A photograph of nutmeg from the Banda Islands, ca. 1875

The Violent History Behind Nutmeg

Beneath a familiar flavor lies a history of conquest, forced labor, and cultural upheaval in Indonesia’s Banda Islands.
Studio portrait of amateur photographer Tan Gwat Bing in Central Java

The Immigrant Photographers Who Shaped a Nation’s Image

In early twentieth-century Indonesia, Chinese-run studios brought modernity into focus.