The Indonesian Student Association (PPIA) UNSW successfully held the Indonesian Night Market (INM) 2022 on Friday. The event, which comes as the annual PPIA UNSW program, was temporarily switched to offline for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Admittedly encountering various issues in its preparation, the committee say that the event was continued as planned, presenting Indonesia's diversity through its theme 'Sandhya Dwipa' which means the unity of the archipelago.
The event is also attended by the Indonesian Consul General in Sydney, Vedi Kurnia Buana, together with the Education and Cultural Attaché of the Indonesian Embassy in Canberra, Professor Mukhamad Najib.
People are in the long queue to enjoy Indonesian foods at INM 2022. Source: SBS
"The INM reflects the enthusiasm of Indonesian students in promoting Indonesia in Australia, which is expected to strengthen relations between the two countries, including the relationship between the two peoples," Consul General Vedi says in his opening remarks.
Meanwhile, Education and Cultural Attaché appreciates the event which he calls as lively and involving various parties.
"This event is an effective way to introduce Indonesian culture because there were performances and demonstrations of traditional clothing, and most importantly culinary from various regions of Indonesia," Professor Najib says.
This year's INM is packed with thousands of visitors gathering at the UNSW Globe Lawn area and stand in a long line in front of the 13 stalls - including the SBS Radio stall - which offers dishes such as martabak, satay, pempek, nasi padang, meatballs to ginger wedang and instant noodle-flavored ice cream.
A visitor from Maroubra, Tio, say that he enjoyes the combination of food and performances offered at the event
SBS Radio stall at Indonesian Night Market 2022. Source: SBS
"My longing for sate Padang is fulfilled thanks to the Indonesia Night Market," Tio says. "In addition, PPIA's dances and performances are also fun. It is exciting to see Australian who is good at playing the gamelan while slurping the meatball soup," he adds, referring to the performance of the UNSW Gamelan Society.
In addition to gamelan performance, the event also features a parade of traditional clothing from a number of regions in Indonesia, Balinese dance by the Nusantara Sydney Dance group, the young diaspora orchestra group Cantate Deo and the band Frasa performing some of the Indonesian hits.
Cantate Deo Chamber Orchestra Source: KJRI Sydney
