STIE Kesatuan pays back to hometown Bogor

Theresia Sufa ,  THE JAKARTA POST ,  BOGOR   |  Sun, 11/15/2009 2:26 PM  |  Lifestyle

Kesatuan Economics Institute (STIE Kesatuan) in Bogor celebrated the 60th anniversary of the national educational foundation on Nov. 10 by remembering times past in the rainy city.

At the Kesatuan Festival, the school's students, lecturers and university staff wore clothes in the styles of the 1920s and 40s.

Organizing committee head Nusa Muktiaji said the Kesatuan Foundation was based in Bogor and was established in 1949. At that time, the foundation only ran the Prof. Thung Elementary School, named after its founder.

In the 60 years that followed, the foundation grew and now has a preschool, a kindergarten, an elementary school, junior and high schools (all in Pulo Armin) and a the economics institute on Jl. Rangga Gading in Central Bogor.

"To show our gratitude at being part of Bogor, we are holding this festival which aims to preserve the history and culture of the Sundanese people. This first festival takes the theme *Buitenzorg', the former name of Bogor city," Nusa said.

"We worked with the Sindangbarang cultural village and Kampong Bogor community for the festival."

As part of the event, the institute organized a costume contest and traditional culinary festival where the food vendors from Jl. Suryakencana moved to the STIE Kesatuan campus.

"We also have a parade of photos of Bogor city in the olden days, and traditional art performances," Nusa said.

Sindangbarang cultural village chief Mikami Sumawijaya said the community supported the young people's efforts to preserve Sundanese traditional arts and culture.

"I hope the institute makes this an annual event because it will help promote tourism in Bogor, as well as the art and the culture of the Sundanese people," Mikami said.

Niluh Ayu Linda Megasari, a student majoring in marketing management, said that while she is Balinese she appreciated the festival which was unlike other events that feature modern culture.

"I am excited because we have to wear traditional clothes. We had to go costume hunting and some made their costumes themselves," Niluh said.

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