Chinese enjoy happier New Year's celebrations
Chinese enjoy happier New Year's celebrations
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
For most Indonesians of Chinese descent, such as Widyawati,
this year's Chinese New Year has been much happier than last
year's, mainly because there were no floods.
"I'm exhausted right now, but after all the visits from
relatives and friends, it's been worth it. The celebration was
much better this year," Widyawati, whose Chinese name is Chu Tuan
Hwa, told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.
Widyawati, 60, who lives in Rawabunga, East Jakarta, said that
she had received numerous visits from relatives and friends over
the weekend.
Her usually quiet home was lively on Friday, Saturday and
Sunday, with the arrival of relatives and friends to join the
family get-together.
"More relatives and friends have come this year to celebrate
the New Year with our family. The visitors have been coming and
going in a steady stream," said Widyawati, who added that she
always invited close friends and loved ones over to eat a special
course of Chinese dishes which she prepared.
Widyawati said she had spent more than Rp 1.2 million just to
prepare the special New Year's dishes, including ikan bandeng
(milk fish) and babi hong (cooked pork mixed with prawns and
ginger).
In addition to the special dishes, Widyawati said she had to
fork out another Rp 2 million to give money to the younger
members of the family.
During New Year's, the Chinese traditionally visit their
families and are expected to present teenagers and children with
angbao (red envelopes containing money).
"I got Rp 100,000 (US$11) this year from my grandmother. Last
year, I only got Rp 50,000," said Widyawati's grandson, Sandy, a
student of Gunadharma University's School of Economy.
Widyawati said New Year's celebrations ran smoothly without
any significant problems.
She said that the heavy rains during New Year's Eve on Friday,
were a symbol of good fortune and blessings to come in the days
ahead.
Widyawati said last year's celebrations were gloomy as
flooding disrupted the festivities in most parts of the city.
Torrential rains in January and February last year resulted in
the severe flooding of many buildings, including places of
worship where many Chinese-Indonesians congregate.
"We couldn't enjoy New Year's last year as my mother-in-law,
who was staying with us, had a terrible accident so we had to
take her to the hospital," she said.
After she was hospitalized for a month, her mother-in-law, who
was suffering from a serious head injury, passed away, Widyawati
said, her eyes brimming with tears.
This year's Chinese New Year is the first time it is
celebrated as a national holiday following a declaration from
President Megawati Soekarnoputri.
The holiday was banned for more than three decades during the
administration of former president Soeharto. However, Chinese-
Indonesians are able to celebrate publicly, thanks to the
revocation of Soeharto's policy by former president Abdurrahman
Wahid in 2000.
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
For most Indonesians of Chinese descent, such as Widyawati,
this year's Chinese New Year has been much happier than last
year's, mainly because there were no floods.
"I'm exhausted right now, but after all the visits from
relatives and friends, it's been worth it. The celebration was
much better this year," Widyawati, whose Chinese name is Chu Tuan
Hwa, told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.
Widyawati, 60, who lives in Rawabunga, East Jakarta, said that
she had received numerous visits from relatives and friends over
the weekend.
Her usually quiet home was lively on Friday, Saturday and
Sunday, with the arrival of relatives and friends to join the
family get-together.
"More relatives and friends have come this year to celebrate
the New Year with our family. The visitors have been coming and
going in a steady stream," said Widyawati, who added that she
always invited close friends and loved ones over to eat a special
course of Chinese dishes which she prepared.
Widyawati said she had spent more than Rp 1.2 million just to
prepare the special New Year's dishes, including ikan bandeng
(milk fish) and babi hong (cooked pork mixed with prawns and
ginger).
In addition to the special dishes, Widyawati said she had to
fork out another Rp 2 million to give money to the younger
members of the family.
During New Year's, the Chinese traditionally visit their
families and are expected to present teenagers and children with
angbao (red envelopes containing money).
"I got Rp 100,000 (US$11) this year from my grandmother. Last
year, I only got Rp 50,000," said Widyawati's grandson, Sandy, a
student of Gunadharma University's School of Economy.
Widyawati said New Year's celebrations ran smoothly without
any significant problems.
She said that the heavy rains during New Year's Eve on Friday,
were a symbol of good fortune and blessings to come in the days
ahead.
Widyawati said last year's celebrations were gloomy as
flooding disrupted the festivities in most parts of the city.
Torrential rains in January and February last year resulted in
the severe flooding of many buildings, including places of
worship where many Chinese-Indonesians congregate.
"We couldn't enjoy New Year's last year as my mother-in-law,
who was staying with us, had a terrible accident so we had to
take her to the hospital," she said.
After she was hospitalized for a month, her mother-in-law, who
was suffering from a serious head injury, passed away, Widyawati
said, her eyes brimming with tears.
This year's Chinese New Year is the first time it is
celebrated as a national holiday following a declaration from
President Megawati Soekarnoputri.
The holiday was banned for more than three decades during the
administration of former president Soeharto. However, Chinese-
Indonesians are able to celebrate publicly, thanks to the
revocation of Soeharto's policy by former president Abdurrahman
Wahid in 2000.