Everyday life in early 20th-century Indonesia, then known as the Dutch East Indies, was a complex tapestry of colonial influence and enduring indigenous traditions.
In the burgeoning urban centers like Batavia (now Jakarta) and Surabaya, the streets were a bustling mix of horse-drawn carriages, early motorcars, and traditional vendors, set against a backdrop of grand Indo-European architecture. For the majority of the population in rural areas, life remained deeply rooted in communal agriculture and the rhythmic cycles of the rice harvest, where local markets (pasar) served as the vital heartbeat of social and economic exchange. This era was also a period of profound social transition, as the rise of education and the “Ethical Policy” began to foster a new class of intellectuals, planting the early seeds of national consciousness.
Despite the rigid colonial hierarchies, the period is remembered for its vibrant cultural fusion, seen in everything from the popular Keroncong music to the diverse culinary landscape that defined the East Indies’ unique identity. These vintage photos, via
Wolfgang Wiggers, capture everyday life in Indonesia from the early 20th century, offering a rare and intimate look at a bygone era.
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| Somewhere in Indonesia, 1906 |
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| Street on Ambon, Indonesia, 1906 |
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| "Son of Crown Prince in Palace Grounds, Yogyakarta", Java, Indonesia, 1910 |
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| A Canal at Batavia (Jakarta), Indonesia, 1910 |
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| A Gamelan, an Indonesian musical ensemble featuring a variety of instruments, Indonesia, circa 1910 |
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| A group of musicians and dancers, Java, Indonesia, circa 1910 |
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| An ox cart, Java, Indonesia, 1910 |
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| Batavia (Jakarta), Indonesia, circa 1910 |
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| Batavia (Jakarta), Indonesia, circa 1910 |
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| East Java, Indonesia, circa 1910 |
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| Inside Prambanan Temple, Indonesia, 1910 |
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| Java, Indonesia, 1910 |
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| On the Boats at Tanjungpandan, Belitung Island, Java, Indonesia, 1910 |
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| Progo river near Borobudur (Java), Indonesia, 1910 |
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| Street market in Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia, 1910 |
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| The market in Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia, 1910 |
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| The new haircut, East Java, Indonesia, circa 1910 |
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| Work on the coastal fortifications, East Java, Indonesia, circa 1910 |
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| Goat fights in Garoet (Garut), Java, Indonesia, 1921 |
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| A food stall, Java, Indonesia, circa 1920s |
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| At the pond behind the house, Java, Indonesia, circa 1920s |
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| Bathing buffalos in the river, Java, Indonesia, circa 1920s |
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| Big laundry and bathing in the Kali, Batavia (Jakarta), Indonesia, circa 1920s |
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| Chilling by the river, Batavia (Jakarta), Indonesia, circa 1920s |
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| Coconuts, Java, Indonesia, circa 1920s |
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| Fishmongers, Java, Indonesia, circa 1920s |
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| Houses by the river, Java, Indonesia, circa 1920s |
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| In the rice fields, Java, Indonesia, circa 1920s |
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| Market in Surabaya, Java, Indonesia, circa 1920s |
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| Palms, Java, Indonesia, circa 1920s |
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| Sapi and his Bas always have time and patience, Java, Indonesia, circa 1920s |
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| Street market in a small village, Java, Indonesia, circa 1920s |
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| Temple Ruins, looks like the Dieng Plateau on Java, Indonesia, circa 1920s |
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| Theatre, Java, Indonesia, circa 1920s |
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| Typical landscape, Java, Indonesia, circa 1920s |
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| Under coconut palms, Indonesia, circa 1920s |
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| Volcanic landscape, Java, Indonesia, circa 1920s |
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| Young woman, Java, Indonesia, circa 1920s |
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