Ubud Writers & Readers Festival Podcast

Muhammad Ade Putra is a young poet who is actively reflecting on locality in his poems, and Eki Saputra describes environmental issues and marginalized people through his short stories. Together with well-known Indonesian authors, Warih Wisatsana and Darmawati Majid, they will discuss how literature can record social, cultural, and ecological issues in works full of empathy.

Spice has a large influence on Indonesian history. Starting from the Banda and Maluku regions, trade routes in the past have crossed various regions and pushed transit cities into cultural points. Behind the narrative of colonial expansion, there are stories of cultural crosses. Listen to the conversation between Hilmar Farid and Janet DeNeefe about the role of spice in today’s society.

Join us as Ubud Writers & Readers Festival 2021 begins with a warm welcome from our Founder and Director, Janet DeNeefe, and two inspiring keynote speeches. This year, the Festival invites you to explore self-reflection, cultural introspection, and human rights: examining who we are, what unites and divides us, and what drives our actions.

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 can be used to tackle the current climate. Featuri...

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 Bali selama pandemi. Menampilkan I Made Janur Yas...

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 navigation. Featuring Christina Thompson and Simon Win...

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 possible in Indonesia – and shows the limits. Featuring B...

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 Yunkaporta and Rosemarie Milsom.

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 Cynthia Dewi Oka.

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 Indonesia. Join her for an incisive conversation a...

“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 Etgar Keret in an interview that promises to be anythi...

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 Cradle of Flavor, about Indonesian food, won a Jame...

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 about travel, identity, and why we are “haunted b...

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, Tishani Doshi, and Kirstie Melville.

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 Calzoum Bachri and Debra Yatim.

Exile, statelessness, displacement… these experiences have created stories of immense loss, but also of great resilience and insight into human grace and dignity. Join writers from Turkey, Tibet and China to consider the nature and impact of exile. Featuring Diana Greentree, Çiler İlhan, Tenzin Choegyal and Anastasia Lin.

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, Haidar Bagir, I Wayan Juniarta.

Forget blackboards and musty textbooks, strap in for a super-charged history lesson where we consider how (and why) literature can keep us from repeating the mistakes of history. Featuring Juan Pablo Villalobos, E. Rokajat Asura, Arnold Zable, Jill Dawson, Jeni Caffin.

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 writers play in empowering their sisters. Featurin...

In 2011, investigative journalist Suki Kim went undercover in North Korea. Posing as a missionary and a teacher, she taught English to the 19-year-old sons of North Korea’s ruling class. Hear her share her remarkable story with Michael Vatikiotis. Featuring Suki Kim and Michael Vatikiotis.

“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 fishers and vast marine resources. Featuring Susi Pudji...

Should we extend our compassion to all beings? Join extraodinary activists and authors for a conversation on compassion for the natural world, the next moves in sustainability, and how to bring conservation to both common man and common ground. Featuring Tom Owen Edmunds, Panut Hadisiswoyo, Bayu Wirayudha, Emmanuela Shinta.

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 in film. Featuring Pierre Coffin and Rizqi R Mosmar...

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 Zaman, Haidar Bagir, and Janet Steele.

Hear from one of the most promising Indonesian authors of this decade: Eka Kurniawan has earned international recognition with his critically-acclaimed works – most notably Beauty is a Wound and Man Tiger – translated into numerous languages. In this session, Eka speaks to Desi Anwar about his latest writing, discuss the challenges of being a recognizably big name, and give his thoughts on the nex...