Earbay

“In a world divided by power, I believe stories, silence, and symbols hold the deepest strength to connect, transform, and heal.”

Originally from Betawi Jakarta, ethnographer and writer, Evi Aryati Arbay has devoted more than two decades to public outreach, cultural preservation, and narrative diplomacy. Her background in political communication and years of strategic government experience help her to magnify voices from the margins through research, narrative, and visual work. Her highly praised books, Dani The Highlanders, Baduy Locked in Time, and Biak: Debris of War, act as cultural bridges, bringing Indonesia’s unique local identities to the world scene. Beyond starting, she aggressively campaigns for the area’s UNESCO World Heritage Site recognition and supports the repatriation of POW/MIA from Biak. Her solo photo shows that Jakarta, Japan, Italy, the United States, and the United Kingdom have positioned her visual stories.

For Evi, ethnography is more than just a technique; it’s her quiet compass, guiding her across the uncharted territory, exposing hidden layers of the planet, and broadening her perspective of humanity. From recording indigenous cultures to changing official communication, each phase of her path reveals significance, links, and goals. She thinks that public service should inspire as well as serve and that bureaucracy can be a tool for actual, long-lasting influence through empathy, values, and cultural insight. Through writing, advocacy, and cross-cultural interaction, Evi keeps building bridges between countries, amplifying human stories, and demonstrating the power of meaningful communication to move not only people but also history itself.