Taiwan’s Indonesian community held its annual traditional culture fair in Taipei yesterday, celebrating and showcasing the country’s heritage.
The Indonesia Tempo Doeloe featured community members celebrating their heritage with cultural performances, food, games and a fashion show at at National Taiwan Museum’s Nanmen Branch.
Ethnic cultures from various parts of the vast archipelago nation, such as Bali and Surabaya, were represented, with regional products on sale at stalls.
Bagus Anggi Satriyo Mandiri — a 29-year-old Taoyuan factory worker who is president of Himmas, the event’s main organizer — said that the festival aims to help Indonesians in Taiwan embrace their rich culture.
Himmas is a student organization within Universitas Terbuka Taiwan, the Taiwan branch of Indonesia Open University.
As of September, 245,365 Indonesian migrant workers were living in Taiwan, Ministry of Labor data showed.
Fajar Nuradi, director of the Indonesian Citizens Protection and Social Cultural Department at the Indonesian Economic and Trade Office in Taipei, said: “We have to keep in mind that we are Indonesian, we have to be proud of Indonesia wherever we are.”
One of the highlights of the event was a performance of the Barong, a mythical lion-like creature from Bali, which was followed by a fashion show featuring 29 models in traditional clothing from various parts of Indonesia.
National Taiwan Museum education department head Huang Hsing-ta (黃星達) said the museum was honored to provide its premises for the event, which is an example of inclusive cultural collaboration.
“A museum is a place without boundaries, everything can be found here, and anything can happen here,” he said. “Wherever you are, wherever you are from, the museum is open for everyone.”
This year’s fair is the second edition of the Indonesia Tempo Doeloe. The first edition was held in September last year at the same venue.
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