Eyra and Her Mom Made These....

To be posted all across the rooms at our neighborhood library for the whole month.

To celebrate Indonesia's Independence Day

Dirgahayu Indonesia ke-70 tahun.

Indonesian Day at our Neighborhood Library

Moodoo Library, a multicultural library at Imundong, Seoul that provides everyone from all backgrounds and countries varied books and a place to share their lives in Korea. Today we had an Indonesian Day to introduce Indonesia to other members of society in our neighborhood in Seoul.

And we taught Indonesian songs and other Indonesia-related experiences.
All Credits go to ibu-ibu Indonesia yg tiap minggu belajar bhs Korea di sini. 

Indonesia Day @ Kyunghee University

I got a text informing me that our friends studying at Kyunghee University in cooperation with Indonesian Embassy was holding an Indonesia Day at Global Building @ Kyunghee University. So, why not take it a peep as to what was going on there, right?

After I finished my class at 3 (June 2, 2014), I rushed to the venue...and found out that yes..the fiesta was on.

They got some books, posters, leaflets and other info on Indonesia in Korean. 

Met two students from UGM. Oh, I didn't know they're here. As I found out later on..they're on a special exchange student program.  *I also learned that there were more Indonesian students here in Kyunghee compared to my campus. ^^ 

And what would a cultural day without cultural exhibition, right? There they are. Wooden puppets on display. 

And last but not least...a group photo session with friends and acquaintances. 

Funny that I met mbak Anna Kusumah and Parvina....well....the first one is a teacher of Indonesian culture and language who's been living in Korea for more than 10 years...and Parvina...is my friend whom I met during our memorable 2012 when we're in one team of Korea's National Branding team. 

And..what would an Indonesian Day be without cultural performances, right?

So...all of Indonesian students in Kyunghee (sort of) performed the whole procession in a day. Congrats to all committee members who'd made this fiesta a complete success.

*Oh, ..I forgot to take some pictures of FOOD.

They're so good that I forgot taking pictures of them.^^

*excuses.

Pentas Budaya Indonesia -Korea (part 4)

To initiate an Indonesian Day at Ansan on June 3, 2012, a joint cultural collaboration between Indonesia and Korea was held last night. The venue was BRICS Hall at Graduate School building, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies. I learned that this was a collaborative program held by Indonesian Embassy in Seoul, PERPIKA (Indonesian Students' Association in Korea), and of course, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, especially the Malay-Indonesian Department. 

The first performance to welcome the guests of both Koreans and Indonesian alike was a Betawi traditional dance called Tari Topeng or 탈춤. As many as seven female dancers were performing 3 different mask dances in one single show. They somewhat reflected three different characters that human could possibly have in their mannerism: being gentle & kind, being pretty & seductive, being manly & strong. That's when I was asking myself as to whether the dance actually portrays a female or male. I assumed it was more like portraying a female figure. 

Anyway, that's just my assumption. No more rushing into conclusion whatsoever, after all...I am no expert in such a thing. I might as well see and enjoy what's being served right in front of my eyes. And..that's just about what I was pretty much doing.

The last stance of what I meant by showing off the manly characteristic as shown through the male-facade of the masks that the dancer were wearing. 

More on the two countries' cultural shows were right on....

Ballooooon for sure!

As soon as they spotted the tall guy distributing free balloons of any shapes imaginable, Eyra and Freya rushed to the guy and asked to make some for them.
The morning festival during the Indonesian Day at Incheon's Bupyeong Art Center was initiated by the charm of this guy. Ok, he made something that finally made the kids love the festival. They did.
Just look at the video.
He's an expert in this stuff.

Cultural show

The cultural show kicked off with a parade of colorfully arrayed traditional costumes and culture spread over the 230 ethnics in the archipelago.













The crowds of course cheered the parade since they --at times--too flamboyantly shown by the seemingly too timid or too outrageously lavish: but hey..that's the best part of the show.








We were sitting at the (almost) rear end window just to make sure that we would be able to see the whole lot of show on stage.






Eyra, Freya, her Mom, Seonhee, Pak Maman (from KBS radio)  Ms. Yuliana, Wawan and her wife were all there.

The traditional martial art of Indonesian origin: Pencak Silat was on display. The rebana show and other traditional shows were performed. Songs and dances alike were also highlighting the cultural shows.









And also, interestingly, the Indonesia's Galaxy superstar contestants were introduced to the audience as well. But, too bad...they did not come to sing....they showed up and told the audience as to why they would be having a 6-month long training in Korea. oh, s(well)...

A Man inside

What I mean by a man inside is this young or old ( dunno) man inside this character who was passing around, walking around, and chattering around the front yard of Bupyeong Arts Center. We first met him at around 11.30 am when the festival was about to start. She/he started going abut the venue and distributing stuffs ( I forgot what) for the spectators.
To my surprise, as we went out of the auditorium after the show, I still noticed the same character going about the venue. Gosh....he must've felt so hot and uneasy inside that character. I wonder if he/she ever got a rest from doing such a job.
Well, I am sure that he got paid to do this.
But think.....he got to be inside this costume for the whole day....the idea simply could not make my eyes believe what I saw. He did a good job, though.

Indonesian Day 인도네시아의 날

It was the warmest day ever so far ..to date.
Some say it was the dawn of the spring time. Yes..I guess I kinda agreed to it. Simply because the temperature was about 6 or 8 degrees that made it livable and walk-able. ^^. Ok, it was March 18 and the day was marked with the red dot marker on my calendar. I simply did not want to miss this day.

Here came the day when lots of friends, be it family, foreign workers from numerous countries, volunteer workers from migrant centers around Incheon and Seoul, and of course Korean people living in Incheon vicinity.

As always...balloon mania

That day....was Indonesian day, held by the Incheon Municipality in cooperation with the Migrant Workers Center as well as Multicultural Family Center in Incheon, Bupyeong area.

Free International Call^^

 I went there with my family and friends....just to make sure that we enjoyed the best that the festival had to offer. And we did.
We came there by subway at about 10 a.m. just in time before the festival was begun.










Bupyeong Art Center located in Bupyeong ( of course) was one of the art venue that cater the needs of citizens alike to explore the nuance and celebrate the vibrant life of cultural colors dotted around Seoul and its vicinity.
Oh..I also learned that the Indonesian Day or Indonesian Festival being held that day was the 3rd installment of its kind. I guess the first and the second could be those of other countries' festival.




So, that day was designed to be Indonesian Day.
Lots of festival atmosphere did encroach the venue. Lots of people were gathering and scattering about in the area to prepare, to see, to look, to eat, to come, to sit, to visit, to watch, to dance, to sing, to enjoy, to do..other stuffs that mostly festival would do.
There are also bazaar where we could grab things at the very cheap price, ranging from clothing to foods.

the auditorium

Friends I met admitted their drawn out and leisure-kind-of-time while enjoying the extravaganza show.
Cultural performance from both Indonesia and Korea was also held at the main auditorium of the Art Center. It was full-house.
I might as well conclude the day as ....a refreshingly new start to begin the Spring in 2012.