It took bit of time, but I finally finished my first serious foray into modern Indonesian philately with Indonesia’s 2021 stamps. And I’m so happy with what I’ve found. Indonesia threw up a few interesting topics to dive into and I whiled away an afternoon (or two) enjoying traditional folk dances, foods and a lot of history. Then I remembered I was supposed to be writing this article and returned to the introduction. 

The best issue of the year turned into two. Once again, I couldn’t decide on one, so I opted to show both. Baliphex made an appearance at the end of the 2021 program. This pair of souvenir sheets was issued for the annual stamp exhibition held in Bali.  

Wish I could tell you who the designer was, but Indonesia’s post office didn’t list them. I also debated about posting who I thought the figures are in the stamps, but I couldn’t be 100%, so I’ll err on the side of caution and not post possible incorrect information with the hope someone from the area can offer details.  I wish my scans were better, because they don’t do justice to the originals. The images and colours pop off the page. These two souvenir sheets are  magnificent pieces of art. 

The second favourite will be no surprise to people who follow this site – FOOD.  WONDERFUL GLORIOUS FOOD! Geographical Food Producers offered two top flight FDCs for collectors of Indonesian stamps as well as specialists in agrarian topics. Take an eyeful of these two covers. 

Spices, coffee, vanilla and nuts oh my! The two covers are beautifully laid out. Indonesian foods previous appeared on stamps in 2010 & 2012 with Traditional Foods by designer ArCom Bandung, 2011 Fish Consumption  by designer Triadi M, 2016 Indonesian Spices by Karyono, and 2017 Fruit by Pos Kreatif. I love a post office that appreciates local foods and spices. 

The cancel images used aren’t the best. It’s unfortunate that Pos Indonesia doesn’t offer high quality scans of each cancel because they are interesting.  2021’s Geographical Food Producers cancel is an example of how effective the post marks are.

Nutmeg! Yum.  I better stop here before the site turns into a food blog.  Enjoy this year’s stamp offerings. They are fun, fascinating and addictive. Wait, did I just find a new country to collect? So many stamps, so little time. 

February

Gong Xi Fa Cai: Ghosty Comic – Chinese New Year

4 stamps on mini sheet, 1 mini sheet, 1 post card, special pack
4 colour offset with 1 invisible ink

Ghosty was originally published on Facebook, premiering May 12, 2016

(20+) GHOSTY’s COMIC | Facebook 
Appreciation of Comic Strip “Ghosty’s Comic” Page 1 – Kompasiana.com

Release date: February 4, 2021

Tahun Kerbau: Year of the Ox

1 stamp on souvenir sheet, 3 stamps on mini sheet, postcard, special pack
4 colour offset with 1 invisible ink

See all of the 2021 Year of the Ox stamps and 2022 Year of the Tiger stamps

Release date: February 11, 2021

Covid 19 Vaccinations

2 stamps, 1 sheet of 14 with both stamps, FDC, cancel 
4 colour offset with 1 invisible ink

Release date: February 26, 2021 

May

Folk dance – Tari Tradisional

2 stamps, 1 sheet of 14 with both stamps, FDC, cancel 
4 colour offset with 1 invisible ink

34 Traditional Indonesian Dances (cekaja.com)
UNESCO has recognised 4 different traditional dances of Indonesia as Intangible Cultural Heritage. 3 Balinese dances were recognized in 2015 and Saman dance from Aceh in 2011. 
Three genres of traditional dance in Bali – intangible heritage – Culture Sector – UNESCO
Saman dance – intangible heritage – Culture Sector – UNESCO

Release date: May 20, 2021

Gunung Sewu UNESCO Global Geopark

3 stamps, sheets of 15 with the 3 stamps, FDC, cancel, 1 stamp on souvenir sheet, special pack 
4 colour offset with 1 invisible ink

Gunung Sewu UNESCO Global Geopark is a classic tropical karst landscape in the south central part of Java Island well-known in the world, and dominated by limestone. The limestone is of Neogene age and consists of calcareous-tuffaceous clastic facies (Oyo and Kepek formations) as well as reef facies (Wonosari formation). Late Oligocene to Early Miocene rocks of volcanic-origin clastic, volcanic and marine sediments underlie these limestones. Quaternary river and lake deposits represent the youngest units. 
GUNUNG SEWU UNESCO GLOBAL GEOPARK (Indonesia)

Release date: May 27, 2021

September

50th Anniversary Peruri Security Printers

2 stamps, sheet  of 12 with 2 stamps, FDC, packs, 2 souvenir sheets
4 colour offset with 1 invisible ink

Peruri is a State-Owned Enterprise security printing company Brief History – PERURI | Printing Money of the Republic of Indonesia

Release date: September 15, 2021

October

PON XX Papua

6 stamps, sheet of 12 with all stamps, 2 FDCs, cancel
4 colour offset with 1 invisible ink

5 Facts You Need to Know about PON XX Papua 2021 – Indonesia Travel

Release date: October 2, 2021

Indication of Geographical Food Producers

6 stamps, sheet of 20 with all stamps, souvenir sheet, FDC, cancel
4 colour offset with 1 invisible ink

• Kalosi Enrekang Arabica Coffee, S. Sulawesi – KOPI ASIK ENREKANG – BEST QUALITY SPECIALTY COFFEE KALOSI ENREKANG (kopikalosi.com) I’m including this link because I love their motto: A morning without coffee is like sleep. IDGI0000000000018.pdf (asean-gidatabase.org)
• Java Preanger Tea, West Java 37. ASEAN GI Database- Indonesia-Java Preanger Tea-version 2.docx (asean-gidatabase.org)
• Kubu Cashew, Bali IDGI0000000000028.pdf (asean-gidatabase.org)
• Alor Islands Vanilla, East Nusa Tenggara E-Indikasi Geografis (dgip.go.id)
• Minahasa Cloves, North Sulawesi 33. ASEAN GI Database- Indonesia-Minahasa Clove-version 2.docx (asean-gidatabase.org)
• Tomandin Fakfak Nutmeg, West Papua 49. ASEAN GI Database- Indonesia-Tomandin Fakfak Nutmeg-version 2.docx (asean-gidatabase.org)

Release date: October 16, 2021

November

Endemic Ornamental Fish 

6 stamps, 1 sheet of 12 with all stamps, souvenir sheet, FDC, cancel
4 colour offset with 1 invisible ink

• Betta channoides – Mahakam River near Pampang, East Kalimantan (Snakehead Betta)  
• Betta imbellis – Medan, North Sumatra (Peaceful Betta)
• Datnioides microlepis – Central Sulawesi (Tiger fish, also called Indonesia Tiger Perch)
• Pterapogon kauderni (Banggai cardinalfish) 

Release date: November 5, 2021

Tokoh & Pejuang – National Heroes

6 stamps, 1 sheet of 16 with all stamps, FDC, cancel
4 colour offset with 1 invisible ink

• Johannes Abraham Dimara (1916-2000)  Johannes Abraham Dimara, The Representative of West Papua – WEST PAPUA STORY
• Usman-Harun – Remembering the History of Usman and Harun – KKO Soldiers (myfiqo.blogspot.com) (Indonesian)
• Rasuna Said, Lioness of Independence (1910-1965) – Women in Southeast Asian Nationalist Movements by Susan Blackburn & Helen Ting, published 2013 is an interesting read on independence movements throughout southeast Asian. the chapter on Said is available via Open Access Rasuna Said: Lioness of the Indonesian Independence Movement from Women in Southeast Asian Nationalist Movements on JSTOR. If you are not familiar with modern Southeast Asian politics and history, this is a good starting point and will give you a broad perspective to start further readings. 
• Soeprijadi (1923-1945) I’m having a hard time finding a decent article on Soeprijadi. Try this Indonesian post Soeprijadi’s Story Smooths PETA Rebellion on This Day 77 Years Ago – National Tempo.co

For more details refer to List of Indonesian national heroes – Wikipedia Indonesian, free encyclopedia

Release date: November 10, 2021

Makassar: Flora & Fauna

6 stamps on a souvenir sheet, 2 stamps on a souvenir sheet
4 colour offset with 1 invisible ink

Butterfly souvenir sheet:

• Troides haliphron (Southern Yellow Birdwing) on a lantana camara (common lantana) 
• Troides helena (common birdwing) on a Archidelidron sp (member of flowering pea family) 
• Papilio peranthus (Swift Peacock) 
• Cethosia bibli (red lacewing) on a lantana camara 
• Papilio ascalaphus (Sulawesi Blue Mormon) on a lantanta camara
• Junonia adulatrix on a leea indica (bandicoot berry)

This page Indonesia Endemic Butterflies Checklist (lntreasures.com), has a checklist of endemic butterflies. 

The second souvenir sheet has a Spilocuscus Rufoniger or black-spotted cuscus Black-spotted Cuscus | Spilocuscus rufoniger (edgeofexistence.org) and a kandelia candel, a member of the mangrove family. 

Release date: Originally released 2016- and 2012

December

Prisma: 13th Baliphex

2 souvenir sheets with one stamp on each
4 colour offset with 1 invisible ink

The Bali Philately Exhibition is an annual show that takes place in the province of Bali.  5 special cancels were issued for the show as well as special limited edition souvenir sheets for the fair. 

Cancels to search for:

1. Ayodya Day
2. Mithia
3. Dandaka day
4. Kiskinda Day
5. Setubanda Day

Special Baliphex issues:

1. Seri road to #1 (issue date 21 February 2021) Road to Baliphex 2021 (5th Bali Scoutphex 2021 / Baden Powell Day)
2. Seri Road # 2 (issue date 29 March 2021)  5th DENPHEX 2021 (Denpasar Philately Exhibition) Commemorative 99 years of Indonesian Philatelist Association
3. Seri Road # 3 (issue date 28 August 2021) 2nd BALI AUSIPHEX 2021 (Indonesia Australia Philately Exhibition)
4. BALIPHEX 2021 (Issue date 3 December 2021) / SPECIAL EDITION BALIPHEX 2021 (issue date 3 December 2021) Limited Edition edition Annual event 13th BALIPHEX 2021
   (From www.Baliphex.com – Philately Issue)

If you attended Baliphex and managed to get any of these editions, can you drop me a line. I’d like to show the issues on this page. 

Release date: December 3-7, 2021

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