Having a wild animal in your front yard enhances your status. (See The regent's tiger!) In a village it may be a monkey (a beruk or a lutung). The juveniles are caught by killing the mother, no wonder not many remain in the wild on Java.
This example is a beruk or Javanese macaque (macacus nemestrinus), kept on a chain in the front yard of a house in Tetep hamlet (Cebongan village south of Salatiga). It seems these macaques can be trained to pick coconuts, but we never saw that.
A long time ago Theo recieved a young beruk as a birthday present, and on another occasion a lutung (pythecus pyrrahus) in payment of a debt!
Updated Aug 7, 2008
In the countryside people will try to put you at ease: Disini aman, bu (It's safe here, ma'am). And indeed, Indonesia is generally very safe. In the cities this may be due to the safety wardens you find everywhere: in shopping malls, at banks, parkings and restaurants, as well as to the night watches in residential areas.
Villages have their own safety measures, which include night watch duty. If any disturbance of the peace happens, the watch will raise the alarm by knocking on a hollowed block of wood. As the picture shows, there is a code for different kinds of disturbances:
RAJAPATI = murder, single knocks
PENCURI = theft, double knocks
KEBAKARAN = fire, triple knocks
BENCANA ALAM = natural disaster, four knocks
HEWAN HILANG = lost cattle, five knocks
And if all is well (AMAN-DARAMULUK) at certain times the watch will announce this by a ruffle of decreasing loudness. It's the only signal we actually ever heard!
The photo is from Sombron hamlet near Tlogo Agro Tourism, but could be from anywhere. Left the hollowed wood block or kentong.
Updated Aug 3, 2008
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2 Reviews and 5 Opinions The place actually is a resort with swimming pool, dining area. I stayed here for a short Business...
Reviews and photos of Salatiga attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Salatiga sightseeing.

In the countryside people will try to put you at ease: Disini aman, bu (It's safe here, ma'am). And indeed, Indonesia is generally very safe. In the cities this...
11 members live in Salatiga
Q: Hai teman-teman, Mohon informasi tentang hotel atau 'guest house' yg letaknya dekat Satyawacana Christian University Salatiga...

A: Grand Wahid Hotel Jl. Jendral Sudirman no.2, Salatiga - USD40.00 You can find Homestay/Guest House if willing to stay longer
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Salatiga is a small town in Central Java, situated halfway between the cities of Semarang and Surakarta (Solo) at the foot of Merbabu mountain. The town lies at an altitude of 550 to 600 m above...
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Salatiga is a small city between Jogja & Semarang. It can be used as a base town to target visits to nearby beautiful areas such as Rawa Pening, Museum Ambarawa, Selo (Ketep Pass)
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I've got some interesting experiences in Salatiga. I'd love to share with you the 0 tips I've written, the 3 photos uploaded, and 0 travelogues I've created.
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