Indonesian Independence Day [pics]

Indonesian Independence Day, 2006

500,000 years ago Home erectus (the Java man) roamed the some 18,000 islands of the South East Asian Archipelago. This early pre-cursor to Homo sapiens sapiens thrived in these tropical climes and lush forests. The bounty of the land and sea also supported tigers, rhinos, orangutan(g)s, and komodo dragons as wells as exotic flora such as Rafflesia Arnolii, the largest flower in the world. This became the nation of Indonesia.

The archeological record shows an early influence of the Hindu religion, but with the arrival of Arabs (and their spices) the country became and remains predominately Islamist. In the seventeenth century the Dutch East India Company ruled. Indonesia figured prominently in WWII with their leader, Sukarno, plotting with the Japanese, in part to secure independence from the Netherlands. Right after the surrender of Japan, Indonesia declared its independence on August 17, 1945. This date is celebrated as an important national holiday throughout this fourth most populated country, and by those living abroad throughout the world.

Last Thursday, my family and I were honored to be invited to attend Indonesian Independence Day as hosted by the consulate. Being woefully ignorant of this country, we attempted to participate in quiet respect, and any mistakes made here are purely my own. The people were truly warm, hospitable, and lovely.

Speeches were made in the beautiful Indonesian language on this most pleasant August morning. I, of course, understood nothing, but I enjoyed the cadence and reverence. Finally, a group of uniformed young people, with practiced precision and discipline, presented and raised the flag. And there was much rejoicing.



It is no surprise that my primary entrée to a foreign culture is through its food. To me what we eat, how we prepare and present it, and how we share it sums up a people’s ethos more than any other aspect. Chicago, though, lacks any Indonesian restaurant and my knowledge was restricted to rice and sambal.
Present throughout the speeches, in a position of prominence, was a food offering, Nasi Tampeng, that was lovingly plated.

After the flag was raised, a portion of this dish was ceremoniously served, but also left untouched in offering.

Finally, it was time for people to eat!

Pictured above starting at noon and moving in a clockwise direction:

Rempeyek: crackers fried from a fresh dough with a variety of additions such as nuts, anchovies, green onions, etc.

Semur: a very tender and sweet beef stew.

Kari Ayam: chicken cooked in coconut milk.

White rice

Sambal: a homemade, red chili and tomato sauce.

Tahu Tempe: a dish of soy bean and curd

Urap: a vegetable dish consisting of carrots, lettuce, cucumber, roasted coconut, turmeric, and chili.

The food was extraordinary, with the individual dishes complimenting each other in play with the fire from the sambal. The chicken was moist and tender in its bath of coconut milk. The sweetness of the beef tempered pepper’s fire. The tofu had distinct textures usually lacking in such a dish. The crackers were flavorful and a counter point to the staple rice. The vegetable dish added a necessary element for balance but could have stood on its own.

This was served with a punch, rujak, made of mango, pineapple, cucumber, brown sugar, and hot peppers. I enjoyed the non-cloying sweetness of this drink with the after heat of the chilies. A wonderful meal all around and I returned for seconds.

After the meal there was some live music, a lot of socializing, laughter, and children running and playing. Ramonita made fast friends as I toured the collection of Indonesian art.

Indonesia remains an important moderate Muslim friend to the US. Sitting on Tectonic plates, the land has been ravaged by tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanoes, and floods. As with much of the world, disasters seem to be on the rise. By the strength of its people, Indonesia perseveres.

After the proceedings we were invited back to the house of people we befriended. We were served a delicious dessert of sweet rice and egg that I forgot the name of. The beverage is iced green tea with honey.

We lightly discussed the serious issues of world politics and religion. We outlined some of the logistics to opening an Indonesian restaurant and exchanged contact information. Mostly, we laughed about the misunderstandings that arise between different cultures. Truly a day of good company and warm hospitality offered to total strangers. My exploration of Indonesian food and people will continue.

Thank you to the Indonesian Consulate of Chicago and all the welcoming people who attended. Special thanks to our hosts Ross and Erni. We love you.
-ramon

Wow. Looks like a gorgeous event. And the food looks lovely, too. (I love Indonesian food.)

It is wonderful that we live in a day and age when we can witness the celebrations -- and enjoy the cuisine -- of so many other cultures.

Thanks for sharing, Ramon.

Awesome, Ramon I'm actually on my way back to Indonesia for two weeks (currently in Singapore airport waiting area). I can't wait to have Indonesian food again!

Ramon,

Thanks for sharing this cultural experience. The photos are excellant and the dresses elegant.

Ramon,

Very nice post.

Back a couple of decades ago, when I was spending time at a university back east with a particularly strong set of programmes involving Southeast Asian studeis (e.g., in linguistics, history, anthropology, etc.), I used to teach Dutch for research purposes to Indonesianists on a regular basis in the summer. In tailoring the readings of the course to the interests of the students, I ended up getting to read a lot about Indonesia -- on everything from forest management to wajang to modern political history -- and also got to meet a lot of native Indonesians who were studying or teaching over here. The Indonesians were wont to throw wonderful pot-luck parties and cook-outs and as a consequence of that, I got a chance to try a lot of Indonesian home cooking. Really great food and very warm people. Your post has evoked a lot of fond memories.

Antonius

I was honored to attend again this year. I've been sorely pressed for time so I'll post the pictures and catch up on the words later. I still need to do some work to get the names of the dishes, etc. Your patience is appreciated!






-ramon