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Even though Indonesia is an archipelago made up of more than 17,000 islands, it seems that maritime-related issues are not popularly discussed. This is what motivated Balinese author I Made Andi Arsana to dedicate most of his writings to the topic, the author revealed during an interview in Wollongong, Australia, where he is currently based.

Having published three books and numerous articles on maritime issues, Andi chronicles his journey from December 2008 to early last year on the German ship Sonne (The Sun) in his latest book, “Cincin Merah di Barat Sonne” (“The Sunset from Sonne”). The research ship set sail on the Indian Ocean from Perth, Western Australia.

Andi said that the words cincin merah (red ring) refers to the sunset. The book combines popular writing and science with technical terms like geodesy or geomatics, terms that may come off as intimidating to unfamiliar readers. However, Andi has managed to break down the jargon in how he explains things, making the book both an easy yet substantial read.

Andi is a doctoral candidate majoring in ocean affairs and the law of the sea at the University of Wollongong. He is also a lecturer at the Gadjah Mada University in Yogjakarta.

In his book, the author explores various topics. He certainly talks about science, but also weaves in education, cultural differences, beliefs, even romance, into the text. The 32-year-old writes the book using his personal perspective — as a village boy who grew up in Bali and is now living and studying abroad.

Andi is honest in his narrative and does not sound like he’s showing off his experiences. He is able to describe things that are new to him and compare them to what he had back home.

But he does not do so in a way that puts Indonesia down. Rather, it comes across as him saying “I love Indonesia just the way it is.” He jokes about the nation’s shortcomings but does not directly criticize it.

In a chapter of the book, he talks about the birds flying free at Australia’s beaches and parks might actually be caught and served for dinner if they were found in Bali.

Andi’s writing style can be compared to a friend telling stories, certainly not a lecturer conducting a boring class.

In the beginning, the narrative may be a bit slow, thanks to very detailed descriptions. Andi opens the book by recalling how his wife and only daughter say goodbye to him before he leaves for his research trip. He describes how his wife Asti looks nervous because she has just recently learned how to drive a car. He even includes the manner in which he says goodbye to his daughter.

But this careful recounting succeeds in making the reader feel that they are on a journey with him.

Andi also talks about his religious beliefs as a Balinese Hindu using personal examples in parts of his narrative. He recalls the time when he and his family waited for a friend near a famous Sydney pub one Saturday morning.

A drunk, tattooed man came out of the pub holding liquor bottles and a paper food container.

Andi initially thought that the man had spent all of Friday night drinking with his buddies. To his surprise, he goes to the garbage bins and segregates the trash.

When some of the bottles break, the man even picks up the pieces and throws them into the appropriate bin. Andi concludes that being religious and following what religion requires is not enough. One also has to be able to do simple things for the common good, like segregating trash.

In the book, Andi touches on his line of study, but does so in a way that accessible. He explains in an engaging matter arcane terms such as swath mapping and multibeam echosounder — an activity mapping the seabed/seafloor by measuring the depth of the seabed.

He also describes how he communicates complex scientific topics to his parents, who both barely finished grade school.

The writing style and elements in the book are probably the reason why “Cincin Merah di Barat Sonne” is included in the nonfiction rather than the science section of major bookstores in Jakarta.
‘Cincin Merah di Barat Sonne’

Written by Andi Arsana

Indonesian language

272 pages, Rp 44,000 ($5)

Published by Lingkar Pena