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About
Bali, The Komodo Islands, And The Indonesian Language
About Indonesia
Gaining a deeper understanding of Indonesia's culture and history will significantly enrich your travel experience, allowing you to engage on a deeper and more authentic level with the unique traditions, arts, spirituality and people of the world's largest archipelago.
Ancient Bali
The original Balinese people are believed to descend from Austronesian-speaking migrants who came to Bali thousands of years ago, likely from Taiwan or Southeast Asia. Their culture was characterized by a strong emphasis on agriculture, especially wet-rice farming, which remains central to Balinese society to this day.
As early as the 9th century, the ancient Balinese developed the now-famous SUBAK IRRIGATION SYSTEM, a complex water distribution system comprised of canals and dams that regulate the division of irrigation flows throughout the island and ensure that water reaches all rice field areas. Today, Bali’s celebrated Subak System is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage practice, and travellers from all over the world traverse the island to admire the terraced rice fields that have been made possible by the ingenuity of the ancient Balinese people.
Arrival of the Javanese and the rise of Hinduism in Bali
In the 1st century, Indian traders introduced Hinduism on the island of Java (Bali’s neighbouring island), and, by the 5th century, Java was predominantly a Hindu-Buddhist island. In the 13th century, the MAJAPAHIT EMPIRE rose to become the most powerful Hindu-Buddhist kingdom in Java and claimed to rule over all of the island for the next three centuries.
However, the Majapahit Empire sharply declined in the early 16th century as Islam began to rapidly spread across Java. Islamic sultanates gradually began replacing Hindu dynasties throughout the island, and all vestiges of Java’s Hindu-Buddhist heritage were systematically destroyed.
The eventual collapse of the Hindu Majapahit Empire in Java set off a large-scale migration of Hindu-Javanese elites, including royal families, priests, artists, and scholars, who escaped to Bali to seek refuge and preserve their Hindu culture. As a result, the Island of Bali became a safe haven for Javanese Hindus in the 16th century.
The arrival of Hindu-Javanese refugees and royalty in Bali after the fall of Java’s Majapahit Empire introduced new religious, artistic, and architectural influences in Bali. These layered onto the existing culture, enhancing the island’s spiritual, social, and cultural fabric. The early Balinese people had centred their spiritual life around animistic beliefs, ancestor worship, and a strong reverence for nature and spirits. With the arrival of Hinduism, these beliefs were transformed to create Bali’s unique version of Hinduism - “Agama Hindu Dharma.” – a syncretic faith which combines elements of native animism and imported Hindu practices.
The resulting Balinese identity thus draws from both indigenous Austronesian traditions and centuries of Hindu-Javanese contributions, creating a distinct, rich heritage unique to Bali.
Dutch colonisation in Indonesia and its effects on Bali
Dutch colonial expansion in Indonesia began in 1602 and ended in 1942, a period of 340 years.
The Dutch began their appropriation of the Indonesian archipelago in the early 17th century, initially focused on controlling Java and the Spice Islands (Maluku) for their valuable resources, particularly spices like nutmeg and cloves. Over the centuries, the Dutch East India Company (VOC) and later the Dutch government consolidated control over other Indonesian islands, slowly transforming the islands into the “Dutch East Indies.”
Notwithstanding the Dutch presence in the Indonesian archipelago, Bali remained independent until well into the 19th century due to its isolated position and the fierce independence of its local kingdoms. However, in the 1840s, the Dutch finally turned their attention to Bali and the first military campaigns commenced on the island.
Despite the best efforts of the Dutch, Balinese kings resisted colonial control with ferocity. This resistance culminated in two major events known as the PUPUTAN (“fight to the death”), in which Balinese royals, nobles, and warriors performed ritual suicides rather than surrender to Dutch forces. The first Puputan occurred in Denpasar in 1906, and a second took place in Klungkung in 1908, each resulting in a horrific death toll for the Balinese. These events became highly symbolic of Balinese resilience and honour in the face of colonial aggression.
Following these tragic episodes, the Dutch gained full control over Bali, but, unlike other parts of Indonesia, where the Dutch imposed strict colonial rules, they chose a relatively hands-off approach in Bali, emphasizing cultural preservation over direct control. The Dutch promoted Bali as a “living museum” of Hindu-Javanese traditions, and encouraged the preservation of Bali’s unique customs, dance, and architecture.
Japanese occupation of Bali during World War II
In 1942, Japan invaded Bali as part of its broader campaign in the Asia-Pacific during World War II. The Japanese occupation disrupted Dutch rule across Indonesia, including Bali, where Japanese forces imposed strict control and influenced local nationalist sentiments. Balinese leaders and youth groups began organizing resistance, influenced by Japanese-promoted nationalist ideals that spurred thoughts of Indonesian unity and independence.
The Japanese occupation was brief, but it had lasting effects, as it weakened Dutch control and heightened Indonesian aspirations for independence. Japanese forces surrendered in 1945, and on August 17, 1945, Indonesia declared independence.
Post-War Struggle for Independence
The post-war years were marked by fierce struggles between Indonesian nationalists and Dutch forces attempting to regain control. In Bali, one of the most significant acts of resistance occurred at the PUPUTAN MARGARANA in 1946. Led by the Balinese hero, I Gusti Ngurah Rai, local forces engaged in a final, symbolic stand against Dutch troops. This event, like the earlier Puputans, underscored Bali’s determination to resist foreign domination.
By 1949, international pressure and the Indonesian National Revolution forced the Netherlands to formally recognise Indonesia’s independence. Bali became part of the Republic of Indonesia, and it was fully integrated into the nation as a province in 1958.
The Beginning of Tourism in Bali
Bali’s rise as one of the world’s leading tourist destinations began in the early 20th century, long before Indonesia had gained independence from Dutch colonial rule.
Perhaps surprisingly, Bali came to the attention of the world as a result of the actions of a relatively small group of individuals. Notably . . .
In 1912, German photographer, Gregor Krause, arrived in Bali and shot the first images of the island. His photographs portrayed the island’s unique culture and landscape, sparking Western fascination worldwide. This set the stage for early tourism, and the Dutch colonial administration began promoting Bali as an exotic destination, especially focusing on Singaraja, the northern region of the island.
In the 1930s, German painter, Walter Spies, arrived in Bali, intrigued by its culture. Spies' paintings documented Balinese life and nature, influencing perceptions of Bali as an artistic haven. His collaborations with anthropologist Margaret Mead and painter Rudolf Bonnet helped to establish Ubud as a centre for art and culture.
In 1932, Charlie Chaplin visited Bali during a trip across Asia, capturing international attention. Chaplin’s accounts and admiration for Balinese culture further heightened Bali’s allure as a remote paradise, drawing travellers with an interest in the arts and anthropology.
These early events set the stage for tourism in Bali and established the island’s reputation as an “Island of the Gods,” – a reputation that Bali has maintained to this day. A century after the first tourists arrived in Bali, it still stands as a beacon of culture, spirituality, and natural beauty.
Bali’s journey is one of resilience, adaptation, and cultural preservation. From ancient roots and colonial resistance to embracing tourism and modern challenges, the Balinese people remain deeply connected to their traditions.
Today, Bali is one of the 38 provinces of the Republic of Indonesia, with a population of approximately 4.5 million.
The million-year history of the Komodo Dragon
In 1910, Lieutenant Jacques Karel Henri van Steyn van Hensbroek was stationed on Flores Island in eastern Indonesia within the Dutch colonial administration, when he received word of a “land crocodile” of unusually large size living in the nearby Komodo Islands.
Intrigued, he set out to Komodo to investigate for himself. He returned with a photo and the skin of the animal, which he sent to Pieter Ouwens, then director of the Java Zoological Museum in Bogor, Java. The animal was not a crocodile of any sort, but a large monitor lizard. Ouwens realised that this animal was new to science and published the first formal description of Varanus komodoensis (which we now know as the Komodo Dragon) in 1912.
Although fossils of giant varanids had been known since the mid-1800s, the discovery that giant lizards were still among us, albeit on a few isolated islands in far-away Southeast Asia, was met with fascination and excitement. Zoologists set out to collect more specimens, some of which were even brought back to Europe alive, and various aspects of their biology were studied.
The discovery is even said to have been the inspiration behind the movie, King Kong.
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But it wasn’t until 1969, when herpetologist, Walter Auffenberg, published his seminal work, The Behavioral Ecology of the Komodo Monitor, that serious long-term study of the Komodo Dragon began.
Early studies suggested that, a million years ago, the only large herbivores present in the Komodo Islands were pygmy elephants (aka dwarf elephants). This led some scientists to believe that Komodo Dragons had evolved from a small-sized ancestor, and only evolved larger body sizes after their arrival in the Komodo Islands. In the absence of mammalian carnivores, a larger body size would enable Komodo Dragons to fill the niche of top predator in the hunt for pygmy elephants.
In recent decades, however, Komodo Dragon fossils dating back 3 million years have been found in Australia, and these fossils indicate that the Komodo Dragons of 3 million years ago were similar in size to Komodo Dragons living today. From these ancient fossils, scientist have now ascertained that (1) Komodo Dragons originated in Australia alongside a variety of marsupial megafauna, rather than in isolation on the Flores-Komodo Islands, and (2) Komodo Dragons attained their large size early on in their evolution.
Today, we know that the Komodo Dragon’s ancestral roots are in Australia, but little is understood as to how and why the Komodo Dragon eventually migrated westward to the Komodo Islands. We only know that the Komodo Dragon first appeared in the Komodo Islands about one million years ago and has continued to do so for thousands of years.
Establishment of Komodo National Park
The Indonesian government created Komodo National Park in 1980 to protect the Komodo Dragon and the surrounding wildlife. The park includes Komodo Island, Rinca Island, Padar Island, and several smaller islands. Its goal is to conserve the Komodo Dragon and its unique marine and land ecosystems.
In 1991, UNESCO named Komodo National Park a World Heritage Site to highlight its importance for global conservation.
The Tale of the Dragon Princess and the Komodo People
One well-known legend in the Komodo Islands is about a princess named Putri Naga, also known as the “Dragon Princess.” According to local stories, she married a man named Majo, and together, they had twins: a human boy named Gerong and a female Komodo Dragon named Orah. Gerong did not know he had a Komodo sibling as he grew up.
One day, Gerong almost harmed Orah in the forest, thinking she was a wild animal. Just then, the Dragon Princess appeared. She explained their family connection and urged Gerong and his descendants to live in peace with the Komodos as part of their family.
Today, local people respect Komodos as their “elder siblings.” They believe a special bond between humans and these creatures creates a culture of respect and protection for them.
Facts about
the Komodo Dragon
Native Habitat
Komodo Dragons are currently only found in Indonesia’s Komodo Islands off the coast of Flores Island, east of Bali. They live in tropical savanna forests but range widely over the islands, from beach to ridge top.
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Physical Description
Komodo Dragons are large lizards with long tails, strong and agile necks, and sturdy limbs. Their tongues are yellow and forked. Adults are an almost-uniform stone colour with distinct, large scales, while juveniles may display a more vibrant colour and pattern.
The muscles of the Komodo's jaws and throat allow it to swallow huge chunks of meat with astonishing rapidity. Several movable joints, such as the intramandibular hinge opens the lower jaw unusually wide. The stomach expands easily, enabling an adult to consume up to 80 percent of its own body weight in a single meal. When threatened, Komodos can throw up the contents of their stomachs to lessen their weight in order to flee.
Although males tend to grow larger and bulkier than females, no obvious morphological differences mark the sexes. One subtle clue does exist: a slight difference in the arrangement of scales just in front of the cloaca.
Sexing Komodos remains a challenge for human researchers; the Dragons themselves appear to have little trouble figuring out who is who.
Social Structure
As large Komodos cannibalize young ones, the young often roll in fecal material, thereby assuming a scent that the large Dragons are programmed to avoid. Young Dragons also undergo rituals of appeasement, with the smaller lizards pacing around a feeding circle in a stately ritualized walk. Straightening their tail and holding it erect, they throw their body from side to side with exaggerated convulsions.
Food/Eating Habits
As large-bodied carnivores, adult Komodo Dragons dine predominantly on large herbivores such as deer and pigs, supplemented with birds, small mammals, and the occasional tourist (although my guide ascertained me that the last tourist, a Swiss, had been eaten in 1974).
Young Komodos feed primarily on small lizards and insects, as well as snakes and birds. If they live to be 5 years old, they move onto larger prey, such as rodents, monkeys, goats, wild boars and deer (the most popular meal). These reptiles are tertiary predators at the top of their food chain and are also cannibalistic.
Although the Komodo Dragon can briefly reach speeds of 16 to 20 kph (10 to 13 mph), its hunting strategy is based on stealth and power. It can spend hours in one spot along a game trail — waiting for a deer or other sizable and nutritious prey to cross its path — before launching an attack.
Most of the monitor's attempts at bringing down prey are unsuccessful. However, if it is able to bite its prey, bacteria and venom in its saliva will kill the prey within a few days. After the animal dies, which can take up to four days, the Komodo uses its powerful sense of smell to locate the body. A kill is often shared between many Komodo Dragons.
Monitors can see objects as far away as 300 metres (985 feet), so vision does play a role in hunting, especially as their eyes are better at picking up movement than at discerning stationary objects. Their retinas possess only cones, so they may be able to distinguish colour but have poor vision in dim light. They have a much smaller hearing range than humans and, as a result, cannot hear sounds like low-pitched voices or high-pitched screams.
The Komodo Dragon's sense of smell is its primary food detector. Using its long, yellow, forked tongue, it samples the air and is able to recognise airborne molecules of prey (such as deer) in the nearby vicinity. This system, along with the lizard’s undulatory walk, in which it swings it’s head from side to side, helps the Dragon sense the existence and direction of food. At times, these reptiles can smell decaying flesh up to 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) away.
This lizard's large, curved and serrated teeth are its deadliest weapon, tearing flesh with efficiency. The tooth serrations hold bits of meat from its most recent meal, and this protein-rich residue supports large numbers of bacteria. Some 50 different bacterial strains, at least seven of which are highly septic, have been found in the saliva. Researchers have also documented a venom gland in the Dragon's lower jaw. In addition to the harmful bacteria, the venom prevents the blood from clotting, which causes massive blood loss and induces shock.
The Komodo's bite may be deadly, but not to another Komodo Dragon. Those wounded while sparring with each other appear to be unaffected by the bacteria and venom. Scientists are searching for antibodies in Komodo Dragon blood that may be responsible.
Komodo Dragons are efficient eaters, leaving behind only about 12 percent of their prey. They eat bones, hooves and sections of hide, as well as intestines (after swinging them to dislodge their contents).
Sleep Habits
Komodos avoid the heat of the day and seek refuge at night in burrows that are just barely large enough for movement.
Reproduction and Development
Courtship opportunities arise when groups assemble around carrion to feed, and mating occurs between May and August.
Dominant males compete for females in ritual combat. Using their tails for support, they wrestle in upright postures, grabbing each other with their forelegs as they attempt to throw the opponent to the ground. Blood is often drawn, and the loser either runs away or remains prone and motionless.
Females lay about 30 eggs in depressions dug on hill slopes or within the pilfered nests of megapodes — large, chicken-like birds that make nests of heaped earth mixed with twigs that may be as long as 1 metre (3 feet) in height and 3 metres (10 feet) across.
While the eggs incubate in the nest for about nine months, the female may lay on the nest to protect the eggs. No evidence of parental care for newly hatched Komodos exists.
The hatchlings weigh less than 100 grams (3.5 ounces) and average 40 centimetres (16 inches) in length. Their early years are precarious, and they often fall victim to predators, including other Komodo Dragons. At 5 years old, they weigh about 25 kilograms (55 pounds) and average 2 metres (6.5 feet) long. At this time, they begin to hunt larger prey. They continue to grow slowly throughout their lives.
Size
The Komodo Dragon is the largest living lizard in the world. These wild Dragons typically weigh about 70 kilograms (154 pounds), but the largest verified specimen reached a length of 3,13 metres (10.3 feet) and weighed 166 kilograms (366 pounds). Males tend to grow larger and bulkier than females.
Yet despite their awe-inspiring physique, Komodo Dragons are shy creatures that will avoid encounters with humans. In some areas, you will have to put a goat out for 3 days before a Komodo Dragon will show himself.
Livespan
Komodo Dragons live about 30 years in the wild.
Facts about
the Komodo Dragon
Native Habitat
Komodo Dragons are currently only found in Indonesia’s Komodo Islands off the coast of Flores Island, east of Bali. They live in tropical savanna forests but range widely over the islands, from beach to ridge top.
Physical Description
Komodo Dragons are large lizards with long tails, strong and agile necks, and sturdy limbs. Their tongues are yellow and forked. Adults are an almost-uniform stone colour with distinct, large scales, while juveniles may display a more vibrant colour and pattern.
The muscles of the Komodo's jaws and throat allow it to swallow huge chunks of meat with astonishing rapidity. Several movable joints, such as the intramandibular hinge opens the lower jaw unusually wide. The stomach expands easily, enabling an adult to consume up to 80 percent of its own body weight in a single meal. When threatened, Komodos can throw up the contents of their stomachs to lessen their weight in order to flee.
Although males tend to grow larger and bulkier than females, no obvious morphological differences mark the sexes. One subtle clue does exist: a slight difference in the arrangement of scales just in front of the cloaca.
Sexing Komodos remains a challenge for human researchers; the Dragons themselves appear to have little trouble figuring out who is who.
Social Structure
As large Komodos cannibalize young ones, the young often roll in fecal material, thereby assuming a scent that the large Dragons are programmed to avoid. Young Dragons also undergo rituals of appeasement, with the smaller lizards pacing around a feeding circle in a stately ritualized walk. Straightening their tail and holding it erect, they throw their body from side to side with exaggerated convulsions.
Food/Eating Habits
As large-bodied carnivores, adult Komodo Dragons dine predominantly on large herbivores such as deer and pigs, supplemented with birds, small mammals, and the occasional tourist (although my guide ascertained me that the last tourist, a Swiss, had been eaten in 1974).
Young Komodos feed primarily on small lizards and insects, as well as snakes and birds. If they live to be 5 years old, they move onto larger prey, such as rodents, monkeys, goats, wild boars and deer (the most popular meal). These reptiles are tertiary predators at the top of their food chain and are also cannibalistic.
Although the Komodo Dragon can briefly reach speeds of 16 to 20 kph (10 to 13 mph), its hunting strategy is based on stealth and power. It can spend hours in one spot along a game trail — waiting for a deer or other sizable and nutritious prey to cross its path — before launching an attack.
Most of the monitor's attempts at bringing down prey are unsuccessful. However, if it is able to bite its prey, bacteria and venom in its saliva will kill the prey within a few days. After the animal dies, which can take up to four days, the Komodo uses its powerful sense of smell to locate the body. A kill is often shared between many Komodo Dragons.
Monitors can see objects as far away as 300 metres (985 feet), so vision does play a role in hunting, especially as their eyes are better at picking up movement than at discerning stationary objects. Their retinas possess only cones, so they may be able to distinguish colour but have poor vision in dim light. They have a much smaller hearing range than humans and, as a result, cannot hear sounds like low-pitched voices or high-pitched screams.
The Komodo Dragon's sense of smell is its primary food detector. Using its long, yellow, forked tongue, it samples the air and is able to recognise airborne molecules of prey (such as deer) in the nearby vicinity. This system, along with the lizard’s undulatory walk, in which it swings it’s head from side to side, helps the Dragon sense the existence and direction of food. At times, these reptiles can smell decaying flesh up to 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) away.
This lizard's large, curved and serrated teeth are its deadliest weapon, tearing flesh with efficiency. The tooth serrations hold bits of meat from its most recent meal, and this protein-rich residue supports large numbers of bacteria. Some 50 different bacterial strains, at least seven of which are highly septic, have been found in the saliva. Researchers have also documented a venom gland in the Dragon's lower jaw. In addition to the harmful bacteria, the venom prevents the blood from clotting, which causes massive blood loss and induces shock.
The Komodo's bite may be deadly, but not to another Komodo Dragon. Those wounded while sparring with each other appear to be unaffected by the bacteria and venom. Scientists are searching for antibodies in Komodo Dragon blood that may be responsible.
Komodo Dragons are efficient eaters, leaving behind only about 12 percent of their prey. They eat bones, hooves and sections of hide, as well as intestines (after swinging them to dislodge their contents).
Sleep Habits
Komodos avoid the heat of the day and seek refuge at night in burrows that are just barely large enough for movement.
Reproduction and Development
Courtship opportunities arise when groups assemble around carrion (decaying flesh) to feed, and mating occurs between May and August.
Dominant males compete for females in ritual combat. Using their tails for support, they wrestle in upright postures, grabbing each other with their forelegs as they attempt to throw the opponent to the ground. Blood is often drawn, and the loser either runs away or lies face down and motionless.
Females lay about 30 eggs in depressions dug on hill slopes or within the pilfered nests of megapodes — large, chicken-like birds that make nests of heaped earth mixed with twigs that may be as long as 1 metre (3 feet) in height and 3 metres (10 feet) across.
While the eggs incubate in the nest for about nine months, the female may lay on the nest to protect the eggs. No evidence of parental care for newly hatched Komodos exists.
The hatchlings weigh less than 100 grams (3.5 ounces) and average 40 centimetres (16 inches) in length. Their early years are precarious, and they often fall victim to predators, including other Komodo Dragons. At 5 years old, they weigh about 25 kilograms (55 pounds) and average 2 metres (6.5 feet) long. At this time, they begin to hunt larger prey. They continue to grow slowly throughout their lives.
Size
The Komodo Dragon is the largest living lizard in the world. These wild Dragons typically weigh about 70 kilograms (154 pounds), but the largest verified specimen reached a length of 3,13 metres (10.3 feet) and weighed 166 kilograms (366 pounds). Males tend to grow larger and bulkier than females.
Yet despite their awe-inspiring physique, Komodo Dragons are shy creatures that will avoid encounters with humans. In some areas, you will have to put a goat out for 3 days before a Komodo Dragon will show itself.
Livespan
Komodo Dragons live about 30 years in the wild.
Today, only about 2,500 Komodo Dragons are thought to survive in the wild, and continuing habitat destruction threatens their already limited distribution, making them even more vulnerable to extinction.
History of Bahasa Indonesia
(The Indonesian Language)
The official language of Indonesia is Bahasa Indonesia (literally, “the language of Indonesia”). It is the language that unifies the world’s fourth most populous country – a country comprised of 17,500 islands and inhabited by 350 ethnic groups speaking 750 native languages and dialects. Bahasa Indonesia, a standardised version of Malay, is the sixth most widely-spoken language in the world (after Mandarin, English, Hindi, Spanish and Arabic).
With dialect variations, Malay-Indonesian is spoken by as many as 250 million people in the modern states of Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei. It is also an important vernacular in the southern provinces of Thailand and among the Malay people of Australia's Cocos Keeling Islands in the Indian Ocean. It is understood in parts of the Sulu area of the southern Philippines and traces of it are to be found among people of Malay descent in Sri Lanka, South Africa and other places.
From the ninth to the fourteenth century, Malay was the court language of the Sumatran empire of Sriwijaya. It was also the language of the greatest of all medieval Malay states, Malacca. As a result, Malay became the native tongue of the people living on both sides of the Strait of Malacca that separates Sumatra from the Malay Peninsula.
In the succeeding centuries, the Strait of Malacca became a busy sea thoroughfare. Countless travellers and traders passed through and came into contact with the Malay language. They bore the language throughout the islands of Indonesia and, eventually, it became a widely used lingua franca. Later, Muslims and Christians helped spread the language as they used it in the propagation of their faiths. By the time Indonesia began to fall under the control of the Netherlands in the seventeenth century, Malay was so well entrenched as a lingua franca that the European rulers adapted it as the primary medium of communication between the government and the people (rather than force communication in Dutch).
With anti-colonial sentiments running high in the early twentieth century, it was not easy to see what would define Indonesia as an independent nation. Given the diversity of cultures and native languages of the islands, it was difficult to find what Indonesians had in common. That common identity would eventually be found by developing a standardised version of Malay to unify the islands, and calling the language Bahasa Indonesia.
In 1928, with the country’s nationalist movement in full swing, the Congress of Young People drafted the famous Young People’s Vow (Sumpah Pemuda) declaring Bahasa Indonesia the pre-eminent language of Indonesia as well as the language of national unity. When the Indonesian nationalists emerged from the shadow of the Japanese occupation in 1945 to declare an independent republic, the Proclamation of Independence was uttered in Bahasa Indonesia. Both the state philosophy of Pancasila and the Constitution were framed in Bahasa Indonesia. The subsequent victory of the Republic in the Revolution (1945-1949) consolidated the prestige of the language and gave its development unstoppable momentum.
Today, Indonesians are overwhelmingly bilingual. In infancy, they learn the native language of their island region and, when they enter school, they learn Bahasa Indonesia – the national language and medium of instruction in educational institutions at all levels throughout the country. It is rare to meet an Indonesian who is not fluent in her or his native tongue as well as the national language.
In politics, administration and the judiciary, Bahasa Indonesia is the sole official language. It is the language of legislation, political campaigning, national and local government, court proceedings and the military.
Indonesian also dominates as the language of modern business. Needless-to-say, in enterprises that involve expatriate staff or international transactions, English, Japanese, Chinese and other foreign languages are widely used, often side-by-side with Indonesian.
Bahasa Indonesia provides a wonderful opportunity for English speakers wishing to acquire another language. Unlike other Asian languages, it uses Roman or Latin script; pronunciation is generally straightforward for English speakers (as it is not a tonal language like Chinese); and its lack of complicated grammatical structures (such as verb tenses) make mastery of simple conversation relatively painless.
A FEW IMPORTANT PHRASES TO KNOW :
selamat pagi
selamat siang
selamat sore
selamat malam
selamat tidur
tolong
terima kasih
sama-sama
good morning
good afternoon (12 noon to 4pm)
good late afternoon (4pm to 6pm)
good evening
goodnight (to someone who is going to bed) please
thank you
you're welcome
IN BAHASA INDONESIA . . .
The salutation for an older woman is "IBU" or just "BU."
The salutation for an older man is "BAPAK" or just "PAK."
And, unlike English, the salutation is attached to first name
(not the last name).
If my name is Desmond Breau . . .
In English, you call me "MR SILVA" as a sign of respect . . .
but in Bahasa Indonesia, the respectful form of address would be "PAK LUIS."
Likewise, in English, you would call me "MR BREAU" to show respect . . .
but in Bahasa Indonesia, you would address me as "PAK DES."
e.g. Terima kasih untuk email, Pak Des. (Thank you for the email, Mr Breau)
Sama-sama, Pak Luis. (You're welcome, Mr Silva).
As you are 51 years of age and I am 61, it would be unthinkable for an Indonesian
to address you or I without putting "PAK" or "BAPAK" in front of our names.
Conversely, a younger person (like Adriano) would be addressed simply as "Adriano"
(with no salutation).
selamat pagi
selamat siang
selamat sore
selamat malam
selamat tidur
tolong
terima kasih
sama-sama
good morning
good afternoon (12 noon to 4pm)
good late afternoon (4pm to 6pm)
good evening
goodnight (to someone who is going to bed) please
thank you
you're welcome