Rojak #87 What if History isn’t Set in Stone?

A long-lost treaty is dusted off and marched to the United Nations, an ancient mural hints that we may have been celebrating the wrong zodiac animal for centuries, and a 19th-century scientist proves he was ahead of his time—not just in evolution, but in calling out colonial greed. Meanwhile, one country grapples with how best to preserve the memory of its darkest chapter, while another struggles to bring back the tourists it once depended on. And somewhere in Thailand, a 200-year-old recipe is making mouths water and reminding us that some traditions are best preserved on a plate.

History isn’t just about what happened—it’s about what we choose to remember, what we fight to reclaim, and what quietly slips through the cracks. This month’s Rojak dives into the stories that refuse to stay buried.

The Rojak is a monthly special edition newsletter for my paid supporters, featuring all the stories that came across my desk that are not about Southeast Asian Archaeology, but are somehow also related. If you’re already a subscriber, dig in! If not—why let history pass you by? You can become a supporter by Buying Me a Coffee