Photos emerge of incredible Easter Island discovery

News.com.au, June 10, 2015

Archaeologists dig up the famous statues. Picture: Easter Island Statue
Project Source: Supplied

THERE’S a lot more to Easter Island’s famous statues than first meets the eye.

A new series of photographs of the 2012 excavation has emerged that captures the moment archaeologists dug out the previously hidden stone bodies, discovering a surprising secret along the way; the monoliths were covered in detailed ancient tattoos.

The images have been shared widely on social media, being viewed more than 1 million times on Imgur.

They show intricate markings such as crescents, which academics say represent the canoes of the local Polynesians, the UK’s Mirror reports. Little else is known about the markings yet.

Detailed markings are visible. Picture: The Easter Island Statue Project
Source: Supplied

There are 887 huge statues carved between AD 100 and 1800 — which are up to 10 metres tall. Members of the Easter Island Statue Project have been excavating the statues for years, and provided the first photos of their torsos in 2012. This surprised many, with people believing they only had heads.

“The reason people think they are (only) heads is there are about 150 statues buried up to the shoulders on the slope of a volcano, and these are the most famous, most beautiful and most photographed of all the Easter Island statues,” Jo Anne Van Tilburg from the Easter Island Statue Project said.

“This suggested to people who had not seen photos of (other unearthed statues) that they are heads only.”

They are fascinating. Picture: The Easter Island Statue Project Source: Supplied

In 1919 pictures of the first excavations by the Mana Expedition to Easter Island revealed that some statues were full sized. The discovery was confirmed in 1955 by the explorer Thor Heyerdahl when his Norwegian Archaeological Expedition excavated a statue.

Over subsequent decades the discoveries were gradually forgotten, known by archaeologists but not by tourists, who began visiting the isolated island in the 1990s.

They’re discovering an island that was first settled by Polynesian people who arrived by canoe as part of a great wave of Pacific colonisation.

Much remains unknown about the statues — how were they made? How was such a remote island populated? How were they moved around the island? And what happened to the society that had resorted to cannibalism by the time Captain James Cook visited in 1774?

Related Articles:

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"The Timing of Creation" – Aug 12, 2012 (a message from Kryon channeled by Lee Carroll)

A 19-Year Journey Into Javanese Folklore

Jakarta Globe, Ari Susanto, Sep 28, 2014

German archeologist and art historian
Lydia Kieven. (JG Photos/Ari Susanto)

Nothing exerts a pull on Lydia Kieven, 58, in life more than temple reliefs. For more than 19 years, she has searched for stone artifacts to reveal the mysterious story of the Javanese prince, Panji, and was astonished to discover a journey of spirituality rather than love.

Through her personal journey of learning ancient Javanese language, art and culture, the German archeologist became transfixed by the chronicles of Panji, which originated from the 14th-century Majapahit era. Kieven stumbled across the stories of Panji during a hike of East Java’s Mount Penanggungan sanctuary in 1996 to seek out reliefs depicting the epic Mahabharata poem’s Arjuna and Bima at Kendalisodo temple.

Unfortunately, her trip had been in vain as the panels were nowhere to be found. Instead, Kieven discovered four reliefs portraying a couple’s journey with the romantic backdrops of mountains, forests and the ocean. The woman had long, flowing hair, while her male companion seemed to be wearing a cap.

“[The reliefs] were beautiful; they caught my attention and reminded me of a photograph I had once seen of Panji,” Kieven says.

The archeologist returned to Germany and immersed herself in old literature about the prince written by Dutch authors, but none satisfied her curiosity, so she decided to return to Java, where she reconstructed the relief carvings that had captured her attention, instead of focusing solely on text.

The story of Panji can be traced as far back as the 1300s, appearing in various cultures and parts of Southeast Asia, including Kalimantan, Bali, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines and Cambodia. The tale was adapted in each tradition and given various titles but bore the same storyline. Throughout the centuries, the Panji epic has been developed into various artistic performance, including the shadow puppet show of Wayang Beber and the mask dance Topeng Dalang.

The series of stories followed the journey of Prince Panji (or Inu Kertapat) from the kingdom of Kahuripan and Princess Galuh Candrakirana (or Dewi Sekartaji) from Kediri. The two monarchies ruled in East Java prior to the Majapahit period. The narrative begins when the two engaged lovers are torn apart and must each embark on a journey — in disguise — to be reunited.

“The couple’s journey to find each other is not a love story, but rather a spiritual journey to seek sanctity, purity, and peace. In the reliefs, we could find Panji’s finger pointing at objects as if he is asking us to follow the path of spirituality, such as dipping in water — for purifying — and meeting the spiritual guru,” she says.

Lydia Kieven has dedicated nearly
two decades of her life to the ancient
Javanese folklore of Prince Panji and
his love, Princess Galuh. (JG Photo/
Ari Susanto)

What mesmerizes Kieven is not the story itself, but rather the symbolism found in ancient Javanese agrarian culture. Panji is a masterpiece that is completely different from both the Mahabharata and Ramayana, which feature gods and goddesses manifested in human forms.

“Panji represents a human, like us, who searches for [spirituality] through stages depicted in the reliefs. Both Panji and Galuh are presented as being modest and humble, leaving their royal lives for adventure,” she says.

Kieven’s mission to capture the lingering traces of Panji throughout Java, Kalimantan and Bali has not been without its challenges, but the archeologist says she gained inspiration from the ancient tale she has dedicated her life to.

“Panji and Galuh were very steadfast in their efforts to find on another. No obstacles could stop them,” Kieven says.

Two months after her first encounter with the reliefs depicting Panji and Galuh, doctors diagnosed Kieven with a malignant form of cancer that required surgery and chemotherapy. Despite her weakened condition, the German continued with her research paper on narrative sculptures and literary traditions of Southeast Asia, presenting a complete draft in September 1996, to the Netherlands’ Leiden University.

Then, while still reeling from the devitalizing effects of radiation, Kieven once again traveled to Java to complete her research. Back in the archipelago, however, she was faced with another obstacle: lack of funds. The resilient art historian didn’t let a debilitating illness stop her expedition, nor would she allow something as trivial as money to keep her away from Panji and Galuh’s adventures, so Kieven took up work as a travel guide, leading German tourists.

She continued her work, scrutinizing reliefs from temple to temple, including the Penataran, the largest Hindu temple complex of East Java and home to multiple intricately-carved reliefs and two statues of Panji and Galuh. In 2000 alone, she visited 20 sites for her research.

The two statues have since been moved and are now conserved separately: Panji is kept in the art library of the Bandung Institute of Technology in West Java, while Galuh is housed in Jakarta’s National Museum. Kieven hopes the two will once again be united, as described in the epic tale of their spiritual journey

US to Return Ancient Statue, Stolen in 1972, to Cambodia

Jakarta Globe – AFP, May 08, 2014

Sok An, left, Cambodia’s deputy prime minister and Preet Bharara, right, US
 Attorney for the Southern District of New York, after a ceremony held to
commemorate the return of the Duryodhana, a 10th Century sandstone sculpture,
 to Cambodia on May 7, 2014 at the US Attorney’s office in New York. (AFP
Photo/Stan Honda)

New York. An ancient statue of a warrior stolen in 1972 and which almost went on the auction block three years ago will be returned to Cambodia, US authorities said on Wednesday.

The 10th-century sandstone “Duryodhana bondissant” was stolen from the Prasat Chen temple at Koh Ker in Cambodia and first sold at auction in London in 1975.

It was supposed to have come back on the auction block at Sotheby’s in New York in March 2011, but the sale was stopped after Cambodian authorities made an appeal through Unesco.

The Koh Ker site is significant from a religious, historical, and artistic perspective, and the Duryodhana is considered a piece of extraordinary value to the Cambodian people and part of their cultural heritage.

At a ceremony with Sok An, a Cambodian deputy prime minister, District Attorney Preet Bharara hailed the happy ending and return to Cambodia of “a priceless piece of art, a priceless part of Cambodia’s unique cultural history.”

“After almost two years of litigation the [private] sellers have agreed to return it to where it belongs, the Kingdom of Cambodia,” he added.

The statue, 1.58 meters tall and weighing almost 110 kilograms, was part of a group of two fighters. The second statue, “Bhima,” was bought in 1976 by the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, California.

After months of discussions, the US museum also agreed to return its statue to Cambodia, according to Sok An.

“Duryodhana’s” homecoming is expected in June, officials said, and it is hoped that “Bhima” will follow around the same time.

Agence France-Presse

Hindu Statue Sheds Tears After Quake: Bali School

Jakarta Globe, October 14, 2011

A number of people have flocked to a junior high school in Bali’s Bangli district to view a statue of a Hindu goddess that students say began shedding tears after Thursday’s earthquake.

The statue, which is of the goddess Saraswati, sits three meters high in a water fountain in the courtyard of SMPN 1 in Susut.

The alleged tears were first spotted by students, and their claims are now being taken up by school officials who say the tears are a symbol of Thursday’s disaster, which saw dozens of people injured.

“The statue looks like a person crying,” said Dewa, a student at the school. “We were surprised.”

Sukarsana, the school’s headmaster, said that after inspecting the statue, he believed it was in fact shedding real tears.

“We, the school, plan to ask for suggestions from paranormal experts to understand the phenomenon of the goddess Saraswati crying,” he said, as quoted by Okezone.

Obama makes return visit to sacred Buddha statue

The Jakarta Post, The Associated Press, Kamakura | Sun, 11/14/2010 12:39 PM

Presidential visit: President Barack Obama visits the Great Buddha of Kamakura with Michiko Sato, temple director, and Takao Sato, the 15th chief monk of the temple, at Kotokuin Temple in Kamakura, Japan on Sunday. AP/Charles Dharapak

President Barack Obama made a return visit to the Great Buddha statue in Japan on Sunday, noting "I was only 6" the last time he visited the sacred site.

The Great Buddha of Kamakura (Daibutsu in
Japanese) is a monumental outdoor bronze
statue of Amida Buddha in the city of
Kamakura, Japan. (Photo: Greg Moore.)

Obama's visit to the site of the 44-foot (13-meter) -high bronze statue, nestled among the hills and trees at Kamakura, Japan, was the last stop on his 10-day Asian tour that began in India and included Indonesia and South Korea as well as Japan.

The president noted "the first time I was here I was this big," putting his left hand up to his waist. He walked with two hosts closer to the imposing statue, craning his head upward to view the statue of Amida Buddha. It weighs 93 tons and was constructed in 1252. The Great Buddha is seated in the lotus position with hands forming the gesture of meditation.

Obama sat with his hosts and ate an ice cream treat and toted away a bag of gifts.

"It is wonderful to return to this great treasure of Japanese culture. Its beauty has stayed with me for many years," Obama wrote in the guest book, the White House said.

The president noted he bought two bracelets at the site for his daughters, Malia and Sasha.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (C) learns Taiji Fan from citizens in Macao, south China, Nov. 14, 2010. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)

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Obama makes return visit to sacred Buddha statue

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Jakarta Obama Statue to be Moved to his Former School

Jakarta Globe, Arientha Primanita, February 05, 2010

The Obama statue will be relocated from Menteng Park to the US president's former elementary school. (JG Photo/ Afriadi Hikmal)

The Jakarta government will relocate a controversial statue of US President Barack Obama from a public park in Central Jakarta to his former elementary school, Governor Fauzi Bowo said on Friday.

The 110-centimeter-tall statue of Obama as a child was unveiled in Menteng Park in December. A Facebook group demanding its removal from the park subsequently attracted thousands of members.

The group recently filed a lawsuit against the city to have the statue taken down. Its members have argued the space would be better used for an Indonesian hero, rather than the American president, who spent four years in Jakarta as a child.

“I approve people's initiative to move the statue to SDN 01 Menteng school on Jalan Besuki as its permanent location,” Fauzi said, adding that the city administration would carry out the move as soon as possible.

Obama is expected to visit his old school during a trip to Indonesia next month.

“It will be ready at the school if the guest really comes here and it will give him a special memory,” said Fauzi.

Ruins of Ancient Temple Found in Yogyakarta

The Jakarta Globe, Ary Adji HS

A statue of the Hindu god Ganesha at the site where it was discovered at the Indonesian Islamic University in Yogyakarta. (JG Photo/Boy T Harjanto)

The ruins of an ancient building discovered at the Indonesian Islamic University in Yogyakarta have been confirmed as a temple to worship the Hindu gods Shiva and Ganesha.

Linga, the symbol for the worship of Shiva, and yoni, a Sanskrit symbol for divine passage or place of birth, were found in the area, said archaeologists at the Yogyakarta Antiquities and Relics Conservation Agency yesterday.

“So much evidence indicating the relics to be genuine has been found,” said head of the excavation team Indung Panca Putra. “The first discovery was the Ganesha statue on December 21, while the yoni was found on Tuesday. The identity of the relic being a Hindu temple was reinforced by the fact that it faced East,” he said.

“We don’t know yet the exact dimensions of the statue, the ornaments that go with the Ganesha statue, and the linga and yoni. Ganesha is believed to be a war god as well as the god of education. Linga and yoni are the symbols of man and woman. They are the sacred form of male and female genitals. Linga and yoni are the symbol of the god Shiva in Hindu teaching,” Indung said.

The statue’s outer surface was yellowed having been buried for centuries.

It is expected that more statues will be found within the temple complex.

“Based on Hindu mythology, temples are built in the following sequence: temple fence, gate, then the statue of the Lord Shiva, represented in this complex with the presence of the linga and yoni. Shiva is always flanked by Durga. So we predict that other statues will be found,” Indung said.

The Ganesha statue is simply carved, he said.

“It is also small in size. It is assumed that this is because the sculptor of the discovered temple was less skilled than the one who built the Prambanan Temple,” Indung said.

“The Ganesha of Prambanan wears a crown, whereas the one here has no crown,” he added.

Until Wednesday, the team, consisting of 20 diggers, four archaeologists and four engineers, had been digging to discover other statues commonly found in similar temples.

“The excavation will work until Jan. 4. We believe there are more relics and structures that will be found,” Indung said.

For security reasons, the campus has installed a fence which surrounds the dig site.

The archaeological find is considered vulnerable to thefts, considering the historical value of the temple, particularly the statue of Ganesha, which has a high commercial value.

Indonesian Historian Says Obama Is an Icon 'Like Che Guevara'

The Jakarta Globe,

The statue of President Barack Obama, at the age of 10, in Taman Menteng. (Photo: Adek Berry, AFP)

Barack Obama is an inspiring pop culture icon like Che Guevara and the statue of the US President erected in a Central Jakarta park should stay despite public opposition, a historian from the University of Indonesia said on Monday.

Historian JJ Rizal said Obama’s rise to power was a phenomenon that had inspired people the world over, including in Indonesia.

“Obama’s rise to the White House was really moving. [His rise] is not only the reflection of American democracy, but he’s become a pop culture icon like Che Guevara,” Rizal said.

Guevara was a major figure in the Cuban Revolution and now his image embelishes items from t-shirts to bikinis as a symbol of youthful rebellion.

Rizal said that people who are opposed to the Obama statue, erected in Taman Menteng and officially unvelied last Thursday, should read the history books first.

“Our first president, Sukarno, once said that Indonesian’s nationalism was an ideology which grew in the midst of internationalism. I doubt if they [the people opposing the Obama statue] know that. Little Obama is a symbol of our pride and hope that someday we will have an inspiring figure like Obama in our country,” he said.

Rizal acknowledged that Obama had not yet done any good for Indonesia, but he asked Indonesians to remember that the American president always referred to Indonesia as the place where he first learned about pluralism.

“Obama always says his experience of living in Indonesia taught him a lot about pluralism. He is proud that he had spent part of his life here and he never forgets his childhood including his favorite foods like nasi goreng (fried rice) or bakso (meatballs),” he added.

Rizal labeled those who opposed the Obama statue as chauvinistic. He said he believed Obama’s statue should stay because it showed the international side of Indonesia and strengthened Jakarta’s image as a global melting pot.

However, Rizal admitted that Indonesia had national figures who have done bigger things for the country than the US president.

“But do they inspire people? Obama inspires us. The strength of an icon lies on how much he can give inspiration to other people,” he said.

Related Articles:

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Obama`s brother made image ambassador in China: report

Obama statue not yet growing on people

Facebook Group Calls For Obama's Jakarta Statue to Be Taken Down

Statue of Ten-Year-Old Obama Erected in Indonesia

CBS News, (AP), by Brian Montopoli

A bronze statue depicting a ten-year-old Barack Obama clad in shorts and a t-shirt has been erected in a park in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Mr. Obama lived in Indonesia from 1967 to 1971, when he was a boy. He lived and attended elementary school not far from where the statue now stands.

The statue, at left, shows the child version of the president smiling as he looks at a butterfly poised on his thumb.

It was erected with the goal of inspiring Indonesian children.

"We welcome the statue, which is designed to give Indonesian children the spirit to reach their dreams," Central Jakarta Mayor Sylviana Murni said, according to the Associated Press.

The statue reportedly cost more than $10,000 and was paid for by patrons, a television station and a charity.

When he lived in Indonesia, as the AP notes, Mr. Obama had a pet monkey and saw baby crocodiles swimming in a pond near his house. He also got a first-hand view of the country's poverty

Related Article:

Barack Obama set for Oslo Nobel Peace Prize ceremony

The President as a Youth Statue of Young US President Obama Unveiled In Central Jakarta

Schoolchildren in front of a statue of President Obama as a child that was unveiled in Menteng, Central Jakarta, on Thursday, 10 Dec 2009. (Photo: Ade Mardiyati, JG)

Statue of US President Barack Obama to be Unveiled in Jakarta Park

The Jakarta Globe, Kinanti Pinta Karana

US President Barack Obama speaks during the opening session of the Jobs and Economic Growth Forum. (Photo: AFP)

A statue of US President Barack Obama will be erected in his childhood neighborhood in Menteng, Central Jakarta, on Thursday.

The statue will depict Obama as a ten-year-old child and will be unveiled by Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo.

The statue will be located at one corner of Taman Menteng and will be two meters tall and made of bronze.

The location was chosen because the neighborhood was Obama’s playground when he lived in Jakarta as a young boy in the 1970’s. Obama moved to Jakarta with his mother Ann Dunham and his Indonesian stepfather Lolo Soetoro. Ann and Lolo met at the University of Hawaii.

The statue was commissioned by the Friends of Obama foundation and was designed by Edi Chaniago. The project was funded by ten people, including businesswoman Mien R Uno and businessman Hashim Djojohadikusumo.

US Ambassador Cameron Hume will be present at the unveiling of the statue as well as students and teachers from Menteng 01 Elementary School, where Obama used to study.

Ron Mullers from Friends of Obama told the press that the statue was being erected to inspire Indonesian children and help them remember that they can be whatever they set their heart on.

JG

President shines a light on a hero

Theresia Sufa, The Jakarta Post, Bogor | Mon, 03/02/2009 2:13 PM  

President Yudhoyono will inaugurate a new statue next week at the Pembela Tanah Air (Peta) museum in Bogor dedicated to the volunteer army that fought for independence. 

"President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will visit the Peta museum on March 3 to inaugurate a statue of Supriyadi, a national hero, who fought among the Peta rebel forces" said Lt. Col. Marthen L. Djari, head of the officiating ceremony. 

Supriyadi led some 200 members of Pembela Tanah Air in a revolt against Japanese troops in Blitar, East Java, on Feb. 14, 1945. He held the Japanese rank of Sho Dan Cho at the time. 

After the Peta revolt, which was quashed by the Japanese administration, Supriyadi disappeared, never to appear in public again. The Japanese military police Kenpentai arrested the field commander of the uprising, Muradi, along with five other soldiers. On May 16, 1945, they were beheaded at Ancol beach in North Jakarta. 

After independence, Supriyadi was appointed in absentia as the people's defense minister in the country first cabinet on Oct. 6, 1945. On Oct. 20, the office of People's Security Army (TKR) commander was bestowed upon him. He was summoned several times to fill these offices, but he never came forward. He was then believed missing. 

A lecturer at Yogyakarta's Sanata Dharma University, Baskara T. Wardaya has said many people have claimed to be Supriyadi over the years. Baskara wrote a book, Mencari Supriyadi (In search of Supriyadi) when an 88-year-old man Andaryoko Wisnuprabu came forward claming he was the missing hero. 

In the lead-up to the President's visit, staff at the Peta Museum have been busy cleaning up the exhibit rooms in the museum. 

Former president Suharto, who had been a member of Peta himself, officiated at the opening of the museum in 1995. The museum was sited in Bogor because that city was the center for training Peta soldiers. The training area was called Jawa Boei Giyugun Kanbu Kyo Iku Tai. 

The museum has 14 dioramas that describe the activities and training of the Peta rebels. The museum also displays collections of weapons and Peta uniforms. 

Bogor Tourism and Culture Agency head Ade Syarif Hidayat said that the museum was one of Bogor's icons of tourism. 

He said the museum commemorated and preserved the memorabilia as historical evidence of the existence of the volunteer soldiers who joined the rebel forces. Though their revolt failed, the fighters helped prepare the way for Indonesia's struggle for independence. 

"We're very proud as Bogor residents that Bogor was once a training center for Peta soldiers," he said. 

Peta was formed during the Japanese occupation on Oct. 3, 1943 and was the starting point for the formation of the Indonesian National Military or TNI.- JP

Museums and heritage need business support to shine

The Jakarta Post

Prominent businessman Hashim Djojohadikusumo is now not only busy doing business but also promoting Indonesian heritage, especially artifacts, fossils and wildlife. His love of Indonesian archeological heritage has made him active in many heritage foundations and led him to establish his own Hashim Djojohadikusumo Family Foundation (YKHD). The government has also asked his help in facilitating the return of the 1000-year-old Sanggurah Stone, or Minto Stone, from Lord Minto in Scotland. He promised to bring back the 3.8-ton stone tablet by the end of this year using his own money.

Hashim, son of Soemitro Djojohadikusumo, the late prominent economist from the Sukarno and Soeharto eras, uses fortunes from his multi-billion-dollar global businesses to pursue his love of collecting Indonesian artifacts from around the world. But his hunt for Indonesian artifacts hit a snag recently when the police confiscated five 9th century statues from his home in Kemang, South Jakarta, which the police said had been stolen from Radya Pustaka Museum in Surakarta, Central Java.

Hashim, however, argued he legally bought the statues from Hugo Kreijger, a Dutch art dealer and consultant for Christie's auction house in Amsterdam, who claimed to get the statues from Paku Buwono XIII Hangabehi, current ruler of the Surakarta palace. One of the five statues, Ciwa Mahadewa, is Hashim's favorite.

In an interview with Riyadi Suparno and Lilian Budianto of The Jakarta Post at his office in Midplaza building, Hashim vowed to get back the five statues. The following are excerpts from the interview.

Question: How do you see yourself in this whole affair of the five statues?

Answer: I'm a victim. I need to find out whether I'm a victim of Hugo or Heru (Suryanto, a middleman) or some other parties.

With this Surakarta incident, will you still use your money to bring back the Minto stone?

Yes. The government will not use its own money because if it did, it could set a bad precedent. Other countries which keep Indonesian ancient collections will ask for similar payment from the government if we want to have them back.

Will this incident affect your appetite for hunting for Indonesian antiques around the world?

Just last month, I went to New York to negotiate with a lady who holds many jewelry pieces from the Syailendra dynasty from the 7th to 10th centuries. I went there twice.

But now, I will be more careful. If we agree on a price, I will demand a certificate from her explaining where she got the jewelry and stating that it's legal. I don't want to be called a "buyer of stolen goods" anymore.

Next time, when I make a deal, I might need the police and prosecutors to confirm that it's legal.

But how do you define legal and illegal? In the case of the five statues, if it is true that Paku Buwono XIII Hangabehi sold the statues, is it illegal?

I am not trying to defend Hangabehi. I don't know him personally. I am in a neutral position and speaking as an art collector.

According to Christie's auction house, those statues were owned by the palace rulers, not the state. Do you think we can blame the palace rulers for selling statues belonging to them? In this case, the rulers have the rights to sell them. However, if the government or the police say they belong to the state, they have to prove it.

The fact is that the statues are collections of Radya Pustaka Museum. Your opinion?

It is still questionable who owns the museum. While the Surakarta administration said it owns the museum, it has never taken care of it. The Surakarta Palace rulers also claim it is theirs. We have to trace it back to the Dutch colonization period.

Even if the museum belongs to the administration, the palace rulers may have lent the collections and therefore, they still own them.

This is a common practice worldwide. Noblemen sold their art collections, made their castles tourist destinations and used museums to support their lives.

Why does it then become problematic in Indonesia?

We have no regulations regarding this matter. Our concern is how the palace rulers can earn money. Surakarta rulers used to have sugar factories but it was a long time ago. Now they don't have a steady stream of income.

If the government is not able to support them, the private sector can actually help them through a kind of philanthropic activity, like what I have been doing. We need to ask more entrepreneurs to get involved in taking care of our heritage.

It seems not many businessmen are interested in spending money for our heritage?

I identify a problem with our effort to encourage the private sector to contribute its money, not only for heritage, but for any philanthropic activities. There is no tax incentive like in many other countries.

Philanthropic activity here is not exempted from tax. In the United States, for example, if you spend your money on a philanthropic activity, it is tax-deductible. Here, this kind of spending is taxed. This is ridiculous.

It's similar with textbooks. Our imported textbooks are taxed, and as a result they are more expensive than those sold in the United States and Australia.

We need a paradigm shift here. Philanthropic-related activities and education must be exempted from tax. We need new thinking.

We heard you are going to build a museum?

Actually, a library. We named it Soemitro Djojohadikusumo Institute. We have submitted our proposal to have it built in an area of the University of Indonesia (UI). However, we have yet to reach an agreement on it.

We will have two kinds of libraries there. First, online. We plan to provide access to more than 5,000 online international journals to Indonesian students for free.

Second, the real library with hardcover books. We plan to supply it with 3-4 million books. By comparison, if all libraries in UI were consolidated into one library, it would only have 500,000 books. In this library, we will have a section to display a collection of my father's books.

We will also build a gallery, where I plan to keep my collection of artifacts and fossils. We also plan to buy the collection of documentary movies belonging to historian Des Alwi.

The library, gallery and also the private collection section will all be in one place. We need a total of five hectares of land.

Do you have any idea how to improve our museums?

Let me tell you, the salary of a guard in the National Museum, Jakarta, is only Rp 600,000 (US$63) a month. He is responsible for taking care of the museum, which is full of valuable items, but still he receives such a low salary.

I suggested to the Tourism Minister and his aides that they establish a national board of trustees, consisting of businessmen, who will work on museums' funding and management. Our example is the British Museum, where its board of trustees is made up of the private sector and businessmen.

This is what our foundation does currently. We help the Radya Pustaka Museum with air conditioners, computers and allowances to its guards and staffers. The guards there receive only Rp 100,000 a month in salary.

We hope other businessmen will be interested in doing similar things. They will, I guess, if there is a tax incentive for philanthropic activities.

Ancient relic to return from Scotland

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A thousand-year-old stone tablet known as the Sanggurah Stone, or more commonly the "Minto" stone, is expected to be returned to its home in Indonesia from Scotland before the end of 2008.

The return will be made possible thanks to Hashim Djojohadikusumo, who is currently working with high-profile artifact theft from Surakarta museum.

The historical artifact originated from Malang, East Java, weighs around three tons and is two meters tall. It is held in Roxburghshire, Scotland.

It has been part of a family collection belonging to the former British Governor General of India, Lord Minto, after being presented to him by British Governor Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles in the early 19th century.

The primeval stone tablet bears an ancient inscription dated 982 AD along with the name of a Javanese king, Sri Maharaja Rakai Pangkaja Dyah Wawa Sri Wijayalokanamottungga, who ruled over Malang at that time.

"The Minto Stone is an important historical artifact and a crucial source of information. It contains the history of the Mataram kingdom in Central Java and its eventual shift of power to East Java," Culture and Tourism Ministry director general of history and archeology Hari Untoro Drajat announced at a media gathering Thursday.

"Upon the artifact's return to Indonesia, facilitated by the Hashim Djojohadikusumo Foundation (YKHD), it will be placed in the National Museum in Jakarta," he said.

"The government has been attempting to secure the return of the artifact since 2004, but government-to-government negotiations have proven difficult because the relic is currently in the custodianship of Minto Trustees," Hari said.

"So we requested that YKHD step in and facilitate the return, because we recognized that non-state parties would have more leeway in negotiating."

Prominent businessman and arts collector Hashim Djojohadikusumo said YKHD, a charity organization dedicated to the preservation of Indonesia's cultural and archeological heritage, had been involved in negotiations to secure the return of the Minto Stone since early last year.

"In April 2007, we accepted a mission from the state conveyed to us by the Director General and Dr. Soeroso, and have since met thrice with Lord Minto himself in London to negotiate the return of the artifact," he said.

London-based Hashim, son of the late prominent New Order economist Soemitro Djojohadikusumo, was recently linked to a high-profile theft and forgery case involving a number of collections from a Surakarta museum following the discovery of five of the stolen archaeological artifacts at his house in Jakarta.

Hashim is said to have bought the precious ninth century statues, of the country's Hindu-Buddha era, abroad from Hugo Kreijger, a Dutch arts dealer and consultant for Christie's auction house in Amsterdam. (amr)

Indonesia unveils Asia's tallest Jesus statue

MUSLIM-majority Indonesia has unveiled one of Asia's tallest Jesus Christ statues in the mainly Christian town of Manado on North Sulawesi island.

News.com.au, By correspondents in Jakarta, December 11, 2007 10:28pm

Article from: Agence France-Presse

Indonesian real estate developer Ciputra built the 30m-high statue in its CitraLand residential estate, hoping it will lure tourists and become a religious icon, the company's marketing manager Sonya Lasut said.

"It looks like the Jesus is flying to bless people," she said.

The white monument, which shows a robed Christ with his arms and palms outstretched above his head, took nearly three years to complete and cost about $A611,000. It also consisted of 25 tonnes of metal fibre and 35 tonnes of steel.

She said the Indonesian Museum of Records had certified the statue as Asia's tallest Jesus, overtaking the 27m-tall Cristo Rei in East Timor's capital Dili.

However, Vietnam's state-run tourism agency SaigonTourist says on its website that the southern coastal resort city of Vung Tau is home to a 32m-tall Jesus Christ statue.

Police ask Interpol to find Dutch dealer

The Jakarta Post,  Blontank Poer and Slamet Soesanto, Surakarta, Yogyakarta

Central Java Police have requested the assistance of Interpol in locating Hugo Kreijger, a Dutch national allegedly involved in the illegal trade of archaeological artifacts, a high ranking police officer said Monday.

Kreijger is accused of buying and selling stolen goods belonging to Surakarta's Radya Pustaka Museum, some of which have now been seized from the home of a local businessman by police.

"We have contacted the NCB (National Central Bureau)/Interpol and we have also coordinated with other relevant institutions to prevent him from leaving the country," Central Java Police chief Insp. Gen. Doddy Sumantyawan said.

The police say it is believed that Kreijger, who entered the country on a tourist visa, is still in Indonesia.

A lawyer for prominent businessman Hashim Djojohadikusumo has said Hashim bought five statues from Kreijger that were later seized by police, who allege the statues belong to the museum.

Hashim has said he knew Kreijger only as a dealer and consultant for Christie's auction house in Amsterdam. His lawyer said Hashim bought from Kreijger because he worked for a large and reputable establishment.

"The deal didn't take place in Indonesia ... The statues cost Hashim millions of U.S. dollars and not just Rp 500 million as widely reported in the media," lawyer Deni Hermawan Pamungkas said Saturday.

The Jakarta Post tried to contact Christie's representative in Indonesia, Deborah Iskandar, to confirm Kreijger's status with the company, but she was not in the office.

The police have detained four suspects in the case, including museum curator KRH Darmodipuro. They have said the suspects have admitted to creating and placing copies of the artifacts in the museum before selling the originals to Kreijger.

Hashim is the son of the late, respected economist Soemitro Djojohadikusumo and the older brother of the former commander of the Army's Kopassus special forces, Prabowo Subianto.

An archaeologist from Gadjah Mada University, Djoko Dwiyanto, said that most of the collection at Radya Pustaka Museum has already been stolen and replaced with copies.

"The Archaeological Artifacts Preservation Agency should examine thoroughly all the collections in the museum," he said.

The agency is currently conducting a comprehensive evaluation at the museum.

Doors open: Johnny Adams, a Canadian tourist, photographs valuable artifacts at 

Radya Pustaka Museum in Surakarta, Central Java, on Tuesday. The museum was

reopened Tuesday after an eight-month long renovation. (JP/Kusumasari Ayuningtyas) 

Related Articles:

Radya Pustaka Museum reopens with better look, security - New

Eight ancient statues missing in East Java

Dutch art expert on the run after theft of artefacts

Hashim wants to cooperate, says lawyer

Blontank Poer, The Jakarta Post, Surakarta

Hashim Djojohadikusumo's lawyer said Saturday that the businessman had pledged his cooperation to the ongoing police investigation into the theft of artifacts from the Radya Pustaka Museum in Surakarta, Central Java.

The Surakarta Police had summoned Hashim for questioning Friday, but he failed to appear.

At least eleven archaeological artifacts are reportedly missing from the museum. The police have detained four suspects, including the museum curator KRH Darmodipuro. Based on the information provided by the suspects, the police searched Hashim's house in Jakarta on Wednesday. There they found five statues that are believed to be among the stolen artifacts.

"Pak Hashim wants to cooperate fully with the police. That's why he sent me here to assure (the police) that we have the proper purchase documents for the statues," said Hashim's lawyer, Deni Hermawan Pamungkas.

"I have also arranged an appointment with the police for Pak Hashim's questioning," he added.

Deni said Hashim was abroad and would return home sometime next week.

He also denied that his client had ever met Heru Suryanto, one of the suspects in the case. Heru is allegedly the key player in the theft and the middleman who linked the thieves to buyers.

"I myself am rarely able to contact Pak Hashim, let alone Heru," he said.

However, he confirmed that Hashim knew the Dutch national, who allegedly works as a dealer and consultant for Christie's auction house in Amsterdam. He also acknowledged that Hashim bought the five statues from Heru.

"The deal didn't take place in Indonesia. Moreover, the payment for the purchase was made in foreign currency transferred through accounts with banks outside Indonesia," he stressed.

The statues, he pointed out, cost Hashim millions of U.S. dollars and not just Rp. 500 million as widely reported in the media.

Hashim is the son of the late economist Soemitro Djojohadikusumo, and the elder brother of the former commander of the Army's Kopassus special forces, Prabowo Subianto.