Jogjamag june light by leroy sylvain

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Your Guide to Discovering Yogyakarta

#12

TAMAN SARI: The Sultan’s Secret Pleasure Park

Dragon Kite Festivalst This June 21

Hell’s Angels of Jogja

... But They Ride Scooters

Animal Friends Jogja Thinking Globally, Acting Locally

TOP 10 EVENTS 1 THIS MONTH

TOURIST DIRECTORY & MAPS

Over 1,000 local business listings www.jogjabagus.com

Contents

EDITOR’S NOTE Dear Readers, This June edition marks our 1 year anniversary. To celebrate, we have expanded our content and are introducing a fresh new layout. In the past year, we have provided tourist, expats, and English speaking Jogjans with intriguing articles, fascinating interviews, and compelling stories. We have come a long way in a short period of time, but here at JogjaMag we really feel like we are just getting started. We remain committed to bringing you the very best of Jogja each and every month, and we would like to personally thank everyone who makes it happen; contributors, advertisers, the whole JogjaMag team, and of course most of all YOU, our growing base of readers. As we step into the 2nd year, we hope you enjoy this anniversary issue, as well as the many more to come. All the best, Sylvain Leroy

JOGJAMAG STAFF FOUNDER & EDITOR CO-EDITOR CONTENT MANAGER STAFF WRITER PHOTOGRAPHER GRAPHIC DESIGNER CUSTOMER SERVICE MARKETING COVER PHOTO CONTRIBUTORS

Sylvain Leroy Erik W. Jorgensen Anna Miranti Deti Lucara Mika Guritno Atreda Wicaksi Hevri Yanti Hendro Wijanarko Sheri Radford Patrick Vanhoebrouck Cecilia Morlacchi Moko Pramusanto

PTPMA. Mindo Jl. Mrican Baru no. 1D Caturtunggal Depok Sleman Yogyakarta Tel. 0274-583064

DESTINATION OF THE MONTH

08 12 16

The Sultan’s Secret Pleasure Park INSPIRING JOGJA

Animal Friends Jogja STREET FOOD

Cheers to Gosrok Ice JOGJA UNDERGROUND

Hell’s Angels of Jogja JAVANESE WISDOM

Taman Sari: The Water Castle ADVERTORIAL

Brighter Smiles With Betel POTRAIT OF JOGJA

The Joy of Total Devotion INTERVIEW WITH A DECISION MAKER

Rendy - Frankwurst

14 18 22

TOP 10 EVENTS - JUNE 2013

What’s Happening this Month TOURIST DIRECTORY

French Quail ala Indonesia at Cupuwatu Resto JAVANESE HEALTH SECRET

Find what you’re looking for

JOGJA MAPS

City Map, Jl. Prawirotaman & Jl. Sosrowijayan

Advertise With Us

Contact: 0274-583064 (Eng) 0856-2662373 (Ind) cso@jogjastar.com

JogjaMag @jogjamag jogjamag.com

Previous Editions

restaurant - travel - guesthouse fair trade shop - yoga studio indonesian and world kitchen friday night jazz alternative tours and courses contemporary art exhibitions fair trade shop | yoga classes open daily from 7.30 am

jalan prawirotaman 30, jogjakarta, java, indonesia ph +62 274 38 65 57

www.viaviajogja.com | www.viaviacafe.com

DESTINATION OF THE MONTH

Taman Sari:

The Sultan’s Secret Pleasure Park A royal retreat complete with a concubine swimming pool Every royal family has its eccentricities and desire for the extravagant. The Sultan Hamengkubuwono I of Jogjakarta displayed his flair for the extravagance in the mid 1800’s whwen he commissioned the building of “Taman Sari” the water castle. This series of fountains, baths, and small buildings is located inside the grounds of Jogjakarta’s royal palace and can still be viewed today. When it was built the water castle was designed to be a place of leisure for the Sultan, his family, and invited friends and dignitaries. Today it is a lesser known tourist spot situated right in the heart or Jogjakarta. While the water palace was designed to accommodate the whole family, if you visit the site today you will delight in the stories local guides tell about the sites more erotic side and how “The Sultan would sit in a central tower overlooking the pool, watching his many concubines swim and play.” While the lovely ladies left long ago the water castle remains a unique sight to see. Only steps away 5

from the homes of local Javanese people, you will find yourself enjoying the royal gardens and pools as well as the sights and sounds children playing and village chickens strutting about. The words Taman Sari are derived from the Javanese words “taman”, meaning garden or park, and “sari”, meaning beautiful or flowers. The term water castle came about on account of an old Dutch article that referred to Taman Sari as a “water castle”, or waterkasteel in Dutch. Taman Sari was built in the mid-18th century by Sultan Hamengkubuwono I primarily for the purpose of relaxation and pleasure, but the building site had already been used as a bathing place called Pacethokan Spring for a number of years. At its full grandeur Taman Sari consisted of 59 buildings. These buildings included a mosque, meditation chambers, swimming pools, private bathing areas and a series water pavilions surrounded by artificial lakes. The Sultan supposedly had the project architect executed so as to keep his hidden pleasure rooms secret, but since the actual identity of the architect is up for debate, it’s probably best not besmirch the Sultan’s good name. The British

If you get lost in the Kraton area, the superbly friendly Javanese locals will point you in the right direction.

invasion of the Yogyakarta Kraton contributed to the destruction of certain parts of Taman Sari. The complex was further damaged during The Java War that took place in the 1820’s. It was damaged yet again by an earthquake in 1867. Taman Sari fell into disuse following the 1867 earthquake. Homeless eventually moved into the area and lived among the ruins until the 1970’s when the grounds were partially restored. A good amount of the complex currently lays in ruin, though the bathing pools have been fully restored. Taman Sari’s most popular attraction is undoubtedly the bathing complex area. It is also the best preserved area of Taman Sari. If you enter Taman Sari from the parking area (directions below) then you will first see the perimeter of a palace gate which opens up into a nice garden courtyard area. You will see some neat architecture adorned with dragons, followed by a few large bathing pools and the Sultan’s observation tower. You can wander 6

to the sides of the pools to enter some smaller chambers, but there isn’t too much going on inside these little rooms. The underwater tunnels located near the bathing complex area are also extremely worthwhile. Just don’t hit your head on the unique spade shaped tunnel roofs (ouch!). If you continue on straight from the main bathing area complex with the observation tower you will come to another courtyard with a small art gallery and stone walkways arranged outwards in many different directions. If you walk past the art gallery and into the village to the right you will soon find the entrance to a few underwater tunnels which are worth checking out. It can be a bit difficult to find some of the tunnels outside of the main bathing area complex as they are scattered and located within the local village community, but in many ways interacting with the locals and poking around is half the fun. There are a number of one story buildings in this area that can only be entered through underwater tunnels. The Gumuling Well, known as Sumur Gumuling in Bahasa Indonesia, is probably the most captivating of the structures. The well has a circular underground pathway and a raised platform with steps in the middle. The well was previously used as a mosque. Taman Sari isn’t a huge time commitment, but you may find yourself wandering through the small village streets and exploring the pools and tunnels for longer than you anticipated. Entrance to the site costs Rp. 5,000. There are some quasi-official tour guides that speak some English. You can hire one of them for some background information, but be aware of any batik art gallery recommendations from these guides as they take a commission and will quickly hurry you away from the site and to the gallery. The complex is open from 8 AM until around 3:30 PM. Jonathan Weintraub

DIRECTIONS Scan me for directions to Tamansari The Water Castle

INSPIRING JOGJA

Animal Friends Jogja Animal Friends Jogja is dedicated to helping abandoned and mistreated animals in Jogjakarta. It’s a task that demands helping individually and changing our mindset as a society. The ethical treatment of animals is a global issue and is not unique to Jogja. But sometimes labeling an issue “global” just makes it easier to dismiss from our everyday lives and leave for someone else to fix. We forget that in order to address global issues we have to act individually and within our own communities. Jogja Animal Friends (AFJ) has taken this community driven hands on approach to address the ethical treatment of animals. The AFJ started in 2009 with practically nothing in terms of human resources, funding, and facilities. Armed with a caring heart they have been fighting for animal rights ever since, helping to solve a global problem one animal at a time. When the AFJ was started the idea was simple. The six founders each contributed 100k IDR every month to help cover the cost of the animals they rescued. Their goal was to givea bandoned and mistreated animals a second chance. To give them temporary shelter, some proper food, and lots of careuntil the animals were able to find a kindhearted family to adopt Website: them.Unfortunately, the animalfriendsjogja.org easiest part of all this was Facebook: finding animals in need. Animal Friends Jogja Many family pets are kicked Twitter: out if they become sick. Many @AnimalFriendsYK more animals find themselves on the streets at a young age because families can’t afford to sterilize their pets or take care of their offspring. Others animals in need find their way to AFJ because they were abused and mistreated. 8

When I meet with Inna one of the founders of AFJ I began to see the scope of this issue. For her treating abused and abandoned animals is easy, what she finds most difficult is changing the mindset that lies at the root of this problem. “In today’s way of thinking,animals were created to meet human needs in term of food, clothing, entertainment, and medical testing. They are seen as objects than can be treated harshly and that is why we see so many animals in need.” When I spoke to her more about this societal mindset she said that it is so ingrained in some people’s minds that the AFJ often meets opposition on the way to rescue animals. Despite the fact that they are just trying to help, the mere idea of treating an animal as anything other than an object scares some people and they often react with scorn and occasionally even threats. When Ina was asked what is the future vision of AFJ, the answer I was received surprised me. “We want to dissolve. When such an organizations as ours is no longer needed it means that animal cruelty has ended. So please, respect and look after other living things and let us close down this organization and retire peacefully,” If we act locally and take some personal action hopefully this AFJ can close its doors sometime very soon. Deti Lucara

4 Ways you can stop animal cruelty: 1. Adopt a pet instead of buying one from a pet shop. 2. Give a hand to any unfortunate animals you meet. 3. Support AFJ or similiar local organizations by becoming a volunteer or by giving a donation. 4. Teach our children to love and cherish our furry companions.

STREET FOOD

Cheers to

GOSROK ICE

A refreshing old-school drink that puts a smile on your face. Jogjakarta is a city of endless charm. It offers a million stories in every corner. Sometimes the charm of it can be found in a glass of a refreshing drink sold from a cart you might find on the street. One of those nostalgic drinks sold by street vendors is called gosrok ice. The grating of ice is referred to as “srok srok” (you will see these words on the street carts) and that’s why this drink came to be called gosrok. Gosrok ice was a very popular drink in the 1980’s. Elementary school children were once very fond of this drink. This traditional drink is made from simple ingredients, such as coconut milk, sugar, tape (fermented cassava) and shredded ice. The taste of the drink is quite unique. It is a combination of sweet, savory and slightly sour, combined with a refreshing addition of ice that makes this drink a lasting cure for thirst during the day. There is nothing complicated about this drink. It is easily prepared and presented. This simpleness contributes to its unique quality. Gosrok ice is served in a large glass with white bread as a complement. Some vendors dice the bread and mix it into the drink, while other vendors present the bread on a small plate, allowing customers to enjoy the bread at their own pace. The number of gosrok ice vendors in Jogja has decreased dramatically in recent times. The popularity of gosrok has declined as a the number of drink options has increased. Some vendors inherited the gosrok business from their uncles or parents, who were the first-generation of gosrok vendors. One vendor who is still going strong today, named Bu Hevi, can be found on Jl. DI. Panjaitan, which is only about two km west of the popular tourist street, Jl. Pawirotaman. This drink is available during the day until about 4:00 p.m. One large glass of gosrok is only Rp. 2000. 10

If you want to try this drink go to Jl. DL Panjaitan, one of the few places this historic drink can still be found. Although no longer as popular as it once was, gosrok still has a good amount of fans. Every day Bu Hevi serves dozens of customers, stopping by to simply quench their thirst or because they have a yearning for that old time gosrok taste. For the elder citizens of Jogja, gosrok is more than just a drink. Gosrok brings on a powerful nostalgic feeling of youth. Maybe this was a drink they enjoyed with their husband or wife on their first date. Or maybe they used to enjoy it while chatting with their best friend after school. A glass of gosrok can certainly spur many stories and memories. If you find yourself walking down Jl. DI. Panjaitan under the shade of the trees be sure to stop in on Bu Hevi to try this refreshing, classic drink. Deti Lucara

UNDERGROUND JOGJA

Hell’s Angels of Jogja ... But They Ride Scooters. When A Sticker Saved A Life According to a popular story, a scooterist crashed in the small town of Muntilan, about 40 km from Jogjakarta. A bystander recognized a sticker on the scooter showing the symbol of a scooter club in Jogja. He called a scooterist based in Muntilan, who contacted the chairman of the Mataram Scooter Club (MSC) in Jogjakarta. Soon, several members of the club appeared on the scene of the crash. They acted quickly to assist their injured comrade, driving him to the hospital, dealing with the police, and contacting the family. This is just one small example of the solidarity and bond among members of the MSC in Jogjakarta and scooter clubs like it all over Indonesia. Whenever a scooter rider sees another rider having issues with his machine, the former will always stop to assist, regardless of whether or not they know each other. This unspoken code seems particularly pronounced amongst Vespa riders. In the Jogja scooter community, every one of the 1,186 members considers each other family. When a member gets married, each district has a different tradition to celebrate the happy occasion. “If a member gets married in the Imogiri district, the bride and groom both ride scooters around the city followed by dozens or even hundreds of scooters in tow,” says Giyok, a member of the MSC. This sense of duty and solidarity often extends outside the community. Scooter clubs are keen to support social causes with the proceeds derived from membership dues. They are always ready to act quickly to help victims of natural disasters and promote blood drives. Similar to the infamous Hell’s Angels, local scooter clubs support those in need. 12

On a typical Saturday night, the MSC’s Jogja chapter can be found with their rides on Jl. Pasar Kembang, north of Malioboro. “In the Jogjakarta area, we have five districts for the scooter community. Those who are in the city district gather at this spot every weekend, while those from other districts have their own hangout spots,” says Adi, the chairman of MSC Jogja. With a little luck and good timing, you may see some exciting scooter maneuvers on the quiet streets of Jogjakarta after midnight. For MSC members, an authentic scooter and a cool evening with close friends are what makes life beautiful--just like their well-loved vintage scooters. Deti Lucara

JAVANESE WISDOM

Taman Sari: The Water Castle

MAHAMBEG MRING WARIH

Imitate the nature of water The construction of Tamansari gives insight into Javanese spirituality. For a sense of how Javanese royal architecture gives insight into indigenous Javanese ideas of spirituality and cosmology, look no further than Taman Sari, the Water Temple. To set the stage, it is important to first understand the role that the chosen Raja (King) plays when he is installed as the uppermost leader of all Javanese citizens. In the Javanese traditional worldview, the belief is that the right candidate to the throne is the one who possesses divine wahyu (right to rule). As such, the selected king is considered God King, backed by a divine blessing to preside over his people. To assume this role, a leader must show himself as a courageous and wise secular ruler, but this is just the beginning of the credentials list. According to Javanese wisdom, he should also manifest himself as a container of spiritual sakti (power). Since ancient times, generations of Javanese rulers and heirs to the throne have popularly demonstrated their skill to publicly display this sakti and henceforth be seen as the container of the divine wahyu to rule on earth. Historical characters in the genealogy of the present Yogyakarta Sultan mention, for example, the ascetic Brahman King Prabu Airlangga (11th century) or the clairvoyant King Joyoboyo (12th century). In the 16th century, the beloved founders 14

of the present Mataram Dynasty displayed their sakti with unquestionable authority over friends and foe alike, which, along with their believed spiritual laku (perfection), showed their status and right as the chosen leaders more than any other quality or characteristic. Another concept to bear in mind while strolling through Taman Sari is the Javanese belief in the lahir batin interaction, whereby all microcosmic features are manifestations of macrocosmic or universal truths…or at least they should be. The rationale behind this spiritual practice is the idea of a consequent perception, whereby a human mind can fathom the true grandeur of godly creations and dynamics only if they are reproduced in a material manifestation on earth. As a consequence of this worldview, it is not surprising that kings legitimated their rule by building palaces and other constructions that reminded the population of divine worlds in a symbolic manner. From geographical orientation to shapes and ornaments, many buildings in the Mataram Empire of Yogyakarta were built on cosmological concepts. The present day Kraton, Tugu tower, and the Taman Sari Water Temple are clear examples of this. If you visit Taman Sari it is easy to see and label the site as a “pleasure garden” for the Sultans and their families. The complex of gardens, pavilions, baths and walls symbolizes the world’s oceans, continents, and mountains, and represents a mirror image of the macrocosmos on earth. The major pools, which

have since disappeared, reproduced the southern ocean, while the curious underwater galleries gave an impression of the inside of the Queen of the South Seas’ (Laut) palace under the waves. Highrise ornamented gates, and the once huge Kenanga building (now ruins) on top of an artificial hill reminded the onlooker of the Mahameru Mountain of sacred texts, where the Bathara Guru (Upper God) and his court of Dewa’s live and rule the universe.

A royal poem from the 17th century further reads: “Water also has tremendous power. With continuous drops of water, will be able to destroy a stone. Of that philosophy, we can learn to live in this world by putting forward the gentle nature of water in a pool; with tenderness we’ll find a way to achieve wisdom (Jumeneng Sepuh) in answer to all the problems following wave dynamics. Solve all problems by mimicking the softness of the water.”

The Sultan had private baths built to suit himself and his harem of beautiful girls, which no doubt had its strictly human advantages, but the pools and their use were also made to reproduce an image of the Suroloyo (Highest Deity) surrounded by Widadaris (heavenly nymphs) of extreme beauty and kindness. The Sumur Gumuling, or Underwater

Mosque, contained a sacred spring beneath the fantastic work of staircases, forming a floating platform where the Sultan would meditate and replicate himself inside the Ratu Kidul undersea palace off the southern coast. Private apartments for the Sultan and his concubines are built above small canals of pure spring-water, and here, according to spiritualists, the King would meet and consummate his relationship with the Spirit Queen. Javanese philosophy focuses on the importance of a human being’s capacity to unite spiritually with the four basic elements of life: water, fire, earth and wind. The water element is the perfect binding media between all four elements, and seen to link all continents on the globe without interruption. As such, a spiritual mastery of this element is primordial in Javanese mysticism; allowing for supernatural travel and communication over arbitrary distances. According to traditional Javanese wisdom, water is soothing; it fulfills the needs of all living things in the universe. It always flows from higher to lower areas and adjusts itself to gravity in order to contribute to fertility that can give strength in life. Therefore the water will bring beauty to and from the King’s park, like his daughter who visits the baths, and will soulfully emanate her beauty around the world. When we understand some of the spiritual history behind Taman Sari, we come away with a deeper and richer understanding of both the place and the people that created it. If you visit Taman Sari, take a moment to look at it from a metaphysical stance. If you go with a guide or local, ask them to explain the sites’ cosmological significance. You will come away with a fuller perspective and more enjoyable experience. Moko Pramusanto and Patrick Vanhoebrouck

ADVERTORIAL

French Quail à la Indonesia at

CUPUWATU RESTO

Perfectly portioned and delicious French-style quail! Quack, quack! What’s that? It’s beautifully executed quail right here in provincial Java. Indonesia’s culinary tradition encompasses a diverse selection of fare spanning across the archipelago. Quail is usually associated with French and European cuisine, but now you can find it right here at Jogjakarta’s Cupuwatu Resto. Cupuwatu Resto is located in northeast Jogja and is a culinary paradise offering sumptuous portions of quail cooked in a variety of different styles. We had a chance to meet up with Rista, Cupuwatu’s manager, who explained the role of quail in Indonesian cuisine. Quail has always been a part of Indonesian, but the local quail that is prepared in Indonesia is

usually small-bodied. Cupuwatu serves high quality, tender French Quail that is large and in charge. The dish, called Malon, is Cupuwatu’s signature dish. Malon is a shortened version of the words “Manuk Londo”. Manuk Londo is Javanese for “foreign bird” (Manuk means bird and Londo means foreign). In the hands their seasoned chef, Malon is cooked in a variety of styles, including Indonesian, Western and pan-Asian. “We present a wide range of quail cuisines, to add a new color and enrich the culinary world,” Rista says. Cupuwatu Resto served up a Western style, Malon barbeque, a Peking Malon, and two Indonesian style Malon dishes called Malon Bumbu Kuning and Malon Bakar Klaten. Malon Barbeque and Malon Bumbu Kuning are some of the most in demand Malon dishes. On weekends, Cupuwatu maintains a special menu that changes every week.

Cupuwatu Resto is located on Jalan Solo Km.11,8 Komplek Grand Cupuwatu Kecamatan Kalasan Kabupaten Sleman, Jogjakarta.

If delicious quail isn’t really your thing Cupuwatu has other options for you, including a variety of Indonesian dishes served buffet style for instant gratification. The buffet table is meant for a quick exit for customers that have places to be, just grab some food from the buffet and hop back on your scooter! If you have some more time, the grilled Malon with barbeque seasoning or Malon Bumbu Kuning/Malon Bakar Klaten is worth the wait. The various traditional spice drinks such as Beer Cupu, Wedhang Secang, Wedhang Uwuh, Poci Tea and Bajigur, are quite refreshing and will entertain your taste buds while you wait for your special quail dish. Wedhang Secang and Uwuh are a kind of Indonesian tea and Bajigur is a kind of sweet Sundanese drink. “Having a Wedhang on our balcony in the evening makes for an intimate and relaxing moment,” Rista says. The balcony is a superb spot for young people to have a romantic candle light dinner. Set in a modern, multi-story building, Cupuwatu Resto, established in January of this year, offers a truly welcoming and cozy place to unwind for travelers scooting about around Jogjakarta, as well as a smart stop for those who are touring the temples in eastern Jogja such as Prambanan, Ratu Boko or Kalasan temple. It’s key location on Jalan Solo, the main road connecting the big hubs of Jogjakarta and Solo, makes this restaurant an important addition to any itinerary in the Eastern part of Jogja. Cupuwatu Resto is about a 30 minute ride from downtown Jogja. The restaurant’s cozy atmosphere, friendly service, and delicious cuisine is worth the ride. The restaurant also offers Wi-Fi access, a musholla, and a meeting room with a capacity of up to 100 people. Deti Lucara.

JAVANESE HEALTH SECRET

Brighter Smiles With Betel Nginang is the chewing of betel leaves mixed with herbs or spices. Historically, nginang was commonly practiced by people on the islands of Java and Bali. It was also found in Batak, North Sumatera, where it was called Napuran. In East Borneo, the chewing of betel leaves and spices has a long history dating back to the 9th century. Nginang is truly an ancient Indonesian practice. Since Indonesia has a richly diverse selection of herbs and plant life, the habit of chewing betel leaves combined with other materials such as tobacco, areca nut and gambier, was often common practice in times past.

Want to give Nginang a try. just ask a taxi driver to take you to Beringharjo traditional market, where you can find the ingredients.

I frequently see many older folks in Java, including my late grandmother, actively chewing betel leaves. When she reached the age of 96 years old, my grandmother’s teeth were still intact and powerful. She had no issues chewing solid food because of her strong teeth. How could grandma have such strong teeth at 96 years old? The answer is nginang. Nginang is known to serve as a remedy for many dental problems and it is also particularly well known as a prophylactic to protect teeth from wearing away or perforating. Now a days, we rarely see Javanese people practicing nginang and the 18

Chew your way to good teeth

perception of the activity, particularly among young people, has become quite negative. Nginang is often viewed as a dirty practice. Nginang isn’t just good for dental health, but it is also an exotic activity to be enjoyed in and of itself. Nginang involves chewing betel leaves “peppered” with injet (quicklime), jambe, and gambier. Adding tobacco as the finishing touch, along with magnolia leaves as a fragrance, creates a unique and foreign sensation for the chewer. All these ingredients blend together in the mouth to generate a novel experience with the added benefit of making your lips red. Nginang or nyuruh contains five elements consisting of betel leaves, injet, gambier, tobacco and magnolia leaves. The elements are a symbol of the four cardinal directions with one center point. Chewing the betel leaves is bitter, but, in Javanese tradition, the bitter taste is something to be enjoyed and appreciated. Javanese ancestors teach us to face reality no matter how hard that reality is and to enjoy all of the bad times in life calmly and patiently. There is an expression in Javanese that says, “Nginang karo ngilo”. This expression means that we should enjoy the bitterness of life while at the same time possess the ability to reflect and look within ourselves. Anyhow, if you want your teeth to remain intact until old age you should start chewing nginang right now. Moko Pramusanto

3 easy steps to chewing betel leaves: 1. Take 1 to 2 betel leaves. 2. Put whitening (sodium bicarbonate), young betel nut, and gambier in the middle of the leaves and wrap them up tight. 3. Chew your little betel leaf ball to shreds. To clean your teeth, use tobacco, which helps relieve the hot sensation from the betel leaves.

PORTRAIT OF JOGJA

The Sultan’s Servant In the sweltering afternoon sun, he sits cross-legged on the ground, guarding a big gate leading into the Kesatrian area in the complex of Jogjakarta Palace. With his head bowed to the ground humbly, he shows his complete respect for the building in front of him--an open joglo, a place where supernatural powers supposedly meet. Once in a while he looks up at the tourists visiting the Palace, greeting them with a friendly smile as they pass through the gate that he so dutifully guards. Kliwon Mangku Prayitno is a “Pengirit” or an individual that is responsible for guarding the Kesatrian area, a place where the Prince once lived. However, since Sri Sultan X has no son, this area is not not currently in use. This man is highly respected, as the name of “Kliwon” is used as a title earned by a servant after demonstrating his loyalty to the Sultan by serving him for at least 30 years. At the end of the day, I saw many other pengirit, guarding different areas, hand over their keys to Kliwon. In fact, Kliwon is responsible for guarding all of the keys in the Palace complex. The devotion and loyalty of the servants in Sultan’s Palace (locals refer to them as “Abdi Dalem”) can be difficult to understand. These guards are barely paid a livable wage, with their salaries only affording them the ability to buy two portions of fried rice per day. During the first four years of service, Abdi Dalem must undergo a period of apprenticeship (called Sowan Bekti), where they do not receive a salary at all. “Abdi Dalem must be a bunch of crazy people, don’t you think?,” Kliwon jokes.

Kliwon has devoted his life to guarding the sultan When I asked what makes thousands Abdi Dalem so faithful to the Sultan for decades, Kliwon told me that for him personally his devotion gives him strength. The locals believe that the Sultan and his Palace are the center of energy for Javanese spirituality. This energy nurtures, protects, strengthens and refreshes the soul of everyone that comes under its shade. “Like a charger, the energy that radiates from the palace refills my soul every day”, he explains. This feeling of knowing and duty can be referred to as the charisma, giving confidence and selfassuredness to its believers. This constant dedication and inner strength helped Kliwon to ably handle an angry mob that came to Palace in 1998, demanding that the Sultan play a more active role in the struggle to overthrow the dictatorial President, Suharto. The police and the army eventually appeared to prevent the mob from entering the Palace, but Kliwon, the first line of defense, a solitary figure, shouted aloud, and miraculously stopped the mob’s movement and forced them to sit cross-legged and follow his orders. “It was amazing, I felt as though I had a super power like in the films,” he said with a chuckle. His super natural abilities aside, Kliwon is really a down to earth person. He takes everything lightly, as if life presents no obstacles or troubles. He uses humor to lighten his load during decades of devotion to the Sultan. His warm laughter makes me wonder how important wealth really is in finding happiness and contentment in this strange world. Deti Lucara

INTERVIEW WITH DECISION MAKER

RENDY FIRMAN

MANAGER OF FRANK WURST GERMAN RESTAURANT JM: Frank Wurst is the first German restaurant in Jogja. Can you tell us about how the restaurant came about? We wanted to introduce western food, especially German cuisine to Jogjakarta people, with the menu’s mainstay of sausages. We especially want to educate locals about authentic sausage, which is very different from the commonly eaten sausage here. Indonesian sausages are usually small and wrapped in plastic. And the taste is not really very good, as the meat used is not pure meat, but mixed with flour in large quantities. The real sausages we serve here at Frank Wurst are big, 100% meat sausages wrapped in a natural casing.

Address : Jl. Sabirin 22, Kotabaru, Yogyakarta Tel: 0274 - 561913 Facebook: Frankwurst Yogyakarta Twitter: @Frankwurstjogja

“Big juicy sausages at Frank Wurst’s! Get your protein!”

JM: How long has Frank Wurst been in business and how have the locals responded so far? The restaurant officially opened in August 2012, and the public response has been very good. On a long weekend or during the high season we are usually overwhelmed actually, sometimes customers have to wait to get a table. A few months after opening we added more tables to accommodate our customers’ demand. The restaurant’s clientele is diverse also about 50% Indonesian and 50% foreigners. JM: Can you tell us a bit about the concept of the restaurant? We wanted to bring the feel of an old-fashioned German house to the restaurant. There are many items with flora theme in our decorations, such as a sofa, lampshades and vases with flowers on each table. We use the flowers to create the homey atmosphere. In addition, there are some old German posters we hang on the wall, as well as some old floor tiles, which are meant to create a vintage ambiance. We want our guests to feel like they are at grandma’s house in the German countryside while they enjoy some typical German food. JM: Speaking of typical German food, what are the Frank Wurst signature dishes? Our main dishes are typical German wurst or sausage, such as Beef Bockwurst, Veal Bratwurst, Chicken Bratwurst and

Lam Marquel. One of the most popular items is the Chicken Spiral. The texture of this spiraled chicken sausage is chunky. This provides a strong chicken meat taste. Our dishes are cooked with the best seasoning and by an experienced chef. The result is exceptional flavor. We also have a super-sized sausage which is 30 cm long. In addition to the sausage main courses, we offer a wide selection of appetizers, salads, desserts and beverages. We import all of our sausage meat directly from Germany. So our meat is processed by German people using standard German spices and herbs. JM: Can you tell us about your staff and your customer service approach? I have always made it clear to all of the waiters that attentiveness and respect toward every guest is important.The waiters are a representation of the restaurant as a whole, therefore they must be friendly and make sure that all guests feel comfortable here. The results of our customer customer service approach have been quite good, as many of our guests become regular customers. In fact, there are some regular guests that ask to be served by specific waiters. This means the relationship between the guest and our waiters is very close and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exactly what we strive for. JM: What about the guest facilities available at Frank Wurst? Our restaurant is divided into several rooms so guests can choose to sit in whichever room they please. There is an outdoor space, a space on the veranda, a space in the living room, an air-conditioned room inside, as well as a meeting space for business meetings. Our restaurant is also equipped with Wi-Fi access, a musholla and a spacious parking lot that can accommodate cars and buses. JM: What are the restaurantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s goals and aspirations for the future? For Jogja I would like to add a cooking class so that those who are interested in learning more about German cuisine can learn from the best. In October we are planning to host an Octoberfest gathering, which is an annual German beer and sausage festival. Our plan is to make this event an annual tradition at Frank Wurst. Lots of beer and sausage, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to be a lot of fun. Deti Lucara

Top 10 Events June 2013

Dialogue Machine

June 7th 2013

Time: 01.00am Place: Republic Positiva, Jl. Malioboro 60, Yogyakarta Entrance Fee: IDR 50K plus beverage This special collaboration event has DJ Arie and DJ Pull Smith together on the same stage. These two prominent DJs have years of experience and a strong following both in Indonesia and abroad. This collaboration entitled “Dialogue Machine” will remix their previous work, present some new pieces, and showcase their floor filling skills.

Labuhan

June 9th-10th, 2013

Merapi Traditional Ceremony Time: 08.00am Place: Mount Merapi Yogyakarta Phone: (0274) 869613 (Yogyakarta Tourism Department) Entrance Fee: Free Traditional Javanese rituals are always filled with their own unique mystical charm. Labuhan Merapi is held annualy every rejeb in commemoration of leadreship Ndalem Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X. This celebration sees thousands of people bringing flowers and offerings so that the people who live on the slopes of Merapi and the surrounding Jogjakarta area can live in safety.

Contemporary Circus

June 13th, 2013

(Theme : Disini, Sekarang dan Disana!) Time: 07.00pm Place: Gedung Societet Militair Taman Budaya Yogyakarta, Jl. Sriwedani No.1 Yogyakarta Phone: (0274) 523512 Entrance Fee: Free After two successful Printemps Français tours in 2011 and 2012, Chabatz d’Entrar and the whole group are back this time to collaborate with Indonesian artists. This show will feature Chabatz d’Entrar as they use daily goods such as stilts and bamboo to create the effect of a fragile balance.

Contemporary Music

June 20th, 2013

by Naïve New Beaters Time: 07.00pm Place: IFI Yogyakarta, Jl. Sagan No.3 Yogyakarta Phone: (0274) 566520 Entrance Fee: Free Naive New Beaters (NNBS), a music group from Paris consists of three young “old-fashioned and eccentric” musicians who have been friends since high school. This group mixes electro pop, indie rock, and hip-hop music with big guitar sound. Check out their latest album, La Onda, before you see them live on the 20th.

International Dragon Kite Festival

June 21st - 23rd, 2013

Time: 09.00am Place: Parang Kusumo Beach Yogyakarta Phone: (0274) 566520 Entrance Fee: Free The exciment of watching the sky full of kites does not only belong to children. Everyone can celebrate the International Dragon Kite Festival, where the participants will compete to design, build, and fly their work, the dragon kite at least 40 meters length. 24

June 21st -23rd , 2013

International Dragon Kite Festival Time: 09.00 am Place: Parang Kusumo Beach Yogyakarta Entrance Fee: Free The exciment of watching the sky full of kites does not belong only to children. Everyone can celebrate the International Dragon Kite Festival, where the participants will compete to design, build, and fly their works of art. This years dragon kite is said to be over 40 meters length. WOW!

June 22nd 2013

Dragon Boat Festival Time: 08.00am-04.00pm Place: Pantai Parangtritis and Bendung, Bantul Yogyakarta Phone: (0274) 587486 Entrance Fee: Free The dragon boat rowing contest is part of the Peh Cun celebration and is a must see this June. Peh Cun is a Chinese tradition to tribute the heroic Khut Gwam. This event is open to the public. Takes place on Parangtritis beach and will also contain some live performances such as barongsai dance and dragon kite flying. June 25th - July 5th 2013

Yogyakarta Art Festival (FKY) Time: Open at 03.00pm Place: Benteng Vredeburg Yogyakarta Jl. Jenderal A. Yani No. 6 Phone: (0274) 586934, 085327510656 Entrance Fee: Free Visiting Jogjakarta is not complete without shopping for a wide variety of crafts from talented artisans. Visit Yogyakarta Art Festival (FKY) on 25th June - 5th July, in Verdeburg Fort. This year theme is “RECREATION”. June 29th 2013

Soundrenaline 2013 Musical Performance Time: 07.00pm Place: Maguwoharjo Stadium, Sleman Yogyakarta Entrance Fee: Rp.25,000,It’s time to rock Indonesian style with “Soundrenaline 2013”. Entering its 11th year as Jogja’s biggest rock concert, Soundrenaline 2013 title is “A Journey Of Rock Harmony” and boasts some legendary musicians like Dewa 19, Ari Lasso, Noah, Netral, Pas band, /rif, Koil, Superman Is Dead, Potlot, Slank , BIP as well as several other big band names.

Every Friday

Jazz at Via-Via (Friday Night Jazz) Time: 08.00 - 11.00 pm Place: Via Via Café and Resto Jl. Prawirotaman 30, Yogyakarta Phone : (0274) 386557 Entrance Fee: Free The meeting between Western and Eastern cultures always creates something unique. This weekly Jazz set entitled “East Meets West” happens every Friday at 8pm until 11pm in Via Via Cafe. Enjoy the live music performances while having some drinks with friends.

TOURIST