I’m Gung, a Balinese from Gianyar. Every Galungan, our village transforms into a sea of gold and white: tall bamboo poles called “penjor” line the streets, each draped with young coconut leaves, rice,... Read more

I’m Hamiz, an Acehnese from Banda Aceh. Last week I joined a Saman dance workshop to celebrate Maulid Nabi. In a dim village hall, twenty of us sat cross‑legged on the floor, our palms raised in praye... Read more

I’m Siti, a Minangkabau from Padang. Our culture centers on the rumah gadang—those graceful longhouses where the roof curves like buffalo horns. Growing up, my mornings began with sunlight filtering t... Read more

I’m Putri, a Javanese from Yogyakarta. Each dawn, the soft clatter of gamelan notes drifts across the palace courtyards, beckoning me into a world of history and harmony. I grew up beneath towering te... Read more

I’m Asep, a Sundanese from Bandung. Growing up in the shadow of Mount Tangkuban Perahu, I learned to play angklung as part of my school’s evening routines. That first lesson, I shook my bamboo tubes a... Read more

I’m Debora, a Batak from Medan. When I first heard gondang, the traditional Batak drum ensemble, I felt my chest vibrate in time with the deep gendang beat. My grandmother took me to a village ceremon... Read more

I’m Rudi, a Betawi from Jakarta. Last month I joined a Palang Pintu ceremony—a ritual wedding gate cleansing where dancers in colorful costumes move to the beat of tanjidor brass bands. The music blen... Read more

I’m Martha, a Papuan from Jayapura. In my village, the Horja dance unites clans under the morning sun. Drummers strike kanda drums while dancers in feathered headdresses move with animal grace, embody... Read more

I’m Ilham, a Bugis from Makassar. Last week, I sailed on a phinisi boat replica to honor maritime ancestors. The wood planks, carved by hand, creaked as sails caught the sea breeze—just as they did ce... Read more

I’m Siti, a Madurese from Pamekasan. Each year we race karapan sapi—bulls adorned with bright tassels and bells thunder across the sand as jockeys urge them forward. I still remember the first time I ... Read more

I’m Hendra, a Dayak from Pontianak. In my tribe, we carve mandau blades with intricate motifs symbolizing rivers and forests. Each carving tells a story—of hunts, of seasons, and of ancestors guiding ... Read more

I’m Ferry, a Torajan from Rantepao. During Ma’Nene, we honor our ancestors by exhuming their mummified remains for cleaning and redressing. It sounds eerie, but it’s a profound act of love: families d... Read more

I’m Linda, a Minahasa from Manado. On thanksgiving Day, our families feast on tumpi—rice cones surrounded by dishes like ayam rica and dabu‑dabu chili sauce. My mother’s table is a riot of color and s... Read more

I’m Arman, a Banjarese from Banjarmasin. At our floating market, women in colorful kebaya barter fruits and soto banjar from small sampans. The early‑morning mist glows pink as lanterns guide boats al... Read more

I’m Dewi, a Tenggerese from Mount Bromo. Each year, during the Kasada festival, my family makes offerings of rice, flowers, and livestock—tossing them into the volcano crater to thank the gods for pro... Read more

I’m Kevin, a Chinese‑Indonesian from Glodok, Jakarta’s Chinatown. During Imlek, red lanterns sway over narrow alleys, and lion dances thunder through the streets. I’ve celebrated this festival since I... Read more

I’m Nur, a Malay from Riau. Each evening, the plaint of gambus strings drifts from kampung homes as families gather for zapin dance. My mother taught me graceful steps—heel clicks and wrist flicks—syn... Read more

I’m Rizki, a Mandar from West Sulawesi. In my village, families gather each full moon to brew tuak, a palm wine, in bamboo vats. The process begins with tapping nipa palms at dawn and ends with commun... Read more

I’m Amalia, a Gorontalese from Gorontalo. Each July, we celebrate Tulude—dressing in bright silks and parading through streets to honor gratitude and forgiveness. As children, we twirled umbrellas ado... Read more

I’m Bayu, a Cirebonese from Cirebon. I grew up hearing tales of Sunan Gunung Jati and the Keraton Kasepuhan’s timeless architecture. Last month, I joined a guided night tour, lantern in hand, as a his... Read more