A Blanket of Dust

An Afghan buyer goes to the market, asks for the price of a head of a goat.

The buyer : “How much?”

The vendor : “50 Afghani.” A dollar.

The buyer : “Too much. How about 20?”

The vendor : “20? Are you crazy? Do you think this is a human head?””

Yet in the country where a human’s head is cheaper than a goat’s head, you will discover how precious it is to be an Afghan.

This is exactly how Agustinus Wibowo fell in love with Afghanistan since the first sight. The traveler started his love story with Afghanistan as a clueless backpacker who traveled through the landmines just two years after the Taliban. He then came again, speaking a local language, hitchhiked around the country by taking trucks, horses, and even donkeys.

From its peaceful snowcapped mountains of the Roof of the World to the terrorized southern deserts, from its ancient cities to the legendary Central Route, from the ironic jokes of teahouses to the rape attempts of the boy-players, the author seeks to discover an Afghanistan untold by the media. A colorful Afghanistan beneath its blanket of dust.

“As a backpacker, Agustinus has taken several routes in his journey which other travelers would have most likely avoided.” — The Jakarta Post

“Agustinus refuses to be a mere spectator on his journey. He is not afraid of plunging head first into each of his adventures, as he records picturesque views with his camera and chronicles the lives of those he encounters with the tip of his pen.” — Kompas

Paperback, 461 pages
Gramedia Pustaka Utama (January 2010)
ISBN: 9789792274639 / 9789792252859
edition language : Indonesian

What Do They Say on Selimut Debu?

Order Book (Available in Indonesian Edition only)

SELIMUT DEBU: Impian dan Kebanggaan dari Negeri Perang Afghanistan

Selimut Debu akan membawa Anda berkeliling “negeri mimpi”—yang biasa dihadirkan lewat gambaran reruntuhan, korban ranjau, atau anak jalanan mengemis di jalan umum—sambil menapaki jejak kaki Agustinus yang telah lama hilang ditiup angin gurun, namun tetap membekas dalam memori. Anda akan sibuk naik-turun truk, mendaki gunung dan menuruni lembah, meminum teh dengan cara Persia, mencari sisa-sisa kejayaan negara yang habis dikikis oleh perang dan perebutan kekuasaan, sekaligus menyingkap cadar hitam yang menyelubungi kecantikan “Tanah Bangsa Afghan” dan onggokan debu yang menyelimuti bumi mereka. Bulir demi bulir debu akan membuka mata Anda pada prosesi kehidupan di tanah magis yang berabad-abad ditelantarkan, dijajah, dilupakan—sampai akhirnya ditemukan kembali.

“As a backpacker, Agustinus has taken several routes in his journey which other travelers would have most likely avoided.” -The Jakarta Post“Agustinus tak ingin hanya menjadi penonton isi dunia. Ia mau terlibat sepenuhnya dalam perjalanan itu. Ia tak sekadar melihat pemandangan, berpindah dari satu tempat ke tempat lain, tetapi juga mengenal budaya dan berinteraksi dengan masyarakat setempat.” – Kompas