Hashing in Java (Extended version of Asia Pacific Harrier article May 2010)
It’s not easy to find info on Hashing in Java, so time to put the record straight!
There hasn’t been much said about the amazing Hash Clubs around Indonesia where they take their hashing very very seriously and with a passion.
I won’t bore you with the History of Hashing in Indonesia, if you want an accurate description of that then visit Bill Panton’s Hash Heritage site, but a quick bit of research on the web I discovered that Hashing in Indonesia evolved something like this.
Jakarta was the first to have a Hash club in 1971 and probably Jeremy ‘Burong’ Pidgeon ex Kuala Lumpur was the man responsible for bringing Hash to Indonesia. I wonder if he’s still alive? It took a good two years for Medan to evolve in 1973 and looking at the other major clubs emerging were Bandung in 1974, Balikpapan and Surabaya in 1975, Bali, Duri and Soroaka in 1977, Bontang and Rumbai in 1978 and Jogjakarta in 1979.
My favourite memories of Hashing in Indonesia are the notorious On On On On’s of Jakarta’s Batavia Hash, the amazingly long and entertaining after run Hash circles of Balikpapan’s Monday Hash, the friendship of the Samarinda Hash, the wearing of one of the Surabaya Palm Families amazing Hash haberdashery, or the sheer joy of joining a legendary Bandung or Jogjakarta run.
The biggest Hash Clubs in the World are only just up the road from Jogja to Bandung.  You can hash every day of the week, with some 300 to 400 hashers turning up for each run. Its home to thousands of Hashers and textile mills that fall over themselves with grand sponsorship. 
So what about Java as a country? Over 100 million people live on Java. The Javanese are friendly family orientated people, very humble and hard working and although there is great deal of poverty, the Javanese always seem to overcome hardships and manage a smile.
Let’s get back to East Java and Jogjakarta in particular. Jogjakarta’s Marlioboro Hash House Harriers gets its fare share of Visitors on each week’s run, as tourists are in abundance in the city famed for its Royal Palace, shopping in Marlioboro Street, the amazing Borobudur Temple and a climb up the partially active Mount Merapi.
The old colonial buildings of Jogja offer an amazing backdrop to any Hash run around the city and when the Sultan has a celebration of any kind the whole city turns out to see his colourful Royal guards.
That’s why we chose Jogjakarta for our Interhash 2012 bid. With Pre and Post IH events in Bali and Java, that will also give Hashers an opportunity to Hash there, they should prove immensely popular Hashing destinations. 
Previous Inter Hashes in Indonesia, Jakarta in 1982 and Bali in 1988 have been wonderful publicity for the locations and the country. 
Veteran Interhashers may remember David "Browneye" Ives and Marty "Garfield" Hanratty who mismanaged an epic journey from Bali to Jakarta post IH88 by bus, which they called the Java Hash Dash, which was sponsored and supported by Anker Brewery (bus, girls etc).
Java is so affordable, has such grand Hashing country, beautiful people and cheap and tasty icy cold beer.
There is no shortage of Hashers and Hashing experience among the locals and we will tap into that to provide colour, sponsorship and motivation for overseas Hashers to attend InterHash 2012 at Borobudur, Java. 

See you in Java !