As the New Futures For Indonesian Objects project commenced its vital on-the-ground research processes, the team consisted of Dr. Sadiah Boonstra, Dr. Yulianti, Ayu Wulandari, and Hizkirani Jatiningrum, embarked on their first fieldwork trip to Lombok Island. This initial visit marked a significant step toward grounding the project’s vision in the lived realities, memories, and aspirations of the local communities who are community of origin of the Cakranegara-Lombok Heritage, a collection of objects known as “Lombok Treasures”. Over several days, the researchers engaged in extensive dialogues with community members, local leaders, and heritage practitioners. These conversations were not just interviews, as the team were have attentive listening sessions aimed at absorbing the diverse hopes, perspectives, stories, and concerns surrounding the Cakranegara-Lombok Heritage and the Lombok War of 1894.
Day 1: Engaging with the State Museum of West Nusa Tenggara
The first day of the field visit to Lombok, August 14, began with a formal meeting and discussion at the State Museum of West Nusa Tenggara (Museum Negeri NTB). This session brought together the research delegation from the Past Future’s project, along with the Head of the Museum, curators, cultural facilitators, and museum staff. The discussion focused on exploring opportunities for collaboration in historical research related to Lombok’s cultural heritage. One of the main points raised was the significance of involving local communities in Lombok, particularly in relation to the historical interpretation of objects often referred to as the “Lombok Treasure”. The State Museum also offered access to its manuscript collections and historical objects, which are expected to support further stages of the research. The meeting concluded with a shared interest in building ongoing cooperation, especially in areas such as community-based knowledge collection, artifact tracing, and local engagement in heritage preservation.
Day 2: Dialogues with FPNSBL
August 15, 2025, marked a meaningful encounter with the Forum Pelestarian Nilai Seni dan Budaya Lombok (FPNSBL) or Forum for the Preservation of Lombok’s Art and Cultural Values, represented by I Gusti Bagus Yoga Akasa or widely known in the cultural community as Yudhi Buster. Held in an informal yet focused setting, the meeting opened with a presentation from FPNSBL outlining the organization’s past and ongoing efforts in advocating for cultural heritage issues. What followed was a vibrant and in-depth dialogue. Insights were sharedd not only about the historical significance of certain sites and objects, but also about the aspirations of the community in reclaiming agency over their own heritage stories. Through this dialogue, a number of local names and historically significant locations were identified as potential entry points for deeper historical inquiry. More than just an exchange of information, the meeting laid the foundation for future collaboration.
Day 3: Listening to Stories: from the Palace to the Community
On the morning of August 16, 2025, the fieldwork team met with Anak Agung Made Barayang Wangsa, a descendant of the Mataram royal family in Lombok. In this intimate and reflective conversation, history was not approached as distant record, but as lived memory that handed down through generations. The Cakranegara-Lombok Heritage, he explained, once played crucial roles in the kingdom’s social, religious, and political life, and still carry emotional weight within the family lineage. Importantly, Anak Agung Made also voiced a hope shared by many: that some of these objects, even if not returned permanently, could one day come home for a while. Exhibitions, he suggested, could offer a moment of reconnection, allowing the people of Lombok to see and feel the legacy that was displaced from them.
The team then met with Pasir Putih, a vibrant local arts and culture community. The group shared their creative efforts to celebrate and preserve Lombok’s cultural traditions and expressed enthusiasm for future collaboration, such as envisioning joint exhibitions and activities that could amplify the project’s impact by weaving together academic research and community artistry. That evening, the focus turned outward to the broader community, as the team met with Lombok Heritage Science and Society (LHSS). Through educational initiatives centered on the Lombok War and its historical aftermath, LHSS has found creative ways to engage younger generations. Their approach, grounded in community-based storytelling and interdisciplinary collaboration, underscored the idea that history doesn’t only live in museums or manuscripts. LHSS also expressed hope that the New Futures For Indonesian Objects project will lead to deeper research that uncovers the rich meanings embedded in the heritage.
Day 4 : Tracing the Footsteps of Lombok War History
On August 17, 2025, the research team, together with members of Lombok Heritage Science and Society (LHSS), embarked on a field visit that followed the historical footsteps of the Lombok War, beginning where it all started: Ampenan. This coastal area, once a strategic landing point for Dutch colonial forces, set the stage for the conflict that would ripple across the island.
From Ampenan, the journey moved deeper into the heart of Lombok War landscape such as Van Ham’s Grave to the ruins of Lombok Monument. Then, one key stop was Puri Ukir Kawi, the main palace of the Mataram Kngdom. Though much of the palace now lies in ruins, the surviving walls stand as powerful reminders of its former grandeur. This site was also the source of many valuable heirlooms looted during the 1894 expedition, underscoring the deep losses suffered during that turbulent period. The visit continued to other significant locations, including Seksari and Pura Narmada. Seksari is known as the site of the Mataram’s final resistance, while Pura Narmada remains a sacred center of ritual and spiritual authority. Overall, this site visit gives an overview team how history lives on, not only through physical remains but also the stories and memories embodied with each sites. Detailed observations, photographs, and conversations gathered throughout this chronological journey will enrich the New Futures For Indonesian Objects project.
Day 5: Meaningful Dialogues with Puri Pajang and the Sasak Council
On August 18, 2025, the research team continued their journey by meeting with another branch of the Mataram royal family at Puri Pajang. This gathering aimed to deepen the understanding of the project by listening to diverse stories and expectations circulating within the extended royal family. The conversations revealed rich, multifaceted perspectives on the Cakranegara-Lombok Heritage and the Lombok War, adding valuable layers to the ongoing research.
Later in the day, the team met with the Majelis Adat Sasak (MAS) or Sasak Traditional Council at their secretariat, engaging in a respectful and open dialogue led by the MAS Chairperson, H. Lalu Sadjim Sastrawan, alongside key council members. The discussion centered on how the Sasak community collectively interprets the heritage, as they emphasized that many of these artifacts are not solely the possessions of the Balinese royals in Mataram but include sacred heirlooms, customary objects, and cultural wealth originating from Sasak villages. Consequently, they voiced a strong aspiration that repatriation and preservation efforts should recognize the Sasak peoples’ historical and cultural rights to these objects. This dialogue broadened the understanding of Lombok’s heritage as a collective legacy.
Overall, the most important outcomes of this first fieldwork was the opportunity to truly absorb the hopes and concerns of the local communities regarding the project. This early engagement helped build trust and establish a collaborative spirit, ensuring that the research respects and amplifies the voices of those most closely connected to the heritage. The insights gained from this initial visit have already begun to influence the project’s direction, highlighting an interdisciplinary approach that values both historical records and living memory. This understanding helps the project to move forward with greater sensitivity and awareness, ensuring that future research and activities truly reflect the voices and experiences of the people who carry these histories forward.
