Chinese traditions spice up Jakarta Fair
Leony Aurora, Jakarta
The boy was just five years old, yet he performed the kung fu steps of the drunken god last Friday with great skill.
The audience applauded as he twirled around and, with a swift strike, ended up lying on the red carpet.
The boy is part of a 19-strong Shaolin kung fu group summoned from South China to spice up the 2004 Jakarta Fair in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta. The group performs four times a day on workdays, with two additional shows on Saturdays and Sundays.
"I'm not particularly keen on martial arts, but I like to see some acrobatic stunts," said Thea, 26, after paying Rp 8,000 (87 U.S. cents) for a regular seat in the compound.
For a closer look, VIP seats in the front rows are available for Rp 15,000 each.
One by one, the kung fu performers, clad in yellow and white robes, took their turn to present different sequences, such as the "southern Shaolin machete", "ax", and "moon and seven stars", movements.
Halfway through the one-hour show, the sequences started to become monotonous. Some people stood up to leave; others remained in their seats, hoping that something new was in store for them. There was no flying around, no human tower, nor any other stunt reminiscent of those that Indonesian audiences love in Chinese films.
"They should have made it more entertaining, rather than just a martial arts demonstration," said William, a member of the audience, quickly adding, "so the children don't get bored."
The Shaolin kung fu performance is one of two new attractions arranged by fair management Jakarta International Expo and Jakarta Propertindo, which organized the annual event for the first time. The other is Negeri Dongeng (Fairy Land), an arena for children.
The attractions certainly drew crowds, with audience numbers reaching almost 740,000 as of Friday evening -- two weeks after the fair opened on June 17. The figure is 13 percent higher than that of the same period of last year.
Project director Ralph R. Schuneman told The Jakarta Post recently that, hopefully, the fair would offer two or three new attractions each year.
Another show from China, which was also part of the fair last year, is the Suzhou festival of lanterns. To enter the complex, which is open from 5.30 p.m. to 10 p.m., visitors must pay Rp 10,000 each.
Lanterns forming a giant throne greet visitors to the left of the entrance. Several couples sat on benches surrounding a circle of glowing pandas among luminous bamboo sticks.
There is also a chariot drawn by eight white horses -- a favorite site among visitors for snapshots.
"The lanterns are beautiful," said Rufi, 27, "but they should have live performers, not just play a tape."
A few minutes after her comment, a woman in a flowing pink dress appeared on the red-and-orange throne and sang in Mandarin. "Well, it's not really to my taste, but it's OK," said Rufi.