You might have been as confused as everyone if you've seen the trending term "Om Telolet Om" on Twitter, and maybe to a lesser extent, Facebook.

The term started to go viral when prominent EDM (Electronic Dance Music) DJs started tweeting it beginning Dec. 20.

Since then, it has spread like wildfire, with 525k tweets as of writing.

While some found it weirdly funny, the phrase left a trail of mass confusion.

Here's the explanation so you don't have to be as confused as they are.

The origin

Om, Telolet (tel-low-let), where "Om" translates roughly to "Uncle, honk your horn, uncle" or "Uncle, honk leh, Uncle".

This term was used by Indonesian youths to get bus uncles, to honk their horns, which often has been customised to sound really, really funky.

You see such examples in the two videos below.

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Going viral

It might seem pretty odd for international DJs to be picking up on this small cultural nugget from a South-East Asian country.

However, it probably made sense for the Indonesian youth who probably started the trend of spamming the phrase to the social media accounts of their favourite artists.

The reason why they do this could possibly be is because of the similarities of these bus horns and EDM.

Loud? Check.

Undeniably catchy? Check.

In-thing with the youths? Check.

Therefore, what seems like an in-joke, comparing DJs to that of bus uncles honking their funky horns, blew up into an international meme.

We probably should start tweeting "karang guni" at international DJs, and get them to remix his trademark phrases like this guy did.

Top image adapted via

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