Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #467850 in Books
• Published on: 1979-03-22
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 222 pages

Customer Reviews

A Loving Description of Ambon
This is a very well-written account of the Moluccas/Maluku - in fact probably the best travelogue about this region.
Unlike many writers, the author spent a longer period in the area and did show a genuine interest in the people and their culture. This way she had the chance to witness rare traditional events that few visitors see, and to make close enough friends among Christian Ambonese to hear personal accounts of local superstitions.
She had such an eye for detail that her highly entertaining book is even quoted as a useful etnographic reference in bibliographies.
Nor is the book about Ambon alone. The author did travel around South Maluku whenever she could, describing Saparua, Seram, Banda, the Keis and even the remote Watubela Islands.
Her only failure is that having spent all her time among the Christian half of the Ambonese society she gives only the shortest, and often mistaken remarks about the Muslim Ambonese (based on her city impressions she says Muslims are mostly immigrants from elsewhere - this is certainly not true in rural parts of Ambon Island) who do make up half the population there and actually preserved more of the traditional culture. But this is just a small shortcoming in what is otherwise a brilliant book.
It is a pity that it is out of print now - well worth getting even second-hand!