Indonesia Raya Takes Over Italy's Milano Expo
Four volunteers stood poised at the starting line, listening intently for the signal that would kick off the competition. A crowd had already gathered to watch them on one side of the lane, smartphones and digital cameras at the ready to capture the spirited event.
On the other side, a lively group of supporters proudly waved miniature flags of red and white in the air as they sang along to a traditional tune blaring through the loudspeakers.
Finally, the announcer, wearing a modern kebaya, began the countdown in a combination of Italian and English: “Uno, due, tre, GO!”
The competitors scrambled to step into the burlap sack placed on the ground in front of them before hopping wildly past a rattan pillar decorated with the numbers 17-8-45 and toward the finish line.
The setting was Milan, Italy, but the event had a distinct Indonesian vibe, with its decorations of red and white donning the small staging area and traditional Indonesian music playing in the background.
As Indonesians throughout the archipelago reveled the nation’s 70th year of independence last week with flag raising ceremonies and a plethora of traditional games, visitors at this year’s Universal Exposition in Milan joined the festivities with similar independence day activities hosted by the Indonesia Pavilion.
As part of its six-month stretch at the Expo Milano 2015 to boost the country’s cultural heritage abroad, organizers from conglomerate Artha Graha and the non-profit National Heritage Preservation Society (KPBN) gave both Indonesian expats and international visitors a taste of the typical merah putih merriments held back home – while offering an array of goody bags and prizes.
One Italian family claimed the top spot in a bakiak (clog racing) competition, winning tickets to an upcoming football match at San Siro stadium in Milan.
“We’re happy to have won three tickets to see Inter Milan and Atalanta,” said Giovanni Airoldi, who dominated the game with the help of his son Alberto and daughter Giulia.
But for many Indonesian revelers in attendance, the “Marvelous 70” celebration offered more than the opportunity to reminisce and join nostalgic kerupuk eating competitions or balloon dances. Games and performances held throughout the three-day celebration lead up to an official flag raising ceremony – complete with marching flagbearers in full regalia and a reading of the proclamation of independence – held on Independence Day morning.
The event had never before been staged in Milan.
“When I was still in elementary school, we were really patriotic. We did this kind of thing every week,” said Amie, an Indonesian mother of two who has resided in Milan for 25 years. “[Monday’s ceremony] gave me goosebumps!”
For traditional dancer Lily Indayani, meanwhile, “it feels like [I’m back] in Indonesia as I haven’t been home in two years.”
“I’m so happy [to be part] of the celebration. Seventy years [of independence] is special,” she added.
That day was especially emotional for Emmy Sitorang, a classically trained singer and choral conductor who first left the archipelago – then under the rule of former president Sukarno - 50 years ago and has since made her home in Rome. She had traveled to Milan to lead the Oikumene choir, who performed an array of national songs during the lowering of the flag.
“For me, August 17 is a day that truly touches my heart,” she said. “I may not have fought for [Indonesia’s] independence myself, but my parents [did].
“So today’s celebration means a lot to me. This day, August 17, is a day that elevates the people of Indonesia.”
The festivities continued with the unveiling of the traditional tumpeng, a cone-shape dish of yellow rice traditionally served at birthday celebrations. Standing at 2.28 meters tall and weighing 1,400 kilograms, this joint creation by the chefs of Desa Restaurant in Amsterdam and Borobudur Hotel’s Bogor Café in Central Jakarta succeeded in breaking the Guinness world record and entering the Indonesian World Record Museum (MURI) as the largest tumpeng to be prepared outside of Indonesia.
A stream of visitors rushed to grab their share of the 17 different side dishes (including the pride of Indonesian cuisine, beef rendang; perkedel, or fried potato cakes; and urap, a salad of steamed vegetables) meticulously placed on eight layers of yellow rice, as well as the 45 mini tumpengs surrounding it. The only thing they couldn’t place on their plates was a slice of the centerpiece: a majestic Garuda – a mythical bird and Indonesia’s national emblem – made of an array of spices commonly found in Indonesian cuisine.
The grand commemoration wrapped up in the expo’s auditorium with a denouement of amazing giveaways and performances, including a stunning sand painting demonstration by artist Fauzan Ja’far and the musical mastery of Indonesian-German violinist Iskandar Widjaja.
Then, to the delight of football fans, Inter Milan players Dodo and Jonathan Biabiany made a special appearance to give three door prize winners the latest Inter Milan jerseys bearing autographs from the entire team.
Six more lucky audience members won fantastic door prizes that comprised of return Qatar Airways flights from Milan to Jakarta, Milan-Bali, Rome-Jakarta and Rome-Bali; complimentary stays at Discovery Kartika Plaza Bali, Hotel Borobudur Jakarta and Discovery Hotel & Convention Ancol; as well as tickets to watch Inter Milan take on Juventus on the football pitch.
Television personality Daniel Mananta was on hand to host the finale but also help in spreading word of the Indonesia Pavilion’s salute to the nation’s Independence Day through social media.
“I wanted to show our friends back home that we are also celebrating Indonesia Raya in Milan,” he said.
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