Ubud Writers พอดคาสต์

As an island that relies heavily on tourism, the COVID-19 crisis has led to Bali’s most challenging period in recent memory. Our panelists have spent decades in Indonesia’s tourism industry and contributed greatly to its development. They’ll reflect on how the global halt in travel has impacted on the island’s future, and how lessons from the past …

Pelatih somatik dan instruktur bela diri, Made Janur Yasa, menemukan cara yang praktis dan efektif untuk mendorong warga mengelola sampahnya. Bagaimana? Dengan menukarnya dengan beras sumbangan. Seperti inilah terobosan pengelolaan sampah – di tingkat desa. Dengarkan Made Janur Yasa mengenai inisiatif menarik yang juga membantu kebutuhan masyarakat…

In Sea People, Christina Thompson explores the fascinating story of Polynesia’s ancient voyagers, as well as the sailors, linguists, archaeologists, folklorists, biologists, and geographers who have puzzled over this history for three hundred years. Listen in to experience a masterful mix of history, geography, anthropology, and the science of navi…

Man of Contradictions, the first English-language biography of Jokowi, argues that the president embodies the fundamental contradictions of modern Indonesia. He is caught between democracy and authoritarianism, openness and protectionism, Islam and pluralism. Join Ben Bland to find out why he believes Jokowi’s incredible story shows what is possibl…

Tyson Yunkaporta looks at global systems from an Indigenous perspective. His new book Sand Talk provides a template for living. It’s about how lines, symbols, and shapes can help us make sense of the world. It’s about how we learn, and how we remember. Join him to learn about Indigenous thinking, and how it can save the world. Featuring Tyson Yunka…

Edwidge Danticat’s latest book of short stories, Everything Inside, is set in Port-au-Prince, Miami, and beyond. It reflects on community, family, and love, and how people come to terms with death, of both their loved ones and their own. Edwidge will discuss her work, her life, Haiti, America, and immigrant stories. Featuring Edwidge Danticat and C…

Independent investigative journalist, Febriana Firdaus, is a regular contributor to The Guardian, covering topics from COVID-19 to the Black Lives Matter movement in West Papua. Her works have appeared in Time Magazine, Al Jazeera, Financial Times, among others. She writes about social injustice, Indigenous communities, and stories of women across …

“My stories come from a very unconscious place. I don’t premeditate them, I don’t know what’s going to happen in them.” There’s no one like Etgar Keret. His stories take place at the crossroads of the fantastical, searing, and hilarious. His characters grapple with parenthood and family, war and games, marijuana and cake, memory and love. Join Etga…

Join James Oseland to hear about his travels in search of the world’s best restaurants, street food stalls, and home cooks. James is the author and editor of World Food, a book series launching this November with World Food: Mexico City. He was a judge on all five seasons of Bravo’s Top Chef Masters and the editor-in-chief of Saveur. His cookbook C…

The Guardian called Intan Paramaditha’s debut novel The Wandering an “ingenious choose-your-own-adventure challenge, [which is] at least five books in one.” Originally published in Indonesian as Gentayangan and translated into English by Stephen J. Epstein, The Wandering has received multiple awards. Join Intan for a raw and insightful conversation…

Indonesia, 1998. With the fall of Suharto’s 32-year autocratic regime following years of political turmoil and violence, the ‘Reformation Era’ was ushered in. Heaped upon it were promises of freedom, prosperity, and a corruption-free society. Three thinkers weigh in on what has – and hasn’t – changed since. Featuring Putu Fajar Arcana, Saras Dewi, …

“Sink it” became a national catchphrase after Indonesia’s maverick (now former) Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries fulfilled her threat to sink any foreign boats found illegally fishing in Indonesian waters. In 2017 she ordered the sinking of around 87 illegal boats. Ibu Susi reflected on her fight to protect the country’s millions of fishe…

Each year UWRF puts a call out to emerging writers across the archipelago: send us your stories. In 2019, we received 1,253 submissions, the highest number since the Emerging Writers program’s inception in 2008. The works of five talented wordsmiths were selected for publication in our annual Bilingual Anthology. Hear about their journeys to UWRF, …

Around 9 million Indonesians live and work overseas, along with countless descendants of Indonesian migrants. Our panel of orang Indonesia living in diaspora recounted their personal experiences of what it means to be Indonesian elsewhere. Featuring Ketut Yuliarsa, Cynthia Dewi Oka, Michelle Tanmizi, Innosanto Nagara, and Laksmi Pamuntjak. You can …

Indonesian comic superheroes have long been in the stranglehold of foreign character translations. But the Marvel Cinematic Universe is creating demand for local superheroes, along with Gundala, a recent film based on the character created by Hasmi in 1969. Join our panel of graphic gurus and serial storytellers as they sketched reasons why now is …

The dust has far from settled on #MeToo, “a movement that represents probably the greatest and most conspicuous collaboration of women since the suffragettes”, according to Sam George-Allen. With the viral hashtag in regular rotation in more than 85 nations and aftershocks still rippling around the world, feminists from Indonesia, Australia, Pakist…

Poppy tears, opium, heroin, fentanyl: poppy latex is a commodity without rival. Acclaimed cultural historian Lucy Inglis took us on an epic journey from ancient Mesopotamia to modern America and Afghanistan with tales of addiction, trade, crime, sex, war, literature, medicine and, above all, money, as she charted the evolution of the milk of paradi…

Andreas Harsono has covered Indonesia for Human Rights Watch since 2008. His new book Race, Islam and Power: Ethnic and Religious Violence in Post-Suharto Indonesia is the result of his 15-year project to document how race and religion have become increasingly prevalent in the nation’s politics. Join him in conversation with long-term Indonesian me…

“We’re fractured nations because we’re not reading or translating each other,” said Malaysian author Bernice Chauly during the UWRF17 panel on the 50th anniversary of ASEAN. Join our group of experts as they compared their experiences of cultural diplomacy, and invited us to consider how the arts can break down barriers and connect people across la…

The domestic, the interior and the personal have traditionally been relegated to the realm of women’s writing, which in recent years has been dismissed as too small to attract significant readership, critical acclaim and writing awards. Our panelists looked beyond the censure and spoke out in praise of the domestic. Featuring Astrid Edwards, Fanny …

“In this day and age recipes are abundant… I love that I can learn a little bit more, whether it’s political, philosophical, historical, or personal.” For Yotam Ottolenghi, food is always a gateway to bigger conversations. This is a rare chance to hear from one of Britain’s most-loved food writers, in conversation with longtime food journalist and …

Born into a Shia Muslim family that migrated to the US after fleeing the Iranian Revolution, Reza Aslan converted to Christianity as a teen and then returned to Islam. He is now a religious scholar, bestselling author, broadcaster and commentator. He shares his insights into aspects of global faiths both human and divine. Featuring Reza Aslan and T…

The way we consume stories is rapidly changing, and the popularity of graphic novels, memoirs and other types of visual storytelling for adult audiences proves images can capture enthralling narratives. Join these skilled sketchers from around the world as they discussed the joys and challenges of transforming words into poignant pictures. Featurin…

Indonesia has 150 million internet users and 800,000 hoax-distributing websites, according to the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology. In a system swimming with fake news, what is the relationship between rising social media use and increasing religious conservatism? How is social media being manipulated for political gain? Join ou…

From gentle mockery to caustic sarcasm, there’s a victim at the butt of most good laughs. Must comedy be cruel to work, and does that mean comedians have a free pass when it comes to how they treat others? We’ve convened a round table of comedic writers and performers to dissect whether good comedy and good karma are mutually exclusive. Featuring M…

It’s been 26 years since Irvine Welsh gave the world Trainspotting, the book deemed by Rebel Inc. “the best book ever written by man or woman” that went on to define a generation. Since then he’s written 11 more books, plus plays and adaptations. Give Born Slippy. NUXX a spin, then listen in as he reflects on a life spent with razor-sharp words. Fe…

Award-winning hip-hop artist Akala’s bestselling Natives: Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire is a searing polemic on race and class in the British Empire. With a life and outlook shaped by these elements, Akala takes us from the personal to the universal as he confronts the issues at the heart of the legacy of Britain’s racialized empire. Featur…

Memoirs are no longer seen as the self-indulgent domain of those at the end of long and accomplished lives: millennials around the world are writing fresh and compelling stories, tackling everything from the legal system to life in the shadow of Tiananmen Square to mental health. Our panelists compare their experiences of putting their lives on the…

Crafting the perfect sentence in one’s mother tongue is hard enough, without the complications that working in a second language brings. But that hasn’t stopped this panel. Not content to create in just one language, they share accounts of their personal experiences of the joys and frustrations of becoming multilingual wordsmiths. Featuring Yirga G…

With a vast domestic market and burgeoning production power, Indonesia’s film industry has huge potential. In recent times, Indonesian films and industry professionals have enjoyed rising international prominence. Could Indonesian cinema be a form of soft power to expand the nation’s impact in regional and global cultural scenes? What does the futu…

After a childhood in care, 17-year-old Norman Greenwood saw his birth certificate for the first time: his name was Lemn Sissay, he was British-Ethiopian, and his mother had never stopped trying to get him back. Celebrated writer, poet and performer Lemn shares a deeply personal account of neglect and determination, misfortune and hope, cruelty and …

Speculative fiction has lurked in the shadows of the literary scene for years while realism hogged the limelight. Now, as the natural and political spheres crumble around us, speculative fiction’s dystopian worlds don’t seem so different from our own. In this timely conversation, our panelists ask whether we’re now at the point where all contempora…

In a 2019 Entertainment Weekly interview, Amy Tan reflected on the 30 years since her groundbreaking novel The Joy Luck Club was published, commenting on the remarkable difference in Asian representation in literature and film. This panel weighs in on what has changed regarding the reach of and desire for Asia Pacific literatures, and asks what the…

Faster! Better! More! Productivity and personal achievement are dominant cultural values in 2018, but do we have to buy in? Our panel asks you to put down your phone, put away your planner, and stop to consider the sweetness of going slow. Featuring Christine Bader, Jill Stark, Kamin Mohammadi, and Tishani Doshi, moderated by Kirstie Melville. You …

“Writing poetry is like having a conversation with our higher self,” says American poet Jericho Brown. They hail from different generations but the lives of these four writers are shaped and permeated with poetry. Listen closely as they share the intimate conversations they have with their higher self. Featuring Sapardi Djoko Damono, Warih Wisatsan…

No religion has received as many headlines or as much misunderstanding in recent years as Islam. Our panelists study the faith in its many manifestations, from everyday lives in Indonesia and Malaysia to the extreme edge of violent terrorism. Come beyond the front page for a thoughtful take on this prismatic theology. Featuring Sidney Jones, Dina Z…

Award-winning author and journalist Reni Eddo-Lodge’s Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race sparked a new and frank conversation about systemic racism. From eradicated black history to the inextricable link between class and race, she takes the UWRF stage to consider the current moment in anti-racist activism. Featuring Reni Eddo-Lod…

You get one chance to make a first impression, and these authors did so with a splash! They’ll take us on the journey from unpublished hopeful to bestseller lists, film deals and award ceremonies, and dare to take a look ahead at meeting the expectations that come with a dazzling debut. Featuring Taufiqurrahman, Leanne Ellul, Paul McVeigh and Ahmad…

It’s often remarked that Balinese women are among the hardest working in the world. A patriarchal society and a seemingly endless cycle of temple rituals and communal obligations have imposed both heavy burdens and expectations on Balinese women. Join these leading Balinese authors and a literary researcher as they discuss the roles Balinese women …

In an archipelago of 17,000 islands, artistic expression takes a breathtaking array of forms. Join us for a taste of some of the most exciting dance, literature and visual art being created in Indonesia today, and a snapshot of artistic life for contemporary Indonesian creators. Featuring Sarah Kanowski, Intan Paramadita, Eko Supriyanto and Kun Adn…

Sophal Ear escaped the Khmer Rouge due to his mother’s unflinching determination and moved to the US at the age of ten. He has overcome both genocide and poverty to become a world-renowned expert on war, peace, and development. From his own incredible journey to the big picture, he offers a unique perspective on rebuilding after war. Featuring Soph…

Anaesthesia is a modern miracle. But how much do we really know about what happens to us on the operating table? Is pain still pain if we are not awake to feel it? Writer and journalist Kate Cole-Adams melds science and philosophy with personal experiences to explore the gift of oblivion and the mystery of unconsciousness. Featuring Kate Cole-Adams…

Did that Minion just say terima kasih? French-Indonesian animated film director and voice actor Pierre Coffin is the man behind the little yellow characters from the Despicable Me franchise, emblazoned on everything from children’s clothing to public minibuses across the country. Join Pierre for behind-the-scenes stories from a fascinating career i…

“I’ve always tried to think of poetry as an active ingredient in the language…” From a life-long passion for rock music to his post as Oxford Professor of Poetry, poet, playwright, novelist and memoirist Simon Armitage’s work makes a case for poetry’s contemporary relevance. Get to know the modern troubadour often described as the punk poet. Featur…

Described by the Observer Food Monthly as “a happy mix of scholarly and gluttonous”, Fuchsia Dunlop’s stories and recipes take us deep into the culinary heart of China. Join a delectable discussion of the richness of travel, the art of transcribing taste, and the venerable bonds of family and food from the #UWRF17 stage. Featuring Fuchsia Dunlop an…

With Wild Swans, Jung Chang illuminated the lives of three generations of women in China. Former rocket factory worker Lijia Zhang’s Lotus, inspired by her grandmother’s experiences, tells the story of a young sex worker striving for a better life in modern Shenzen. They come together to discuss the lives of women in their shared homeland, and the …

Iconic literary figure Sutardji once turned Indonesia’s time-worn poetry traditions upside down after proclaiming the liberation of words from their shackles of socially-enforced meanings. In an age of Twitwars and viral memes, Sutardji discussed the significance of poetry and question whether words can still enjoy their freedom. Featuring Sutardji…

“Nowadays everyone’s got to appear to be doing something,” notes Robert Dessaix. We’re working longer hours, consuming more than ever, and treat being busy as a status symbol. In a world where time is money, this revered writer and journalist stops to consider how taking leisure seriously could give us back our freedom and deepen our experience as …

Having studied, worked and traveled in Southeast Asia as a journalist and peace mediator for more than three decades, Michael Vatikiotis peers beyond brand new shopping malls and shiny glass towers in Bangkok and Jakarta to consider the region’s ethnic, political and religious conflicts that threaten to destabilize its remarkable development. Featu…

Héctor Abad’s depictions of contemporary Colombian society have won readers around the world. In Oblivion, the memoir of his father’s life and murder by Colombian paramilitaries, personal events are the foundation for an unforgettable exploration of equality and social justice. One of Latin America’s leading writers brought his reflections to the #…