INDONESIA EXPLAINEDUnderstanding Indonesia, one story at a time

Beliefs & Spirituality

Ngaben: Why Balinese Cremation Isn’t a Somber Affair

At most funerals, tears mark the moment of loss. At a Balinese Ngaben, families sometimes don’t cry at all —

In some Indonesian provinces, a Muslim who registers for Hajj in their twenties won’t actually make the pilgrimage until their

Long before Hindu temples, Islamic mosques, or Christian churches ever appeared on Indonesian soil, communities across the archipelago were already

For thirty days each year, Indonesia’s rhythm changes entirely — offices open and close earlier, streets fill with food vendors

Long before Java’s mosques, churches, and temples took their current form, an older spiritual current was already running beneath the

Indonesia is home to the largest Muslim population on Earth — yet its constitution guarantees freedom of religion, its national