KRAKATOA LIGHTHOUSE by Allan Baillie

This article examines Allan Baillie’s *Krakatoa Lighthouse* (2009) as a historical novel that reimagines the 1883 eruption of Krakatoa through the perspective of Kerta, a young Javanese boy. Combining geological history, ecocriticism, and postcolonial analysis, the study explores how the novel represents the ecological devastation and social trauma caused by the eruption and tsunami, while also exposing the inequalities of Dutch colonial rule. Particular attention is given to the contrast between Western scientific rationality and Indigenous knowledge systems, especially in relation to volcanic risk perception and environmental awareness. Through metaphors, mythological references, and apocalyptic imagery, Baillie portrays Krakatoa as both a natural force and a symbol of colonial hubris. The article argues that the novel reframes survival as an act of cultural resilience and epistemic resistance, granting narrative agency to marginalized Indigenous communities and challenging colonial historical narratives.