Stories from Malaysia
My project, titled Longing and Belonging, is primarily interested in understanding the relationship between people and railway heritage in contemporary Southeast Asia and Japan. Between December 2019 and February 2020, I was based in Java, Indonesia. This is a brief report written for the Japan Foundation Kuala Lumpur Newsletter 'Teman Baru' Issue 112, July - …
Continue reading "Longing and Belonging in Java (JFKL Newsletter)"
Iwate Tsunami Memorial Museum is part of the larger Takatamatsubara Memorial Park for Tsunami Disaster. The park was created together by the national government and local governments of Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima prefecture, to 'pass down the memories and lessons learned to the next generation' and to provide as place for 'memorial and reflection on …
A participatory workshop on mapping physical and cultural connectivity across Java. Description Chu chu cha cha chu..., a train carries many things as it moves across the land; people, cargo, ambitions, ideas, cultures, and histories. The space within a train is experienced as both public and private at the same time, a meeting point for …
“Where are you going?” I asked the man with the weight of the world on his shoulders. He didn’t stop, but he looked back and replied, “And why are you standing still?”
Mahen Bala 