This list of Indonesian inventions and discoveries details the
indigenous arts and techniques,
cultural inventions,
scientific discoveries and contributions of
the people of
Indonesian Archipelago — both ancient and modern state of
Indonesia. As a
developing nation, currently Indonesia suffers a shortage of
scientific personnel and engineers. The lack of research and development, also hampers Indonesia's comparative competitiveness.[1] Nevertheless, despite the shortcomings, its people and government continues their efforts to advance the nation's science and technology sectors. Among other things, by promoting innovation and technology through Indonesia Science Day.[2]
The scientific pursuit, technical improvement and technological innovation are continuously developed to this day, among other by institution such as
Indonesian Institute of Sciences.[5] Indonesia has a number of industries that producing various advanced technology tools and vehicles; from shipbuilding to weaponry, armoured car to aeroplane. Today, Indonesia has developed their own
aviation technology, with the development of
CN-235,
N-219 and
N-245.
Wayang orang, a type of classical
Javanesedance drama theatrical performance with themes taken from episodes of the Ramayana or Mahabharata.[7]
Topeng, Indonesian mask
dance-drama in which one or more
mask-wearing, ornately costumed performers interpret traditional narratives concerning fabled kings, heroes and myths, accompanied by
gamelan music.
Barong,
Balineselion dance, Barong is a
lion-like creature and character in the
mythology of
Bali. The battle between Barong and
Rangda is featured in Barong dance to represent the eternal battle between good and evil.[8]
Ondel-ondel, a large
Betawi puppet folk performance, is about 2.5 meters tall with ± 80 cm diameter, made of woven bamboo where human can fit into it. The word ondel-ondel refers to both the performance and the puppet.
Balinese dance, an ancient dance tradition that is part of the religious and artistic expression among the
Balinese people of
Bali. Balinese dance is dynamic, angular and intensely expressive.[9]
Kecak, a form of Balinese dance and music drama that was developed in the 1930s in Bali. Formed as a coordinated chants and arm movements.[10]
Saman, an intricately choreographed dance of thousand hands of Gayo ethnic group,
Aceh.[11]
Ketoprak, a theatrical genre of Java featuring actors who may also sing to the accompaniment of the gamelan. It draws its stories from Javanese history and romances, invented as recent as 1923.[12]
Sandiwara, a genre of traditional theatrical drama of Indonesia. In general, it refer to any kinds of drama or theatrical performances, and literally sandiwara means "to pretend" or "to act". However, the term is often used to describe a genre of traditional drama of West Java, with notable example include the once famous Sandiwara Miss Tjitjih.[13]
Angklung, the
bamboo musical instrument made by attaching bamboo tubes into bamboo frame and shake it to create the sound, native to
Sundanese of West Java.[15]
Kolintang, an ancient instrumental form of music composed on a row of small, horizontally laid gongs, especially prevalent in the eastern
Malay Archipelago—the southern
Philippines, eastern Indonesia (North Sulawesi, Maluku, East Nusa Tenggara),
East Malaysia,
Brunei and
Timor.[16]
Keroncong, is the name of a
ukulele-like instrument and also refer to a genre of Indonesian musical style. It was derived from Portuguese influence on colonial Indonesia.[17]
Langgam Jawa, a regional form of Indonesian kroncong music most often associated with the city of Surakarta (Solo). Langgam jawa utilizes a variety of non-native instruments, such as the flute, guitar, ukulele, cello and violin. However, these instruments are performed using a seven-tone Javanese gamelan scale known as
pelog. The song mostly performed in
Javanese.
Campursari, a crossover of several contemporary Indonesian music genres, mainly Javanese Langgam Jawa and Dangdut.
Congklak, a
mancala game played in Indonesia, Malaysia and Philippines. Although the origin is obscure, the oldest tradition of similar game can be traced to Javanese dakon with pitmarked stones from the bronze-Iron Age period of Indonesia.
Galasin, or galah asin or gobak sodor, traditional Indonesian games.[19]
Surakarta (game), an Indonesian
strategyboard game for two players, named after the ancient city of
Surakarta in central
Java. The game features an unusual method of capture which is unique and not known in any other board game.[20][21]
Batik, is a technique of
wax-resistdyeing applied to whole cloth, often uses
canting as a tool to apply liquid hot wax to create
motifs. Although similar wax-resist technique are found in several countries, the batik of Indonesia, however, may be the best-known.[22]
Ikat, is a dyeing technique used to pattern textiles that employs resist dyeing on the yarns prior to dyeing and weaving the fabric. The ikat tradition is especially prevalent in Central and Eastern Indonesia, especially in
Sumba,
Flores and
Timor island.
Tapis, a traditional weaving style from Lampung, Indonesia. The word tapis also refers to the resulting cloth. It consists of a striped, naturally-coloured cloth embroidered with warped and couched gold thread.
Ulos, a traditionally hand-woven cotton fabrics, and intricately patterned, specific to
Batak tribes of
North Sumatra usually slung over the
shoulder during traditional occasions.
Sarong, a large tube or length of fabric, often wrapped around the waist.
Peci, a cap widely worn in Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei, mostly among Muslim males. in Indonesia the peci can also be associated with the nationalist secular movement.[25]
Indonesian traditional men headgears, various traditional Indonesian hats, headgears or headdress wore by Indonesian men in traditional settings. Notable examples include
Javaneseblangkon,
Sundaneseiket,
Acehnesekupiah,
Malaytanjak,
Balineseudeng, and
Dayakbeluko.
Candi, stone temple architecture developed in ancient Java circa 7th or 8th century. It employs an intricate system of interlocked
stone masonry, knobs, indentations and
dovetails, and
corbelling method.[26]
Sosrobahu, a road and bridge
construction technique which twist the concrete beam shoulder of the supporting pylon, which allows long stretches of
flyovers to be constructed above existing main roads with a minimum of disruption to the traffic, designed by
Tjokorda Raka Sukawati.[27]
Cakar ayam construction, or literally means "chicken claw construction" is a technical engineering to create a more stable
foundation by employing concrete plate supported by pipes planted deep into the ground acted as "claws", invented by Prof. Dr. Ir.
Sedijatmo in 1961. The technique is applied on structures, roads and runways. The technical principle consist of a concrete plate foundation is supported and secured to the ground by pipes as "claws", which allowed a more stable construction, enable to build structure on soft wet ground such as on
swamps. The technique allowed the structure to be more rigid, stable and more durable against uneven weight distribution or uneven land declining.[28]
Bagan, a fishing instrument (
lift net) for
light fishing, originating from
Indonesia. There are 5 type: Stationary bagan, raft bagan, boat bagan, boat bagan with platform, and sail bagan.
Piggy bank, known as celengan[n 1] in Indonesian, it is a boar-shaped terracotta figurine with a slit hole used to insert, collect and store
coins. Despite piggy banks being a result of parallel development in several places around the world, one of the oldest manifestation of pig-shaped money box is dated from Majapahit period, in Java circa 14th century.[30]
Warung, a type of small Indonesian family-owned business — often a casual
shop, a modest small
restaurant or
café.[31] There are many kinds of warung, some take the form of a small shop that sells cold bottled drinks, candy, cigarettes, snacks,
kue,
krupuk and other daily necessities, while the larger ones are small restaurant establishments.
Oncom, fermented by-product of soybean or peanuts tailings (
tofu dregs), which growing mold of Rhizopus oligosporus or Neurospora intermedia var. oncomensis.[34] The fermentation technique is native to West Java.
Tapai, fermented sweet and sour tasting food usually made either from rice or cassava, commonly found in Indonesia.[35]
Rendang, slow cooked spicy meat dish, usually beef cooked with complex mixture of spices and coconut milk. Specialty of
Minangkabau ethnic group of West Sumatra. The spices, garlic, shallot, ginger, and galangal used in rendang have
antimicrobial properties and serve as natural organic preservatives.[36]
Pindang, Indonesian traditional method to preserve food by boiling the ingredients in
salt together with certain spices that contains
tannin.[37]
Bumbu, Indonesian blend of
spices and it commonly appears in the names of spice mixtures, sauces and seasoning pastes.[38]
Dry instant noodle, although ramen
instant noodle were developed and invented by Japanese, Indonesian invented its dry or soupless version,
Indomie Mi goreng, which omit its soup and mixed with vegetable oil and Indonesian sweet soy sauce.
Teh botol,
bottled sweetened jasmine tea drink served cold, introduced in Indonesia in the 1970s.
Panji, a compilation of tales about a legendary 12th century prince of East Java. His life formed the basis of a cycle of Javanese stories, that are the basis of various poems and a genre of wayang and
topeng masked dance. Panji tales have spread from East Java to be a fertile source for literature and drama throughout Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Cambodia.
Pararaton, also known as the Book of Kings, is a Javanese chronicle[46]: 187 in the
Kawi language. The comparatively short text of 32 folio-size pages (1,126 lines) contains the history of the kings of
Singhasari and
Majapahit in eastern
Java.
Bujangga Manik, an Old Sundanese literature dated from circa late 15th century to early 16th century.[47] It is a travelogue of Prince Jaya Pakuan alias Bujangga Manik, throughout Java and Bali. He was a Sundanese Hindu rishi, though a prince at the court of
Pakuan Pajajaran.
Sanghyang Siksa Kandang Karesian, literally the title means the book of rules with guidance to be a resi (wise or holy man). A
Sundanese didactic manuscript dated from the early 16th century, mostly contains moral and spiritual lessons in
Hindu Sundanese tradition.
Serat Centhini, a compilation of Javanese tales and teachings, written in verse and published in 1814, commissioned by Crown Prince Mangkunegoro (later enthroned as
Pakubuwono V of
Surakarta).[48][49]
Lulur, Javanese topical herbal lotion applied upon skin believed to enhance smoothness and beauty. Today, it is commonly practiced and offered as one of
spa treatment in Indonesia.
Kerokan, is a traditional Javanese medical treatment in which the skin is scraped to produce red-colored light bruising. Practitioners believe kerokan releases unhealthy elements from injured areas and stimulates blood flow and healing. It is believed that the practice derived from Chinese
Gua sha.
Puskesmas, (
Indonesian: Pusat Kesehatan Masyarakat) are government-mandated community health clinics located across Indonesia. It improves the health quality of common Indonesian people by extend the reach of health service, promoting hygiene and sanitation, family planning, maternal health on childbirth, also infants
immunization.
Philosophy, ideology, politics and social sciences
Pancasila, the official, foundational
philosophical theory of the
Indonesian state.[54] This pluralist political stance was meant as a compromise to provide the moderate middleground among ideological-political spectrums — between leftist socialist and rightist nationalist religious (esp. Islamic element).
Nasakom, a political concept during the Sukarno presidency in Indonesia. It is an acronym based on the Indonesian words NASionalisme ('nationalism'), Agama ('religion'), and KOMunisme ('communism').[56][57]
Gotong royong, or "working together", a concept of indigenous communal work derived from traditional Indonesian community.
Islam Nusantara, a distinctive brand of empirical
Islam developed in the
Indonesian Archipelago since the 16th century. The main traits of Islam Nusantara are tawasut (moderate), rahmah (compassionate), anti-radical, inclusive and tolerant. Islam Nusantara is a result of interaction, contextualization, indigenization, interpretation and vernacularization of universal Islamic values, according to socio-cultural reality of Indonesia. The term was proposed and promoted by Indonesian Islamic organization
Nahdlatul Ulama, as an alternative for interpretation on global Islam that mainly dominated by Arabic or Middle Eastern perspectives.[58]
Shiva-Buddha, a syncretic Hindu-Buddhist religious doctrine developed in ancient Java during the
Singhasari and
Majapahit period (13th to 15th century). The doctrine advocate for the oneness of dharma and promote religious tolerance between
Shivaist and
Buddhist in ancient Java. Notable literary work including
Sutasoma, written by Tantular circa late 14th century. The
CandiJawi is an example of Shiva-Buddha syncretic temple.[59]
Pencak Silat, a class of related traditional
Indonesian martial arts.[60] It is a full-body fighting form incorporating strikes, grappling and throwing in addition to weaponry. Every part of the body is used and subject to attack. Pencak silat was practiced not only for physical defense but also for psychological ends.[61]
Indonesian animal racing, various animal racing in Indonesia are notably for ethnic cultural purpose and traditional sport, while contesting animal such as cow, buffalo, goat, horse, boar, duck, pigeon, and rabbit. Famous examples include
Karapan sapi,
Pacu jawi,
Pacu itiak.[63]
Technology, information, physics
Gojek, an Indonesian hyperlocal transport, logistics and payments unicorn
startup founded in 2010.
Tokopedia, Indonesia's biggest online marketplaces unicorn startup, launched in 2009.
Bukalapak, Indonesia's online marketplaces with unicorn status.
Perahu, a type of traditional sailboat with outrigger, and is most numerous in the various islands of Indonesia.
Sandeq, a traditional Indonesian
sailing ship with
outrigger and triangular sail, used widely by the
Mandar of West Sulawesi, mostly for fishing.
Junk, sailing ship that used widely in Asia. Although it is associated with China, Pierre-Yves Manguin and
Zoetmulder points to a probable Old Javanese origin.[67]
Javanese Jong, a large type of junk particularly made in Java and Kalimantan.
Penjajap, fast rowing and sailing-type ship from Nusantara.[68]
Kora-kora, a type of oared ship used prominently in the western part of the archipelago.
Kakap, small coasting boat that's usually act as scout for Penjajap.
Lancaran, a type of galley-like vessel commonly used in Sumatra and Java.
Kelulus, type of perahu used in commerce and warfare.
N-219, a twin-engine, 19-seater transport aircraft designed by
Indonesian Aerospace for multi-purpose missions in remote areas.[70]
N-245, a 50-seat commercial turboprop aircraft, an original design by the Indonesian firm
Indonesian Aerospace.
PT INKA rail products, multiple rail products made by Indonesian train manufacturer
PT INKA such as Locomotive, Railbus, Light Rail, Battery Tram, and many more.[71] First employed in
Palembang LRT in 2018, while its
diesel version was exported to the Philippines and employed by
PNR in 2019.[72]
Kris, asymmetrical wavy blade indigenous to Indonesia, especially Java island. It has distinctive blade-patterning achieved through alternating laminations of iron and nickelous iron.[73]
Karambit, a small Indonesian curved knife resembling a claw. In Indonesia mostly associated with Silek
Minangkabau (West Sumatran Silat).[74]
Kujang, a blade weapon native to the Sundanese people of western Java.
Parang, a type of machete or cleaver used across Indonesian Archipelago.
Celurit, a sickle with a pronounced crescent-blade patterns which curves more than half a circle and a long handle, is widely used for agricultural purposes and also in Pencak Silat.
Lantaka, a type of
bronzeswivel gun mounted on
merchant vessels travelling the waterways of
Malay Archipelago. Its use was greatest in precolonial Southeast Asia especially in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and the Philippines.
Harimau Tank, created under the Modern Medium Weight Tank (MMWT) collaborative tank program between Turkish manufacturer
FNSS and Indonesian manufacturer
Pindad. The tank is named as "Kaplan MT" in Turkey and "Harimau" (Tiger) in Indonesia.[77]
Nagapasa-class submarine, an upgraded variant of the
Chang Bogo class, built by Indonesian
PT PAL in collaboration with the South Korean
DSME.
Alugoro in particular, is the first submarine assembled in Indonesia, making Indonesia the first country in Southeast Asia that have the capability to build a submarine.[78]
Subak, the
paddy fields irrigation system of
Bali, which includes water temples, rice terraces, and a whole ecological and socio-cultural aspects of traditional
Balinese agricultural community.[84]
Kretek, is an aromatic
cigarette made with a blend of
tobacco,
cloves and other flavors. This Indonesian cigarette was developed in 19th century Central Java. The word "kretek" itself is an
onomatopoetic term for the crackling sound of burning cloves.[85]
Penile insertions, is an insertion or implant of objects into the
penis skin fold. The objects might be metal ball bearings, semi-precious stones, to gold balls or bars. The purpose either as a tool to enhance
sexual pleasure for sexual partner, or as
amulets. Historically the practice was widely found in
Indonesian Archipelago, with oldest archaeological evidence found in sculpture of balled
lingam and erect penis of
Sukuh temple in Java, dated from
Majapahit period.[86]
Kite, the oldest kite in the world was invented by
Muna people in
southeast Sulawesi. Dubbed as kaghati, oldest depiction of this kite is from 9,000 B.C., predating Chinese kite by 9,500 years.
Explorations and discovery
Javanese contact with Australia, contact and intercourse of Javanese people with northern
Australia since at least 10th century AD until its discontinuation in early 1600s.
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^Balfour, Henry. 1908. The fire piston. Annual report of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution, showing the operations, expenditures and condition of the institution for the year ending June 30, 1907, 565–593. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office.