In 1998, the poet John Mateer arrived in the Sumatran city of Medan, his intention merely to write a handful of poems and investigate the origins of Cape Malay culture. But with a keen eye for detail and a fascination with everyday life Mateer was soon recording his daily experiences. The Indonesia of Semar's Cave is not that of the television news. Whether describing a package tour to Lake Toba , meditating at Borobudur or discussing literature at an embassy party in Jakarta, Mateer's insights into Indonesia today are measured and precise.