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. 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.
Since ancient times, native Indonesians have accumulated knowledge and developed technology stemmed from necessities; from naval navigation knowledge, traditional shipbuilding technology, textile techniques, food processing to vernacular house building. Notable examples include jong, pinisi, perahu, Borobudur ship and sandeq vessels. In textile production, batik, ikat and songket were developed extensively by Indonesians. Living in tropical hot and humid environs, Indonesians also has developed the knowledge on food processing technology, especially fermentation, owed to the abundance of mold and fungi species in the region. Notable example includes tempeh, oncom, tuak, brem and tapai. In traditional art and entertainment, Indonesians have developed wayang kulit shadow theatre, various dance drama also gamelan orchestra.
The scientific pursuit, technical improvement and technological innovation are continuously developed to this day, among other by institution such as Indonesian Institute of Sciences. 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.
Arts and entertainment
Wayang, a form of traditional puppet theatre found in Indonesia. Variants including wayang kulit shadow play and wayang golek. Wayang orang, a type of classical Javanese dance drama theatrical performance with themes taken from episodes of the Ramayana or Mahabharata. 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, Balinese lion 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. 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. Javanese dance, the dances and art forms that were created and influenced by Javanese culture. 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. 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. Saman, an intricately choreographed dance of thousand hands of Gayo ethnic group, Aceh. 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.The Religion of Java (Chicago 1960) p.289 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.
Music
Gamelan, the traditional ensemble music native to Java and Bali made up predominantly of percussive instruments, especially metallophones.Sumarsam (1998). Introduction to Javanese Gamelan. Middletown. 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. 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. 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.Fisher, Paul. "The Rough Guide to the Music of Indonesia." Liner notes to recording of the same title. 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. Dangdut, a popular genre of Indonesian folk and traditional popular music that was influenced by Hindustani, Malay, and Arabic music. Pop Indo, Indonesian pop music. Rock Indo, rock music from Indonesia.
Game
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. Surakarta (game), an Indonesian strategy board 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.
Clothing and fashion
Batik, is a technique of wax-resist dyeing 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. Songket, is a hand-woven in silk or cotton, and intricately patterned with gold or silver threads. Indonesia perhaps has the richest tradition of this brocade weaving art. 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 islands. 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. Kebaya, a traditional blouse-dress, the national costume of Indonesia, although it is more accurately endemic to the Javanese, Sundanese, Balinese, and Betawi peoples.Jill Forshee, Culture and customs of Indonesia, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2006. , 237 pages 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. Indonesian traditional men headgears, various traditional Indonesian hats, headgears or headdress wore by Indonesian men in traditional settings. Notable examples include Javanese blangkon, Sundanese iket, Acehnese kupiah, Malay tanjak, Madurese odheng, Balinese udeng, and Dayak beluko.
Construction and civil engineering
Rumah adat, various indigenous technique of carpentry, wood carving and stone masonry employed in constructing traditional houses of vernacular Indonesian architecture. Notable example includes tongkonan, rumah gadang, omo sebua, joglo and pura. 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. 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. 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. 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. Jengki style, a post-war modernist architectural style that became popular around late 1950s and early 1960s. Jengki style reflected the new influence of the United States on Indonesian architecture, and can be interpreted as a tropical interpretation of American post-war modernist suburb houses. Jengki style made use of unusual shapes, such as pentagons, and sharp bold angles. Asymmetrical roofs and facades, playful cut-out doors and windows, and oddly tilted roofs and eaves were imbued with a spirit of cheerfulness and freedom.
Economy
Arisan, a form of Rotating Savings and Credit Association in Indonesian culture, a form of Microfinance. Piggy bank, known as celenganA cèlèng is a wild boar, with the "an" affix used to denote a likeness 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. Warung, a type of small Indonesian family-owned business — often a casual shop, a modest small restaurant or café. 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.
Food processing and cuisine
Tempeh, fermented soybean cake made by growing whitish Rhizopus oligosporus fungi. The fermentation technique is native to Java. Oncom, fermented by-product of soybean or peanuts tailings (tofu dregs), which growing mold of Rhizopus oligosporus or Neurospora intermedia var. oncomensis. 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. 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.