'Barongsai' awes Passer Baroe festival visitors<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Pasar Baru shopping complex in Central Jakarta
\nturned into a venue for the Barongsai Chinese lion dance during
\nits three-day shopping and cultural festival over the weekend.<\/p>\n
At least five groups from several districts of the capital
\ndisplayed their talent in front of thousands of visitors starting
\non Friday.<\/p>\n
The Passer Baroe festival, in which the beautification of one
\nof the city's oldest market and its surroundings was on view, was
\nthe curtain-raiser for the launching of the Awakening Jakarta
\nTourism Image campaign, which was officially kicked off at the
\nfestival on Sunday by Governor Sutiyoso.<\/p>\n
The festival presented a series of attractions including
\nmusical performances, street artist shows, a photo exhibition and
\nthe presence of decorated boats in the now garbage-free Ciliwung
\nRiver at the entrance gate to the market.<\/p>\n
But visitors, traders and even shop attendants at the busy
\nmarket had eyes and ears only for the noisy sounds of the
\nmusical instruments and stunning moves of the colorful Barongsai
\ndancers, most of whom were not of Chinese descent.<\/p>\n
That the lion dance was the most popular entertainment during
\nthe festival may have been because the other events were nothing
\nnew to visitors, particularly Indonesians.<\/p>\n
The Chinese-in-origin performance was banned for the past
\nthree decades in this country during the Soeharto administration.<\/p>\n
The Barongsai groups performing on Saturday and Sunday stopped
\nin front of some of the shops, hoping for angpau (a red envelop
\nwith money inside) from shop owners.<\/p>\n
With a large escort of children and scores of enthusiast
\nvisitors, the groups also stopped at several spots in the avenue
\nto entertain and, of course, look for any kindhearted people to
\nhand over angpau or money without the envelope.<\/p>\n
Many onlookers, particularly elderly people and children of
\nChinese descent, happily threw angpau and Rp 1,000, Rp 5,000 and
\nRp 10,000 notes to the performing groups.<\/p>\n
"It seems to me that the performance is a Chinese way to beg
\non the street ... in a professional manner," 17-year-old Ade of
\nTanah Sareal, Tambora, West Jakarta, commented on Saturday.<\/p>\n
During Saturday's performance, two Barongsai groups -- one
\nfrom Jatinegara, East Jakarta, and the other from Cipete, South
\nJakarta -- paraded along the avenue of the newly shopping area.<\/p>\n
"It's a comeback of Chinese tradition in the country, thanks
\nto the reform movement.<\/p>\n
"Hopefully, ethnic Chinese here can find a proper place for
\nthemselves in this country so the majority (indigenous) will
\nrespect them too," Hasanuddin of Plumpang, North Jakarta, said.<\/p>\n
Ethnic Chinese in other countries usually hold such
\nperformances at every festival.<\/p>\n
Ronald Sjarif, owner of Kong Ha Hong Barongsai dance group
\nwhich performed on Sunday, said: "Shop owners or passersby who
\nwant to be blessed usually give angpau to the Barongsai group."<\/p>\n
Shop owners said the festival helped increase their earnings.<\/p>\n
"I think such events should be continued," Yanto from Indah
\nNam jewelry shop said.<\/p>\n
Another shop owner said: "It (the Barongsai dance) will revive
\nPasar Baru's past uniqueness."<\/p>\n
In the past, the shopping complex, once called Passer Baroe
\nduring the Dutch colonial era, was the main entertainment area on
\nChinese and Dutch holidays, during which Barongsai and
\ntraditional Betawi musical performance Tanjidor were always
\nperformed.<\/p>\n
Separately, consultant for Pasar Baru revitalization project
\nRai Pratadaja voiced disappointment that shop owners did not
\nfully support the event.<\/p>\n
"For instance, we asked them to decorate their shops, clean
\nthe path in front of their buildings but they didn't do it," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Rai also said that the lack of enthusiasm became obvious when
\nshop owners appeared unwilling to support the construction of a
\ncanopy along the 575-meter Pasar Baru avenue.<\/p>\n
"It was planned that the street would be totally covered by a
\ncanopy on Sunday, but it fell through because not all of the shop
\nowners were willing to pay for the construction," he said.<\/p>\n
By Sunday less than half of the street had been covered by the
\ncanopy, which was intended for pedestrians' comfort.<\/p>\n
At the same time, 263 street vendors at the site who were
\nasked to suspend business reminded the authorities to keep their
\npromise by allowing them to reopen soon. (ind\/bsr\/01)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/barongsai-awes-passer-baroe-festival-visitors-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}