West Jakarta to host Betawi Days festival

JAKARTA: The West Jakarta municipal administration is to hold a Betawi Days festival to celebrate the capital's 477th anniversary in the Srengseng urban forest on Saturday and Sunday.

The Betawi are the original inhabitants of Jakarta, with the name being derived from the city's former name, Batavia.

The city's official website, www.beritajakarta.com, says that the event will include stands serving traditional Betawi food, such as ketupat sayur (rice cake served with vegetables cooked in coconut milk and other side dishes), and onde onde (a round cake made of rice flour with a filling of mung beans and covered with sesame seeds). Residents of the municipality can set up stalls at the site without paying a fee.

Jakarta traditions such as Gambang Kromong Marawis (small Chinese-Indonesian orchestras), Betawi wedding processions, dances and pencak silat martial art displays will also be staged. -- JP