Published in http://kandangnulis.blogspot.com
An Expatriate Weird-Diary—Stranger in Paradise
Book: The Best of Stranger In Paradise Bali 1996-2008
Author: Made Wijaya
Editor: Rachel Greaves
Publisher: Wijaya Words
Pages : 380 pages
Year of Published: 2008
Have you had a question in your mind about what have been done by expatriate community in Bali? Did you think they just spend their life with having some fun, or may be building villa as much as they can? Do you think so? I don’t think so. Well, I mean some of them may be just what I have been told to you before. Nevertheless, I know one of the expatriate who surprisingly has a big eagerness to preserve Balinese culture, when reading a book entitled “The Best of Stranger In Paradise Bali 1996-2008”. This book is written by Made Wijaya an Australian who have been live in Bali since 1973 after had dropped out from Sydney University’s School of Architecture. He was actually named Michael White but after living in Bali with his rural Brahmanan family in Gria Kepaon he changed his name. The book its self is about his journey or diary exactly, around Bali and another sophisticated town in Indonesia while he was ’enjoying’ the culture there. You can find some article and picture which show how much he ‘enjoying’ the Balinese culture as the first smoking male condong ever, he have done it well.
As a book using English as the language of writing, it must be hard to follow for some people who do not able in English. Then Made Wijaya is different . He stick on such a big number of pictures, so that if you cannot follow the words you may follow the pictures. This is a style that is rare found in most of all the writers. Besides, he also arrange the writing very well as good journalism product. It is no wonder because actually at ‘the ancient time’ he was a contributor for some news papers and magazines in Bali. Well, as I said before that he is very different with other expatriates in Bali. He is a kind of people who is freaking inspiring to me as his book reader. It is because by reading a book of him (he got a lot of book that have been published), it opens my mind that actually much more things that I can see in Bali. It’s a lot of part in Bali that is never exposed, than is exposed in this book. Just like cultural or international marriage that usually done by some people in the palace, binan(bisexual orientation) community in bali, palaces around bali, and some others culture outside Bali. It was so informative, but it is not the best part of this book. I think the best part of this book (for me) is the REJECTED chapter. This is a chapter that presents you some articles, drafts, and caricatures of Made Wijaya that is never published before. This is a funny chapter but also weird, so I know why those things are rejected. Then, I also realize some of them are worth to be published. One of it is entitled “Bali’s Moslem Kampung”, this is an article that shows how good is the relations between Moslem community and Hindu community in Kampung Islam Kepaon. Moreover, I found some nice pictures and you may think this as a weird one where a moslem boy sell Canang and a holy tomb of Balinese Moslem princess Raden Ayu Siti Khotijah which is decorated in Balinese way complete with its Prada and Canang Payasan.
Do you a bit curious with this book? Let your desire speak up. Say yes, and don’t miss this book. This is one from hundreds worth books that deserve to be collected and read. This thick book will surprise you with its own way that could not tell by any words. “Don’t ask Don’t Tell” (Stranger In Paradise page 236).
