Before there was Indonesia, there was Java: an ancient island nation rich in mythology. It was in Java that powerful kingdoms like the Mataram and Majapahit empires rose and fell and where the colonising Dutch East India Company made its base and brought nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon to the world. It was Java that felt the strongest impacts of Krakatoa’s catastrophic 1883 eruption, which has gone down in history as the first global media event.
Today, Javanese culture is known for its medicinal tonic jamu, ornate batik fabric, and the tinkly, sonic Valium of the gamelan orchestra. Jakarta – the most populous city on the island as well as the planet – might be Indonesia’s capital, but it is also, by default, the de facto head of Java’s welcoming committee.
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