** This post was inspired by Tiziano Terzani’s book, “A fortune-teller told me : earthbound travels in the Far East **
Coming across Indonesian men working in the country, I was immediately reminded of Terzani’s chapters on Indonesia which I have just completed.
Yes, I am still reading the same book but I will try not to talk about this book anymore after this – even about his meeting with the “devil” of the Golden Triangle.
Unlike Singapore, this author was fascinated with Indonesia.
The unique traditions, cultures, taboos and beliefs practiced by the different ethnic groups all over this country of over 200 millions of people – unimaginable!
Places like a village in Western Sumatera where women decide whom they marry – and men picked by not-so-desirable women are forced to leave town! Or island such as Lingga where the main question is not whether fairies or “bunian” (as we call them) exist, but how to avoid from offending such bunians.
Of course, many of us Asians know of their existence – of their tendency to “hide” (human taken into their realm and lost to our sight).
Sounds like pure rubbish but like him, I too find the small part of Indonesia which he experienced in this book, fascinating!
*Picture : Road between Tambunan to Penampang (Sabah). Nothing to do with Indonesia or bunian*
