Sugar Nutmeg

Mar 18 2024 31 ep. 77 mins 3

Sugar Nutmeg Podcast artwork

Featuring casual conversations that unpack complex topics, Ruth Feriningrum and Alexandra Kumala talk to fellow Southeast Asians about Southeast Asia.

Society & Culture

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Miko Veldkamp on Multiplicity over Halfness

Mar 18 2024 61 mins

Miko talks to us about how the vast forests and wide, empty roads of Suriname give rise to ghost stories, the reasons the ghosts in his paintings take classical Greek poses or animalistic positions, the fantasy of prosperity and whitewashing of historical paintings, how cultural signifiers in his paintings carry double meanings, and feeling alienated from art as a child. Plus, we p

Nasrikah and Okui Lala on Rasa & Asa of Domestic Workers

Jan 08 2024 73 mins

Nasrikah and Okui Lala talk to us about their collaboration project, Rasa and Asa, a short film, shot during the height of pandemic via online video platform, capturing the activities and daily meetings of the PERTIMIG members. -- Okui Lala (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) is an artist and cultural worker. Her practice spans from video and performance to community engagement. Okui’s w

Napong Tao Rugkhapan on Urban Beautification and Psychological Displacement

Dec 21 2023 75 mins

Tao talks to us about urban geography and morphology in Southeast Asia. We discuss historic preservation and patterns of heritage-making in Southeast Asia, touristification, image-making and nationalist architecture, the evolution of neighborhoods and their communities as cities get reinvented, and whether Chinatowns in Southeast Asia are "disappearing and dying" as they

Janette Suherli on Observing Supernova Remnants and Other Celestial Wonders

Sep 24 2023 71 mins

Inspired by her grandfather, who followed the stars to navigate the seas and landscape of Bangka, Janette shares the colorful journey of her astrophysics career. She talks to us about black holes, massive stars, supernova explosions, and how reverse culture shock can almost derail you from your career. Optional: episode to be enjoyed with a plate of pempek. -- Janette Suherli is

Andamar Pradipta on The Science of The Supernatural

Aug 07 2023 58 mins

Damar talks to us about his research on supernatural phenomena. We discuss different elements and even marketing methods used by dukun in Indonesia. Plus, paranormal sensitivities, indigo people, and Ruth's untapped powers. Everything is magic is Southeast Asia. -- Andamar Pradipta obtained his bachelor’s degree in Social Anthropology from Universitas Indonesia. He then con

Elliott Prasse-Freeman on The Role of Blockchain in Rohingya Lives

May 02 2023 102 mins

Elliott talks to us about the Rohingya political situation amidst dislocation and mass violence, especially after the coup in Myanmar, and how R-Coin is a new initiative helping stateless Rohingya diaspora in Malaysia. --- Elliott Prasse-Freeman is a political anthropologist studying social movements, violence, and symbolic culture in Burma. As part of a related ongoing project o

Emy Ruth Gianan on Digital Disinformation in The Philippines and Southeast Asia

Mar 12 2023 74 mins

Emy talks to us about disinformation challenges in Southeast Asia and its evolving relationship with democracy, civil society participation, and digital maturity. To be enjoyed with a hearty bowl of Sinigang! Emy Ruth Gianan is a full-time professor teaching classes on public policy, governance, and development economics at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Manila. A

Veronika Kusumaryati and Ernst Karel on Expedition Content

Dec 18 2022 91 mins

Ernst and Veronika talk to us about their process of composing Expedition Content, the augmented sound piece composed from 37 hours of recordings which document the encounter between members of the Harvard Peabody Expedition, particularly Michael Rockefeller of the Rockefeller family, and the Hubula people of West Papua, at the time Nederlands New Guinea. The piece reflects on visu

Frederic Clapp on Finding Home in Vietnam

Nov 11 2022 92 mins

Ruth and Alexandra often find themselves furious about foreigners coming to the "exotic" islands of Indonesia and using the archipelago as a pretty background for their Instagram photos or YouTube vlogs. With Fred Clapp, they share stories of treading responsibly on foreign lands, deromanticizing distant locales, and finding a home halfway across the world. Plus, feline hierarchies

Special Episode!

Oct 15 2022 43 mins

Alexandra is in CDMX shooting a film and Ruth is off to Bali to reunite with her boyfriend. We recorded this episode last month to reflect on borders, passports, visas, Indonesian cartels, “forbidden areas” and the Forbidden Fruit. Is this the episode in which we get cancelled? As always, let’s feast and find out. Don't forget to tip: https://anchor.fm/sugar-nutmeg/support A