Chinese-Indonesians ready for ‘Imlek’

The Polonia Airport in Medan, North Sumatra, recorded an increasing number of passengers traveling overseas two days ahead of Chinese New Year, or Imlek.

The larger number of travelers is said to be a consequence of many Chinese-Indonesian residents wishing to celebrate the auspicious day overseas.

A resident on Jl. Asia in Medan, Johan, said he, his wife and five children would this year celebrate Imlek in Hong Kong, where some of his relatives reside.

“We will celebrate Imlek with our relatives in Hong Kong until Feb. 11,” Johan said at the airport on Tuesday.

Polonia’s state-run airport management firm PT Angkasa Pura spokesman Firdaus said overseas flights had been full over the past few days. Despite that, he added no additional flight schedules had been arranged.

Firdaus said on Tuesday the fully booked overseas flights were destined for Hong Kong and Bangkok.
Beside that, a number of shopping centers in Medan are crowded with shoppers wishing to buy Imlek paraphernalia. Star-rated hotels in Medan are also fully booked ahead of Imlek.

In Semarang, Central Java, Hanief Farida was busy choosing  Cheongsam-style clothes for her three-year-old daughter at one of the stalls at Imlek Semawis Market.

“I like to look at clothes and Chinese accessories because they’re cute. I have several of them at home,” Hanief, who wears a Muslim headscarf, told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

Hanief said many people were surprised to know her pastime because she comes from a conservative family.

However, when she was invited by her relatives to visit the Chinatown area in Semarang ahead of Imlek, especially the Imlek Semawis Market, the event had become a ritual.

In Malang, East Java, batik makers in the city have produced hand-drawn batik clothing for Imlek, by incorporating motifs of Abdurrahman “Gus Dur” Wahid.

Batik maker Hanan Djalil said he began producing the Imlek batik edition in early January.

The basic red hand-drawn batik clothes with the motif of the fourth president in gold, are also decorated with other Imlek motifs, such as the dragon, lantern and Chinese calligraphy.

Gus Dur was chosen as the icon for the Imlek batik edition as a gesture of appreciation for his role in battling for the rights of the minority Chinese-Indonesian community.

Meanwhile, dozens of Balinese of Chinese descent were busy cleaning effigies and ceremonial items at Cao Eng Bio Tridharma temple at Tanjung Benoa village in Badung regency.

Clad in traditional Balinese dress, Ni Wayan Rangki, a 65-year-old Balinese Hindu, while cleaning one of the effigies said: “I am here to help my Chinese brothers and sisters prepare for ‘Galungan Cina’, [the locals refer to Chinese New Year as Galungan Cina].”

Wahyoe Boediwardhana contributed to this article from Malang, East Java.