 | Stepping in | Jan 4, 2005 |
My name is Muhy, a short for Muhibuddin Bin Usamah. Born and grew up in Makassar, Indonesia and for the last approximate six years have been wandering around trying to see more new places and to encounter more uniqueness of people as parts of the wonders of the universe. Currently based in Melbourne, Australia and fond of traveling to all levels of life. |  | Being one of the suburbs in Melbourne (only 2 km from the Central Business District), Dockland has become a primarily waterfront area centred around the banks of the Yarra River in Melbourne.
Recently, much of this area has been reconstructed to become a new inner city suburb and urban renewal project in Melbourne. New apartments as well as shopping centers were recently built. Some of Melbourne's well known landmarks are located there, such as Etihad Stadium, Southern Cross Station and a large number of modern buildings and eccentric public artworks.
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| | Flying across this continent down under, the sky was quite clear so Darwin from above can be shot, as well as Sydney before landing. The undulating green mountains and ships in white dots marked my new life in this down under: Australia here I am!
On the sky,
QF 423, 36B: Sydney to Melbourne, 3 January 2009.
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| | Closer shots of Torajan Sculptures on the walls of Torajan houses. Every line, dot, cross and other symbols have their meaning and therefore may depict something on their belief, and therefore for some people, it is believed that any symbols can not be sculptured to any walls. There should be reasons behind that, which I can not tell.
They are however colorful and beautiful, arent they?
ps: Sculptures usually only use colors of red, black, orange, yellow, white. No blue, green, purple or the combination.
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| | Pictures of Toraja's very high land.
when the land touches the sky,
yet the sky is untouchable.
Written in Toraja, 23 December 2009. |
| | Typical torajan houses, which are full of sculpture depicting something i.e. each line has meaning. A Toraja house is also called tongkonan. The tongkonan are built according to ancestral rules and their roof results from the assembly of thousands of bamboos. Splendid carved wood panels decorate the frontage.
The thorns of buffaloes are kept under the house, which mean something. The more the thorns, the more valuable the house is, or the more story it tells.
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| | In addition to its unique traditional houses, some other attractions in Toraja are the funeral ceremony and the graves themselves.
In Toraja society, the funeral ritual is the most elaborate and expensive event. The richer and more powerful the individual, the more expensive is the funeral.
The death feast of a nobleman is usually attended by thousands and lasts for several days. A ceremonial site, called rante, is usually prepared in a large, grassy field where shelters for audiences, rice barns, and other ceremonial funeral structures are specially made by the deceased family. Flute music, funeral chants, songs and poems, and crying and wailing are traditional Toraja expressions of grief with the exceptions of funerals for young children, and poor, low-status adults.
The ceremony is often held weeks, months, or years after the death so that the deceased's family can raise the significant funds needed to cover funeral expenses. Torajans traditionally believe that death is not a sudden, abrupt event, but a gradual process toward Puya (the land of souls, or afterlife). During the waiting period, the body of the deceased is wrapped in several layers of cloth and kept under the tongkonan (or sometimes inside the house). The soul of the deceased is thought to linger around the village until the funeral ceremony is completed, after which it begins its journey to Puya.
Another component of the ritual is the slaughter of water buffalo. The more powerful the person who died, the more buffalo are slaughtered at the death feast. Buffalo carcasses, including their heads, are usually lined up on a field waiting for their owner, who is in the "sleeping stage". Torajans believe that the deceased will need the buffalo to make the journey and that they will be quicker to arrive at Puya if they have many buffalo. Slaughtering tens of water buffalo and hundred of pigs using a machete is the climax of the elaborate death feast, with dancing and music and young boys who catch spurting blood in long bamboo tubes. Some of the slaughtered animals are given by guests as "gifts", which are carefully noted because they will be considered debts of the deceased's family.
There are three methods of burial: the coffin may be laid in a cave or in a carved stone grave, or hung on a cliff. It contains any possessions that the deceased will need in the afterlife. The wealthy are often buried in a stone grave carved out of a rocky cliff. The grave is usually expensive and takes a few months to complete. In some areas, a stone cave may be found that is large enough to accommodate a whole family. A wood-carved effigy, called tau tau, is usually placed in the cave looking out over the land.The coffin of a baby or child may be hung from ropes on a cliff face or from a tree. This hanging grave usually lasts for years, until the ropes rot and the coffin falls to the ground.
Text from wikipedia
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| | For me, the best parts of people in Toraja are sitting on feeding buffalo and walking bare foot in the mud. Trading activities in the local market (which falls only one day in a week) attracts people from different villages to come. Hence, that is the best time to see people and the ways that take them there: some by buffaloes, by open-cup car (and they sit on top) and some by bare foot.
Faces are typical people's faces in the mountain: tough and with eyes with deep gazing power. I see how far they can see by looking at each other. Teenagers, however, are also very typical of not wanting to see the face of the people they are talking to.
Another observed thing is though they are surrounded by trees, toothpick is not widely known yet. Everything is by hand like one of the pictures below. I like that, it is so original, haha.
For the originality of Torajan People.
End of December 2008 |
| | STAYING IN A HOUSE WITH DEAD BODY IS KEPT INSIDE.
It was good time break after leaving Bangkok before moving to Melbourne.
It was my 4th time going to Toraja, 2 of which were for fieldwork when I studied Undergraduate Geology and the last time was in 2003 before I left for the Netherlands. Hence, Toraja is always a breaking place for me before starting a new life somewhere. I just realized to day when posting this.
The capital, Rante Pao, is about 310 km north of Makassar where I came from.
Since I went there few days before Christmas, well-known operating buses (hence comfortable seats) had all their seats booked. I rushed to a small terminal under the rain to catch whatever transportation available. I was lucky to get a seat in a small bus (I dont know why in my city people call it 3/4 bus, probably because its not big enough?). It was a bit horrible because the seat is too small and foot space is also very limited. Stopping by for coffee or lunch was a luxury to straighten the legs and for fresh air.
It was raining almost all the way and we arrived after 11 hours on road, quite long journey for it usually takes about 6 hours with those good operating buses. I should not complain as that was the start of the trip. I stayed one night in the capital with my very good friend (whom I know for 14 years, we went to undergrad study together). The following day, we went to meet another friend who lives in a very typical Torajan complex of houses. Then, we went up to the mountain to spend 3 days there. It was quite a drive (we were on public transport, see that red car) and we stayed in my friend's grandfather house.
One thing unique about Toraja is the funeral ceremony. It costs a lot of to do ceremony as pigs are to sacrifice in addition to other costs for food, customes, dances, etc. Therefore, it is very common to KEEP THE DEAD BODY INSIDE THE HOUSE till the ceremony is being held. It may take up to 2 or 3 years or even 6 months depending on the (financial) readiness of the family. It is a very strong culture there. And, I was a bit shocked to know that in the house where I stayed, the body of my friend's grandfather was there in a room. I was not told till I was there... Believing on mystics a bit, at first I was feeling hmmmm (you know its on top of mountain and the houses are surrounded by big trees and neighbors are 1 km away) but at the end I learned that the dead family member is still treated as if s/he were alive: being greeted in the morning, afternoon or simply telling when leaving the house, such as: Grandfa, I am leaving... or grandfa, good morning... or grandfa, I am coming...
I did that ritual too... saying good morning, good evening while looking at the door where he is kept. I did not feel anything and I felt that I was accepted by him in his house.
Life there is still of course very traditional, which makes it fantastic. Cooking with woods, growing vegetables, pure coffee and walking without sandals (well people starting using though, but some are still without) makes the wander be perfect.
Long life Torajan People!
End of December 2008.
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| | Pictures of a simple buginese life, one of the major tribes in South Sulawesi Province, Indonesia. It has been for hundreds of years that the typical house is maintained to be made of woods with 6 or 8 pillars whose height is about 2 m. There are usually two wooden stairs built: one in front and one at the back, functioning as a back door as well, just like a normal ground floor.
In some houses (most cases), shoes and sandals should be left before climbing up the stairs but some just allow people to leave the sandals on the front balcony of the house. In old time, buginese just walked bare foot.
The space under the house is usually left empty, but sometimes used as a baby-swing, especially when there are infants in the house. It has been long believed that the swing is a good way of keeping the baby (infants) silent.
In some houses, there are also large wooden benches (2X3 m sized) to being used as a base to lay down. It is good for afternoon-nap as the wind blows and makes your eyes just closed.
One thing that is always kept inside the house is an iron bed with mosquito net covering the whole bed. That has been kept for hundreds of years as protection from mosquito bites. Modern mosquito spray cant work in buginese houses as they are not fully closed. There are some small spaces in between the woods that function as walls or floors.
Finally, some playing kids were captured to represent the typical faces of buginese people. The skulls should be same as mine as we are all from same ancestors, the great buginese known as sea farer or sea wanderer.
I am, and I am proud to have buginese blood in me.
Pictures taken in Sidenreng Rapping District, Dec. 2008.
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| | In 2003-2004, Kamin, a Thai artist, created sculpture everyday from Thai banknotes. He is inspired by a Buddha image in the attitude of meditation by a Laotian artist. Kamin builds a Buddha image in various sitting postures. Lord Buddha's head and body are designed to be "provicially sincere" like works by folk craftman. Besides, Kamin has written passages about Dhamma in almost every Buddha image.
Perhaps, we can use the posture of some of images when doing meditation.
Displayed in Bangkok Art Center, pictures taken on 1 November 2008.
For all the meditating Thai. |
| | The royal celebration concert by Alexander Sitkovetsky, a German Violin with collaboration with Hikotaro Yazaki, Japanese Conductor. Instrumental was well performed by Bangkok Symphony Orchestra. It was a tribute to in Memory of HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana, the sister of Thailand King.
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 | Dead Sea | Nov 11, '08 11:03 PM
for everyone |
| | Confirmed: my most loved place on earth so far.
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I float with all the crystals forming their forms but unseen-able
I float and my mind flies
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The Dead Sea/ Sea of Salt is a salt lake between Israel and the West Bank to the west, and Jordan to the east. It is 420 metres (1,378 ft) below sea level and its shores are the lowest point on the surface of the Earth on dry land. The Dead Sea is 380 m (1,247 ft) deep, the deepest hypersaline lake in the world. It is also one of the world's saltiest bodies of water, with 33.7 percent salinity. It is 8.6 times saltier than the ocean. Experts say that it is almost ten times saltier than the Mediterranean Sea (34% salt versus 3.5% for the Mediterranean). This salinity makes for a harsh environment where animals cannot flourish. The Dead Sea is 67 kilometres (42 mi) long and 18 kilometres (11 mi) wide at its widest point. It lies in the Jordan Rift Valley, and its main tributary is the Jordan River.
It was one of the world's first health resorts (for Herod the Great), and it has been the supplier of a wide variety of products, from balms for Egyptian mummification to potash for fertilizers. People also use the salt and the minerals from the Dead Sea to create cosmetics and herbal sachets.
The Dead Sea's climate offers year-round sunny skies and dry air with low pollution. It has less than 100 millimetres (3.94 in) mean annual rainfall and a summer average temperature between 32 and 39 °C (90-102 °F). Winter average temperatures range between 20 and 23 °C (68-74 °F). The region has weakened ultraviolet radiation, particularly the UVB (erythrogenic rays), and an atmosphere characterized by a high oxygen content due to the high barometric pressure. The shore is the lowest dry place in the world. Proximity to the sea affects temperatures nearby because of the moderating effect a large body of water has on climate. During the winter months, sea temperatures tend to be higher than land temperatures, and vice versa during the summer months. This is the outcome of slow penetration of the sun's rays into the sea, which is a huge mass that takes a long time to warm up.
The region's climate and the unique conditions created by its low elevation have made it a popular center for several types of therapies:
- Climatotherapy: Treatment which exploits local climatic features such as temperature, humidity, sunshine, barometric pressure and special atmospheric constituents.
- Heliotherapy: Treatment that exploits the biological effects of the sun's radiation.
- Thalassotherapy: Treatment that exploits bathing in Dead Sea water.
There are a lot of resorts built around dead sea and offer visitors fresh water pool after the swim on dead sea.
My mind is floating to deadsea this time,
Bangkok, 12 November 2008
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| | Jerash, the Gerasa of Antiquity, is the capital and largest city of Jerash Governorate (محافظة جرش), which is situated in the north of Jordan, 48 km (30 miles) north of the capital Amman towards Syria. Jerash Governorate's geographical features vary from cold mountains to fertile valleys from (1100 to 300 meters above sea level), suitable for growing a wide variety of crops.
Jerash is known for the ruins of the Greco-Roman city of Gerasa, also referred to as Antioch on the Golden River. It is sometimes misleadingly referred to as the "Pompeii of the Middle East or Asia", referring to its size, extent of excavation and level of preservation (though Jerash was never buried by a volcano). Jerash is considered one of the most important and best preserved Roman cities in the Near East. It was a city of the Decapolis.
For the ancient walks I made in Jerash.
Bangkok, 12 November 2008
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| | Some pictures taken in Amman, the capital of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan: road to Amman, houses, building, people.
Amman is located in a hilly area of north-western Jordan, and is at an elevation of 773 meters (2,356 feet). The city was originally built on seven hills, but it now spans an area of over nineteen hills (each known as a jabal or "mountain"). Many of Amman's districts derive their names from the name of the mountain they are built on.
Because of the cooling effects of its location on a plateau, Amman enjoys a Mediterranean climate and four seasons of excellent weather as compared to other places in the region. Summer temperatures range from 28 °C (82 °F) - 35 °C (95 °F), but with very low humidity and frequent breezes. Spring and fall temperatures are extremely pleasant and mild. The winter sees nighttime temperatures frequently near 0 °C (32 °F), and snow is known in Amman, as a matter of fact it usually snows a couple of times per year. The yearly average number of days with rain is 5-45 and with snow it is 0-8. It typically will not rain from June to the beginning of September, with cloudless blue skies prevailing. But lately it is starting to rain in April and the beginning of May. In fact about half the quantity of rain Amman and Jordan received in 2006 fell in April.
When I came there at the end of September, the weather was perfectly fine: sunshine and cold breeze in a package thus very comfortable to walk the city. Like in Syria, everything is done by men, especially services in public places and services.
The saying 'don't judge the book by its cover' is applicable in Jordan. Most people look very cold with sharp look to non-arabic looking giving me a bit uncomfortable situation. However, after few minutes conversation, the impression changes totally. They show their true colors of being so much friendly and welcoming.
Posted in Bangkok, 12 November, 2008 |
| | Bosra (Arabic: بصرى, also Bostra, Busrana, Bozrah, Bozra, Busra Eski Şam, Busra ash-Sham, Nova Trajana Bostra) is an ancient city administratively belonging to the Daraa Governorate in southern Syria. It is a major archaeological site and has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Of the city which once counted 80,000 inhabitants, there remains today only a village of striking beauty settled among the ruins. The second century Roman theater, constructed probably under Trajan, is the only monument of this type with its upper gallery in the form of a covered portico which has been integrally preserved.
This unique monument, enclosed by the walls and towers of a splendid citadel, fortified between 481 and 1231 A.D, alone would suffice for the glory of Bosra. However, Nabatean and Roman monuments, Christian churches, mosques and Madrasahs all equally as celebrated, are to be found within the half ruined enceinte of the city. The structure of this monument a central plan with eastern apses flanked by 2 sacristies exerted a decisive influence on the evolution of Christian architectural forms, and to a certain extent on Islamic Forms as well. |
| Palmyra | Oct 19, '08 5:41 AM
for everyone |
| | Walking in the ancient time of Palmyra.
Palmyra (Arabic: تدمر Tadmor) was in ancient times an important city of central Syria, located in an oasis 215 km northeast of Damascus and 120 km southwest of the Euphrates. It has long been a vital caravan city for travellers crossing the Syrian desert and was known as the Bride of the Desert. The earliest documented reference to the city by its pre-Semitic name Tadmor, Tadmur or Tudmur, is recorded in Babylonian tablets found in Mari.
Though the ancient site fell into disuse after the 16th century, it is still known as Tadmor in Arabic, and there is a newer town next to the ruins of the same name. The Palmyrenes constructed a series of large-scale monuments containing funerary art such as limestone slabs with human busts representing the deceased.
Texts from Wikipedia |
| | Krak Des Chavaliers, transliterated Crac des Chevaliers, is a Crusader fortress in Syria and one of the most important preserved medieval military castles in the world. In Arabic, the fortress is called Qal'at al-Ḥiṣn (Arabic: قلعة الحصن), the word Krak coming from the Syriac karak, meaning fortress. It is located 65 km west of the city of Homs, close to the border of Lebanon, and is administratively part of the Homs Governorate.
Krak des Chevaliers was the headquarters of the Knights Hospitaller during the Crusades. It was expanded between 1150 and 1250 and eventually housed a garrison of 2,000. The inner curtain wall is up to 100 feet thick at the base on the south side, with seven guard towers 30 feet in diameter.
King Edward I of England, while on the Ninth Crusade in 1272, saw the fortress and used it as an example for his own castles in England and Wales. The fortress was described as “perhaps the best preserved and most wholly admirable castle in the world” by T. E. Lawrence.[2][3] This fortress was made a World Heritage Site, along with Qal’at Salah El-Din, in 2006,[4] and is owned by the Syrian government. The fortress is one of the few sites where Crusader art (in the form of frescoes) has been preserved.
The castle is located east of Tripoli, Lebanon, in the Homs Gap, atop a 650-meter-high hill along the only route from Antioch to Beirut and the Mediterranean Sea. It is one of many fortresses that were part of a defensive network along the border of the old Crusader states. The fortress controlled the road to the Mediterranean, and from this base, the Hospitallers could exert some influence over Lake Homs to the east to control the fishing industry and watch for Muslim armies gathering in Syria.
text from Wikipedia.
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| | Homs is one of the fourteen governorates (provinces) of Syria, which is situated in central Syria, about 160 Km north from Damascus and can be reached by bus for about two hours.
I passed by the beautiful hilly area of Homs on my way to Krak des Chevaliers, where I also spend the night. It was just amazing with scattered houses built on the slope of continuous hills.
Ya, it was a night of peace with the talk to the sheep shepherds in the following morning and with the people protesting the un-peaceful situation in the outside world. I could never forget the saying of one of the old men I talked with.
Why cant you all live in peace like we do here.
Ya, people do live in peace there with smiles on their tough faces, which I can never forget.
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| | The Citadel of Aleppo is a large medieval fortified palace in the centre of the old city of Aleppo, northern Syria. It is considered to be one of the oldest and largest castles in the world. Usage of the Citadel hill dates back at least to the middle of the 3rd millennium BC. Subsequently occupied by many civilizations including the Greeks, Byzantines, Ayyubids and Mamluks, the majority of the construction as it stands today is thought to originate from the Ayyubid period. A great deal of conservation work has taken place in the 2000s by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture in collaboration with the Syrian Directorate General of Antiquities.
It is located in the center of Aleppo and form such a distance, it is a huge elevated ancient complex. Coming inside, I saw an extravagant ancient life, where everything was inside: palace, worshiping place, amphitheater a bath house, and other ancient life style.
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muhy cinta, foto2mu aku colong buat presentasi ya |
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heyy, o hisasiburi...
long time no see...
what great things you have here... |
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muuan wrote on Dec 23, '08 I wish you a Merry Christmas, to you and your family with my best wishes for some wonderful holidays.
Mike |
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nice blog. where r u now.ces |
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nice blog. muhy. where r u now |
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muuan wrote on Nov 12, '08 Hi,
I wish you much fun at the Siam Ocean World, anyway it is really worth.
You should also go to the 4D Cinema, as I remember the price is include, and use short pants :-)
Have fun
Mike
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muuan wrote on Nov 1, '08 cool picture, almost from all over the world, great
i will come back to see more... |
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"oee muhai...! masih beredar ko di'..!" |
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"i am sure its beautiful but ya.. no photos from the deeper parts?"
not yet kak, that would be my next dream, be able to dive.. hehehehehehe. how's life anyway?? :) |
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muhy... selamat ulang tahun yaa wanderer of the globe.... you're such an inspiration!
:)
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Saya suka Blognya....trims sudah menginspirasi saya....
Salam dari Borneo... |
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d4ywe wrote on Aug 3, '08 Love all the great picture and your awesome story |
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great pics of wonders, your pics and notes are inspiring
thanks for sharing.. |
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Hi Muhy and thank you very much for joining our Nepal Group. I was just reading your blogs and looking at the pictures of the Nepal-Tibet border. It was very interesting for me because I have always been a traveller.
Please feel free to post your Nepal photos, blogs, Nepali music/videos, comments and questions.
I am Tony from Bournemouth in England. Our administrator is called Bibek (u2bibek) and he is from Nepal.
My best wishes to you and talk to you later.
Tony
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thx udah mampir, blog nya manteb ya boss |
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riexx wrote on Jun 27, '08 Akhirnya dapat juga site-nya, pa kabar boss.? |
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PETISI PARROTS : BANTU KAMI UNTUK MENGHENTIKAN PENANGKAPAN DAN PENYELUNDUPAN NURI DAN KAKATUA Mohon dukung kami melindungi Nuri dan Kakatua dari upaya penangkapan dialam untuk diperdagangkan dan diselundupkan ke Philipina, dengan mengisi petisi yang tersedia di alamat web di bawah dan menyebarkannya kepada rekan-rekan anda, melalui Milist atau weblog yang rekan2 miliki. silakan isi petisi pada web di bawah ini: http://www.profauna.or.id/Indo/petisi_parrots.htmlSalam R.tri Prayudhi Campaign Officer ProFauna Indonesia Email: tri@profauna.org www.profauna.org ! www.profauna.or.id |
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gak ada tulisan baru lagi bro... |
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