Anis from Indonesia kindly suggested
me swapping and sent me a wonderful postcard!
Indonesia is a country Asia. The
capital is Jakarta. The population is about 242,968,342. Official language is Indonesian. The
Republic of Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world consisting of
13,466 large and small tropical islands, many still uninhabited and a number
even still unnamed. Indonesia, part of the “ring of fire,” has the largest
number of active volcanoes in the world. Earthquakes are frequent. It is a land
of so many peoples, landscapes, animals, customs, plants, features, artworks
and foods that it is like 100 (or is it 200?) countries melded into one. Culturally,
Indonesia fascinates with its rich diversity of ancient temples, music, dances,
rituals and ways of life, changing from island to island, from region to
region. The people range from rural hunter-gatherers to a modern urban elite.
Here is the
anthem:
On the postcard
you can see Hindu shrine of Prambanan, a UNESKO World Heritage Site, after the
earthquake in 2014. It is a 9th-century Hindu Temple, dedicated to the Trimurti,
the expression of God as the Creator (Brahma), the Preserver (Vishnu) and the
Destroyer (Shiva). It is the largest Hindu temple site in Indonesia and one of
the biggest in Southeast Asia.
The first stamp shows SOS
Children's Villages, which is an
independent, non-governmental international development organization which has
been working to meet the needs and protect the interests and rights of children
since 1949.
The second is dedicated to the 100 anniversary of
writing «If I was a Dutchman» by Ki Hadjar Dewantara, who was a leading
Indonesian independence movement activist, writer, columnist, politician, and
pioneer of education for native Indonesians in Dutch colonial times. He was
honored as a National Hero of Indonesia. «If I was a Dutchman» is a striking
protest against the plans of the Dutch Colonial Government to celebrate 100
years of Dutch Independence. Because of this anticolonial article he was
exiled.
Thanks a lot for the postcard, Anis!
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