On The Cutting Edge 

The beauty queen spiel is familiar to all of us: it’s not what is on the outside that counts, but the inner beauty that will weather the years as wrinkles and gravity wreak havoc.

Try telling that to those willing to pay top rupiah in the quest for physical perfection. The Centerpiece stories this month delve into the motivation of people who go under the knife for a prettier face or more streamlined physique. A rarity here only a decade ago, cosmetic surgery is a growing trend in major cities, following on from its popularity in other parts of Asia.

Profiled this month is Lawrence Blair, the English anthropologist and explorer who has made Indonesia his home for many years.  His new made-for-TV series about the relationship between humans and animals in the archipelago, and the myths and mysteries that bind them, is his personal homage to the country he loves.

We also travel to Eastern Indonesia, the site of many of Blair’s adventures, for the On a Jet Plane travel section and to explore a mysterious, syncretic belief system in Lombok. For the latter story, the contributor battled horrendous weather conditions and the rugged mountainous landscape to sit down with the religion’s believers.

He confessed to overindulging himself in the local rice wine (it was cold after all, and the locals were very insistent). All is forgiven: for as much as we set often impossibly high standards for ourselves, whether in behavior or physical attractiveness, nobody’s perfect.




( Bruce Emond )

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