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Seven things to do in National Cultural Week 2019
Set to run for one week until Oct. 13 at Istora Senayan in South Jakarta, the event is open free to the public.
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'Egrang' (bamboo stilts) is a traditional Indonesian game. (Shutterstock/File)
National Cultural Week (PKN) officially kicked off on Monday.
Set to run for one week until Oct. 13 at Istora Senayan in South Jakarta, the event is open free to the public who register on pkn.kebudayaan.id.
Here are seven things you can do at the festival as compiled by kompas.com:
1. Savor traditional cuisine
Various Indonesian signature dishes are on offer for visitors; from Jakarta's kerak telur (savory pancake) and Surakarta's nasi liwet (rice cooked in coconut milk, chicken broth and spices) to Palembang's pempek (fishcake with vinegar and soy sauce) and Bali's nasi campur (mixed rice).
Unique food items such as burgers, cookies and pancakes made from tempe as well as traditional snacks like klepon (little green balls of rice flour filled with palm sugar) and lumpia (spring rolls) are also aplenty.
2. Play traditional games
The festival also provides an opportunity for visitors to try traditional games that are rarely seen in the city nowadays, such as egrang (bamboo stilts), engklek (hopscotch), gangsing (spinning tops) and congklak (mancala), at the east yard of Gelora Bung Karno stadium's south parking lot.
Visitors can also participate in competitions.
3. Immerse in local culture
While exploring the event, visitors can take the opportunity to learn about and gain a deeper knowledge regarding various aspects of Indonesian culture. Every corner of Istora Senayan is adorned with posters, pamphlets and infographics that explain the development of the archipelago's culture.
An exhibition titled "Pesona Wastra Indonesia" (Indonesian Fabric Charms), for instance, showcases the many fabrics of the country's different regions. There is also "Wajah Indonesia" (The Face of Indonesia) a fine art exhibition that displays various expressions of Indonesian people from different backgrounds and classes.
4. Get to know wayang daun
Wayang daun (leaf puppetry) is a unique form of wayang, as instead of expensive leather puppets this type of wayang is made of dried leaves instead.
Wayang daun combines three skills in one: the art of painting, sculpture and interior design. Since each dried leaf has different characteristics, creativity and imagination are keys in creating the puppets.
Read also: Bali wants to get more cultural heritage registered to prevent foreign claims
5. Explore five Indonesian funeral traditions
There is an exhibition that presents five unique funeral rituals in the country, namely Trunyan in Bali, Kambira baby tombs in Tana Toraja, Toraja's Lemo and Londa stone wall tombs, Waruga in Minahasa and the Batak sarcophagus.
A genuine mummy from Makassar is also on display in an interesting and insightful manner.
6. Hunt for wooden handicrafts
Indonesian woodworking community HobiKayu is among the exhibition participants that are offering arts and crafts.
Other than selling wooden handicrafts such as houseware and home accessories, the community also provides workshops on wooden crafts and arts.
7. Enjoy musical performances
Several prominent Indonesian musicians are also gracing the stage of the festival with their performances. Among them are Maliq & d’Essentials on Oct. 8 and Danilla Riyadi on Oct. 10.
A play by Teater Tradisi Miss Tjijih will also be held on Oct. 9 on the Nusantara Stage, followed by Didi Kempot on Oct. 10 on the Siger Stage. (kes)
