Spice Race: Jakarta - Amsterdam

Date of Issue:
Set of three stamps: March 12, 1980 (Scott: 1067 - 1069)
Souvenir Sheet 300r: March 12, 1980 (Scott: 1069A)
Souvenir Sheet 500r: May 06, 1980 for London 1980 Stamp Exhibition. (Scott: 1069B)

postmark in FDC: cloves with leaves

60r  -  Penisi: Penisi sailing ships were used by sailors from South Sulawesi in their sea voyages for transportation of agricultural produce.

125r -  Ship made of cloves.

150r -  Madurese boat: used by sailors from Madura

Souvenir Sheet 500r: world map showing spice trade routes and London 1980 logo.

In tracing the navigation of spice transportation from Indonesia, the Nedlloyd Shipping Company - organized a shipping race from Jakarta to Amsterdam. Sailing ships from Australia, France, Singapore, U.K., and The Netherlands participated in the race.

To commemorate this event, Indonesian Postal Administration issued a set of three stamps and a souvenir sheet of the sailing ships that were used in long distance sailing.

Spices launched the Age of Exploration and drove the European explorers to the Spice Islands of Eastern Indonesia in the 16th century. This led to the great Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch and British Empires of the East. Which spices and why were they so important? Click here to read entire history.

Source: Scott stamp catalog, information brochure inside FDC, murnis.com

Borobudur Ship Expedition

(click image to view larger picture)

Date of Issue: September 17, 2005
Scott #: 2081e

The idea of this expedition was by Mr. Philip Beale of British Navy who visited the Borobudur Temple, a 9th century Mahayana Buddhist monument in Central Java, Indonesia, on November 08, 1982. He was charmed by the beauty of the relief of the ship engraved on the walls of the temple. After returning back to his country, he was curious about this ship relief and searched for clues regarding this ancient ship and found that the early Indonesians have carried out cinnamon trading to as far as Madagascar, and Ghana.

He wanted to trace the route and experience how the early Indonesians of 8th century would have traveled with a ship like that. So, with sponsors to his idea, he built a replica of that ship and was named "Samudraraksa" meaning "Sea Guard."

The Expedition of The Cinnamon Route was officially inaugurated by the former President of the Republic of Indonesia, Mrs. Megawati Sukarnoputri on August 15, 2003 in Marina Beach, Ancol, Jakarta. This Expedition traced the Cinnamon Route from Jakarta through Madagascar, Cape Town continued to West Coast, Africa and ended in Ghana on December 2003.

After carrying out the expedition of The Cinnamon Route of Africa 2003 successfully, the ship was sent back to Indonesia in several pieces in order to transport it easily, and rebuilt once reaching Indonesia and kept in the Samudraraksa ship museum, located in the complex of Borobudur Temple.

Source: Wikipedia, yogyes.com