The Festival of Malang Tempo Doeloe, which translates literally to “The good old days [in] Malang,” took place on Nov. 12 after a six-year hiatus. The festival was held along Jl. Ijen in Malang, East Java, from 7 a.m. and continued until 11 p.m.

Thousands of visitors went to the festival wearing traditional clothes to remember their childhood, especially for the generation 45 years old and above. The younger generation used the opportunity to get a glimpse of their parents’ past. They took selfies with Malang city banners from during the Dutch colonial era and enjoyed food and snacks that are hard to find today.

Malang Mayor Moch. Anton said the festival was being held again to boost domestic and foreign tourism in the city. The last festival took place in 2011. As the event was only held for one day, the festival was free from street vendors, which was different from the previous events.

The organizers decorated the area to look like the Dutch colonial era back in 1947. Visitors who wanted to enter the festival area were asked to wear clothing that was typical for residents back in the 1940s and 1950s.

“We want the Malang people to care about the history of the city,” said the mayor.

Eva Lidiya Dewi, who visited the festival with her university friends wearing kebaya (Javan traditional blouse), appreciated how the city was decorated.

“This is the second time I’ve visited the festival. The first time was when I was still in junior high school. Unfortunately, this year’s event only took place over a day. However, the organizers successfully made the city look like we were back in the Dutch era,” she said.

The organizing committee chairman, Dwi Cahyono, said the event was held on Jl. Ijen because it is a heritage area.

He said the food vendors there were those who had been running their business for more than 50 years, with their third generation having taken the reins. Apart from food, the event also had 50 booths for tourism, hospitality and the Army.[yan]