ijen crater
AN INTERACTIVE DOCUMENTARY
MINER'S WALK
FOLLOWING THE SULPHUR MINERS OF THE IJEN CRATER
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Ribut

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Ahmad

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Supeno

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miner walking to Ijen crater
topographic layer of ijen crater topographic layer of ijen crater topographic layer of ijen crater topographic layer of ijen crater route of miner's journey
VOLCANIC LAKE
2150m
ABOVE SEA LEVEL
2300m
ABOVE SEA LEVEL
MINER'S JOURNEY

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Miner's Portrait

Supeno

Supeno is the third generation to work at the Ijen Crater. But this is one family tradition that Supeno does not want to pass down.

3:20

Miner's Portrait

Ahmad

“They really can’t believe it”. Sulphur miner Ahmad describes the unusual relationship between the miners and the visitors who photograph them.

4:04

Miner's Portrait

Ribut

They are humans. Not animals. Ribut knows that machines should be doing this kind of work. But what choice does he have?

4:00

Working

Back then...

Sukarmo belongs to an older generation of miners who trekked from the crater to the factory. Those years of mining have taken a toll on Sukarmo’s body.

2:31

Working

A community

Sam describes the unique conditions that bond the miners together, and why this community is getting smaller and smaller.

2:06

Working

Choking on smoke

The carrying is hard. But the smoke is the hardest. This video explores the effects of sulphur smoke on the miners, and why some miners use masks while others don't.

2:30

Working

Baskets, trolleys, goats

Sulphur has always been collected and carried by hand at the Ijen Crater. So how did a French foreigner cause an entire mining community to change the way they worked?

3:21

Working

Effects on the body

The miners of the Ijen Crater often develop blisters on their shoulders from carrying sulphur. But that’s not necessarily the problem.

1:55

Working

In the factory

What happens to the sulphur after it’s been collected? This video goes inside the sulphur factory to explore the refinement process and asks the question - is it dangerous to work there?

4:06

Tourism

The tourist

The miners are not alone at the Ijen Crater. In fact, the site sees hundreds of tourists everyday who come to see the crater’s famous blue fire and the sulphur miners themselves.

3:30

Tourism

A new industry

With the growing popularity of the Ijen Crater as a tourist destination, Sam a local guide, asks how the community can avoid the pitfalls of mass tourism.

2:10

Tourism

Growing pains

How has the Ijen Crater been affected by the recent influx of visitors? Kisma describes changes to the local community and delicate environment & wildlife.

2:54

BACK TO MINER'S JOURNEY
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ABOUT

Miner's Walk is an interactive documentary exploring the sulphur miners of the Ijen Crater, a group of Indonesian workers who collect heavy sulphur rock, trekking up and down the steep slopes of the volcanic crater.

But what part of the story hasn’t been told? In recent times the Ijen Crater has transformed into a destination for domestic and international tourists. An increased tourist presence and contentious mining practices by the sulphur mining industry has led Ijen into becoming one of the few places in the world where miners, the sulphur industry, and tourism exist side-by-side in uneasy fellowship.

Miner's Walk is an experiment in interactive storytelling; a merging of short & longform video with an online interactive experience. It grants viewers exclusive access to the miner’s world, following the miners on the precarious journey into the Ijen Crater as they collect and carry sulphur rock. Along the way, Miner’s Walk hears from the miners themselves as they describe the reality of their work, explore the impact of technology is having, and negotiate how the uptake in tourism might shape their future.

All footage was shot on location in June 2015 by Josephine Lie and Niken Pramikasih, with interactive experience designed by Josephine Lie and site development by Martyn Rees.

CREDITS

Josephine Lie

Director, Cinematography, Editor, Interactive Designer

www.josephinelie.com

Josephine Lie is a designer with a keen interest for interactive storytelling and Southeast Asia. Josephine has created award-winning short films in Australia and worked as a designer for the BBC and Facebook in London.

Martyn Rees

Digital Interactive Developer

www.martynrees.com

Martyn Rees is an interactive developer with over 20 years commercial experience specialising in data visualisation, UI and games for the world's biggest brands.

Niken Pamikatsih

Cinematography, Producer

www.araleeniken.com

Niken Pamikatsih is an Indonesian-based visual practitioner working within the fashion and commercial industry. Her recent projects have focused on themes of Indonesian identity through documentary and portrait. Niken has worked with Jogjakarta-based publications Mymagz and Plaza Ambarrukmo Magazine, and produced photography for the Indonesian editions of Instyle, Elle Decoration, Rolling Stone and Esquire.

FEATURING

Supeno

Ahmad

Ribut Santoso

Pak Sukarmo

Samsuri

Samsuri (Ijen Expedition)

Kisma Donna Wijaya

SUBTITLES

Josephine Lie

Eric Sasono

SPECIAL THANKS TO

Kisma Donna Wijaya

Agung Ayu Winanthi

Elang Dewantoro

Aris Widjayanto

CONTACT

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