MUSEUM PUSAKA NIAS

Newsletter September 2014

National Award for Father Johannes and our Museum Nias Heritage

On the evening of September 5, 2014, Father Johannes received a state award from Deputy Minister of
Education and Culture on behalf or Minister of Education and Culture Republic of Indonesia at National
Museum, Jakarta. The appreciation is awarded for Father Johannes efforts in preserving cultural heritage of
Nias and developing the Museum Pusaka Nias. Government pays airfare to Jakarta and return to Nias as
well as the accommodation during his stay in Jakarta. Government also give a cash IDR 20.000.000,(=1.300 Euro) along the award. An important criterion for the award was this: No major plans should be
honored, but people who had already done a valuable cultural work.

Revealed secret of a skull

In connection with her Doctoral study, Sumy Hastry Purwanti (Master of police forensics department in
Surabaya) examined a skull, a collection of Museum Pusaka Nias. Now we also know that the skull that we
keep in the museum belongs to a 40 years old woman and the woman was often sick when she was still
alive. We were able to acquire this skull with a skull stone chest 15 years ago. In Gomo area, the skull of the
deceased parents were especially kept.

Cultural Heritage training for schools kids and teachers

The traditional instruments in daily life of Nias people are no longer found, except in the museum. Therefore
the museum carries out an interesting program for school kids and teachers, started from beginning of
October to November 2014. All the cultural heritage objects were introduced to the participants, especially
the story behind the artifact in regarding the history and knowledge of local people. Music instruments,
particularly the bamboo and wood were also played by each participant under guiding of museum staff.

Cultural Exchange
Through the mediation of the ASA program the museum receives support team again and again. Anna
Engelhardt completed her three-month internship with us in the museum to create a short movie on Nias and
the museum. The current participant is Gwen Lesmeister. She just her internship. She is working on a photo
exhibition, which is scheduled to be opened to public in regarding with the great conference of the Protestant
churches in Indonesia which will be carried out in Nias on 11 17 November 2014.

Photo exhibition
In the current photo exhibition, we look back in the early days of the Protestant Church in Nias. The center of
the United Evangelical Mission (UEM) in Wuppertal lend us the photos of the missionary in the past.
Unfortunately, the photo documentation was not as extensive as today 150 years ago. Most are group
photos at the missionary meeting.

Durian season in Nias

July and August are the Durian season in Nias. For European, the smell of the durian fruit with its very thick
prickly shell is mostly obnoxious and for another western people, its smell is stinking, but actually the real
taste of durian is delicious for locals. The fruits demand victims every years, as they are a serious threat to
people with high blood pressure as well as the additional consumption of alcohol.

Recommendation
New Publication
You know, my friends ... Father Hadrian Hess published his experiences from his missionary time in Nias
from 1975-2013 after his return to Germany. ISBN-10: 3830676697

New informative and useful website

www.northniastourism.com For now, this website refers only to North Nias. There is a wonderful insight on
Northern Nias. A website for whole Nias is being planned, if the collaboration contract between AVI and
Museum Pusaka Nias is realized.

Please forward this newsletter/quarterly report to friends and lovers.

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