Author: I Nyoman Darma Putra, 2007. 204pgs. (Indonesian). Softcover
Publisher: Pustaka Larasan, Denpasar, Bali
Wanita Bali Tempo Dulu, authored by the eminent Balinese cultural scholar I Nyoman Darma Putra, offers a compelling historical and sociological inquiry into the lives of Balinese women between 1930 and 1950. Far from being relegated to passive roles in the island’s historical narrative, the text vividly demonstrates how women actively negotiated challenges and shaped their communities during the colonial and pre-independence eras. The volume probes the intricate social conditions and systemic constraints faced by Balinese women under the dual pressures of rigid customary law (adat) and entrenched patriarchal norms. A distinctive feature of Darma Putra’s research lies in his analysis of early press coverage and archival documentation, which illuminates shifting perceptions of women’s roles both within Balinese society and through the lens of external observers. Crucially, the book underscores that women’s contributions extended well beyond the domestic sphere: they were indispensable economic actors, managing local marketplaces and serving as central figures in complex religious rituals. Their labor sustained the very foundations of Balinese survival. Equally significant is the book’s dismantling of exoticized Western stereotypes—such as the pervasive image of the “submissive, bare-chested island beauty” popularized in early 20th-century tourism. Instead, Darma Putra foregrounds narratives of female agency, education, and aspiration. By drawing upon archival texts, historical photographs, and early local media accounts, the work functions simultaneously as a rigorous academic resource and an engaging piece of historical non-fiction. Although firmly anchored in a mid-20th-century temporal frame, the book’s subtitle, Perspektif Masa Kini, signals and delivers a bridge to contemporary gender discourses in Bali. It compels readers to interrogate the extent to which women’s rights, inheritance laws, and social expectations have truly evolved in modern Balinese culture.
Author: Various contributors from the Museum Nasional, Jakarta and the Rijksmuseum voor Volkenkunde, Leiden, 2005, 208pg. (Indonesian). Hardcover
Publisher: Direktorat Jenderal Kebudayaan Republik Indonesia
The catalogue was published to accompany the exhibition Mewarisi Bersama: Makna Singasari dan Makna Koleksi (Shared Heritage: The Significance of Singasari and the Collection), held at the National Museum of Indonesia, Jakarta, from 15 August to 11 November 2005, and subsequently at the Nieuwe Kerk, Amsterdam, from 17 December 2005 to 17 April 2006. The volume is structured into three principal sections: History, Archaeological Collections, and Ethnographic Collections. Each section provides a distinct yet complementary perspective, collectively illuminating the cultural and historical significance of the Singasari legacy and its material representations.
Author: Atika Suryodilogo, B. Sumardiyanto, Bima Slamet Raharja, Dyah S. Indrokusumo, Hermien Kusnayati, Projowinoto, Rahmat, S.Ratna Saktimulya, Sudibyo, Sri Margana, 2012 (2nd edition), 316 pgs, (Indonesian), Softcover
Publisher: Trah Pakualaman Hudyana, Jakarta, Eka Tjipta Foundation, & Perpustakaan Puro Pakualaman
This volume offers a comprehensive examination of the Kadipaten Pakualaman (a Dukedom in the special district of Yogyakarta), approached through a constellation of disciplinary perspectives, including governmental administration, architectural heritage, artistic production, dance traditions, wayang puppetry, literary expression, ritual practices, archival documentation, and culinary culture. By situating Pakualaman within the broader matrix of Indonesian cultural history, the study endeavors to illuminate its distinctive contributions while underscoring its interconnections with national identity. It is anticipated that such a multifaceted inquiry will not only deepen scholarly and public understanding of the Kadipaten Pakualaman, but also foster a heightened sense of cultural cohesion and advance the collective aspiration toward a more integrated and prosperous national life.
Author: Ni Putu Putri Suastini Koster, 2022, 188 pg. (Indonesian and English).
Publisher: Dinas Perindustrian dan Perdagangan Provinsi Bali.
Ni Putu Putri Suastini Koster is the leader of the Indonesian Regional Handicraft Council in Bali. The volume is a manifestation of her great interest in the field of Balinese traditional textiles and the book is based on an annual exhibition “Bali Bangkit” (Rise Bali) for small and medium enterprises (IKM), in 2022. The book protected with an attractive dust jacket featuring industrious Balinese weavers in a beautiful setting presents textiles from the exhibition as well as from Balinese weavers, collectors, and scholars.
Author: -
Publisher: -
This volume presents the batik creations of Hardjono Go Tik Swan, who was later conferred the honorary title Panembahan Hardjonagoro by the Kasunanan Surakarta in recognition of his outstanding contributions and profound knowledge of Javanese culture. The batiks featured herein were produced between 1956 and 1966 and originate from the collections of distinguished patrons and collectors, including Hartini Soekarno, Soejatoen Damais, Srimani Mardanus, Soetiarsih Martadinata, Herawati Diah, Minarsih Soedarpo, Nian Djoemena, Nora Goenawan, Sri Redjeki Boediardjo, Soelasmini Sjafiri Alim, Yani Arifin, Nugroho, as well as the Museum Tekstil Jakarta. Among his most celebrated motifs are Sawunggaling, Kumudowati, Ceplok, Semen, Parang, and Puspawarna, each exemplifying the refinement and symbolic depth characteristic of Javanese textile artistry.
Page 146 of 151