Two Elizabeths saw Indonesia very differently. In what was the Western world’s exoticisation of the idyllic island world, Elizabeth Gilbert penned a ‘happily-ever-after’ memoir that ended in a dreamy Javier Bardem in ‘Eat, Pray and Love.’
Two Elizabeths saw Indonesia very differently. In what was the Western world’s exoticisation of the idyllic island world, Elizabeth Gilbert penned a ‘happily-ever-after’ memoir that ended in a dreamy Javier Bardem in ‘Eat, Pray and Love.’
Elizabeth Pisani, a journalist-turned-author, on the other hand, kept returning to the archipelago, traversing its far-flung corners of 3,000 islands and taking in the exasperating quirks of the nation whose first President Sukarno after attaining independence had said, “Indonesia would work out the details of the transfer of power etc, as soon as possible”. Pisani would dwell into all that was vague about Indonesia (the ‘etc’ part of the statement) and its accompanying vagaries in her rollicking take on history, a book titled ‘Indonesia Etc’.
On the eve of its 73rd Independence Day on August 17, and hosting its second Asian Games which opens on August 18, Indonesia is attempting its own fairytale.
This, in the middle of what has been a confusing, uncertain period in its ambitious history that has at its core the task of uniting several cultures, languages, ethnicities and religions under one red-white flag.
The nation, it would seem, has united for a two-week break of sport and hospitality, pushing away thoughts of a country that — like the rest of the world — has seen sectarian divisions flare up like its many volcanoes in mainstream politics.
For the fortnight of the Asian Games, Indonesia will eschew its roundabout ways of dealing with all things politics and otherwise. And it will push to the side thoughts of a fiery impending election in 2019, as it prepares to deliver an Asiad which is meant for games and frolicking.
But rarely have Games in Asia been only about sport and fun and a mere matter of medals for bragging rights in the continent. Countries like China and Korea have always seen the Asiad as ‘statement making’ events. Even India in 1951 and 1982, and Jakarta in 1962, were about sending out a message of Asian comradeship and identity, a pushback against the colonial powers that were ejected even as Nehru and Sukarno helmed the Non- Aligned Movement.
The Jakarta of 2018, though, seeks to send a message within the country — reassuring itself that Indonesia can keep its unity, not just notional, but in spirit, and surge towards a common goal —in these fractured times of religious and racial acrimony, and throw a giant party, while also enjoying it.
For far too long, China and India have taken off on their meteoric paths where they are either perceived as or are indeed superpowers of great economic might in Asia. Indonesia, the fourth-most populous country and not a tiny economy in volume, has had to stay content with boasting a history of trade with the Malacca spices that drew the Persians, Arabs, Indians and the Chinese towards them.
While Jakarta 2018 might lack the political posturing of Jakarta 1962 — newly independent, free of Dutch atrocities — these Games 56 years later, put together in record three years’ time after Vietnam opted out, are hoping to reclaim for the hosts, the world’s attention on it.
Territorial history — written by rulers and kings and militaries — often dwarfs maritime, mercantile exploits, and the world’s largest island-nation is looking for new ways to rub shoulders with the likes of China and India — pinning those hopes on sport’s spectacle.
So, on the sidelines of the Asiad, there’s a plan to unleash 5G network services in the country which Information Minister Rudiartana is readying for.
A mammoth fancy airport in Jakarta and mass rapid transit system upgrades have been fast-tracked (though they aren’t finished, it was vaguely announced) and are piggybacking the Asian Games.
Drones are buzzing around the capital, capturing high-pixel images and the locals have managed the truly impossible — they’ve sprayed perfume on an entire river which emits a vague fragrance of fresh lavender and lily. Indonesians don’t squirm at some practical solutions as hosts: To stop the flags at the Athletes Village windows from fluttering and folding up due to the gusts, the organisers have tied filled mineral bottles to the edges of flags like ship-anchors.
The notorious Jakartan traffic hasn’t thrown up any nasty tales as yet, and the Games and its trimmings have been packaged neatly to look match-ready. The Games are not all about China winning 100 gold, and the rest of the continent pooling in to match that figure.
There are some heartwarming tales like the Koreans — north and south — fielding a combined team. The North Koreans have already brought their buzz to the United team — Pyongyang’s Suk Yeung Ro top-scored in Wednesday’s opener of the women’s basketball competition and the travelling contingent of cheerleaders filled half the makeshift stadium. The united team is also planning to challenge the best in the dragonboat race — an event of much merriment and celebration.
Jakarta 2018 has also attempted to pull two disparate demographics together – there’s the geeky millennials who’ll assemble on August 26 for the demonstration e-sports and then there’s the 81-year-old from Malaysia who is mildly elderly to the mass of 70-year-olds from all over the continent who have congregated to win a gold medal at Bridge. The apocryphal story goes that the Games’ organisers had initially struck out Bridge after reading it on the Asiad programme citing it as a game that could tie in with gambling in the world’s largest Muslim majority country.
But then one of the world’s richest men — Bambang Hartono of Indonesia’s famous Djarum business empire — waltzed up to the high and mighty officialdom of the Asiad, and argued passionately for Bridge’s cerebral credentials, getting the sport back in. Not content with his $30 billion individual worth, he now wants to become Indonesia’s oldest gold medallist at age 78.
For everyday Indonesians though, there are humbler heroes to root for, as they prepare to better their 17th position from Incheon 2014.
There’s the teen sprinting heartthrob Lalu Muhammad Zohri in 100m, there’s a bunch of weightlifters and of course the colossally talented badminton champions who are the nation’s heartbeat.
“It’s very important for us – this Asian Games. We want to show the world not only that we are good at hosting, but also other things like how our athletes can win, etc,” Information minister Rudiartana said on a visit to the Jakarta Convention Centre that’s staging many sports.
What Indonesia seeks to achieve through Jakarta 2018 might be a little vague right now (floating in that “etc” category), but there will be plenty of eating and loving of sport this next fortnight, even as deeply divisive matters are deferred for a little later in this fascinatingly vague country.
Elizabeth Pisani, a journalist-turned-author, on the other hand, kept returning to the archipelago, traversing its far-flung corners of 3,000 islands and taking in the exasperating quirks of the nation whose first President Sukarno after attaining independence had said, “Indonesia would work out the details of the transfer of power etc, as soon as possible”. Pisani would dwell into all that was vague about Indonesia (the ‘etc’ part of the statement) and its accompanying vagaries in her rollicking take on history, a book titled ‘Indonesia Etc’.
On the eve of its 73rd Independence Day on August 17, and hosting its second Asian Games which opens on August 18, Indonesia is attempting its own fairytale.
This, in the middle of what has been a confusing, uncertain period in its ambitious history that has at its core the task of uniting several cultures, languages, ethnicities and religions under one red-white flag.
The nation, it would seem, has united for a two-week break of sport and hospitality, pushing away thoughts of a country that — like the rest of the world — has seen sectarian divisions flare up like its many volcanoes in mainstream politics.
For the fortnight of the Asian Games, Indonesia will eschew its roundabout ways of dealing with all things politics and otherwise. And it will push to the side thoughts of a fiery impending election in 2019, as it prepares to deliver an Asiad which is meant for games and frolicking.
But rarely have Games in Asia been only about sport and fun and a mere matter of medals for bragging rights in the continent. Countries like China and Korea have always seen the Asiad as ‘statement making’ events. Even India in 1951 and 1982, and Jakarta in 1962, were about sending out a message of Asian comradeship and identity, a pushback against the colonial powers that were ejected even as Nehru and Sukarno helmed the Non- Aligned Movement.
The Jakarta of 2018, though, seeks to send a message within the country — reassuring itself that Indonesia can keep its unity, not just notional, but in spirit, and surge towards a common goal —in these fractured times of religious and racial acrimony, and throw a giant party, while also enjoying it.
For far too long, China and India have taken off on their meteoric paths where they are either perceived as or are indeed superpowers of great economic might in Asia. Indonesia, the fourth-most populous country and not a tiny economy in volume, has had to stay content with boasting a history of trade with the Malacca spices that drew the Persians, Arabs, Indians and the Chinese towards them.
While Jakarta 2018 might lack the political posturing of Jakarta 1962 — newly independent, free of Dutch atrocities — these Games 56 years later, put together in record three years’ time after Vietnam opted out, are hoping to reclaim for the hosts, the world’s attention on it.
Territorial history — written by rulers and kings and militaries — often dwarfs maritime, mercantile exploits, and the world’s largest island-nation is looking for new ways to rub shoulders with the likes of China and India — pinning those hopes on sport’s spectacle.
So, on the sidelines of the Asiad, there’s a plan to unleash 5G network services in the country which Information Minister Rudiartana is readying for.
A mammoth fancy airport in Jakarta and mass rapid transit system upgrades have been fast-tracked (though they aren’t finished, it was vaguely announced) and are piggybacking the Asian Games.
Drones are buzzing around the capital, capturing high-pixel images and the locals have managed the truly impossible — they’ve sprayed perfume on an entire river which emits a vague fragrance of fresh lavender and lily. Indonesians don’t squirm at some practical solutions as hosts: To stop the flags at the Athletes Village windows from fluttering and folding up due to the gusts, the organisers have tied filled mineral bottles to the edges of flags like ship-anchors.
The notorious Jakartan traffic hasn’t thrown up any nasty tales as yet, and the Games and its trimmings have been packaged neatly to look match-ready. The Games are not all about China winning 100 gold, and the rest of the continent pooling in to match that figure.
There are some heartwarming tales like the Koreans — north and south — fielding a combined team. The North Koreans have already brought their buzz to the United team — Pyongyang’s Suk Yeung Ro top-scored in Wednesday’s opener of the women’s basketball competition and the travelling contingent of cheerleaders filled half the makeshift stadium. The united team is also planning to challenge the best in the dragonboat race — an event of much merriment and celebration.
Jakarta 2018 has also attempted to pull two disparate demographics together – there’s the geeky millennials who’ll assemble on August 26 for the demonstration e-sports and then there’s the 81-year-old from Malaysia who is mildly elderly to the mass of 70-year-olds from all over the continent who have congregated to win a gold medal at Bridge. The apocryphal story goes that the Games’ organisers had initially struck out Bridge after reading it on the Asiad programme citing it as a game that could tie in with gambling in the world’s largest Muslim majority country.
But then one of the world’s richest men — Bambang Hartono of Indonesia’s famous Djarum business empire — waltzed up to the high and mighty officialdom of the Asiad, and argued passionately for Bridge’s cerebral credentials, getting the sport back in. Not content with his $30 billion individual worth, he now wants to become Indonesia’s oldest gold medallist at age 78.
For everyday Indonesians though, there are humbler heroes to root for, as they prepare to better their 17th position from Incheon 2014.
There’s the teen sprinting heartthrob Lalu Muhammad Zohri in 100m, there’s a bunch of weightlifters and of course the colossally talented badminton champions who are the nation’s heartbeat.
“It’s very important for us – this Asian Games. We want to show the world not only that we are good at hosting, but also other things like how our athletes can win, etc,” Information minister Rudiartana said on a visit to the Jakarta Convention Centre that’s staging many sports.
What Indonesia seeks to achieve through Jakarta 2018 might be a little vague right now (floating in that “etc” category), but there will be plenty of eating and loving of sport this next fortnight, even as deeply divisive matters are deferred for a little later in this fascinatingly vague country.