF DREAMS DREAMS WORDS BY KATE

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An intrinsic matter of existing peacefully that we rarely take a look at is our protection of self. Looking at our failure or success at retaining a semblance of integrity when faced with the inevitable setbacks and disappointments of life. Unarguably our trials shape us, inform our value and belief systems and determine how we feel about and see ourselves. How protected is our self-affirming identity? How fragile is our self-image?

How free do we feel to express our truth and our reality in spite of the limitations of humanity? How far do we go to protect ourselves from the bat-shit crazy society around us?

The very intention of modern life promises rewards including wealth, health, family, a stable internal life, deliverance from pain- even the natural and likely pain which connects us to our humanity. Those stated requirements are perfect combinations of what we all covet, feel we deserve, and strive to attain. When looked at more completely, its sort of a repackaged version of a 1950’s advert used as propaganda to keep men in suits and women at home. So, how do we protect our understanding of who we are as we find when life turns us around, churns us about? When things don’t go the way we think it should? I’d like to say I bounce back with a tempered attitude and a revalued set of personal expectations with an intact self-affirming identity.

My defensive system in particular is one hell of a fighter.

I cling on to my “defensive adaption’s” and mechanisms and protections well into this present moment. At this instant, my super ego is fighting my ego for awareness of these functions when they no longer suit the currents of my life. Fighting the topical for the purpose of writing this lofty piece in a half coherent way. Unfortunately all considered are askew while the super ego shoots for perfection anyway, for nothing short of a prophet-like understanding of spiritual connection.

JFK said it best: “The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie, deliberate, contrived and dishonest, but the myth, persistent, persuasive and unrealistic.”

We live life according to myth because it seems pleasant, easy, and is derived by the ‘the righteous’. What stops us from being able to express our reality without fear? Exactly this myth of what we should be and what we should want…its strength and pervasiveness cannot be underestimated. We have been born into a code of appropriate behavior that is strict and unceasing. We can’t ever be truly vulnerable, can we? What deludes us from experiencing reality? Our need to keep ourselves ‘in line’. In line with society that is ‘off its head’ (from another persepective). Those bastards taught us not accept the bad stuff and instead to harbor latent expectations for only the good and the great. In this way, we self-sabotage.

Protections of the subconscious are so dogged and insidious that the ego, I would go so far as to say, is totalitarian in its determination to interpret the past and present in narcissistic self-indulgence. Like a Mac truck, driving at full speed, with brakes out. Recipe for disaster.

People view themselves as a potent causal agent even over events that they cannot control. Laughable is our assumed ‘contributions’ to the world around us and within us. Not to say that I throw personal responsibility out the window. On the contrary, one needs to holds oneself responsible, well…for oneself. In this way Stoic Philosophy, founder being Zeno of Citium, seemed to ‘make sense’ and touched upon a highly spiritual consideration of life despite the pedagogical nature of his teachings. A topic discussed upon the ancient stoa was the inevitability of psychological independence from society, which was deemed habitually unruly and often an unreasonable entity. The philosophical detachment also encompassed pain and misfortune, good or bad experiences, as well as life or death. Zeno often challenged prohibitions, traditions and customs. I’ll borrow a line from the old Stoic philosophers, ““Where is the good? In the will. Where is the evil? In the will. Where is neither of them? In those things that are independent of the will.”

Sabotage sows its seed in all the made up realities, ahem, our ‘stories’, the stories being everyone who fucked us over and including every detail of how it happened which we replay over and over again. We sabotage ourselves in a number of different ways usually without realizing it. Often we are unable to accept or enjoy the good in front of us and the people, places and things along the way. Due to the fact we are always picking up the pieces instead of just bouncing forward to the next opportunity for something wonderful. Repeating the defacement of ourselves according to society dictates instead of flowing right along with nature, to the point of fatigue. This actually leaves us in a constant state of maintaining our pain, whatever it might be for you. It leaves us asking the inexhaustible questions of the ‘why did I?’ The most fun that can be taken from these machinations is the creation of lovely melodramas, the fuss, the

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comedy, the theatre of our lives that is ruled by our emotions and reactions. These wish not to evolve because we are denying a lot of who we are just to deal and cope with the world around us. The world that seeks to tear us down piece by piece. To make us manageable as a whole. Because as a collective society we are ill, yet we feign our sobriety. And you think you’re free. So did I. I’m as trapped by the claws of appropriateness as anyone else. The sickness of humanity is to keep us all in the tight box of ‘order’. Furthermore, how do we protect ourselves from ourselves? Impossible answer to an impossible question.

In whatever way that presents itself. To borrow from the late and great journalist/academic Christopher Hitchens, “The only real radicalism in our time will come as it always has — from people who insist on thinking for themselves and who reject party-mindedness.”

Admittedly, I’ve always been a highly active romanticizeer and that is part of a protection from reality I’ve come to get a glimpse of within myself. Fantasy as a way to self-protect. The insight couldn’t have occurred sooner.

This doesn’t make one cynical. I despise cynicism.

However, it makes me lovingly pardoned by expectation to participate in this sham of a culture we live in.

An evidently traumatized culture at that. That’s at least one part of me that carries that sentiment. The other wants to dive in head first, sans knee pads. Obviously, a desperate attempt of my being that needs both the glory and the pain of putting myself out there, without filters. The grief of losing romance, and I do love my romance, is mollified with a renewed sense of balance and awe for experiencing life as it is, as well as what I am afraid it can turn in to. The function of life is not to find its meaning but to experience it’s rapture or Joseph Campbell’s proverbial ‘bliss’ even if that goes hand in hand with pain.

When it came to actually living life, things weren’t ohso-conveniently black and white. And since I decided to depart the box and live with all of the wonderful zaney people outside of it, it all became a bit more confusing and terrifying. My thinking and dreaming became marred by the thought and feeling, “how can this be right?” I felt myself torn between two worlds, conflicted between the self in the ‘old world’ and my authentic self who is here in this moment. Not even being able to tell the difference anymore!

Even though, it’s really not as bad as it sounds.

Appreciating that this is a part of my human experience and understanding that information like this delivers, although threatening, opportunities for self-transformation.

Nothing is what it seems in the city of dreams. When really I just want to go in peace to love and serve myself.

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ORANGUTAN ALIVE AND KICKING

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30 ORANGUTANS VANISH FROM LOWER KINABATANGAN FRESH WAVE OF KILLINGS BY HUNTERS TAKE INDONESIAN ORANGUTANS TO THE BRINK OF EXTINCTION BETWEEN 3,500 AND 750 ORANGUTANS KILLED EACH YEAR IN KALIMANTAN HUNTERS AND VILLAGERS CONSUMED THE ORANGUTAN MEAT AFTER KILLING THEM ORANGUTAN KILLERS REMAIN UNPUNISHED The headlines are hard hitting and in papers across the world. The campaigns online are graphic: Will we ever be comfortable having ‘a break’ when the visual of ‘orangutan blood’ dripping from a chocolate bar remains so strong.

Do we now check the purchases we make for the evil of palm oil and eschew our favorite hazelnut spread in deference to the impact our simple non-purchase will make? Does it makes us feel better when we read of the slaughter of orangutans to know we, at least, aren’t munching down on donuts that contributed to their demise. I hope not. I really hope not. Whatever else we may do we absolutely cannot congratulate ourselves on our efforts when the real situation is so much worse than is generally acknowledged.

Some conservative estimates rate the survival of the orangutan in the wild as lasting for another fifteen years, and other suggests that the wild will most likely have gone before the remaining orangutans gasp their last breath.

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INDONESIA - FOREST or HOME Indonesia was once lush with forest, deep, living ecosystems that created biospheres of animal, bird and flora interdependence, it was not a tranquil environment of peace loving creatures it was a raw, predatory and at times dangerous place, but one of outstanding beauty. The observers, early explorers marveled at the outrageous boldness of nature, the intense colours, the thick and oppressive micro-climates and the subtle rhythms of the revolving seasons. Nature, the dominant power kept the system in balance. Today in the race to ‘progress’ the land is denuded; the cries of birds are blocked out by the drone of chain saws, the intense colours replaced by the stunted drabness of monoculture and the outrageous boldness of nature is seen only in the tenacious survival of those species that cling on to the forest remnants that shrink daily as nature is thrown aside. The dominant power is humankind and it has pushed the system way out of balance.

PALMING IT OFF ON PALM OIL While the relatively recent introduction of oil palm mono-cropping has borne the brunt of much of the blame, having in ten years converted 5% of the orangutans’ habitat into plantations; there are other factors involved that have essentially allowed the destruction of the forests to continue unabated. Habitat loss and illegal killing are the major causes for the demise of the orangutan in the wild, and due to the demand to supply the world with timber, paper and pulp both these practices have been impacting on the regions of Sumatra, Indonesian Borneo, Kalimantan for over fifty years. Badly managed and at times illegal timber extraction, the planting of trees for paper and pulp and the mining industry continue to contribute to this demise, as has the encroachment of habitat by subsistence farming of communities living in the area and the specific hunting of orangutans for illegal trade as pets, bounty or, although rarely, meat.

PROTECTION, PROHIBITION and PUNISHMENT The protection of the species begun in 1924 yet the ability to enforce the prohibition of orangutan trafficking was minimal with the trade to zoos and biomedical research flourishing well into the 1970’s. Orangutans are fully protected by law in Indonesia. Fines and custodial sentences are prescribed for those who kill, trade, illegally keep orangutans or illegally clear their habitat, yet it wasn’t until 2011 that the first prosecutions, and there were only two, occurred, with the maximum sentence being eighteen months in prison. The largest difficulty the conservationists face is the dichotomy, or hypocrisy within the legislation. While it is illegal to harm the orangutan it is not illegal to destroy its habitat, even though the destruction of the land results in the inevitable death of the orangutan. The government of Indonesia has to create laws that genuinely protect, not just be seen to protect, the orangutan. The government must also support, through tax breaks and financial incentives, the efforts of rehabilitation and forest management centers. The government also needs to strengthen the education and training of the law enforcement authorities, mandating them to impose strict penalties on those who break the law and guard against the practice of corruption in conjunction with widespread education campaigns that inform the public of the seriousness of the law and the importance of orangutan survival.

PROACTIVE ACTIVISM – IT IS PERSONAL It is this vast chasm between intention and action, the risk of green washing and manipulation of CSR objectives that create a real difficulty for campaigners and activists. No matter how loud the protest, without major shifts in the paradigm, the power of industry will always be greater than theirs. In response to this situation, and seeking to create the energy that can support this form of shift, Balinese grunge rock band Navicula released their latest song Orangutan last December. Their combined hope is to make the message and the You Tube video as important to their fans as the enjoyment of their music. A hard hitting anthemic song “Orangutan” charts the demise of the orangutans through the loss of its habitat and urges that this creature not simply become another legend of the forest.

Robi of Navicula explains the band’s platform for this release:

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“Being a musician is a gift from the universe. But this gift comes with responsibility. We make music, people listen and become fans. Through our music we can reach these people and inform them about the situation of our planet, issues the government isn’t telling people about, it is so hard to find the truth today – so why not let people know in a different way, not just to hear it but to feel it. What people do with the information is up to them, kids today are learning the ‘power of the tweet’, through the internet and social networks, movements that were once far away and forgotten can become major issues on a global scale. This is not something we HAVE to do, we want to do it. We want things to improve for people and the environment everywhere. This is about good music, yet the words form a story. A fan can ask ‘What is this story about?” that person becomes aware and starts spreading the story further. When people become aware they also start to question. What IS going on here, and hey, if you are my government and you are not representing my ideals, or the ideals of my friends and family what are you doing there in power? The power of government is in the vote. It’s time we remembered that people do have the power.”

“Our latest music video ‘Orangutan’ is an audio visual collaboration. Our song is being shared for free on Akarumput.com through YouTube and SoundCloud widgets to support movements to save the Orangutan from extinction. Green the Film has the same mission as us. So we worked together by using footage from Green the Film in our music video. This type of cooperative action helps everyone raise and gain awareness of the very real danger that faces the orangutans of Indonesia.”

Navicula, both as a band and individuals, have committed to this path for more than a decade, raising the awareness of its audience on issues from city pollution to the murder of activist Munir Said Thalib. Known as the Green Grunge Gentlemen of the Indonesian Independent rock scene their fan base is both international and local.

“Our latest music video ‘Orangutan’ is an audio visual collaboration. Our song is being shared for free on Akarumput.com through YouTube and SoundCloud widgets to support movements to save the Orangutans from extinction. Green the Film has the same mission as us. So we worked together by using footage from Green the Film in our music video. This type of cooperative action helps everyone raise and gain awareness of the very real danger that faces the orangutans of Indonesia.”

Made Bayak, a local artist and musician with metal band Geek Smile, approaches his orangutan activism through his art. As a recognized and exhibiting painter and teacher he uses his art as a visual trigger provoking questions and prompting people to learn more about the complexities while inspiring others to act in ways he, at this time, cannot.

He explains: “I know right now I cannot go there, to the forests, but I can educate through my art and my classes.

I will do everything I can that connects to the environment through my art and my music. I will play free gigs to raise awareness, and of course express my feelings and my intentions through the art I create.

I truly believe in sharing the spirit of the positive, and by coming together from all areas of life, many different professions, students, workers, business people, artists, we can create a ‘weapon’ against this destruction, the power of people believing and acting together. I want this for our future, the future of our children and their children, the future of the world we live. How we live in it has to change.”

GREEN – JOURNEY INTO THE HEART OF DARKNESS “The conquest of the earth, which mostly means the taking it away from those who have a different complexion or slightly flatter noses than ourselves, is not a pretty thing when you look into it too much.”

- Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness ‘Green the Movie’, if you haven’t seen it, is a heart wrenching hand held camera view of the wanton destruction of forests, the despair of the orangutans without their natural habitat and the close-up depiction of one orangutan’s final days, Green of the title, and her journey from the heaven of a natural rainforest rich in biodiversity to into a logged and cleared man made hell. Made from footage gained through discreet and non-sanctioned filming the

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images are of the destruction of an area so large it is hard to comprehend how it was even possible to carry out such a task. Why, the viewer asks, is this happening? And the answer comes back loud and clear: The why is paper and pulp. The why is palm oil. And further more it is each one of us who contributes, through our habitual consumption of paper products, timber furniture and combustibles, to the destruction.

To understand further the blindness that binds us to continuing, however unwillingly, to contribute to the death of the orangutans see Green the film available for free download at www.greenthefilm.com .

The question remains however, while those who listen and see react with horror and surprise, and while people world over create comment and register their anger, dismay and outrage, what on the ground is really being done to stop for good this violent abuse.

LOOKING FROM THE OUTSIDE IN When people see that farmers are prepared to sew their mouths shut, self immolate and drag themselves and their families to the capital of Jakarta to protest the theft of their lands, when they read reports of people turning up murdered in fields that they once owned and when they see images that show carcasses of orangutans dangling from pick up trucks there has to be a reaction to the situation. Who has the power to end this? Who has the leadership to demand laws are upheld, that people’s rights and the rights of the indigenous fauna are protected against the rapacious greed and the inflated demands of the producers of palm oil, paper and pulp?

The Orangutan is iconic in the eyes of visitors to Indonesia, and for many it is the reason they come.

As Malika Naguran editor in chief at Gaia Discovery and ardent eco-activist comments: “I witnessed orangutans in the wild during my trip to Sukau down at Lower Kinabatangan floodplains, and I was moved to tears to see them thriving. They have very little area to move around and live, but thanks to the active conservation efforts of businesses such as Albert Teo through Borneo eco tours and Sukau eco lodge the local people are being helped to understand the value of wildlife tourism.

So essentially I believe there is still hope, but it is really up to individuals to step up and turn negatives into positives, and commercial entities need to get involved, not just NGOs. Jasmine Fraser a web designer from San Fransisco also contributes: “I travelled to Sumatra in 2008, in a large part to see untouched forest and wildlife, and especially the Orangutans as they are so rare in the world today. Driving along the road from Medan to Bukit Lawang, I was horrified to see the sprawling monoculture of palm trees, mile after mile, as far as I could see. This was the same throughout my journey in Sumatra, a destination I though would be the most unspoiled in all of Indonesia. Although it was wonderful to see and interact with the Orangutans, fascinating creatures with such human personalities and intelligence, it was sad to think of the cancerous plantations encroaching on the last remnant of forest that allows the Orangutans to survive. I hope Sumatra realizes it’s economic potential as an eco-tourism destination, not just a palm oil factory.”

LOOKING FROM THE INSIDE OUT While these sentiments are echoed internationally and locally what is the value of this protest when the real issues are not being addressed? And what are these issues?

According to Erik Meijaard of People and Nature Consulting International they are the balance of education, prosecution and taking a holistic approach to economic progress through the inclusion of ecological and environmental sustainability policies. The Indonesian Government has committed to the ideals of a protection policy but is far behind in the implementation and effectiveness of schemes that will bring transgressors to justice. Education of the local people who share land with the orangutan is paramount. Recent surveys, undertaken in 2011, revealed that over a quarter of the people living in Kalimantan had no idea that the orangutan was a protected species. It would possibly astound them therefore to learn that each animal that is brought into rehabilitation and eventually

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released will have cost the agencies in charge of these projects around $14,000 US per animal. That’s a large amount of money in a place where over half the population struggle to gain an income of under $2 per day. So it can come as no surprise that a candidate in the 2008 election for governorship of East Kalimantan declared people should take precedent over orangutans.

Education is vital because not only would the loss of a great ape be a dreadful, preventable failure of our responsibilities with the implication that humans are incapable of being compatible with the natural world, it would have a distinct affect on the forests and the ecosystems that depend on the presence of the orangutan, as seed dispersers, to achieve the natural ecological balance that ensures survival of other species. A further impact would be the effect on the communities’ ability to attract sustainable tourism that can provide an expanding sustainable source of income to many more than just the local managers and forest communities. The effective management of eco-tourism within forest areas brings income and builds economic stability for future generations, without the orangutan to attract the international visitor these opportunities are lost.

Erik Miejaard suggests that the orangutans’ future may depend on whether governments can prioritize ethics over economics. If preservation and sustainability, living conservation, were seen as part of a more efficient healthy future it may be more successful than a campaign that simply demands that no harms comes to an animal of whom they have no real understanding.

This disconnect and lack of understanding of the ‘local’ population in respect to their environment can be traced back to the transmigrasi movements of the late 1970’s when communities were relocated into Indonesian Borneo and displaced the traditional Dayaks. In the past orangutans were accorded value as living creatures and the relationship the Dayaks had with the orangutans was a deep and spiritual one in line with their connection to their forestlands. They hunted, they foraged and they lived in long houses in community groups in alignment with their forest home. While they were known, somewhat inflammatorily, for their head hunting their animist religion promoted respect and appreciation of the creatures with whom they lived.

So what does the future hold for the orangutan? While some estimate a decline of population until extinction by 2025 others, like Erik Meijaard, are less bleak. If, he proposes, successive governments commit to the enactment of policies that reflect ethics as well as economic growth and commit to the management of forests, and the persecution of hunters and support the growth of well-managed ecotourism then just maybe the fate of the orangutan can be turned around.

DON’T WAIT FOR THE WORLD TO CHANGE.. BE THE CHANGE. It will take a concentrated effort. For committed local activists, like the band Navicula and artist Made Bayak, they will have to remind others constantly through their work, that it is people who the power to effect change, and for visitors like Jasmine and Malika they will have to make their experiences known and encourage the support of sustainable development and the refusal to buy products containing palm oil. Each of us must remind ourselves daily that no matter what, we need the orangutan to survive.

It is inconceivable that with all mankind is capable of achieving it would allow one of its closest genetic relatives to die from a neglect of acknowledged needs.

This article was composed with the assistance of Erik Meijaard, People and Nature Consulting International,Kerobokan, Indonesia, with contributions from Gede Robi Supriyanto, Made Bayak, Malika Nuguran and Jasmine Fraser.

In order to protect the environment, the precautionary approach shall be widely applied by States according to their capabilities. Where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage, lack of full scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason for postponing cost-effective measures to prevent environmental degradation.

Earth Summit, Rio, 1992

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FA S H I O N

FA S H I O N

DIS-ILLUSION

Recently in my life, I was fortunate enough to stumble on the Universe and discover all the ways she knowingly and unknowingly

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PORTFOLIO

FRED STICHNOTH

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PORTFOLIO

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PORTFOLIO

For this month’s artist profile we had a sit down with the fashion photographer and artistic powerhouse Fred Stichnoth. Based in Germany! Fred has shot for Dior, McQueen and other heavy hitters with a vein for couture. He’s visiting Bali exploring its culture and artistic depth. We showcase his Hawarra Portfolio, which consists of 30 plates. Hawara is an archaeological site of ancient Egypt, at the entrance of the Fayyum Oasis. William Flinders Petrie excavated at Hawara in 1888, finding papyri of the first and second centuries and, north of the pyramid, a vast necropolis of 149 portraits on coffins dating to the Roman period were found.

Q: Your Harawa project has a strong consistency and dreamlike quality. What were you going for with this series?

A: The desire to escape into an unknown world- the ether world-, which has accompanied me since my childhood. It’s an innate quest to dive after my very own abilities. I am planting gardens discovering my love to objects of a far-gone time, creating my own cosmos.

Q: How has Bali inspired you as an artist and photographer?

A: I took my inspirations from old postcards (1900-1920), the idea is to realize this kind of traditional photography today in bali again (see Irving Penn/Dahomey/ new guinea 1967).

Q: Can you tell us a little bit about your process of image making?

A: Starting point of my works are 6x7 b/w negatives, extracted from these sessions with delicately selected models, scanning them into the digital nerve-net, creating an overflowing archive of human physiognomy. After mastered these once fragmented pictures evolve into newly combined series of 30 plates.

Q: Where did you grow up and how did this push you to become an artist?

A: I grew up in Bremen/Germany and started at the age of 18 with photography, then I moved to Munich to start assistance with a master of photography Walter Schels. Subconsciously he pushed me during these 2 years as his assistant. After the 2 years I worked for music magazines and labels, then fashion and beauty. In 1996 I did my first book “Taboo”, an imaginary journey around the world- the first conceptual work, followed by “Science Lab”, “Gemini” and “Hawara Portfolio”. I was not happy spending all my time doing jobs, so I decided to do this kind of work.

Q: DO you have a favorite place back home to spend time and feel inspired?

A: My favorite place is in front of the TV watching documentaries; a walk on the beach is refreshing too.

I have a lot of ideas in my head, I just have to concentrate and work them out.

Q: What music do you listen to when you’re in the zone?

A: I Love Soley/We Sink, ‘Lost in Translation’ the soundtrack, ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’ the Soundtrack and the sounds of the jungle at night.

Q: What images, ideas and or feelings come up when you think of the word Protection?

A: Investment, money, bad feelings. Today I cleaned a part of my beach in canguu; most of the time I cant find words when I see what happens to the world and the people that really need protection.

Q: What would you like to see for 2012?

A: No more rubbish on the beach and in nature, - that would be great for this year!

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PREVIEW

BURNING DOWN LIBRARIES WORDS BY TARO

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PREVIEW

We drove into each other like two trains colliding It was our very first secret catastrophe The genesis of our unused dreams, Setting the stage for emotional blasphemies to come.

Now as we pick and pillage each others bones for meat to hold onto We barely notice the earth below us scorches, The ground behind us salting the last remnants of our hearts.

Breaking, every time we turn and leave each other like strangers.

With no ground untraveled we wander back and forth across each other Oblivious to what we trample beneath our feet.

Can’t you see?

Our angel is exhausted From dragging beds between empty room’s so that we might land somewhere soft should we fall again into love?

This place is a mausoleum, A cemetery of unfinished stories half-truths and long forgotten lies.

This place is a heart.

It has taken a lifetime to fill and like all great collections will take only a few people a large box and a long day to pack up.

A deep hole might suffice, but I would see this library we built burn.

So that some smoke might escape so that some part of this might ascend.

The rest could then simply disappear.

Ashes to angels We all fall down.

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PERCEPTIONS OF A HEALER

F E AT U R E

We have the ability to create an enormous amount of protection around ourselves, our thoughts, our desires, and our hearts. Some of these efforts do just that: protect us from our selves, our thoughts, our desires, and our hearts. In metaphysics we talk about working with the ego. It’s the layers you hide under to be socially acceptable, receive a desired outcome, and to protect yourself from feeling. We created societal platforms to tell us what is right, what determines strong character, what makes us stupid, and what makes us spiritual.

Our souls came here to support the evolution of the species and are susceptible to working through the human condition. Part of that is accepting the fact that we have an inherent desire to be loved (liked) and respected (seen in a favorable light). The problem is becoming vested in the good opinion of others, and preventing one from knowing their truth.

Start with the little things. I like cheeseburgers, but because of my spiritual path am embarrassed to eat them.

Eating animals lowers your vibration, it creates density, and leaves you susceptible to an array of physical ailments. But I like cheeseburgers. So on occasion I, (a) sneak one in around people who are agreeable, (b) go home, draw the shades and eat one in private or, (c) abstain in fear of being caught by a vegan yogi who will undoubtedly ruin my reputation. It may sound silly but in that moment it’s a challenge determining whether the cheeseburger is an expression of who I really am, or a detriment to my spiritual and physical health.

and observational point of view and forget everyone carries a personal bias. You get information based on wanting what’s best for you, and what’s happening in their lives. The problem with peer consultation is it generates a responsibility to people who aren’t actually involved.

Ultimately I have to decide if eating a cheeseburger or calling my ex is an act of self-harm or the act of an open heart. More often than not I choose to do both and learn to love myself a little more along the way.

Learning to make healthy choices that are more importantly, based on your truth- is a process. Simply start asking yourself, “Is this what I really want?” If the answer is Yes and brings you a feeling of peace and calm, then maybe that’s a good choice. If the answer is Yes but you still feel the suffocating heat of anxiety pressing the air out of your lungs, you might want to ask again. Tap into your intuition and find out where your truth lies. When something is correct, some people feel a warm sensation in the heart space, it can also reside in your stomach or give you chills. It’s the same thing as hair standing on the back of your neck when a creepy guy gets too close, or having a “gut reaction” to a circumstance around you.

You can find this place by simply sitting for 5 minutes every day and asking where that truth lies. The more you practice, the stronger it gets. I swear it works. The goal is to make conscious choices, express our selves truthfully and with integrity. It’s better to feel liberated and make mistakes (which are never really mistakes), than exist under the guise of what we think we should do. Trust the beauty of your process. We are best as our most authentic selves, and the world needs it now more than ever.

It’s risky to go with what you feel because 6 times out of 10 you’re wrong. You get hurt, you feel vulnerable, and people judge you. So what. That “wrong” choice shows Rebekah me you believe in yourself, you were willing to open your Angels & Unicorns heart, and that your integrity is more important than the info@angelsandunicorns.org good opinion of others.

Then there’s the bigger stuff, the layers of external influences we (I) hide behind in intimate relationships. Initial imprinting comes from our parents; the first role-play we encountered and primary foundation of all our personal preferences- either agreeing with, or desiring contrast from what we saw. Personally, this is where I learned “I want this” and “I’ll never do that”. Then we grow older and seek the advice of our peers. We expect a caring

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REVIEW

DAVID CRONENBERG INTERVIEW BY FEDERICO PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHANIE

Our roving European reporter catches up with one of our favorite directors to talk about his latest film, A Dangerous Method...

In your film Carl Jung is, with Freud, one of the protagonists. What do you think about his theories?

Jung had taken the direction of mysticism, spiritualism and religion. I think Jung has become a religious leader but not a medical person. In addition, his family, his father and six uncles were pastors in the church and therefore I think to some extent he has become one of the in a different way. I am not surprised of the popularity of Jung in the 60s where there was a boom of spirituality and self realization. About me, I feel much closer to the approach of Freud because he never abandoned the human body and the reality of the family, while when we start talking of the soul, the archetypes and the collective consciousness, I think it is not real is an illusion.

It’s an interesting theory and I know people who undergone Jung’s analysis and we were satisfied. Finally, I would not devalue these theories but to me they are not that interesting. About Jung, we have much more documents and the film is very accurate. That was a period of letter writing and in Vienna, for example, there were between 5 to 8 mails delivery every day, the Internet was there. And because of that, we have very detailed documentation about the different opinions then we have also a video interview of Jung you can find

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on YouTube. There you can see he was a lovely man, very grandfatherly, very sweet and very sensitive .If you were Catholic, this man could really help you through an emotional crisis talking about God, spirit and soul. In the movie, I have not been judgmental; I was just trying to be accurate. nd Freud, do you think that his doctrine is still A relevant?

Today the psychiatrists prescribes you drugs, they do not talk to you because the talking cure is too expensive. But the fact that treating a patient with psychoanalysis has become expensive does not mean that Freud was wrong. In fact, a social psychologist friend of mine told me that 15 years ago, the people have started to come back to Freud because of MRI (medical imaging of the brain). They could see an incredible thinking activity in the brain, called unconscious thought, and the person was not conscious of that; at the and these analyses show that Freud was totally right even without the technology. At the time, he talked about taboo subjects such as sexual fantasies, we are in a Victorian era and the film shows the atmosphere where women used to wear collars, corsets and tight cloths. Then Freud talked about child abuses, incest, there were patients who were sexually abused by their parents, these subjects were considered horrifying. For me his discoveries had the effect of an atomic bomb, they tell us much about what existence is but they are also dangerous.

F E AT U R E

he character of Sabina Speilrein (role played by T Keira Knightley) is presented in a very masculine world....

There were other women, as Lou Salome, who were very influential and had a great social and intellectual power. For sure, a woman was obliged to prove much more her abilities because the image of woman was that of a little girl, a little princess without sexuality and intellect. That was the ideal proposed at the time. But to be precise, we must say that Freud and Jung were fascinated by its beauty but also by her intellect. And in the end she returned to Russia to introduce psychoanalysis in his country.

Where do you get the idea for a movie? he idea of ​​a film can come from anywhere: a newsT paper’s article, a magazine or a scenario, I never plan what to do, I never say I must do....a western. About Cosmopolis, for example, the Portuguese producer Paulo Branco came to me in Toronto, before turning Dangerous Methods. Paulo said in that occasion “my son thinks that you are the right person to direct this movie” and invited me to read a book by Don DeLillo. I immediately read the text and after two days I agreed, the book was a very unusual as the fact that I made a film immediately after another. This was the first time and a coincidence but I would love to make a film every year as Woody Allen, the problem is that I can’t control my destiny.

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o you plan to shoot the remake of The Fly (1986) D and Eastern Promises (2007)?

For Eastern Promises, there were rumours while for the remake of “The Fly” there was a proposal from Fox. I wrote the script and suddenly they didn’t wanted to do the movie with the budget was needed. I do not know the reason, the policy of Fox, studios, etc.. Now the project is dead but I did spend the time writing the script and if don’t have the movie you lost that time.

I t’s becoming difficult to produce a movie as independent because of the budget? Why that?

I think that the budget continues to be the central issue although I think we go through phases. In the period of “Easy Riders”, it was easy to get financed a movie about hippies and drugs but only for two years. Now, if you are an independent producer who depends on presales in different territories to finance a movie, you can’t get money from Japan and America. These used to be places where you could sell your movie before you made it but not right now. In the U.S. the major independent houses like Warner Independent closed its doors with the result that as an independent they would not even read your script, may be if you finish the movie and you take to them but still there are not so many places.

I - RECOMMENDS

SKIN ENDORSES NAVICULA

Seeking protection against the crime of daylight is nothing new. Shielding those harmful rays has been a circumstance for the ages. Never before has the bold look of seduction met the agile lines of evil the way they have in the Magenta. While the overstated brows may evoke the soft wings of a butterfly, make no mistake these Italian made bombshells have the strength to floor anyone who dare doubt your wickedness.

Born of protection yet bred of confrontation, leave them more dead than alive in the Magenta.

Skin clothing has been around for years, before retail in Bali became super popular.

Always alternate, the brand is now supporting Navicula. We don’t blame them either.

Navicula’s lyrics are heavy with activist messages of Peace, Love and Freedom. “You could say music is our religion...within it there is philosophy, ethics and rituals. Our money and time is spent on music,” says Robi the vocalist. Navicula was formed in 1996 in Denpasar, Bali. The music of the full band lineup cultivates their grunge rock roots, but in combination with world fusion, psychedelic, alternative, progressive, and straightforward rock awareness. Living in Bali, Navicula recognises the importance of acting now to spread awareness and understanding of greener practices, Navicula uses music as their medium to reach youth across Indonesia. Navicula believes that through art, a language youth understand and enjoy, they are planting the seeds of change. Check them out later this month at the Bali Spirit Festival.

www.electricvisualindonesia.com

www.naviculamusic.com/

PROTECT YOUR EYES

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B.O.L.D BUY OR LET DIE Designs and manufactures, exclusively in Bali, will be launching soon a range of handcrafted bracelets depicting some of Indonesia’s most critically endangered animals.

Indonesia is home to over 300,000 species of animals and plants. Sadly, high population growth and rapid industrialisation have put hundreds of endemic mammals, birds and fish in critical danger. Indonesia is now home to the world’s greatest number of endangered species. Habitat destruction through illegal logging, unlawful poaching of animals for the pet trade, urbanisation and poor waste management are decimating wild animal populations. Buy:Or:Let:Die signature bracelets depict eight different Indonesian endangered species. All profits will be redirected to the protection and conservation of these animals. A luxury gold range made to order will be available online. For more information visit their website. www.buyorletdie.com info@buyorletdie.com

I - RECOMMENDS

ASYMMETRICAL

HAVAIANAS

At first glance, you scratch your head. At second gander, you soak it in. And with your third ponder, you reach out; pick it up, thinking, is this for real? And believe you me; it’s very much alive…This is an Asymmetrical creation out from the mind of the mad scientist himself Chris Garrett. With the board being asymmetrical you have a combo board, so to speak. The way this one is set up is, if you’re regular footed then you have a slighter wider nose with that falls into a fish tail with the quad fin style set up giving you a looser up and down the line feeling. But once you hit your backside you are working with a pulled in nose and a down foiled rail that flows into a pin tail set up with an off set single fin for more drive for hauling ass down the line, but once you crank a turn it goes on the to fish side and will loosen up. But as Mr. Garrett stated, “The Ocean doesn’t know where the centerline and what structure is”.

Double pluggers, Zadillac’s and Ando’s…

If you’ve lived in Bali as long as I have, I am sure you’ve ended up buying a pair of cheap sandals from one of the local vendors in Double Six street or at Bintang supermarket. What seems like a great little bargain pair of flip flops, turn out to be a pair of total shockers. They wear out in a matter of weeks. That comfy half inch of foam very quickly wears down to give about as much rubber protection as Trojan condom… Well, it’s Havaianas all the way from now on.

They last. Simple. It’s debatable whether the look is much different. I don’t think too many people go around checking what flip flops you have on your paws. At the end of the day a flip flop is a flip flop right? Yes, true, until you talk about quality. Six months down the track after getting a set of Havaianas and the rubber memory keeps them like new, like 18 Trojans stacked together.

www.deus.co.id

www.havaianas.com Flagship store on Sunset Road, Bali.

EARTH CAFE Earth is quite frankly one of our favorite places. We can’t get over the planet platter, the Mediterranean platter, or the lentil soup.

For dessert there’s the delicious chocolate mousse, the energizing Goji berry balls, or the blueberry pie that makes you want to go for seconds. Something very important in Bali is to know when to detox your mind body and spirit, and Earth café is here to assist in that process. The healthy juices range from super green foods to fatigue reversal to coffee alternatives like the Maca Java and the Bali boost. The environment in the café is pleasantly earthy for lack of a better word, but honestly its true! After spending time in Earth café you’ll walk away feeling more grounded, and healthier with real nutritional value in your system.

I - RECOMMENDS

FIGHT AIDS Designers Against AIDS (DAA) is a project of non-profit organisation and was founded in 2004 to raise AIDS awareness in the international media and towards the general public, more specifically towards young people in the industrialised countries. They do this by asking famous and emerging fashion designers, musicians, artists and other celebrities to create designs that we then print on items such as T-shirts, sweaters, bags, hoodies, condom boxes, ring binders, etc. The T-shirts and sweaters of all DAA collections are made of organic cotton in a Fair Trade community in India with the help of German company Sense Organics.

They also take part in events, exhibitions, fairs and festivities and collaborate with interested artists, organisations and brands - drawing more attention to the cause as they go.

If you’d like to donate to their cause please visit their website and use the ‘Donate Now’ button on the right hand side of the homepage. www.designersagainstaids.com

SLAM BACK

Why Not Shop is just that. Why not? The eclectic range of jewelry and little figurines and what nots are full of energy and positiveness. Happiness, joy, wonder are words that come to mind when we think of their collection. The Seminyak shop can lock you in for long browsing session. Their bracelets and necklaces from the chunky to the refined are creative and fresh, it’s no wonder we are always using their stuff in our photo shoots!

69Slam has decided its time to give a back.

They have announced their new bamboo fibre ‘eco-friendly’ range and commitment has been made to have a staff member to help out the Soul Surf Project once a week.

Soul Surf Project Bali is a nonprofit organization founded by Rodney Westerlaken, which gives surf and environmental lessons to orphans and street kids of Bali. Surf lessons are given as a reward for awareness, knowledge and new attitude. The main goal is to educate the kids and reinforce their love and respect for nature. 69Slam is now engaged in this project by giving hand to beach cleanups, and in assisting the surf and environmental classes with Soul Surf Project.

www.whynot-shop.com

www.69slam.com

WHY NOT

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I - RECOMMENDS

BIGGEST MARINE PARK Australia is on the brink of deciding whether or not to proceed in creating the world’s biggest marine reserve. The goal is to set up the largest marine reserve in the world and preserve thousands of delicate species. But they will need a global outcry to beat out commercial fishing and mining companies hoping to destroy the plan. East of the Great Barrier Reef the proposed Reserve would cover just under a million square kilometers.

But the reserve will cost money and without massive support right now, the short term financial interests of industry could beat out any hopes for a safe future for our seas. The reports are dire: in 36 years, our oceans could be completely fished-out, in 100 years, all coral reefs might be dead.

This action alone won’t be enough to turn the tide. But it will establish the largest marine reserve in the world! Saving the world’s oceans from collapse will require bold political leadership and dedicated citizens taking action. The Australian government could be at the forefront. But industrial fishing companies want a marine highway through the area for their long line vessels…

RESPECT SKULL GEAR Skullcandy makes over-ear headphones for the serious audio enthusiast. Sometimes called full-size headphones, these overthe-ear designs encompass the entire ear, resting around it instead of on top of it. This reduces ear fatigue and helps isolate you from ambient noise, which means your music sounds better.

Find their full range at Drifter Surf Shop in Jl Laksmana, Oberoi, Bali www.driftersurf.com

If you are in Bali on March 23rd, then you must stay indoors. Think about your actions on this day. While you have a choice, it might be a good time to sit back and be grateful for everything Bali has offered you in your time here whether you live here or you are just on a week-long holiday. Nyepi is the Balinese “Day of Silence” and is commemorated every year according to Bali’s calendar. It is a day of silence, fasting, and meditation.

Observed from 6 a.m. until 6 a.m. the next morning, Nyepi is a day reserved for selfreflection and as such, anything that might interfere with that purpose is restricted. The main restrictions are: no lighting fires (and lights must be kept low); no working; no entertainment or pleasure; no traveling; and for some, no talking or eating at all.

FOOD

DINNING OUT NEW FLAVA DISCOVERY

by MARIAH

According to many of the world’s oldest civilizations, such as in the Ayurvedic and Chinese traditions, food is medicine. At Hu’u Bar and Grill, perhaps food is only human, but it is divine. Their philosophy is that the simplest of meals become memorable when shared, and with this clarity of a spirited meal, we can connect to the things that really matter. Like a smoking new friend and a damn fine Lycee Martini. As we shared the renowned Babi Hu’uling on mango salad, tuna spring rolls with coriander sauce, corn fritter perfection, and tender grilled surf and turf, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say my date and I engaged in some sensual hu’ealing of the sensory kind. Marvin Gay did sing ‘you’re my medicine, let me in,’ and in this sense perhaps Hu’u Bar follows in the tradition of the great masters. Hu’u has been a benchmark in Bali for style and substance since 2002.

As for us, four Bintangs and numerous martinis later, the soothing chic-ness of the garden ambiance was undiminished and the satisfaction on the palate lingered. What’s love got to do with strawberry macaroons, pink sorbet, mango cheesecake and chocolate cake?

Why, it is sweet old-fashioned notion and Hu’u Bar and Grill is still crazy hip and tasty after all these years.

Happy 10th birthday and many more in the future!

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PRODUCT

Photography Andrew Campbell Makeup Hair Style Jul Henry Models So Wanted Barbara wears: Jacket: IO/CO leggin, belt, bracelet & wallet: K&I Shoes: Niluh Djelantik Ngurah wears: Top: S&G clothing pants: the people @somewhere. shoes: Suedehead @somewhere.

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PRODUCT

Deus surf short

Moonrocks tee

Moonrocks tee

Moonrocks short

Deus hat

Deus tee 55 59

PRODUCT

belt by Skin

K&I

K&I

bag by Skin

bag by Skin

K&I 54 60

Photography Kenza Styling Anggie Makeup Artium Models So Wanted Swimsuit available at Drifter.

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S HMOUP SP II CN G

MUSIC TOP 5 WHATSBLASTINGTHROUGHOURHEADPHONES & OUR COMPUTERS

5DOWNLOADABLESOUNDCLOUDMIXES

5 YOUTUBE VIDS

5 PHREAKTASTIC TRACKS

Jamie Jones Live @ Space, Ibiza http://soundcloud.com/r_co/jamie-jones-livespace-ibiza

Die Antwoord- I Fink U Freeky

Azari & lll- Hungry For The Power (Jamie Jones Ridge Street Remix)

Hudson Mohawke – Slow Jams Chapter V http://soundcloud.com/hudsonmohawke/luckyme

Wood Kid-Iron

Southern Hospitality – 600% Mixtape http:// luckymedia.s3.amazonaws.com/_MIXTAPES/96.zip

Tyler The Creator-Yonkers

SALEM- King Night M83- Midnight City

Maceo Plex - Stay High Baby (Original Mix) Baba Black - Dirty Sheep Daedelus - My Beau (feat. Paperboy & Erika Rose) Green Velvet - Flash – (Jamie Jones Remix)

Machine Drum – Footwerk Classixxx Mix http://s3.amazonaws.com/luckymedia/_MIXTAPES/44.mp3 Salem- We Make It Good Mix Series Vol. 11 http://wemakeitgood.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/We-Make-It-Good-Mix-SeriesVol.-11.mp3

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REVIEW

MINT A SENSE PLEASER

Mint has quickly become an ultra hip hot spot in Bali. As a destination it will please the senses with great food, cocktails, and an overall fresh environment. The interior has a lit glass bar top, a sweet arrangement of sexy sofas placed on marble floors and lounging areas that can either be private or open. The 25meter bar top has an impressive central effect for the customer with a lavish cocktail menu to satisfy anticipating taste buds. The minty fresh Dj booth/ bar has a sleek retro future design quality that can be seen somewhere out of a Sci-Fi flick with an audible sound system that quite frankly kicks ass. Sounds ranging from electronic house to deep house and pop remix sensations. The crowd is always handsome, with your dressed down expats, to the sexy girls from Jakarta, giving the vibe a mixed yet pleasant feel. Yet there’s room for the crowd to get a bit crazy and dance the night away.

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REVIEW

VOLCOM OPENS NEW CONCEPT STORE

If walls could only speak, what stories would they tell. After 15 years of standing in the heart of Kuta, the Volcom Kuta Square concept store has witnessed generations of transformation transpire within a decade and a half.

Initially known as the ‘Volcom Pro Shop’ it was a big step for the then 6-year-old counter-culture lifestyle brand out of Newport, California. With ‘Youth Against Establishment’ as the cry, it sought to go against the cookie cutter products of the bigger brands, and create art and propaganda that said a big fuck you to the cubicle mentality of corporate America.

From a humble surf oasis, to tourist capital, to a property developer’s playground, Bali is changing at a rapid rate. People carry different sentiments towards this, but businesses strive to be objective; they live in a very factual world of profits and losses.

A lifestyle shop standing in the heart of Kuta would tell you change has slowed things down from what it was 5 years ago. Drive 10 minutes further up to Seminyak and reports are likely to be different.

A powerful dogma within Volcom is the belief “the only constant is change”, and the truth about change is that it always creates two orders – the New Order and the Old Order. Kuta is now the Old Order of Bali.

Last month, Volcom Kuta Square held a Grand Re-Opening party celebrating the 3rd facelift of the shop in 15 years. It was a family affair. Volcom skaters, surfers, staff, friends made the trip down to the Old Order to celebrate the moment. Volcom’s new brand ambassador for Indonesia, Rekti (vocalist of the S.I.G.I.T), marked his territory with a doodle on the store wall and put on a stirring unplugged performance. It was cozy, the vibe familiar, Heinekens in everyone’s hands. It felt like a long overdue reunion with each other, with the store, and with Kuta.

As other brands jump to open concept stores in Oberoi, the heart of the New Order, you wonder whether Volcom has lost its sense

Opened for the very first time on December 7th, 1997, the Volcom Kuta Square concept store was the first Volcom store in the world.

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REVIEW

of objectivity, investing against change. Legian’s bumper traffic, the Poppies alleyways, the Bintang singlet’s, the drunken vagabonds, Bounty’s, Kuta beach - the Old Order. Compared to the likes of Potato Head you would think they wouldn’t stand a chance, but looking back you realize there is an emotional connection there.

Memories. Nostalgia. Perhaps that’s what Volcom is investing in, the notion that deep inside all of us there is still that rebel that reveled in the Kuta era. The ideal that heritage is something worth investing in.

Youth Against Establishment might be a risky business, but it is an honorable one.

Check out the newly renovated Volcom Kuta Square concept store and their website for more photos and videos from the party. www. volcom.co.id

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F E AT U R E

VIVA LA VORTEX WORDS bY MARIAH

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F E AT U R E

The fish is the last to comprehend the water in which he swims, and like groupers we surf, we commune and we blaze around from break to break on scooters and we don’t always stop to question.

Unlike the fish, as we do what is natural we can also create and re-create the medium of our existence. While the Balinese civilization has been around for hundreds of year its offspring, the Bali surf culture, is relatively new and tender. Don’t doubt that we’re in the good old days, and that we’ll make big bad tomorrow, today.

However, Bali’s breaks aren’t getting any less crowded. Many local boys remember the days when they had to find a friend to travel from Kuta to surf Uluwatu so they wouldn’t be out there alone with the evil ocean spirits. Those days are gone, replaced by helicopter night shoots with Las Vegas style lighting, Hollywood celebrity feeding frenzies, Starbucks and gridlock like a bad case of the clap.

Maybe it’s all over. But there are some that still believe the best is yet to come. Even as this piece was being written, there were intrepid wanderers getting barreling at beachbreaks with names like Tjandikesuma, Tukadyeh, and Pangkungtibah, which you’d have a hard time pronouncing nevertheless finding without delving into the local culture and leaving the Circle K’s behind. Like a magician pulling scarves out of a hat or an old whore with more tricks than David Blaine, Bali still surprises and delights. Old Bali is still here. Its just in between the beaten path. And in the moments savored learning the name of the person working at the warung and the grom who keeps snaking you like a pro.

For this protection issue I Mag set out to tease out what exactly we have here, and what kind of protection it needs, if any. Franz Boas, noted anthropologist has defined culture as, “The system of shared beliefs, values, customs, behaviours, and artifacts that the members of society use to cope with their world and with one another, and that are transmitted from generation to generation through learning.”

So I Mag hit the street, beach and the internet to ask people, what is Balinese surf culture? Garut Widiarta, professional surfer, answered, “Balinese surf culture started from the people that really love hanging out on the beach like the old fisherman in Kuta. Then some tourists brought surfing and they tried and now I’m the fourth generation. We really love to do what we do that’s on the ocean, and it keeps us all smiling.” Tipi Jabrik, head of the show at ISC, answered, “Well it really start with the beach boys, like selling drinks on the beach, and now there’s that and there’s the big companies, the pros and the international scene. Balinese, Indonesians, and tourists they like to have fun, share the waves, and hang out with the boys.” Edy Black, local photog, says, “For me surfing in Bali is not a culture, just a lifestyle and sport not more than that! The culture and the tradition in Bali that was long long year ago before the surfing come to Bali, there is lot of people say that the tourism come to Bali because surfing that not 100% true. People come here because of the power of Bali.” A surf grom at Uluwatu- “Yeah Bali surf culture is just surf with your friends and have fun!” Max de Santis, expat bukit grom,’ “Balinese surf culture is respect and comes from the spirit of every Balinese person.” An Balinese female

surfer, Ayu, “ Its comes from a sport from outside the country that has little by little taken hold here. But it’s because Bali already has a strong culture and such a beautiful place that it’s really grown.”

I Mag spoke with a Mangku (priest) at Puri Pentitenget about how the Balinese relationship to the ocean has changed over the past generation. Hinduism came to the archipelago in the 4th century, and reached Bali in the 5th century, and during the reign of King Airlangga in 1019 it had taken hold. Balinese surf culture, as a subculture, is inseparable from a discussion of tourism and identity. As academics Picard and Wood explained, “in the discourse of cultural tourism, we are confronted with two very different conceptions of Balinese ethnic identity. On the one hand, Balinese culture (kebudayaan Bali) in invariably portrayed as a bounded and homogenous entity comprised of three components: it takes its source in the religion; it permeates customary practises and institutions; and it inspires artistic creations of great beauty. Thus epitomized by the specific combination of religion (agama), custom (adat) and art (seni), for the Balinese their culture embodies their identity as Balinese- what they call their Balineseness (keBalian). On the other hand, when explaining why tourism did not corrupt, contrary to what they initially feared, prominent members of the intelligensia are prone to declare that as long as the Balinese are aware of the indivisible unity of religion (agama), custom (adat), and culture (budaya) their identity is not at risk.” The Pak Mangku explained that the Balinese see the ocean as home to many different types of spirits, a conception that echos pre-Hindu animistic beliefs. He also explained that the Balinese see surfing as a great activity to purify the spirit. The Mangku insisted, “Its very healthy, surfing, a good form of exercise.”

As for protecting it? The answers was unanimous, it’s up to the local community. As Edy Black says, “just remember Bali is still Bali like before, karma is most important.” It may be changing in many ways, but the local community was still smiling at the time this article was written. And if you’re not from around here, then the vote is: try not to be such an asshole on the road, downsize that ego, smile and share share share.

Bali is no stranger to sensationalism. The best reef breaks, the gnarliest drug stories, slaughter on the roads, the strangest characters and the most amazing locals: it is a land of tropical superlatives. If Bali is a safe haven for predictability, comfort and gluttony, it is also a road slightly less traveled, a nutrient jelly for dreams and an island to make a girl curse her mortality and yet live like it doesn’t exist. Magic is the total appreciation of chance and Bali is the land of sweet sweet chance. The chances you’ll score on any given day of the year, the chances you’ll get laid, the chances you’ll find a cold Bintang among friends is five stars, 365 days a year. We live in a mad, mad world, and sometimes things make more sense in the vortex. Well ok, maybe life doesn’t make that much more sense on Bali. But it is way more fun.

–Mariah

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PUT IT ON

I am sure many of us have faced the awkward situation within a lustful or romantic encounter. The thought of condom pops up in the minds of both of you as clothes are shed and flung around the bed. Nothing is said. It’s on the tips of both of your tongues. Who will strike first, who will break the trance of the sexual encounter and speak up? It has to be done it can’t be ignored. One of you eventually breaks the ground and you eventually end up using the little latex wonder glove for your Little John. Well this may be the case with the well educated.

But in Indonesia, things are different.

Who uses condoms? Do you using condoms for preventing pregnancy, or do you use condoms for the prevention of infectious little nastiness? We all know sex without a condom feels slightly better, but does it outweigh the risk? There is nearly 300,000 reported HIV/ AIDS cases in this country and together with a clear shift in transmission route from intravenous drug use 66

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in and purchase them.

to unprotected sex it’s time to be careful. The KPAN (Aids Commission Indonesia) states that HIV is quickly becoming one of Indonesia’s biggest public health problems, with the number of reported cases nearly doubling between December 2006 and March 2009.

But is the uptake of condom use working efficiently in Indonesia? Governments are warming up to the idea.

But it is hard for an Islamic Government to stand up and say, ‘hey people you should wear condoms and stop AIDS/HIV’, while Islamic leaders say this promotes pre-marital sex which they forbid. Then the Catholic Church rejects the use of condoms as a family planning device. These staunch religious viewpoints trickle way down the path into legal matters in this country.

To the point that there are bylaws in some districts of Indonesia allow for a woman to be prosecuted on prostitution charges if she is caught carrying a condom. It’s no wonder, even though condoms are available in most convenience stores, women are too embarrassed to go

But it is in the eye of either naivety or irony that AID/ HIV continues to spread. While religious groups reject pre-marital sex, it is still happening all over the country.

And scarily, housewives are contracting the disease at an alarming rate. Their husbands are not only being unfaithful, but they are going against religious constructs.

Should this all be sweep under the carpet? Endorsing condom use brings forth the debate: does it do more in the way of prevention new-age issues or more in the way of promotion of sex in an archaic system.

So if you think, just because you are living it up in Bali and you aren’t poor, or gay, or from Africa, doesn’t mean you should turn your back on the prevention of the spread of AIDS/HIV in Indonesia. Sex is popular and it’s very social on this little island. Put it on!

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DESTINATION OAZIA FOR ALL THINGS BEAUTIFUL PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARCIA CILENTO

A new lifestyle space designed as a destination for all things beautiful is set to open its doors in Br Anyar, Canggu this spring. Launched by the team behind the award-winning OAZIA Spa Villas resort, Destination Oazia will include a fashion showroom and an architectural design studio, but most importantly –Spavodka Bar And Kitchen, something beyond the common logic that already has stirred up some heated discussions.

An unconventional take on a SPA concept SPAVODKA will offer its guests an admittedly tongue-in-chic holistic approach to enjoying life to the full - yet as guilt-free as possible. Expect inventive cocktails and infusions, healthy foods, aphrodisiacs, fantasy-inspired designer interiors, with some complimentary massages and even “sober driver” services thrown in – all that in a laid-back loungy atmosphere of a private members club.

fully in the best boutiques around Bali, with international expansion in plan. The controversial Spavodka Bar undertaking is next.

They claim that, “we are in the spa resort business, and holistic lifestyle to us means balance in all areas of one’s life. It is important that one looks after their body, but that will remain superficial unless you work on your mind, as well as your soul. At times, no meditation can be as healing to the soul as a night out with friends or a good conversation with a stranger. Therefore, we are strong believers in living life to the full, avoiding extremes in either direction and not taking yourself too seriously. We live in Canggu area, and, like everyone else, we have been complaining about the lack of loungy bar-type venues with good music where you could hand out with friends, or even come alone and not feel uncomfortable, before it’s time to head for a night out.

It also is common knowledge that the quality of alcohol is a big question mark in bars on this island, so if one does have a few drinks, they are bound to end up with the hangover disproportional to their drinking habits.”

The founders realize they are stepping on a shaky ground, but they are having way too much fun to stop now. Why vodka bar and how did the bizarre idea to combine spa and vodka come about?

For starters, the founders are Russian, but the new breed that have lived and worked abroad and travelled the world before they decided to call Bali their spiritual home. Architect and founder of one of the most reputable design schools in Moscow, Veronika landed in Bali back in 2008 to realise her dream of creating a lifestyle resort that is all about outer beauty and inner harmony.

Shortly after opening its doors end of 2009, OAZIA Spa Villas Bali was recognized as the Top Holistic Retreat in Asia and received the Design of the Year 2010 Award by the renowned Asia Spa magazine. Julia came on board in 2010, having put on hold a successful international career in marketing and an MBA at a top European business school in order to pursue her long-standing entrepreneurial aspirations. Together, the pair decided to merge the beautiful OAZIA lifestyle, luxurious materials and exquisite local crafts into a product one can carry home in a suitcase. The idea of the luxury resort wear line was born, which is now being sold success-

The owners passion for beauty in all its forms, appreciation of the joy of living and their love for hosting friends and other good people is what lead them to conceive the idea of a beautiful place filled with beautiful people (here we are referring to the inner beauty, of course;), interiors, music, food and yes, a bit of drinking included.

Is drinking healthy? Probably not, although there are schools of thought that argue that when consumed in moderation, alcohol does have some health benefits.

But without even going that far – here is their logic. If you are a tea-total – you will come, take in the laid-back pleasant environment, eat honest, healthy food, drink yummy virgin cocktails made with the finest organic fruits and vegetables and be surrounded by the pleasant company. If you do choose to have a few drinks – great, you can be sure that they will be using only the best possible ingredients that won’t lead to the whole next day being wiped out of your life. Why are they play68

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ing with the word spa in this context? Because they will bring their spa expertise to the table and popularize the concept of spa to the hip crowd that share the philosophy of living life to the full. It will be through the healthy foods, healthy non-alcoholic drinks, through creating an environment that is truly healing to the soul and through small perks like a complimentary head and shoulder massage right at your table or a “sober driver” service to take one home in your own vehicle if they have had one spa vodka cocktail too many.

likeminded people – those who appreciate a place with a soul, who like to eat and drink well and who like to socialize in a laid-back tasteful atmosphere, where the Bintang t-shirts would look out of place, just as well as heels might.”

And one last but important point: why focus on vodka for their alcohol menu? This does not only have to do with their Russian origin – although inevitably they will add a touch of Russian culture to the place by just being who they are. They explain this by saying, “at the end of the day, vodka is the purest of all alcohol, hence is least likely of all alcoholic drinks to give you a hangover, as it is free of preservatives, congeners and colouring. One scientific analysis found vodka had only a tiny amount of the toxic alcohol methanol, so is less likely to cause the unpleasant after-effects of drinking too much. So the choice is quite obvious.”

Jl Sahadewa, Br Anyar, Canggu; www.facebook.com/OaziaSpavodka

They plan to open in March-April with a series of private tasting events for OAZIA club members, so starting this spring the Canggu life will never be the same....

They also maintain that they are not creating a rustic Russia-themed place for the nostalgic Russian expats.

“It will be an eclectic cosmopolitan environment taking the best from the places we’ve visited throughout our extensive travels. The setting is a private gated environment, a designer bamboo complex tucked away in the little alley near the river in Jl Sahadewa, Br Anyar, Canggu. The music will be Mediterranean beach cafe style, the decor in signature OAZIA style – dreamy and light with a touch of Bali magic, the food – simple yet delish and made from the freshest ingredients, tapas-style, and of course an extensive virgin and vodka-based drinks menu – all reasonably priced, above your local warung but below the fancy Seminyak restaurants. Despite the vodka and the bar we don’t expect crazy parties and dancing on the tables, at least not all the time.

Everyone will be welcome, but we do expect to attract 69