The traditional woven bag of the Papuans—known as the noken—carries more significance beyond its utilitarian function. To the people of Papua, life is nothing without the noken. They take it everywhere with them, to bring back the fruits of their labor in the forest, to carry their babies and as part of traditional rituals. Above all, the noken is a symbol of unity because all Papuans, whatever their tribal origins, consider it an indispensable part of their lives. Yet, this icon of Papua life and culture is gradually disappearing. However, thanks to the efforts of a few people to preserve it, the noken is today recognized as a world cultural heritage. Tempo English reports on the efforts to preserve the noken, following the laying of the foundation stone of the first Noken Museum, in the Papua provincial capital of Jayapura last month.

KUALA LUMPUR, May 13 — Childhood stories. Most people wrote theirs; fewer have drawn theirs. But one thousand words is not easy to write, and a picture does not have to be too detailed to tell a good story.

Boey Cheeming’s collection of hand-drawn childhood stories, When I Was A Kid is an example of how simple lines and words are all you need to tell a tale.

In the wake of of Joshua Oppenheimer's film, The Act of Killing, an unprecedented documentary about death squad leaders from the Suharto regime, an Indonesian director has produced a similar film focusing on Central Java.

Jembatan Bacem (Bacem Bridge)
Director: Yayan Wiludiharto
Producers: Rini Pranatawati, Zaenal Abidin
Production: Elsam and Pakorba Solo

When Vertical Submarine’s (VS) Justin Loke first announced his debut solo exhibition, The Seven Scenes Of Barry Lyndon, people immediately asked him: Was the art collective breaking up?

As if in response, the group affirmed their intention to remain a collective when they launched the second volume of their Logbook Of Public Ideas at the Substation last week, and they have some works at The Esplanade Tunnel. But the knee-jerk reaction is nonetheless telling.