Saturday, February 17, 2007
Indonesia's Chinese rediscover traditions
by Nabiha Shahab
TANGERANG, Indonesia, Feb 17, 2007 (AFP) - Hidden behind a busy market down a narrow street, rows of red lanterns greet visitors as helpers prepare the Boen Tek Bio temple for celebrations to welcome the Chinese Year of the Pig.
Red-and-gold banners with Chinese characters decorate many corners of Tangerang city and stalls sell the traditional "kue keranjang" cake made from glutinous rice and cane sugar eaten at Lunar New Year.
Tangerang, just 10 kilometres (six miles) west of Jakarta, is home to one of the oldest Chinese communities in Indonesia but such displays were outlawed less than a decade ago.
Public displays of Chinese culture and religious practices were banned under the three-decade rule of former dictator Suharto, who stepped down in 1998. The discriminatory law was overturned in 2000 and the Chinese community is rediscovering its traditions.
"The temple was built in 1684 and people believe it is a magical place," said temple spokesman Oey Tjin Eng.
"People from Medan, Bangka and other places come and celebrate Imlek (Lunar New Year) here," he said.
But Oey said the local Chinese community was dying out, centuries after they settled in Tangerang and absorbed parts of the Sundanese culture into their own.
"Many of the old families here have moved out, some sought a better life elsewhere," said Oey.
In another part of the city near the 138-year-old Boen San Bio temple, Lili Kwe runs her family's new year cake business from their modest old house, the furniture rearranged to make more space.
On the front veranda, 64-year-old Da'i lines stacks of small baskets with banana leaves.
For nearly 40 years, Da'i has left his home and rice field in a nearby village to work with the Kwes every Lunar New Year.
"I have six of my relatives here working making the cakes," he said.
In the back of the house, two rocket-shaped steamers run on firewood steam about 200 kilograms (440 pounds) of cakes for 12 hours.
Demand "is increasing every year," said Kwe, 39.
"The cakes are probably the only thing that has not died out during the years," she said, referring to the suppression of Chinese culture under Suharto.
"It was difficult to pray, we had to do it secretly in our own home," she said.
But in recent years the Chinese have started to rediscover their culture and take pride in their customs. In 2003, Lunar New Year was declared a national holiday and this year for the first time the post office has issued stamps to mark the festival, though without the pig in deference to Muslim sensibilities.
"Now we are re-learning our old traditions," said Kwe.
"My next-door neighbour has a lion dance troupe, they get calls to perform quite frequently now," she said.
Nearby, Bin Nio, 51, now goes to the Boen San Bio temple every day to help.
"I used to help making cakes before I worked here," she said.
"They call me to work at the temple everyday, maybe the karma is good," said Bin, adding that she was happy to devote her time to the temple.
Chinese culture is gaining wider acceptance in Tangerang, said Oey from the Boen Tek Bio temple.
The Chinese community is known locally as the "Cina benteng," or "Chinese from the fortress," after the old Dutch colonial forts in the area.
"Cina Benteng is known for good martial arts fighters, but in our tradition the masters do not teach their children, they send them to learn with others," Oey said.
"Now we have wushu (Chinese martial arts) taught in schools, and also our children are learning Mandarin."
nsh/mtp/bgs
by Nabiha Shahab
TANGERANG, Indonesia, Feb 17, 2007 (AFP) - Hidden behind a busy market down a narrow street, rows of red lanterns greet visitors as helpers prepare the Boen Tek Bio temple for celebrations to welcome the Chinese Year of the Pig.
Red-and-gold banners with Chinese characters decorate many corners of Tangerang city and stalls sell the traditional "kue keranjang" cake made from glutinous rice and cane sugar eaten at Lunar New Year.
Tangerang, just 10 kilometres (six miles) west of Jakarta, is home to one of the oldest Chinese communities in Indonesia but such displays were outlawed less than a decade ago.
Public displays of Chinese culture and religious practices were banned under the three-decade rule of former dictator Suharto, who stepped down in 1998. The discriminatory law was overturned in 2000 and the Chinese community is rediscovering its traditions.
"The temple was built in 1684 and people believe it is a magical place," said temple spokesman Oey Tjin Eng.
"People from Medan, Bangka and other places come and celebrate Imlek (Lunar New Year) here," he said.
But Oey said the local Chinese community was dying out, centuries after they settled in Tangerang and absorbed parts of the Sundanese culture into their own.
"Many of the old families here have moved out, some sought a better life elsewhere," said Oey.
In another part of the city near the 138-year-old Boen San Bio temple, Lili Kwe runs her family's new year cake business from their modest old house, the furniture rearranged to make more space.
On the front veranda, 64-year-old Da'i lines stacks of small baskets with banana leaves.
For nearly 40 years, Da'i has left his home and rice field in a nearby village to work with the Kwes every Lunar New Year.
"I have six of my relatives here working making the cakes," he said.
In the back of the house, two rocket-shaped steamers run on firewood steam about 200 kilograms (440 pounds) of cakes for 12 hours.
Demand "is increasing every year," said Kwe, 39.
"The cakes are probably the only thing that has not died out during the years," she said, referring to the suppression of Chinese culture under Suharto.
"It was difficult to pray, we had to do it secretly in our own home," she said.
But in recent years the Chinese have started to rediscover their culture and take pride in their customs. In 2003, Lunar New Year was declared a national holiday and this year for the first time the post office has issued stamps to mark the festival, though without the pig in deference to Muslim sensibilities.
"Now we are re-learning our old traditions," said Kwe.
"My next-door neighbour has a lion dance troupe, they get calls to perform quite frequently now," she said.
Nearby, Bin Nio, 51, now goes to the Boen San Bio temple every day to help.
"I used to help making cakes before I worked here," she said.
"They call me to work at the temple everyday, maybe the karma is good," said Bin, adding that she was happy to devote her time to the temple.
Chinese culture is gaining wider acceptance in Tangerang, said Oey from the Boen Tek Bio temple.
The Chinese community is known locally as the "Cina benteng," or "Chinese from the fortress," after the old Dutch colonial forts in the area.
"Cina Benteng is known for good martial arts fighters, but in our tradition the masters do not teach their children, they send them to learn with others," Oey said.
"Now we have wushu (Chinese martial arts) taught in schools, and also our children are learning Mandarin."
nsh/mtp/bgs
