The independent student newspaper of Northeastern University

The Huntington News

The independent student newspaper of Northeastern University

The Huntington News

The independent student newspaper of Northeastern University

The Huntington News

Community celebrates at the New England Indonesian Festival

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New England Indonesian Festival

By Eirin Combs, news correspondent

For the fifth year in a row, Copley Square hosted a festival celebrating Indonesian culture Saturday, featuring dozens of booths, performers and types of cuisine.

“Being in the festival is a big thing for me, especially because it’s held once a year, and you can get Indonesian food, of course, and meet new Indonesian people,” said Dhanni Setyaming, a member of the Indonesian Community of New England (ICONE), one of the groups that sponsored the event.

ICONE partnered with several other groups to organize the event, the New England Indonesian Festival. These included the Persatuan Mahasiswa Indonesia Seluruh Amerika Serikat, which translates to Organization of the Indonesian Students in the United States.This student-run organization aims to unite Indonesian students in the United States.

The festival featured a wide variety of performances, including its first showcase of Reog dance, which originates from the Ponorogo region of East Java, Indonesia. Reog dance is a form of traditional Indonesian dance that depicts the mythical battle between the King of Ponorogo and the magical lion-like creature known as Singa Barong.

In addition to the many performances of traditional and modern dance and music, there were

booths lining the square selling traditional Indonesian garments and jewelry. Some of these vendors also handed out free scarves and booklets that informed passersby about the items and Indonesian culture.

Alexander Sebastian, a student at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design, manned the Lucy’s Batik booth in the square. Sebastian is studying fiber arts and material culture studies.

“Lucy’s Batik is a fair trade business that collaborates with weavers, batik artisans, garment sewers from all over Indonesia that create products that are more relevant today, and market it so people can learn not only to appreciate Indonesian batik but learn and understand its history,” Sebastian said.

There were also dozens of vendors selling a variety of Indonesian cuisine, including Z’s Kitchen, Bakso Super Philly and Rosa’s Kitchen.

Dani Paramita, an Indonesian student who attends Boston University, was among the hundreds of people who turned out to the festival.

“The main thing that brings us here is that we miss Indonesian food,” Paramita said.

For those who may have been unfamiliar with aspects of Indonesia, the festival gave insight into the country’s rich culture. For the Indonesian people of New England, it provided a space to celebrate and feel a sense of familiarity.

“This is the first time since I’ve been in Boston that I’ve tasted something that felt Indonesian,” Paramita said. “I feel a little bit at home.”

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