Nias Online

During 2008 UNICEF Nias occasionally sends news on its activities in Nias to Nias Online. To get a more comprehensive information about UNICEF programs and activities in Nias, Nias Online sent a number of interview questions to Mr. Raoul de Torcy, Chief CFO UNICEF Nias. The following is the Mr de Torcy’s response. (more…)

In this interview, Dr Mai Lin Tjoa-Bonatz shares some of her research on Eduard Fries’ life and activities and also on early Christian missionary work in Nias. Dr Tjoa-Bonatz was born in Frankfurt, Germany, obtained her MA degree in Art History, Archaeology and Southeast Asian Studies in Frankfurt in 1994 and Ph.D. with the research titled: “Shophouses in Penang, Malaysia” at the Technical University of Darmstadt in 2001. On Eduard Fries, she contributed the Chapter: “Idols and Art: Missionary Attitudes toward Indigenous Worship and the Material Culture on Nias” to the forthcoming Book: “Casting Faiths: Imperialism, Technology and the Transformation of Religion in East and Southeast Asia, edited by Thomas David Dubois. (eh) (more…)

An Interview With Basyral Hamidy Harahap

Introduction: Recently Yaahowu website held an Online Discussion with a topic ”Welcoming and Reflecting on the Formation of the Tapanuli Province”, from 10 July – 17 August 2006. The organiser surfed various internet sites to search for the materials suitable to be included in the forum. An artcle, called: “Tribalisme: Sisi Gelap Otonomi Daerah” (Tribalism: The Dark Side of Regional Autonomy) was found in the website of Basyral Hamidy Harahap. This article was then included in the Discussion. The content of the article raised the interest of the Discussion Organiser to get to know more closely its writer. E. Halawa* of Situs Yaahowu then contacted Mr. Harahap by email. After a number of email exchanges, Pak Harahap was keen to share his views on a number of matters to visitor of Yaahowu website through an e-mail interview. (more…)

Whilst Nias Island and its people are still in the midst of disaster shocks since early 2000, the “attention” to Nias have not faded. Recent disasters (flood and landslides, tsunami and March earthquakes) in fact have brought Nias to the “attention” of global community. It is an irony, sadly to say, that Nias has become “well known” in recent years not because of its invaluable tradition and cultural heritage or any other “positive things” attributed to Nias, but more due to the its unfortunate geographical place in the world map, its position as one of the disaster spots in the “Ring of Fire”.

It is therefore always comforting to hear any thing associated with the positive attributes to Nias. One of such things is “inculturation”. What is “inculturation” ? In an email interview, Dr. Thomas Markus Manhart, a German researcher, told Yaahowu about his research on Nias culture and its connection to Catholic Mission in Nias. Dr. Manhart, the Director of Artyfakt, Space for Intercultural Arts, Singapore, spent some time in Nias for his PhD research: A Song for Lowalangi – the Interculturation of Catholic Mission and Nias Traditional Arts with special Respect to Music.

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An interview with Dr. Lea Brown*)

To some Nias people it seems that learning, using and loving their own language, Li Niha, is not an activity they take part in with any pride. Indeed, in strictly economic terms, it would appear to be the case that there is no benefit for them in using Li Niha. This attitude of course comes as a logical consequence of their daily struggle with life. Their experiences tell them that when they use Li Nono Niha in dealing with the world outside their own traditional world, they often face difficulties – from very simple activities such as shopping, to more serious and complicated ones such as trying to get marriage or birth certificates, defending their case in court, indeed in any kind of situation where they have to deal with government officials. In their interaction with the “oustide world”, Li Niha just seems to be irrelevant. (more…)