HISTORICALLY SPEAKING INDONESIA PATCH PROGRAM
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1. Indonesia is an island nation made up of 17,508 islands. This stretch of islands spreads over 3,200 miles between the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Indonesians refer to their country as Tanah Air Kita, which means "Our nation of Land and Water". View an outline of an Indonesian country map and its Capital. Identify Indonesia's flag.

2. The official language of Indonesia is called Bahasa Indonesia. It derives from Malay, which is the language of trade all throughout Southeast Asia. Despite its origins in the Riau Archipelago, the Indonesian language does not specify itself with one certain group of people. It is spoken all throughout the country. Learn some words or slang that is spoken in Indonesian.

3. Indonesia has a large array of festivals that are both religious and cultural. Apart from the widely popular religious festivals, there are many cultural festivals all around the country. The Bull Races of Madura are held after the harvest season. The bulls are dressed in colorful dress and are paraded through the streets up to the stadium in which they race. Learn about festivals in Indonesia, go to a festival, participate in one, OR complete a craft that represents a festival.

4. Indonesia is in the middle of many ancient trade routes, causing it to have a cuisine that is shaped by a mixture of Indian, Chinese, Arabic and European influence. Indonesian spices are world famous, and Indonesia is also home to many tropical fruits. Try a recipe, food, or drink from Indonesia.

5. Indonesian music called gamelan music is preformed to accompany dance and drama. Gamelan comes in two different versions, slow and measured or very energetic and lively. This style of music has many different instruments such as xylophones, drums, gongs, string instruments and flutes. Drums are usually the most important instrument. Traditional folk dances are vibrant, energetic, and normally tell a story. Watch a dance OR listen to music OR sing a song OR learn more information about a dance from Indonesia and try your own moves.

6. Legends and stories of Indonesia reflect the many cultural backgrounds in Indonesia today. Folk Tales and nature poetry make up many of Indonesias early literature. Read a story, legend, OR listen to a legend or play.

7. Prehistoric remains show that one of the earliest humans lived in Java. Fossils of the prehistoric "Java Man" were discovered in 1891, and date back about 500,000 years ago. Learn more about this ancient historical artifact OR more about pre-historical items form Indonesia.

8. Many of Indonesia's many islands are actually volcanic islands. In August of 1883, the volcanic island of Krakatoa erupted in what is considered to one of the most historic explosions of all time. It was so big, it blew out all 8.8 square miles of the island away and the eruption was heard in Australia, which is 2,200 miles away. Apart from volcanic islands, Indonesia also boasts a wide variety of flora and wildlife, especially fish. Choose [3] animals OR plants from Indonesia to learn more about OR learn more about volcanoes OR locate the Atlantic and Caribbean Seas.

9. Textiles, sculptures made of wood, jewelry, and Bali Art are all traditional and popular crafts made in Indonesia. Bali is one of Indonesias smaller islands, and is mostly known for its arts such as sculpture, paintings, jewelry, weaving, and more. Balinese art goes way back in history and is very popular all over the world. Create a craft or project using a traditional a skill OR jewelry OR observe someone creating a handicraft OR a traditional craft from Indonesia.

10. The batik is a traditional cloth made especially in Indonesia, particularly in Java. Each region in Indonesia has their own special patterning. Men and women traditionally wear these as their dressing. For women, traditional dress is a wrap-around lower-body cover called a kain a sarong. They are held in place with a stagen, a narrow sash. The kebaya is a long-sleeved blouse often made of lace or sheer material. Draw a picture of the clothing, dress up in a Puerto Rican themed costume, create an accessory, complete our paper dolls OR view traditional clothing through books or the Internet or our country manual.

11.There are a variety of games played by children in Indonesia. Learn a traditional game OR play a game that symbolizes Indonesia OR play a water game OR play a game in our manual.

This patch program will help its participants learn more about the history and sites in this country. If you have the privilege of visiting this country, you can complete some of these requirements there. It would be helpful to learn more about the country prior to your visit. Use the library and the internet to research more.