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Why Karuda?
Karuda Press was founded in 2000 as an independent publisher.
The group of three trees in the colophon is derived from a photograph of three
lontar palms growing within the Somba Opu fort in Makassar, Indonesia. The
leaves of the lontar palm were traditionally used as a medium for writing in
this and other parts of Indonesia. One of the initial purposes of the press was
to publish material relating to South Sulawesi, especially matters relating to
Makasar and Bugis sources for which the term lontara’ is commonly used.
The word Karuda is, strictly speaking, an invention. Two main considerations recommended it:
1. the characters used to represent the sound in the standard Makasar-Bugis
script form an attractive pattern
when arranged as seen in the shield in the colophon
2. the sound of the word recalls the name of my great-grandfather’s house called ‘Karouda’, near Cheshunt
in northeast Victoria, Australia.
The word is also easily and correctly pronounced by non-native speakers of
English, especially Indonesians.
The colophon was expertly drawn by Win Mumford.
Last revised 15 January 2013
