A Sunset Journey to Indonesia
7:30 – 10:00 pm | Sep 4th
šxʷƛ̓ənəq Xwtl’e7énk Square
North of the Vancouver Art Gallery
Strolling along Sunset Beach in Vancouver, some Indonesian friends talked about how they missed the sandy beach in Nusa Dua, Bali. They would walk for miles from south to north of the island between sand and water, capturing a sunset journey. Before them, they would see about twenty people in Balinese Prada sarongs, chanting for the Goddess’s blessing. Another fifty meters down, surfers would be departing from the sea, heading back to land. To their right, the fresh seafood barbeque’s aroma would be undeniably engaging, while hundreds of tables serve the guests and live gamelan music fills the air. And to their left, the beautiful sunset has its holistic journey to the unknown.
On the 4th of September, the Indonesian community, together with some dedicated leaders and choreographers, will share this experience that we had back home: A Sunset Journey to Indonesia. The journey will follow Gamelan to a fashion show, an Umbrella colossal dance to a pop band performance. Don’t miss the ritual of our Yellow Rice Opening Ceremony to begin. We hope to share this incredible journey with you to close the summer at TAIWANfest.
Join us for a night of traditional song and dance presented with the local Indonesian community, sharing beloved cultural stories through the performing arts from the many islands of Indonesia. Be a part of the Nasi Tumpeng Ceremony as we welcome everyone in this brilliant showcase of Indonesian culture and arts. Featuring gamelan, umbrella line dance, a fashion show, and live music, enjoy a lively evening with old and new friends alike!
About the Artists
Nasi Tumpeng
Yellow Rice Ceremony
Nasi Kuning (yellow rice) is fragrant Indonesian rice cooked with coconut milk, turmeric, and other spices. In Indonesian culture, nasi kuning has encouraging symbolic meanings. Nasi Kuning is designed to look like a pile of gold and is necessary on festive occasions, including parties, housewarmings, welcoming guests, and opening ceremonies – as a symbol of good fortune, prosperity, wealth, and dignity.
Nasi Kuning is widespread and naturally found in Indonesian culture, well-known from Java to Sumatra, Bali, and Sulawesi. However, it is most strongly associated with Javanese and Minahasa traditions. In Java, nasi kuning might come in the form of a cone called a TUMPENG and is usually eaten during special events. The most senior person in attendance will receive the top of the tumpeng. One of the most famous nasi kuning variants comes from Manado in North Sulawesi, which employs cakalang (skipjack tuna).
In A Sunset Journey to Indonesia, Nasi Tumpeng symbolizes the gratitude and congratulations of the Indonesian community to 2022 TAIWANfest.
island62
Ashira Dominique
Fashion Show
Collection “island62” expresses fashion through a play on stylistic roots and traditional textiles, derived from a mosaic of islands in Indonesia (a country, coded #62). Designer, stylist, and creative director Ashira Dominique, reigns the artistry of her fused origins as a lead in her contemporary wear.
Ashira Dominique is a Fashion Marketing/Communications student at Toronto Metropolitan University. From a young age, her involvement with performing arts, events, production, and initiatives surrounding the sublime of arts and culture, has instilled her with a strong foundation of creative thinking and enriched her artistic lens. Despite being exposed to various complexities surrounding diverse forms of art, she aims to echo and center her passion and ambition for fashion into this space. Ashira aspires to amplify the rich artistry within different cultures to diverse markets. She also strives to contribute to the future of fashion by exploring limitless possibilities that can come from providing a voice and space for cultural embrace and inclusivity.
Supported by:
Poppy Ardjani – Operational Assistant
Natasha Norita – Fashion Show & Performance Choreographer
Gamelan Bike Bike
Gamelan Bike-Bike with Wayang by Sutrisno Hartana
Gamelan Bike Bike draws its musical inspiration from Bali, Indonesia and its raw materials from the scrap metal bins of Vancouver. Founded in 2012 as a community-based ensemble, the group’s instruments were created from various scrap metals, including over 100 discarded bicycle frames that were transformed into tuned metallophones and gongs. The ensemble is dedicated to performing new music for gamelan, including recent compositions from guest composer I Putu Gede Sukaryana from Bali. The ensemble is currently based at the Hadden Park Fieldhouse as part of the Publik Secrets fieldhouse residency with the Vancouver Park Board and regularly offers workshops and performances to the community.
This performance will be enhanced by the collaboration of Sutristno Hartana as a shadow puppet artist. You can find his bio under Javanese Shadow Puppets within our program.
Indonesia Satoe
Umbrella Line Dance
Kangkung Bandung
Indonesia Satoe was formed by Natasha Honey Norita in 2011 in Vancouver BC. Its mission was to introduce and promote Indonesian dance and costumes to Canadians. Prior to her move to Canada, she was once a professional Indonesian dancer and travelled to Europe and US together with Guruh Soekarno Putra, her teacher, the son of the Indonesian 1st President. In Indonesia Satoe, Natasha has worked closely with her dance partners, Vidya Pamela Zein and Winda Tamboto Hartono, in producing many productions. Natasha’s now married to three children who are 8, 15 and 21 years old this year.
Padusi Bagak
Fearless Women!
Traditional Dance
Padusi Bagak is an ethics dance group representing the Culture of West Sumatera, Indonesia, including Eva Red (leader of the group), Lisa, Radha, Susi, Cucus, Pam, Hilda, Rita. In this event, they will perform a medley of Sumatra, Java and Balinese dances called Short Journey To Indonesia.
Srikandi Indonesia
Sri Kamelawi Dance
Sri Kamelawi dance is a welcoming dance addressed to the guest of honor or an expression of welcome for the guest. This dance tells the story of beautiful princesses playing in the garden, expressing happiness through beautiful and flexible dance moves.
Indonesia is the most beautiful lands on earth. Founded in 2016, Srikandi Indonesia is a group of Vancouver-based Indonesian traditional dancers. They aim to promote Indonesian cultures not only through dances but also music and other art forms.
Nusantara Vocal Group
Singing Performance
Indonesia discovers 1,340 tribes within more than 300 ethnic groups. The country is diverse and not only known as one culture or belief. The name of Nusantara represents many backgrounds. It is a designation or name for the entire Indonesian archipelago.
In general, Nusantara is a term to describe the Indonesian archipelago that stretches from the tip of Sumatra to Papua, from west to east of Indonesia.
The Nusantara Vocal Group is a collective of members of the Indonesian community who would like to perform various songs from different ethnic groups. They will sing cheerfully and wholeheartedly to accompany our sunset journey to Indonesia.
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