INDONESIA is made up of some 17,000 islands. Its people are known for being exceptionally friendly, patient, polite, and hospitable.

Meals in Indonesia normally include rice along with other dishes—often spicy—and fruit. In some areas, families eat sitting on a woven mat, using their fingers to dip food into the rice. Many Indonesians claim that food eaten this way tastes better.

Indonesians love art, dance, and music. The anklong is a typical Indonesian instrument; it consists of bamboo pipes loosely mounted in a frame. The pipes are tuned to produce a particular note or chord when rattled. To play a tune, a number of players must cooperate, each shaking his anklong at the right time.

Until the 15th century C.E., Indonesia was largely influenced by Hinduism and then Buddhism. By the 16th century, Islam gained a foothold in Indonesian culture. Europeans seeking spices arrived in the 16th century, and with them came the religions of Christendom.

 Jehovah’s Witnesses, known worldwide for their Bible educational work, have been active in Indonesia since 1931. Currently, there are more than 22,000 of them in Indonesia, and they are making an effort to reach out to the deaf. Recently, more than 500 attended a special sign-language meeting held by Jehovah’s Witnesses to commemorate the death of Jesus Christ.