We all make mistakes
***Image source by Unsplash*** https://unsplash.com/photos/fTdnRCpRTdE
Hello guys, have you ever been one of the organizers of an event? When we are involved in an event or become one of the event organizers, we will try our best not to make mistakes so that the event can run smoothly. Starting from staying up late to getting up too early. Have you ever, when the event has started, and you've tried your best, but you're still being blamed? It must be annoying right? It feels like you want to be angry because the work you do is considered trivial and not even appreciated. Even so, we must be able to accept criticism from others, because it will be able to mature us.
In an event that is held, there must be a committee structure that complements each other. Each committee will complete the tasks that are the responsibility of the committee. Sometimes from teamwork, we need an appreciation of what we have done so that we are even more enthusiastic to do it. Vice versa, we also need to appreciate teammates as a form of appreciation that you give. What happens if you have tried hard to do the best thing, but there is no appreciation and not even appreciation?
This is what happened to me last week. In my mind, I was very angry, annoyed and disappointed. But all that annoyance stopped when I saw a clock on the wall that was plastered on the event. If you look at it like an ordinary wall clock, there is nothing special at all. But I learned a valuable lesson from the wall clock. Why? Because the wall clock continues to rotate even though no one else sees it, the wall clock continues to rotate even though it is not appreciated and thanked. From this, I just understood that no matter how difficult the situation I was in, I had to be able to accept responses from other people sincerely, whether it was joy or sorrow. Although many negative judgments come to me, I consider it as self-correction so that I can do better things and also keep doing good.
I have to be more accepting of the reality in life. What I do must have consequences, both positive and negative. Sometimes, what I want works out the way I want it to. But it would be wiser if I could accept whatever happens as a result of the work I do. As happened last week, when my work was not appreciated and belittled, I learned an important lesson that I can keep in my memory.
I also want to be a useful person. I want to be useful and can ease the burdens of other people's lives. It will surely be a satisfaction to my heart when I can help others wholeheartedly. I once asked myself, do I have to be smarter than other people to be useful and useful? Not. Helping other people's burdens I can start from the smallest, such as being a good listener or paying attention to others will help lighten their burdens. I think so. I believe if we help others, then we will get something in return for what we have done.
I have to correct myself more often so that I know where I am lacking. not only me, we all have flaws. Nobody is perfect. By realizing that, I also have to be able to accept the shortcomings of others. We all make mistakes, whether it's big mistakes or small mistakes. But many of us cannot accept the faults of others. We are so upset and angry when a teammate makes a mistake. We can also be the cause of an error in group work. It would be better if a friend made a mistake, notified and helped to fix it. Because the team must work together and need each other.
Like water that flows into the ocean
`Photo taken by me`
Yesterday afternoon when I was sitting at the back of the house, I saw the flowing river water. At one point, the water flows so fast, and at another point, the water flows so calmly. I imagine the journey of the water that comes from mountain springs, and flows to the land, to the sea. How long is the journey of water flowing in the river?
From the flowing river, I asked in my mind. Is human life the same as water flowing into the ocean? Of course yes. Humans have a life that intersects with many dimensions. The dimensions I mean are the dimensions of happiness, economics, social, spiritual, and other dimensions. We want all the dimensions that we live in this life to run well without any flaws, but that's not what happened. We never know the path of life that we run. The life we live today is unpredictable where it will lead.
The only thing we can find in the journey of life is the result of what we have done. Therefore, the life we run should be done with good and positive things so that the results we make in life are also good and positive. Usually, the problems we face in this life originate from a series of tasks such as promises and obligations. When we don't do these promises and obligations, it will give birth to a problem (both big and small problems). If we do it, it doesn't mean that problems won't be created. However, at least we have tried to do our best. I call this courage.
Courage for me is when someone is willing to face the problems in his life. People who run away from responsibility are cowards because they do not dare to face the scheme of their life journey. Even though life's problems are so painful, surely all the pain will disappear and be replaced with a smile. The scheme of a person's life journey is like the river that flows behind my house. When the water comes out of the mountain springs, it is so clear and cool that it flows through the rocks in the way. However, the water still flows. When the water has gone to the cities, it encounters various problems such as indiscriminate disposal of garbage to industrial waste pollution. But the water still flows even though it is no longer clear and clean.
When the water has flowed to the seas and oceans, the water will understand that its journey to flow from the mountains to the sea is not easy. Must be able to struggle to face many obstacles to be one with the ocean. The life lived by humans is also like water flowing from the mountains to the ocean. The ideal life we want is not easy to get. We have to struggle and face various obstacles and problems in life to be able to get an ideal life.
Many of us do not want to accept difficult situations in dealing with life's problems and scapegoating other problems. We don't have to be like that friend. We should be able to learn from the water that flows from the mountains to the ocean. As humans, we are bound to experience difficulties, sorrows, happiness, and pleasures. It will come and go. That is the scheme of human life. Even though there are difficulties and sorrows that we must face, we must continue to walk with the fighting spirit that we have. We must have the courage to face various problems and solve them in a good way. Like water that has been polluted by garbage and sewage, water still flows into the ocean boldly. Are we as humans able to dare to face all the problems in life? You have to be brave!
Punk is a protest against injustice
In the 80s, rebel movements of youth and women in Indonesia emerged and spread to every region. They call themselves Punk. The emergence of the punk community in Indonesia started with a teenager who studied in the United States. It is said that there he joined a punk group and learned about the subculture of punk. Arriving in Indonesia, the teenager was introduced to music and zines about punk. Many young people are interested so punk ideas have spread throughout Indonesia to this day.
Many ask, why do they want to be Punk? Before answering, I will tell you about the beginning of punk which was born from the youth movement in England. In the mid-late 70s, teenagers who came from the working class took issue with the unequal economy and also the oppression carried out by the government at that time. This group of teenagers also responds to the situation to take individual freedom. They took to the streets to protest against the government. Their way of protesting against the government is usually through music, art, and fashion.
The same thing happened in the United States. The youth and the working class are so annoyed with government policies that often exploit workers to increase the wealth of investors. The punk community in America often gathers to initiate protests against their activities. Their protest activities are closely related to music and art events. In punk movement in music, CBGB is the center of the punk movement in New York. From there, many punk bands became the pioneers of the punk movement in the United States.
Do it Yourself (DIY) is the main understanding for the existing punk community. DIY has become an ethic that must be carried out by a punk so that punk musicians and punk artists release their songs or collaborate with independent music labels as a protest against the financially profitable major label music industry. In terms of art, punk artists do not commercialize their art because art should be enjoyed by everyone.
After punk entered Indonesia, the punk movement not only became the ideology and lifestyle of teenagers in Indonesia. However, punk has become an identity for radical teenagers who have an anti-establishment and anti-government vision. At first, punk was considered a group of uneducated teenagers, who had no future, to criminal groups because of their terrible appearance. Anyone would look suspiciously at the tattooed punk, Mohawk hair, ripped jeans, and boots. But over time, that view began to shift (although there are still those who have a negative view of punk).
It took a long time for punk to be accepted by the social community. In 1996, punk groups in the city of Jakarta experienced suspicion and intimidation from the public. However, they often help and advance the community in the fields of art and education, and eventually people like them. They often hold entertainment events for the surrounding community. In 1998, the punk movement also participated in protests and overthrew the New Order era which was considered the dictator era. Punk along with other students took to the streets to protest against oppression and injustice. To this day, punk still exists with a culture of music, art, and protests against injustice.
***All image by screenshoot of*** ***Youtube (People Watcher)*** https://youtu.be/K5rMksJ5yR8
Bad stigma on people with tattoos
***Image source by*** ***Unsplash*** https://unsplash.com/photos/Lw4tNcvEaE8
I have many friends from the punk community and the arts community. Most of them have tattoos all over their bodies. So, when an entrepreneur called me to collaborate on an artistic-looking café, I immediately found two of my friends to work on this project. My two friends are carpenters and mural painters. Both have tattoos that fill their bodies.
The location of cafe to be built is in a small town where some of the people are very religious. On our way to the site, we asked one of the residents to find out more about the location of the project that we were going to work on. But the residents we asked looked scared and pretended not to know. Along the way in that place, I noticed many cynical glances and was also disgusted seeing my two friends.
But there is one resident who is about 18 years old. He seemed friendly and kind, he questioned the purpose of our coming to their place. I also explained to him that we would be working on a café located in the area. The young man was willing to take us to our destination. There, the cafe owner was waiting for us. He smiled and was excited about the work on the cafe to be built.
When after arriving there, I asked the young man who escorted us about the local people looking unhappy with our arrival. Then the young man replied in a friendly manner, that where he lived, many residents were not familiar with the art of tattooing. There, tattoos are still considered a person who commits a crime. So that anyone with a tattoo will be suspected and alerted. People fear they will be robbed, stolen, or other crimes. I think that is the wrong view.
Tattoos in Indonesia are part of culture and customs. Although not all regions make tattoos a custom and culture, in some areas such as Kalimantan and Mentawai, tattoos are an inseparable culture. For the Dayak people, tattoos are part of a person's body. Some of the functions of tattoos for the Dayak community are as a sign of ownership, amulets resisting reinforcements, to an appreciation for someone's services. And for Dayak women, tattoos are a symbol of maturity and readiness for marriage. There is also a special motive for the leader of the Dayak tribe as a marker that he is the leader of the traditional group.
During the New Order government, from the 1980s to the 1990s, the police and military often shot and killed people with tattoos because they were considered criminals. In the end, people who have tattoos remove them by ironing their skin. Although many criminals use tattoos on their bodies, people who have tattoos do not necessarily commit crimes. Maybe this is one of the reasons why the people at the project site where the café will be built saw my two friends become afraid.
But this is the era of post-modernism, they are too backward in their thinking to consider identical tattoos as a crime. In 2022, tattoos have become a person's lifestyle. Tattoos become an expression of someone with artistic value. In big cities, there are also many places where tattoos are made and that is even more so. One of my friends also works as a tattoo artist. With the art of tattooing that he mastered, he was able to support his family and also help people whose economy was difficult. Don't think of tattoos as a crime or a crime anymore. Tattoos are an art born of culture. It's time we change the negative stigma against tattoos.
NFT artwork made into pendant jewelry by Tiffany & Co
I just opened Twitter and saw a post from CryptoPunks *sharing a tweet* from Tiffany & Co. For those of you who are not familiar with Tiffany & Co, they are a jewelry manufacturer in the United States. It has now entered the NFT world. NFTiff is their NFT product which will be released today (2 August 2022). The product they launched was available exclusively for CryptoPunks holders. You all know what CryptoPunks NFT is, right? It is the NFT community with pixel art designs that have been famous since last year. https://twitter.com/cryptopunksnfts/status/1553814602118479873
From the end of 2021 to mid-2022, CryptoPunks NFT had dimmed, because NFT collectors bought a lot of Bored Ape. But today, CryptoPunks shines again with a +158% increase in selling price.
So, this pixel art design from CryptoPunks was made as jewelry for real-world use. This caught my attention looking for more information about Tiffany & Co collaborating with CryptoPunks. So I found news from Channel News Asia which said that there are 30 real gemstones and diamonds as well as 18k rose gold that is the material for every pendant that is produced with the CryptoPunks design. Can you imagine, how much each pendant costs? From the sources of information I found, the price reached 30 ETH. Of course very expensive.
They also said that the design of the CryptoPunks pendants produced was limited, only 250 pieces, and each pendant was an edition of CryptoPunks NFT. If you buy it, you will see the edition number on the back of the pendant. That means, there will be an increase in the price of the pendant in the future. This is a real investment if you are interested and have sufficient capital.
Then, who is the idea behind this NFTiff? It turned out to be Alexandre Arnault who is the executive vice president and communications of Tiffany & Co. At that time, Alexandre Arnault shared a photo of the #3167 edition of CryptoPunks custom jewelry on social media. This has shocked NFT Collectors and creators in cyberspace. The project is scheduled to be launched on August 5, 2022. The collaboration between CryptoPunks and Tiffany & Co has increased the value of CryptoPunks NFT sales on Opensea.io today. https://twitter.com/alexarnault/status/1512077865134686224
Tiffany & Co is not the first luxury brand to enter the NFT world. Previously, GUCCI also released 10000 NFT collections called SUPERGUCCI last January. Prada and Adidas also collaborated to create a unique 3000 NFT which was designed by Zach Lieberman last January. A lot of interest and community made Prada re-release its NFT last June. The 100 NFT collection is available in the Timecapsule series button-down shirt design. If many well-known luxury brands enter the NFT world, then NFT is a good investment for the future.
Citayam Fashion Week – Popular culture among today's teenagers
Hi my friends, welcome back to my blog. I want to share my opinion about something that is trending today, namely Citayam Fashion Week. In the last two weeks, Citayam Fashion Week has always been discussed on social media. At first, I did not know about this trending phenomenon. I only found out when I called my cousin to fix the TV, he said that he couldn't see me because he was at the Sudirman Center. Hang out with the Citayam group. My cousin was so attracted to him that he felt at home for a long time there.
I, who was curious about it, looked for information on the Citayam group. Sudirman Center has become a gathering place for teenagers who express themselves with Fashion. From some of the information I have received, teenagers from Citayam, Depok, and Bogor, came to the Sudirman Center area with quirky but casual clothes like at a fashion show. I think they are very creative in the field of fashion. We can see the way they show their true self honestly through fashion.
Sudirman Center is a business district located in the southern city of Jakarta. There are shopping centres, malls, cafes and others. The place is now enlivened by young men and women called the Citayam Fashion Week community. Every Sunday they gather there, expressing themselves with the various fashions they wear. Not only hanging out but also creating video content such as TikTok and Instagram. Social media has made the Citayam Fashion Week community famous and a hot topic of conversation today.
With the Citayam Fashion Week community, many teenagers there have become famous and earn a lot of money by utilizing social media, especially TikTok and Instagram. From this community, I also learned that fashion is not only synonymous with the upper class, but the lower middle class can also do and express themselves with fashion. The popularity of this community turned out to also reap the pros and cons among the people of Indonesia. Some think that they are creative teenagers who can appreciate themselves through fashion. Others think that they are very tacky, disturbing and making the Sudirman Center area slum.
I support them as free human beings. They can freely express themselves according to what they want to wear. In addition, street vendors in the Sudirman Center area also get more benefits because many teenagers buy their wares. Things like this of course also have a negative impact, namely the number of people who litter in the area. Therefore, the youth of the Citayam Fashion Week community must work together with the local government to provide facilities such as increasing trash cans, free portable toilets, and places for street vendors to sell. In this way, the negative impact can be reduced. I believe the trend of Citayam Fashion Week will give birth to a new fashion culture that has its character like the Harajuku fashion culture in Japan.
Silat is an Indonesian culture that must be preserved.
Last Sunday, I was off to work. Because there was no activity, boredom came over me. I took out my cell phone and called one of my friends, to make sure he was at his house. I went there so I wouldn't be lonely. Yes, living at home alone sometimes makes me feel bored. When I arrived at my friend's house, it turned out that he was watching the movie he had just downloaded. I have watched the film, entitled Merantau, once, it was a 2009 film that tells the story of Silat. Even though I've watched it, it's still fun to watch one more time.
I will give a little review of the film Merantau. It is said that a 25-year-old youth named Yuda who came from Minangkabau Village, wanted to go abroad to the capital city of Jakarta to train Silat. Silat is a martial art originating from the archipelago. When he arrived in the capital city of Jakarta, this young man met a long 40-year-old man named Eric. They both come from Minangkabau and are both martial arts experts. Eric told Yuda that it was very difficult to live in Jakarta. It is not easy to open a silat college in Jakarta. Eric took Yuda to an empty, unused building. It turned out that in that building there was a street fighting place, where people there made bets for the martial arts fight.
Yuda did not want to earn money that way. It was very cruel and against his conscience. He went from that place and met a beautiful woman named Astri. He was also familiar with Astri and became good friends. However, Astri was involved in the kidnappings carried out by female traffickers. The kidnapped women, including Astri, will be taken abroad to become prostitutes. Yuda, who knows this, acts to help Astri. It turns out that the female merchant hired Eric to secure the illicit business. Yuda and Eric do a silat fight in an elevator. When the elevator opens, the female trafficker mafia wants to kill Yuda. But Eric saved Yuda at the cost of his life.
At the end of this film, Yuda managed to save Astri and the other women who were held in a container. From the story of this film, I know the importance of practising self-defence. Be it kung fu, karate, taekwondo, and also Silat. Talking about Silat, Indonesia has many silat warriors to date. Silat is an ancestral martial art that has existed since the kingdom. In every region in Indonesia, there are various types of silat according to their respective regions. Besides being useful for defending oneself from crime, silat is also beneficial for health, because it is a sport that has movements that improve blood circulation and can lose weight. Silat has often competed in the Olympics and sea games. In some areas in Indonesia, Silat is also required to maintain and preserve culture. An example is the Betawi Community. Every wedding and mass circumcision must show some silat movements. That's a little article that I wrote about Silat. Thanks for taking the time to read it, hope you like it. Regards.
***Image source by*** ***Pixabay*** https://pixabay.com/photos/silat-temple-culture-traditional-2902028/
The happiness of My nephew
Saturday, 09 July 2022, was the last day my family was in Medan, where I currently live. Because on Sunday, they will go back to Java, and on Monday my nephew has started school. The holidays are over.
So, before they return to their hometown, I want them to taste food that is not available in the village. I decided to buy pizza because in my village there is no pizza. Have to go to a city that is 25 kilometres away to be able to enjoy pizza.
Incidentally, my rented house is not far from a pizza outlet, only about 900 meters from where I live. I went to a pizza outlet with my motorbike and ordered a triple box pizza set for 275K IDR ($18.33). At that time I had little money because I had previously asked them to go on vacation in the mountains. Luckily, I still have quite a bit of Cryptocurrency at my disposal. I exchanged my crypto for IDR fiat to buy a triple box pizza for my nephews to enjoy on their last day in Medan city.
After half an hour of waiting for my order in the waiting room, my pizza was finally ready to take home. On the way back home, a motorcycle from behind was travelling very fast. I was shocked and almost hit the motorbike. Luckily I didn't fall and the Pizza I just bought for my nephew was safe. When I got home, my family was curious about the box I brought from outside. When the box was opened, my nephews screamed with joy at the sight of food they had never tried before. Inside the triple box pizza, there are beef cheesy mozzarella pizza, choco cheese pizza, rice chicken delight, and others.
My three nieces enjoyed the pizza I bought. It was their first time tasting typical Italian food. Usually, in the village, there are only traditional foods that they may be bored to eat. So once in a while, I have to give them pizza to keep them happy and content. I'm so glad they were satisfied to taste the food they had never tried before. Next time I will take them to a playground if they come back to Medan city. Because in my hometown there is no playground like the one in the city. They must be happy and content.
That's all I can tell about my family. Thank you for taking the time to read. I hope you enjoy my writing. Don't forget to like and subscribe so you can read my other writings. Warm greetings from me, Dark_spirit666
Travelling with family is important
Hi, my read.cash friends, how are you guys? I hope you stay healthy and enthusiastic about carrying out daily activities. It's been more than a month since I have not had the opportunity to open this platform to just read or write. This is because I am too busy at work. I'm bored with this kind of situation, but. I have to keep working to raise money so I can buy a house to relax in my old age. Who wants to keep renting a house to live in? Meanwhile, every year the price of land increases, automatically the cost of renting a house also increases. So this is what makes me have to keep working.
The activities that I do every day at work are just that. Because this boring thing makes me unable to concentrate and not focus on work. At times like that, all I need is a vacation. Since I live alone, it's uncomfortable to travel without friends. I can confuse myself. So, last Wednesday, my family from the island of Java came to visit me. What a coincidence. I invite them to go to a very pleasant place, namely in the mountains.
In my opinion, the mountains are a great place for a picnic with the family. In addition, we can create more colourful memories with family. I believe that the moment that sticks in my memory is a vacation with my family. The opportunity to give love to the family is to spend time with them. I can feel the positive energy when I have a picnic with my family. The work that I had been doing with boredom and stress suddenly disappeared. How useful it is to go on vacation with family.
Talking about family vacations, this is very important for those of you who rarely communicate with family, because vacationing with family can also build interaction. I will tell you a little about my friend who is not close to his family. Even though they live in the same house. It's not like I live alone. So, my friend has a lot of activities on campus. He is the leader of the student organization, so he has a lot to take care of. While his father and mother also have a solid jobs. His mother was a bank clerk and his father was a train conductor. Each of them has a busy life so they rarely communicate with their own families. I told him to take one day a week for a vacation with the family. Because, if no one tries to build interaction with each other, it will cause family conflict. Since then, he has spent one day a week with his family.
Vacationing with family can also broaden our horizons. By going to a place we have just visited, we will get valuable experiences such as planning, preparing for a trip, to managing money and time. Experiences like this will be the provision of our lives at another time. With the experience of vacationing with my family, I can prepare myself when I have a family later. Spending time on vacation with family can indeed create beautiful moments with them. The feeling of boredom and tiredness when dealing with a depressing job will disappear when you are on vacation with them. Happiness will arise within you. That's all I can tell you when I go on vacation with my family. Thank you for taking the time to read. Regards.
***Note:***
***All photos in this article are mine***
Bamboo trees in my daily life
Hi my friends who are on this platform, how are you guys? I haven't opened this platform for a long time to read. In this opportunity, I want to tell a little about myself and the bamboo tree. As long as I live until now, bamboo trees are very close to the journey of my life. I was born in Sukoharjo Regency, Central Java. Where I was born, there are many bamboo trees there. Javanese people often plant bamboo because bamboo stalks have many functions in life.
Where I was born, women use bamboo as wickerwork to make baskets (containers made of woven bamboo or rattan). Some of the baskets are sold in the market, and some of them are used as containers for the harvest that will be sold to traditional markets. Meanwhile, the men use bamboo to make chairs, poles, and musical instruments. So the village where I was born is very familiar with bamboo trees. The children use bamboo to be used as game tools such as cannons, stilts, kites, etc.
Likewise, in 2017, I moved to Jakarta to study there. In the city of Jakarta, I live in a boarding house in the Kemayoran area, Central Jakarta. The owner of the boarding house also planted bamboo trees in his yard. This is done so that the bamboo tree can provide positive energy and coolness for the residents of the house. In 2021, I graduated from the Jakarta Islamic University (UID) and moved to Medan to work until now. In this Medan city, I live near a river where there are many bamboo trees on its banks. According to local people, this bamboo tree was planted by students to prevent erosion which causes landslides.
This bamboo tree is really useful. Bamboo trees have an important aspect of human life. As I know, that bamboo trees are dubbed giant grass. It has strong roots and does not fall even when strong winds blow towards it. When a bamboo tree is planted, it takes four to five years for the bamboo tree to grow big and tall. That's because bamboo grows and strengthens its roots first so that when it becomes a tall tree, it can withstand the wind.
From the bamboo tree, I learned about the importance of building the foundation of life to stay strong and tough to face all life's problems. The bamboo tree also taught me to be a useful person and be helpful to others around. There are still many benefits that bamboo trees provide for human life that I don't know about. Therefore, bamboo trees must be preserved because they provide important lessons and benefits for everyday life.
Thanks for dropping by and reading. Nice to meet you
***Images and thumbnails are my own***
Five Traditional Dances in Indonesia
Hello, my friend. It's been two weeks since I don't open and write this read.cash platform. You know, lately, I've been very busy at work. Incidentally, when yesterday was a holiday. So I can go visit my friend. Incidentally, my friend is a painter. He has received many painting orders.
While I was there, I saw a painting that was so beautiful. This type of abstract painting is full of colour patterns. But, after I looked at it more, the painting formed a visual art like a woman dancing. I think it's a very cool painting.
I like painting women dancing because I like to see dance moves. But it's a traditional dance. Not a modern dance accompanied by beat music. Traditional dance is an ancestral heritage that must be preserved. Because it is the value of the wealth of a nation's identity.
Indonesia is an archipelagic country consisting of many nations, tribes, religions, and races. In each region, there are traditional dances that show an ethnic identity. Therefore, I would like to introduce five types of traditional dances from Indonesia that might add insight and information to you about traditions in Indonesia.
1. Saman Dance
*image source by bobogrid* https://bobo.grid.id/read/08674173/tari-saman-dari-aceh-sampai-mancanegara
The Saman dance comes from the province of Aceh. This dance is well known in many countries. UNESCO has included the Saman dance in the list of cultural heritage that must be preserved so that in every cultural event held internationally, the Saman dance is always performed. This dance is performed by many people (groups). It takes teamwork to do this dance. In my opinion, the movement of the saman dance is quite difficult, so the saman dancers must be diligent in practising before performing.
2. Tor Tor dance
*image source by topindonesia* https://topindonesiaholidays.com/collection/gallery-images/sumatra
The Tor Tor dance originates from North Sumatra. Usually, in traditional Batak events, this dance is always performed. When dancing Tor Tor, it must be accompanied by music called Gondang Sembilan (Batak tribal drum). If you attend weddings, deaths, and harvest seasons in the Lake Toba area, you will see this Tor Tor dance. I think this dance is not difficult because the movements are very monotonous.
3. Piring Dance (Plate Dance)
*image source by pasbana* https://www.pasbana.com/2016/10/sejarah-asal-usul-tari-piring-serta.html
This dance originates from West Sumatra and is performed by the Minangkabau tribe. The movements are very beautiful and also have many meanings. In the past, this dance was shown when the harvest season arrived. This dance is also a symbol of offering and gratitude to the Creator for being given a bountiful harvest. Currently, the plate dance is often shown during Minangkabau traditional weddings.
4. Reog Dance
*image source by dunia-kesenian* https://dunia-kesenian.blogspot.com/2014/07/tari-reog-ponorogo-tarian-daerah-jawa-timur.html
This dance comes from the province of East Java, the Ponorogo district. This dance is already known in many countries. This dance was claimed by the Malaysian state because the Indonesian people had not preserved their own culture. In a history explained, this dance is a satire against the last king of Majapahit in the 18th century, because it was considered corrupt and was under Chinese influence. This dance is performed by several people who wear a lion mask with a peacock feather crown. The weight of the mask is estimated at 50kg.
5. Gambyong Dance
*image source by gasbanter* https://gasbanter.com/tari-gambyong/
This dance comes from my hometown, namely Central Java province, to be precise in Solo. This dance has existed since the days of the ancient Javanese kingdom. At first, this dance was performed by the Javanese people when the harvest party was held. Then the royal party was interested in this dance and developed it with more beautiful movements. Along with its development, the Gambyong dance has been mixed with various cool choreography but still has a Javanese feel.
Those were five traditional dances from Indonesia. We must preserve such dances because they are the heritage of the cultured ancestors of the archipelago. Thank you for visiting to read. Hopefully, this information will add to your insight. Nice to meet you.
She was my friend in high school.
Last Saturday, on a sunny afternoon, when I had just come home from work, I ordered a cup of coffee that I had bought from a street coffee seller. I enjoy coffee and two cigarettes on the sidewalks of the city streets—my habit of unwinding from work. I saw many people passing by walking along the streets. Indeed, the streets are full of colourful diversity. Swearing, joking, laughter, sadness, anger, until all the outpouring of the heart out of human beings. Indeed, this is the street. Sometimes it becomes my entertainment.
Everyone who crosses this street doesn't seem to care about other people. I was also lulled by my thoughts and cigarette smoke that flew in the wind. Suddenly from the left, a girl greeted me and said, "Hey, what are you doing here?". I paused for a moment looking at this girl's face with full of confusion. That afternoon, the girl who greeted me was gorgeous, white, clean, and fragrant. Very interesting.
I asked, "do I know her? Her face is also a little familiar to me," she said again, "Hey, why are you silent when I ask? So proud now! Did you forget me? I'm Nia, your high school friend" OMG! It was true. I knew her. She was the girl I had a crush on when I was in high school. "Hey, where have you disappeared to without a word? How come you are like this? What happened?" I asked Nia.
"Let's have coffee at my boarding house. I'll tell you everything later. I also haven't heard your sophisticated thoughts in a long time," she said. I was silent again in front of Nia, the joy in her beautiful face was still the same as before, but something had changed. When I met her first, Nia was a cute and innocent girl. Nia's innocence when she was still in high school attracted boys' interest to be able to approach her. In addition, Nia used to dress modestly and also hijab.
Nia, who used to be a cute and innocent girl, has turned into a mature woman with a sensual aura that is sexually attractive. Now Nia is wearing tight, luxurious clothes, showing off her curves in front of me. "Why we don't drink coffee here?" I asked. "Just in my boarding house, you rest waiting for the traffic jam to subside", she replied. I hope this girl is still innocent so as not to provoke passion. "I hope my faith remains strong," I said in my heart.
After arriving at the boarding house measuring 6x5 meters, Nia went straight to the bathroom to change clothes and remove make-up. In the boarding room, I saw several psychedelic-style abstract paintings and posters of Jhon Lennon and Yoko Ono holding the words "War is Over, if you want it" hanging on the room walls. This girl has metamorphosed from a cute girl who likes to collect dolls into an adult girl who loves hippie freedom. On the neatly arranged bookshelf, I saw the titles of books such as "The Second Sex by Simone de Beauvoir, Ema Goldman's books to Sarinah written by Sukarno". Now Nia is a feminist. Very interesting. Her books indicate that Nia has a dream.
After getting out of the bathroom, Nia ordered two cups of coffee from the boarding house waiter for us to enjoy. Thankfully, Nia doesn't wear mini clothes that will invite passion. Nia wears a t-shirt and shorts. After the boarding housemaid came to deliver coffee, Nia burned her cigarette while arranging her wet hair. I tried to get up the courage to ask first, "Now are you smoking?" then Nia replied, "yes, it turns out that smoking is good too". Nia answered while laughing a little. Nia asked about my life. I responded honestly to every question. Sometimes we also joke and laugh in Nia's boarding room. The dimples are seen when Nia smiles, still looking the same as before, with noble elegance.
"Are you still idealistic? Aren't you tired like this all the time? The world doesn't always match what we expect," said Nia. "Yes, I'm still like this. My heart is very impressed with Nia, who has metamorphosed into a feminist girl. It's not fun if life just goes with the flow", I replied while sipping coffee and smoking cigarettes. After a long story, it was already dark. I said goodbye to Nia to go home. I forgot to ask for her cell phone number on the way home.
The next day at the same hour, I purposely returned to Nia's boarding house to tell stories and chat. I knocked on the boarding house door, but there was no answer from Nia. I peeked from the window, and the boarding room was empty. I tried to ask the boarding housemaid, and then the boarding housemaid said Nia had gone to bring her things this morning. I fell silent again. Still the same as a few years ago, Nia just disappeared. Maybe Nia is more comfortable with staying in hiding.
***The lead image by*** ***Pixabay*** https://pixabay.com/illustrations/feminism-women-silhouettes-cartoon-3215990/
Five traditional Indonesian weapons
Hello my friends, welcome back to my blog. So, yesterday afternoon, my friend's brother was sick. I recommend going to the doctor to be examined so that he is given the right medication treatment. However, my friend did not want to because the cost to the doctor is quite expensive. Yes, that's how it is if the country is controlled by the capitalist system. Only sick people become objects to earn money. I want to help with his brother's medical expenses, but unfortunately, I also don't have enough money because the crypto market is crushing. I have a lot of money in crypto so I have to hold on until the market gets better.
Finally, my friend took the initiative to take his brother for treatment by a shaman. "*Hey, it's already the 21st century, why do you trust shamans?*" I told him. Then he said that many people had been healed by the shaman. The cost to pay the shaman is also as simple as that, no cost set. Alright, I'll also go there to take my friend's brother who is sick. Arriving at the shaman's house, my friend's brother was given a glass of water that had been read a spell and given a medicinal herb for spices. But something is interesting there. The shaman's house has many antiques on display. Namely the traditional weapons used by the knights of the archipelago during the kingdom.
I was amazed to see some of these types of traditional weapons. Given that Indonesia has various tribes and cultures, of course, Indonesia has many types of traditional weapons according to the region. Various types of traditional weapons in the territory of Indonesia have the uniqueness, function, and also characteristics of each region. Therefore, I want to collect traditional weapons like the shaman. In today's article, I will also introduce you all to some of the traditional weapons in Indonesia. Read to the end so you know it.
1. Rencong
*image source* https://templatepptgratis.com/en/senjata-tradisional-aceh-lengkap-beserta-gambar-dan-penjelasannya/
This traditional weapon comes from the province of Aceh. This type of dagger weapon is shaped like the letter L and has an Arabic letter pattern on the handle. This weapon is also a symbol of self-identity, courage, and toughness of the Acehnese. The Aceh elders said that there are various types of rencong, but I don't know the names of these types of rencong.
2. Jenawi Sword
*image source* https://neprona.com/senjata-tradisional-riau/
This sword is a traditional weapon used by the royal knights of the Malay tribe in the province of Riau. This sword is about 1 meter in size, so it is used for long-range combat. When viewed from the shape, it is similar to the katana used by Japanese samurai.
3. Kerambit
*image source* https://pixabay.com/photos/karambit-knife-weapon-5587740/
This is the coolest traditional weapon and the one I like the most. I have one in my room. Kerambit is a traditional weapon originating from West Sumatra, used by silat warriors of the Minang Kabau tribe. This type of knife is small in size and has sharp edges on both sides. It is very difficult to use this weapon without regular practice.
4. Mandau
*image source* https://petabudaya.belajar.kemdikbud.go.id/Repositorys/Mandau/
This weapon is like a machete which is about 70cm long and made of mantikei iron. This weapon comes from Kalimantan and is used by the Dayak tribe. It is said that Mandau has magical powers. In 2001, an inter-tribal war broke out in Kalimantan. Many Sabers are flying in search of their enemies. Even though I don't believe in magical powers in things, that's the news I heard. I like the tribal pattern on the sarong as well as the handle of the Mandau. Very artful aesthetic.
5. Keris
*image source* https://www.tokopedia.com/csmuliapermata/keris-luk-13-nogo-rojo-naga-raja-kinatah-sepuh-emas
This is the traditional weapon of my tribe, namely Java. Keris is a weapon to stab an enemy made of iron. They vary in size, both sides are sharp and the shape is filled with curves like a walking snake. Currently, the keris is also identified with magical powers so many shamans have various types of kris displayed in their homes. For me, keris is a very interesting art object to collect.
Those were five traditional Indonesian weapons. There are still a lot of various types of traditional weapons from Indonesia because the State of Indonesia has a diversity of tribes, cultures, and races. So there are many interesting things to discuss the diversity of Indonesia. Thank you for reading this article to the end, I hope this article is useful and can add to your information about the regional culture in Indonesia.
Typical food of the Batak tribe with the main ingredient of carp fish
Hello my friends, welcome back to my blog. How are you all? May God continue to give you health. In this Eid season, the tradition of visiting family and friends is what I usually do to stay in touch and apologize. Since I have a friend from the Batak tribe, yesterday I visited his house to stay in touch.
While at her house, my best friend's mother happened to be cooking a typical Batak food, namely "Arsik" with the main ingredient being carp fish. This food is not only consumed but at every Batak traditional event, this food is always served to be enjoyed together. Actually, there are many typical foods from the Batak tribe, since my friend's mother serves "Arsik", so in this post, I will only discuss the Arsik menu.
Carp with the scientific name "Cyprinus carpio" is a fish that lives in freshwaters. This fish is estimated to live for 20 years. In Indonesia, this fish is widely used in cooking menus. So, almost every restaurant in Indonesia serves this food menu. in some areas in Indonesia, carp fish is cooked by frying, dressing, or grilling. However, in North Sumatra, there are many Batak tribes. Carp fish are processed in the "Arsik" way.
For the Batak indigenous people, carp are different from other fish. Besides the beautiful colour, it also tastes good, so children and parents like it. In carrying out the customs of the Batak tribe, this carp is usually served for traditional events. When a daughter gets married, her parents will give her carp arsik food. In addition, when a child passes an exam or gets a job, his parents also give him carp food. So, in the Batak tribe, this goldfish is very much needed. Apart from being used for food consumption, goldfish are also used to support the customs of the Batak tribe.
From some health data that I have researched on several internet sites, fresh carp has an energy content of 86Kcal, 16gr Protein, 2gr Fat, 20mg Calcium, 150mg Phosphorus, 2mg Iron, Vitamin A 150 IU. That way, this food is very good for us to consume.
For processing methods and recipes, you should look at several food recipe sites or open YouTube. Because I don't know how to cook. I have to admit that the Arsik carp served by my friend's mother was very good. I think I will often visit his house so that his mother cooks carp fish for me again. Thank you for visiting and reading my writing. See you in the next post.
Long traffic jams every year
Hello, my friends. Meet again in my writings on this read.cash platform. Btw, the month of Ramadan is coming to an end. In a few days, Idul Fitri will be celebrated by Muslims as a big day. Talk about Eid. Indonesia is a country where the majority are Muslims. In fact, from several sources that I have read, most Muslims in the world are in Indonesia. So, every time before Eid al-Fitr, workers are given more than two weeks of leave. So it's not surprising that many migrants or migrant workers take the day off to do "Mudik".
Maybe you don't know what "Mudik" is. So, “Mudik” is a verb used by most Indonesians which means to return to one's hometown. So every year, the nomads or migrant workers will return to their hometowns when they are given a sabbatical by the company where they work. This year I didn't go back to my hometown because I didn't have the money to buy a plane ticket to Central Java Province, where I was born and raised.
In 2020 and 2021, the Government prohibits people from going home or returning to their hometowns. This is due to the widespread transmission of Covid-19 that occurred in Indonesia. However, this year, the Government allowed people to return to their hometowns to celebrate Eid al-Fitr with their families in their hometowns. Therefore, many Indonesian people are very enthusiastic about doing "Mudik" this year.
As a result of the enthusiasm of the community to carry out this "Mudik" activity, it causes long traffic jams on toll roads. A teammate of mine at the office named Wahyu, this morning left by car to go home. So, this afternoon around 4:00 pm, he called me and told me he had been stuck in traffic for six hours in the car. You can imagine how boring it is to be stuck in traffic for six hours. But luckily, he had prepared two jerry cans of petrol and a spare tire. Because he had experienced something similar in 2019. Congestion was worse than this year. My friend Wahyu ran out of fuel when he was in a traffic jam, so the petrol sellers raised the price 10 times the normal price. Wahyu was forced to spend a lot of money to buy gasoline to be able to celebrate Eid in his hometown with his family.
It seems that traffic jams every year before Idul Fitri cannot be prevented or eliminated because a lot of Indonesian people work outside their area. So that when they get to leave, they will return to their hometowns to be able to celebrate Eid with their beloved family. In your opinion, what kind of policies should be carried out by the government to overcome traffic jams every year? Give your opinion in the comments column, friends. Thank you
***Image source by*** ***MonikaP*** https://pixabay.com/photos/traffic-jam-highway-1699089/
First time learning photography technique
Hello my friends, welcome back to my post. Today I will tell you a little about my experience when I met a photographer in a park near my house. So, yesterday afternoon, after I came home from work, I headed to a park which is very close to my house. My goal for the park is just to enjoy the afternoon air while waiting for the iftar. At that time I saw a photographer who was doing his job, which is taking pictures of the objects he likes. So I approached him and got acquainted.
The Photographer's name is Petrus, he takes a lot of pictures of objects for his work. So, I asked him a lot about the science of photography. I don't know why I became interested in doing photography. The photography I did yesterday afternoon was Monochrome. This is a one-colour shooting technique or often called black and white.
Although I know photography techniques in theory, in practice, I'm not very good at shooting. However, since I'm still a beginner, I need to keep learning more about doing good photography techniques. Below I show some of my shots in the form of monochrome or black and white photos. For me, the results of my photos are ordinary, even though they don't seem good haha.
The first photo is my first shot. Photographer named Petrus became the object of my shot. I took this picture while he was preparing his camera to capture the surrounding objects. He didn't know that I was aiming at him for a photo.
The second photo is of a pavilion which is usually used to make a speech if there is an organizational inauguration event. Every Sunday morning, the pavilion is also used by aerobics instructors. Because, every Sunday morning, the park is used by the community to exercise
The third photo is of the Sidewalk outside the park. The sidewalk is used for pedestrians, and also on the sidewalk, there are several chairs for people who want to rest or just enjoy the atmosphere of the city of Medan.
The fourth photo is of a crossroads in the centre of Medan city. Still in the area near the park. at the corner of the crossroads, there is a building that is about 100 years old. The building was used as a government-owned bank.
The fifth photo is a photo of the bridge across the park. Under the bridge, there is a train track, because there is a train station to stop the city of Medan from other cities. when I was a kid, this bridge was full of used booksellers. I often buy used comics at this bridge around 2004.
The sixth photo is the last. I took the photo from the bridge earlier. The photo of the crossroads shows a large private building. The large building was used as the offices of a great company. Many rich people were in the building.
Those are just some of the photos I can show you. I hope you guys can give a rating of 1-9 from each of my shots. Thank you and nice to meet you.
It was difficult to find food vendors that night.
Last night, when I had just returned from my friend's house, suddenly my stomach felt very hungry. So, I decided to buy food outside. That night I wanted to buy rice and grilled chicken, but many food vendors had closed. It was already midnight.
Usually, in the area around my house many sell food, but that night almost all the food vendors were closed. Even the ramen shop I used to go to was closed. Finally, I went around again to look for food vendors who were still selling.
Finally, I found a burger seller at a crossroads located quite far from my house. The burger stall was named "Papa Burger". I ended up buying a burger to fill the emptiness in my stomach which was rebelling for food.
I ordered a cheeseburger. The seller is very friendly. This street burger shop is about to close, but it still serves me when I only buy one burger. Not only burgers are here, but kebabs are also available. There are also various types of burgers and kebabs, we just have to choose what type we want.
The prices for burgers and kebabs are very diverse, but not expensive. The Cheese Burger I bought was only 10K IDR or the equivalent of $0.7. Very cheap isn't it? This burger seller not only accepts cash but also accepts electronic payments such as OVO. I hope in the future this burger seller will accept BCH as payment. Although the Burger I bought was not like the one at McD's, this Cheese Burger has its taste. And most importantly, my stomach can be filled with food.
Thanks for taking the time to open up and read a bit about my experience of feeling hungry in the middle of the night. Support me to give a like on this post. Thank you
Four types of food for breaking the fast
Hello guys, good evening my dear friends. Today has entered the 12th Ramadhan, I can't believe I've been fasting for 12 days in this holy month. As a Muslim, I believe that this month of Ramadhan is filled with blessings. Lots of abundant sustenance during the month of Ramadan for most people.
Every afternoon between 03.00 pm to 06.00 pm, many people seek sustenance by selling food to break their fast. So, this afternoon after work, I stopped at a cake shop. I bought eight cakes in four types to break my fast and also a glass of orange flavoured drink to quench my thirst.
In this post, I will also introduce four types of traditional Indonesian cakes that I bought this afternoon. Read this article to the end so that you know the type of cake I ate for breaking the fast earlier.
1. Dadar Gulung (Roll Pancake)
This cake is identical to the green colour. The green colour produced by the Dadar Gulung comes from natural dyes, namely suji leaves. The skin of this cake is made from flour and eggs. The contents of the cake are grated coconut and Javanese sugar. It tastes sweet and soft when chewed.
2. Risol
I'm not sure if Risol is a typical Indonesian food, but in my country, this food is very easy to find in every shop. Risols usually contain pieces of meat and vegetables, but which are commonly found in traditional markets, Risols contain vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, and chilli slices. It tastes spicy and salty. The outside of the Risol is sprinkled with breadcrumbs.
3. Mini Martabak
Martabak is a typical Indian food, but Indonesia also has Martabak but it is small in size. The contents of this mini Martabak are the same as the contents in the Risol. But there is an additional egg in it. It's also spicy and salty. It is perfect for a snack while enjoying a cup of coffee. When I was in junior high school, I often bought this mini Martabak at school. This was my favourite snack when I was in middle school.
4. Tahu Isi (Tofu with contents)
The latter is a type of fried food that is very easy to find in Indonesia, especially in fried food vendors. This food is fried tofu, but inside this tofu has several types of vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, bean sprouts, and cabbage. Every time I come home from work, I always buy this food, because, in front of the office where I work, there is a fried food seller there.
So, those are the four types of cakes that I bought to break my fast at sunset. Actually, I wanted to buy many types of cakes to introduce to you, but there were only four types left. Understandably, in the month of Ramadan, many people buy cakes for breaking their fast.
Okay guys, so that's all I can write for you guys to read. I hope you stay healthy and can continue to do the activities you love. Regards.
**All photos in this post are mine.**
Activities in the month of Ramadan so you don't get bored
Hello, my handsome and beautiful friends on the **read.cash** platform. How is your fast today? Surely it's still running, right? So, during this month of Ramadan, what are you guys doing?
In this holy month of Ramadan, we as Muslims are required to fast and refrain from all desires that are in our hearts such as eating, drinking, smoking, and getting angry until the appointed time.
In general, the time for fasting is from dawn until sunset. Well, during the day, sometimes boredom comes to us because the waiting time to break the fast is quite long. In order not to get bored in fasting, today I recommend fun activities while fasting. So, read this article to the end, guys.
1. Reading
This is one of my hobbies apart from music. Even though it's not the month of Ramadan, I still take a little time to read. Reading books, magazines, short stories, or comics is a fun activity for someone who likes to read. Doing reading activities will increase your insight and information even though you are fasting.
2. Meditate
This is one of the recommendations from one of my Facebook friends and the author of this **read.cash** platform. He is @daffaputra. Although I have never done meditation, but for him, meditation is very beneficial for our physical and mental health. This is a light activity that doesn't exhaust you. Meditation can be done in the afternoon, just before breaking the fast. https://read.cash/@daffaputra
3. Write
To fill the time when fasting, we can do this activity so that this month of Ramadan is not boring. It is recommended to write on platforms that can make money, such as **read.cash**, steemit, hive, etc. So, writing is not only a filler for activities during fasting, but writing can also earn money.
4. Play games
This activity is mostly done by teenagers. When I was 15 years old, I spent all day at the internet cafe playing online games so that fasting wouldn't be boring. Currently, some smartphones can play online games, so we no longer need to go to an internet cafe to play online games.
5. Watching movies
It is also fun to fill the month of Ramadan for you guys. You can watch movies that you like, either on Netflix or download pirated movies. Sometimes I also watch One Piece anime and also Boruto while waiting for iftar guys.
Those were 5 activities that make you not feel bored when fasting. Maybe there are other activities that you can recommend to readers by writing in the comments column. Thank you.
Non-formal traditions that are carried out in the month of Ramadan
Hi, my loyal friends who read my articles on the read.cash platform. While today has entered the month of Ramadan, I wish you happy fasting for all Muslims, stay healthy and continue to do good so that your fasting worship becomes a blessing.
By the way, this Ramadan, I feel lonely because my mother is in my hometown. Precisely at my grandmother's house which is in the province of Central Java. Maybe I'll be there before Eid. Around the middle of Ramadan, I will book a plane ticket there.
In general, Ramadan is a holy month for Muslims. We are required to fast for a whole month in this month of Ramadan. However, some traditions are not mandatory to do, but many people do. Maybe this tradition only exists in Indonesia. Want to know what are the traditions in Indonesia during the month of Ramadan? Read the article until it's finished.
1. Playing firecrackers
Usually, during the month of Ramadan, schools will close students until the end of Eid. To fill the holiday during the month of Ramadan, they play with firecrackers. So, every month of Ramadan arrives, there is always the sound of firecrackers exploding from outside the house. especially after finishing the tarawih prayer. Then they would play with firecrackers all night.
2. Wake up sleeping, people
When we were teenagers, my friends and I always did this. The goal is for people to be able to carry out Sahur at 3 in the morning. We grouped carrying gongs and ringing them while walking around the village to wake up the residents so they could carry out Sahur.
3. Asmara Subuh
Around 5.30 am, to be precise after performing the dawn prayer at the mosque, the young men and women will be doing activities with friends until the sun rises. Some teenagers sometimes do charms to get acquainted with a boy or girl. When we were still in school, my friends and I did activities by cycling until the sun rose.
4. Sharing Takjil
Takjil is foods such as cakes, fried foods, or snacks to break the fast at sunset. Some communities carry out food sharing activities for fasting people and enjoy when breaking their fast. When I was a child, my friends and I hunted Takjil every afternoon. We are cycling and looking for people who share Takjil.
5. Iftar together
After a week of fasting, there will usually be an activity called breaking the fast together. This is done to maintain the relationship between friends. This iftar activity can also be used as a reunion for old school friends. Usually, in the middle of Ramadan, there will be invitations from the elementary, middle, and high school friends to hold iftar events together.
Those were the traditions carried out by the Indonesian people during the month of Ramadan like this. Hopefully, this article can add to your insight. Although this information is not very important, this article shows that the month of Ramadan is not only holding back hunger and thirst but can also be filled with useful activities so that this Ramadan is full of colours. Thank you.
Five traditional foods in Indonesia
Hello, my friends who like to read articles on the read.cash platform. So, this afternoon I was hungry and there was no food in the cupboard. My mother did not cook because she went to my grandmother's house and stayed three days there. Usually, my mother saves instant noodles if she doesn't want to cook side dishes, but today there is absolutely no food that I can process.
Incidentally, a Pecal driver was passing in front of my house. Finally, I bought a serving of Pecal for me to enjoy. For those of you who don't know Pecal, I will explain a little about Pecal. So, Pecal is a traditional food made from boiled leaves. Usually use cassava leaves, kale, and cabbage.
The cassava and kale leaves are boiled until soft for easy chewing, then mix the sliced cabbage. After that, mix the peanut sauce in the stew earlier. The peanut sauce is made by grinding peanuts, brown sugar, lime leaves, shallots, and chillies. Add a little water after everything has been ground into a fine powder.
Btw, talking about Pecal as a traditional food from Indonesia, I also want to introduce to you five traditional Indonesian foods that I have tasted. So that you know and maybe will try it if you visit Indonesia.
1. Rendang
This is a typical food from the province of West Sumatra and is preserved by the Minangkabau tribe. Food with the main ingredients of beef is the best food in the world (which I heard like that). Not only in Indonesia, several restaurants in Malaysia and Saudi Arabia also provide this food, guys.
2. Gethuk
This is my favourite snack when I was a kid, guys. When I was still living in my grandmother's hometown, every morning Gethuk sellers passed by my grandmother's house. My friends and I always buy and we enjoy ourselves together. This food is made from cassava with a sprinkling of coconut and salt on top. Now this food is very rare. I miss eating this snack.
3. Empek-empek
This food comes from South Sumatra. It can be said that Empek-empek is a typical food from the city of Palembang. Even so, this food can also be found in several provinces in Indonesia. The first time I tried Empek-empek was in Jambi city. Those who sell this food are street vendors. Empek-empek is made from finely ground fish meat and mixed with starch and other spices to make a dough. After that steamed, and can also be fried. Usually, Empek-empek is enjoyed with vinegar sauce.
4. Injin Porridge
This is one of my favourite foods when I go to Bali. This porridge is made from black rice and glutinous rice, then mixed with coconut milk. It tastes very good as a dessert menu. Injin porridge is a traditional food from Bali. It's very easy to get this delicious Injin Porridge.
5. Cucur cakes
The first time I tried this Cucur cake was while attending my friend's wedding in Jakarta. Cucur cake is a traditional food typical of the Betawi tribe. This cake is often found in some cake shops. The taste is sweet and the middle has a soft texture. Very suitable to be enjoyed while relaxing in the afternoon while sipping a cup of coffee.
Those are five traditional foods in my country that I have tried and enjoyed. To find out the recipe for making it, you can look it up on YouTube. Don't ask me about the recipe, because I can't possibly make it. For those of you who want to share information about your culture and traditions, write a link to your article in the comments column so that I also know how your traditions are. Thank You.
Image source of Rendang by Pixabay https://pixabay.com/photos/rendang-food-indonesian-dish-6393322/
Image source of Gethuk by Visitjawatengah https://visitjawatengah.jatengprov.go.id/id/kuliner/gethuk-gondok-dan-gethuk-trio
Image source of Empek-empek by Piknikdong https://www.piknikdong.com/cara-membuat-pempek.html
Image source of Injin Porridge by Resepistimewa https://www.resepistimewa.com/resep-bubur-ketan-hitam/
Image source of Cucur cakes by EndeusTv https://endeus.tv/resep/cucur-gula-merah
Five traditional house designs in Indonesia
Hello, my friends, the weather is very hot outside, coincidentally today I am off work, so I take my time to write. I don't have a theme for today's article, so I want to introduce culture from my country, Indonesia.
Indonesia is an archipelagic country with many cultures and ethnic groups, therefore the motto of the Indonesian state is "Bhinneka Tunggal Ika" which means "Different but still one". Well, with so many different cultures in Indonesia, I would like to introduce you to traditional houses from Indonesia.
1. Joglo's House
This is a traditional house that comes from Central Java, where I was born. The design of this building has four main pillars at the front of the house. Inside the house, there are also two parts. The traditional Joglo house was formerly inhabited by Javanese nobles.
2. Gadang House
This is the traditional house of the Minangkabau tribe from West Sumatra. Gadang is taken from the Minangkabau language which means big. That means the size of this house is big. The hallmark of this traditional house is that it has a pointed roof like a horn. This traditional house is often the logo of a restaurant that serves Minangkabau regional menus.
3. Bolon House
This traditional house comes from the Batak tribe in North Sumatra. I don't know the meaning of Bolon, but if you go to Lake Toba, you will see many Bolon houses inhabited by local indigenous people. The design of this building is rectangular with a pointed roof upwards. To enter, you have to climb the stairs from the front of the house.
4. Betang House
This traditional house comes from the province of Central Kalimantan and is inhabited by the Dayak tribe. The design of this house is made of wood with a stage type. The function of this stage-type house is to avoid flooding during the rainy season. Betang house has a length of about 150 meters. Usually, this house is inhabited by five families. Each family has a room that is insulated with boards.
5. Tongkonan House
This is the traditional house of the Toraja tribe in the province of South Sulawesi. The design of this building has a roof shaped like an upturned boat. The foundation of the Tongkonan house is a pile of wood with cool carvings in red, yellow, and black. In addition to being the residence of the Toraja tribe, this house is also used as a traditional event.
Those were five traditional houses from Indonesia. There are many other types of beautiful and unique traditional houses in Indonesia, but I only mention five. That's all my article, hopefully, it will be useful and add to your insight about culture and traditions in Indonesia. Thank you.
Image source of Joglo House by Rumah.com https://www.rumah.com/panduan-properti/rumah-joglo-48100
Image source of Gadang House by kompas.com https://www.kompas.com/skola/read/2021/01/14/120000069/rumah-gadang-rumah-adat-minangkabau-sumatera-barat?page=all
Image source of Bolon House by Rumah.com https://www.rumah.com/panduan-properti/rumah-adat-batak-31727
Image source of Betang House by Orami.com https://www.orami.co.id/magazine/rumah-adat-kalimantan-tengah
Image source of Tongkonan House by Rumah.com https://www.rumah.com/panduan-properti/rumah-adat-tongkonan-35258
Traditional musical instruments originating from Indonesia
Hello everyone, how are you guys? Hope you stay healthy always. It's been a long time since I wrote a post on this platform because I'm busy at work. So, while I have the opportunity to write, I will write about musical instruments.
I'm sure friends here like to listen to music, whether waiting for someone, relaxing on the sofa, enjoying coffee, defecating, even before going to bed. Listening to music can improve your mood for the better. An article by an author named @Luna1999 once explained that music can improve mental health.
I agree with this explanation. In stressful situations, listening to music can relieve stress a little. But in today's post, I want to introduce some traditional musical instruments from my country.
Because in general, musical instruments that everyone knows are guitar, drums, piano, bass, trumpet, etc. So I will introduce a musical instrument that you may not know about. Ok, here are five traditional musical instruments from my country.
**Karinding**
This is my favourite musical instrument, made from bamboo fronds, sometimes made from palm fronds. This traditional musical instrument comes from the West Java area and is still preserved by the Sundanese. How to play it is not too difficult, just place it on your lips, then pat it with your fingers on the bat, so that Karinding can produce a resonant sound.
**Angklung**
This musical instrument is made of several bamboo tubes that produce double notes. The angklung musical instrument also comes from West Java and is preserved by the Sundanese. I don't know for sure the origin of this musical instrument, because in the area of Central Java and Yogyakarta it is also preserved by several artists. But for sure, the voice of Angklung is very melodious to listen to.
**Gamelan**
This is a percussion type musical instrument, made of brass metal. How to play it by hitting the top using a gamelan bat such as a hammer. I don't know the name of the bat, but it's shaped like a hammer. This musical instrument is very diverse, I don't know the name of the type of gamelan, but I know the shape.
**Sasando**
This is a traditional musical instrument from the East Nusa Tenggara region. The shape is unique and cool. I've never played it, but I've seen someone play this instrument. The Sasando musical instrument is made of a bamboo tube placed in the middle, and a support made of palm leaves. How to play it is plucked like a harp or guitar, because it has strings.
**Garantung**
This musical instrument is similar to a xylophone made of wood. I don't know what tree this instrument is made from, but the tones produced by the Garantung musical instrument are very melodious to listen to. This musical instrument comes from North Sumatra and is played by hitting it with a wooden stick.
Those were five traditional musical instruments from my country, Indonesia. There are still a lot of traditional musical instruments from Indonesia that I don't know about because Indonesia has many cultures so it's very difficult to know all of them. Every region and every tribe has a cool musical instrument that must be preserved. Hopefully, today's article is useful. Thank you.
Fine art trading platform using Blockchain in early stages
Before NFT exploded in 2020, art trading platforms existed, but not like art market trading on Opensea or the like. Today I just want to discuss a platform called "All Public Art (APA)" who has been present since 2018 and at the same time, I want to reminisce a bit, because I am also one of the artists who have sold my work there.
Alright, before I discuss this platform called "All Public Art", I will discuss the reason for this platform to exist and take advantage of blockchain technology. So, The online art industry has been exploding at the rate of more than 20-percent on an annual basis. With the latest surge in blockchain technology, Online Art takes advantage of the technology to streamline businesses and eliminate problems. When it come to the art industry, problems surrounding corruption and counterfeit seems to be rampant and affecting the its business sector.
Now with the All Public Art operation, artists and art collectors are able to do business without needing an assistance from a third party. When it comes to the business sector, in a decentralized environment, third party such as middle man is not only necessary but also required. The role of middle man may significantly help art collectors and artists. But more often, it only exposes them to more fraud.
*Just for your information, this platform is not an NFT art trading platform like Opensea or the like. This platform existed before NFT art became famous. This platform has been around since 2018.*
The core fundamentals of this unique All Public Art platform focus on the privacy of artists and art collectors. Most of the time, both parties are concerned about interacting with one another for a myriad of different reasons. Art collectors are wary about the aunthenticity of the artwork, whereas artists are rarely equipped with business skills.
Both art collectors and artists are at risk of being taken advantage of due to their lack of few capabilities. This gives way to third parties to offer help for a fee. The All Public Art provides a safe and secure platform for art collectors to interact with artists without worries. This requirement may seem troublesome to a few people. Combined with the blockchain smart contract, as the technology that backs up the platform, the platform provides transparency. Allowing for transparent and sustainable interaction.
The All Public Art platform’s currency token serves as its only payment method in the environment. Tokens are used when you decide on purchasing your favorite artwork. Not only that, you may also use the token for tips and donations. That way, you will be able to show your appreciation to your favorite artists using these two features.
There are so many great and beneficial effects that come with this unique All Public Art platform. Not only does the platform offer incredible security protection for art collectors and buyers alike. The platform also, at the same time, manages to offer the same level of security to artists. This is undoubtedly a refreshing change seeing as similar platforms typically only focus on the buyer side of the spectrum.
Every transaction between buyers and artists are guaranteed protection. Funds will remain in the All Public Art’s escrow account. The cryptocurrency fund will be held until buyer has received the artwork and verified of its authenticity. Once it’s clear they have received the items they have paid for, All Public Art will then resume the process and make the fund available for the artist.
So the difference between the "All Public Art" platform and the NFT marketplace platform is, here selling physical works that will be sent to buyers, while the NFT marketplace platform, only sells digital art. If you want to try to sell or buy a physical work of art, you can go to their official website at https://www.allpublicart.com/
*After the NFT marketplace platform came, I'm now no longer selling on the APA platform, just using Opensea and AirNfts*
Chicken Geprek Lylla with a spicy taste
Hello guys, good afternoon. Today I want to share my experience when tasting fast food. So, yesterday I was watching anime on my laptop, then I was hungry. Since my mother was not at home, so there was no food to eat, because all this time I could not cook.
Then I opened my Instagram and saw a post by someone promoting a serving of rice and chicken with a chilli grinder on it, seeing a photo of the food made my stomach even more hungry. I read in the caption of the photo that the fast-food outlet is on Jl. Durung Gg. Ibu No. 48B. the distance is not too far from where I live, so I immediately rode my motorbike to the outlet.
After arriving there, it turns out that the place is not too big and is in a narrow alley. There is only one table and four chairs available. The restaurant owner said that most of the food here is ordered through online applications. If I know that, better I order online. Then, I ordered a portion of rice and geprek chicken, because the geprek chicken is the mainstay of this restaurant, and another menu that I ordered was takoyaki.
When I tried the geprek chicken menu, I felt a delicacy that I had never tasted before. The geprek chicken here is very tasty, the seasoning flour is crunchy, and the sambal is also very spicy. According to my taste. The taste of this geprek chicken spice permeates the chicken meat. In my opinion, this restaurant is not suitable to be in a narrow alley, because the taste of this food has an extraordinary taste. It is better if this restaurant is in a mall or at least in the food court area.
After finishing a portion of geprek chicken, I tried the takoyaki that I ordered. It turns out that this takoyaki is no less delicious. Similar to the takoyaki I've tried in Japan before. But unfortunately, the only meat in this takoyaki is sausage. There is no other choice of meat to stuff into this takoyaki. So delicious this takoyaki, my tongue danced while chewing the delicious takoyaki. I also ordered another portion to take home so I could enjoy it again while watching anime.
The prices here are very cheap, only IDR 13K, or USD 0.9 for a portion of Geprek Chicken, and IDR 10K or USD 0.7 for a portion of takoyaki. OMG, how can delicious food like this be so cheap? I will be a regular customer of this fast-food restaurant. Okay, guys, that's all I can say about this delicious and cheap food. You should try it if you are here. See you in the next article guys.
*Hi guys, thanks for reading, the source of the image in this article is mine*
Repairing motorcycle tires while enjoying a cup of latte and fries.
Hello guys, how are you? I hope you all are always given health. Btw, last night, when I wanted to go home, the motorcycle I was riding had a problem. My motorcycle tire was punctured by a nail in the road, so the tire went deflated.
I was looking for a tire repairman while pushing my motorbike 500 meters. Coincidentally, around the tire patch, there was a coffee shop, so, while waiting for the motorcycle tires to be attached, I enjoyed coffee.
This coffee shop is called "**Kopi Balek Medan**" which is located on Jl. Mongonsidi in the city of Medan. The atmosphere in this coffee shop is ordinary, there are wooden tables and plastic chairs arranged in this coffee shop, as well as lights that adorn the coffee shop as decorations.
At this coffee shop, I ordered a cup of coffee latte and also a portion of fries. Turns out, the coffee here is really good. The french fries are also very tasty when dipped in spicy chilli sauce. Even though the latte I ordered didn't have the art of latte in other places, the bitter and sweet taste and the aroma of this Arabica coffee fit and blended into my heart.
After an hour of coffee latte and fries, I called the waiter and asked for the bill. The price of the coffee latte and fries that I ordered was only IDR 30K, that's equivalent to USD 2, very cheap. After paying, I went out to see my vehicle, it turned out that my motorcycle tires had been repaired so I could go home safely. Thank you for taking a little time to read.
*Note: All photos that I upload in this article, are my personal property. But you can use it for your purposes. Regards*
Instant Noodles with extra squid
Hello guys, how are you all? May we all continue to be given protection and health from God. So, today I want to write about my experience of making instant noodles by mixing squid into the dish. Please read to the end.
Yesterday, my mother cooked squid for our lunch. So I asked mom "will the squid be all cooked?" then my mother replied, "yes, of course". So I asked mom to leave some squid for me to cook as an instant noodle mix tonight. My mother finally left some squid for me.
As we know that squid has a fishy aroma. To get rid of the fishy smell, I put some drop of lime on top of the squid that my mother had cleaned, then I put it in the refrigerator for me to cook tonight.
After nightfall, I went to a shop near the house. I bought a packet of instant noodles and an egg. The instant noodles I bought were delicious noodles with a spicy Korean taste. This is my favourite instant noodle for the noodle soup base.
After arriving home, I immediately went to the kitchen to slice the onion, garlic, and leek (Allium porrum). This is the basic ingredient that I use most often to cook noodles or fried rice. Because these basic ingredients will make food delicious and also fragrant.
After everything was done I sliced, then I sauteed all the slices using a little sesame oil on low heat. after that I poured all the squid and stirred slowly. After that, I poured a glass of water into a pan containing squid and sliced onions. Then I raise the fire a little so that the water boils.
After the water in the pan boils, I add the instant noodles and wait for them to soften. to wait for the noodles to become soft, it takes about 10 minutes. After that, I mix the eggs, sauce, and soy sauce. I stir again for three minutes, then I turn off the stove fire.
After the fire in the stove went out, I poured all the powdered spices into the cooked instant noodle. Then stir until the powdered spices are evenly mixed, after everything is well mixed, then the instant noodles are poured into a bowl and ready to be served.
Apparently, mixing squid into instant noodles makes the noodle soup taste better. Plus the very soft and chewy texture of the noodles makes the tongue swaying. That was my experience of making instant noodles with squid. you guys have to try it guys. thank you.
*Hello guys, thanks for reading, all the photos in this article are mine.*
Art in Religion
Lately, I've been spending time reading novels by *Dan Brown*. I was interested in the novel called *Angel and Demon*, as well as *Da Vinci Code*. The two novel titles explain the influence of art on Christianity in many European countries. If we visit Europe, we can see the architectural designs of churches, museums, and the great works of *Leonardo Da Vinci, Michael Angelo, Shakespeare, etc*. Their art still stands there.
It seems that Europe is not the only one that has developed the art world. However, art flourished almost all over the world. An example is the Middle East, starting from the architectural design of buildings, calligraphy, and so on. Art is the result of the beauty of human expression. Usually, art is generally understood in the form of pictures (paintings), sculpture, music, and poetry. However, because the definition of art is the result of beauty expressed by humans, beautiful deeds are also included in art.
From a few years ago until now, I often hear and read news about conflicts that occur in Muslims, especially in my country. From what I know, Islam is a religion that highly values welfare and beauty. I believe that Islam is a religion of art, because of its nature that upholds beauty. Not only Islam, but all religions that uphold beauty are also art. But, why today are Muslims happier with conflict and division, and also very easily pitted against each other? Conflicts and riots are far from beautiful.
In my opinion, this is a matter of the mind and the teachings of Islam itself. Those who deepen/study the teachings of Islam properly will not do bad things like conflict and chaos. So, if someone claims to be a Muslim but likes to conflict and riot, then that person is not learning Islam properly. Because learning Islam properly must clean or purify the mind first. Because a clean or pure mind will not make a mess that leads to conflict. On the other hand, people who are clean and pure will study Islam with beauty.
Many in my country who claim to be Muslim and often shout to defend their religion, do not uphold Islam properly. Because they only use their religion for their benefit and that of their group. I seem to have gone too far in discussing conflict and Islamic teachings. OK, back to the main topic. In essence, art and religion are a unity that creates beauty. Mosques, churches, temples and other places of worship are architectural arts in religion, as are religious bearers such as *Muhammad, Jesus, Sidharta Gautama, etc*. Are moral artists, they are well behaved and good. And in my opinion, any religion that brings peace and beauty is art.
***The lead image source by*** ***Unsplash*** https://unsplash.com/photos/MmVcjS4eISk
Capitalism turned into a hospital
I just came home from the hospital to visit my friend who was sick. While there, I can smell a variety of mixed and inharmonious aromas. The faces of people who are tired of waiting for patients are clearly visible. I don't like being in a hospital, because a hospital is a place for sick people with a strong smell of grief.
It turns out that, apart from the law, hospitals are also the face of ruthless capitalism. First-class services can only be obtained by the rich, while the poor must receive poor service. So, if you are poor, try to stay healthy.
My friend's experience with the hospital was not very good, my friend was not from the rich, so he had to be willing to wait a long time in line to get a service from doctors and nurses. It seems life for some people is not more important than money.
The smell of the hospital is the smell I hate, The smell is very close to death. Many tears fell accompanied by the death of family or relatives in the hospital. Their tears had to come out with the loss of their hope. Even though death is certain, it seems unfair that the life expectancy of the rich is higher than that of the poor.
It seems that the concept of justice is very difficult to understand. Many seekers of justice died at the hands of cruel people. Should we poor people give up on the world? I don't know, hopefully, one day everyone from all walks of life can get health services fairly, regardless of their class and social status.
***The lead image source by*** ***Unsplash*** https://unsplash.com/photos/eMeyGD9oQXo
The people who destroy the NFT market
A few days ago, Indonesia was shocked by the news of a teenager who became a millionaire for selling his selfies on Opensea, the largest NFT exchange platform today. The teenager is named Ghozali, he turned his selfie into an NFT token and has earned a lot of money.
*Image by* *Screenshoot* https://opensea.io/collection/ghozali-everyday
At first, in Indonesia, NFT was not popular, only certain people knew what NFT was and how it worked. After the news of Ghozali, a teenager who became suddenly rich because of his selfie photos went viral, Indonesians began to know about NFT and Opensea.
A problem in the NFT world began, many people wanted to follow Ghozali's steps. As a result, the Opensea marketplace is filled with photo spam uploaded by Indonesians. Starting from selfie photos, photos of food, photos of clothes, photos of sandals, and a lot of garbage images at Opensea due to Indonesian people trying to get rich.
Of the many trash photos uploaded by Indonesians, the worst are those who take photos from Google and Freepik, then upload them back to Opensea. It's image theft. And one other rotten thing is, those who upload other people's identities to Opensea. Can't that data be misused?
I tried to tell them on Facebook and Twitter with an opinion like this, but they said, "*Hey, that's their right*", "*Hey, that's none of your business*". In my mind, I screamed, "**What the fuck**". That's my business too. I'm also an NFT creator at Opensea. If Opensea banned NFT creators from Indonesia, then I can no longer sell my NFT on Opensea.
So, for those of you who want to try to become NFT creators, upload works of art that have artistic value, don't upload your trash photos anymore. You cannot be like Ghozali and there is no other Ghozali besides him. I'm not insulting my nation, but the truth is, you're making yourselves despised. I hope this article will enlighten you so that there will be no more NFT waste in Opensea.
*Lead Image Source by* *Screenshoot* https://opensea.io/collection/boredapeyachtclub
@dark_spirit666
