VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Photo credit: travellingindonesia.com/Istimewa

Jakarta in the past had a variety of culinary delights. Along with the development of the times, many of them are increasingly rare or even starting to become extinct. Setu Babakan, one of the tourist attractions in South Jakarta which is also the center of indigenous Jakarta known as Betawi culture, has a mission to maintain all the culinary riches that Jakarta has, one of which is es goyang.

Es goyang is actually not an original Betawi culinary delight, but comes from Bandung, West Java. According to the story, around the 90s, this es goyang migrated from Bandung and then became popular in Jakarta. Indeed it is somewhat similar to the world famous popsicle. It is called es goyang (es means ice, while goyang means to shake) because it comes from the process of producing it  which is by shaking the ingredients.

The es goyang seller's cart is equipped with a cooler in the form of a room or box underneath, filled with ice cubes. This cooler is then shaken by the seller while  pushing the ice cart everywhere. So an es goyang seller must be strong because in addition to pushing his ice cart he must also shake it from time to time. This es goyang is sometimes also called es lilin, because its long shape resembles a lilin or candle.

The ingredients for making es goyang consist of coconut milk, granulated sugar, food flavorings and color and the main ingredient is hunkwe or mung bean flour. This type of flour is widely sold in traditional markets in Jakarta.

In its development, to attract buyers, es goyang was made with various flavors. To get a variety of flavors, hunkwe flour is added with other ingredients such as avocado, durian, chocolate, strawberry and pandan.

The method of making es goyang is also not complicated. The ingredients are mixed until they reach a certain thickness, then the mixture is poured into a mold. The mold is then put into a cooler containing chunks of ice. Ice goyang seller carts usually have a fairly large cooler in the middle.

Before the ice mixture freezes, the es goyang is equipped with a skewer as a handle like a popsicle. After that, the cart is shaken so that the ice mixture freezes evenly. After choosing the flavor, you are given a choice for the es goyang topping. For example, sweet melted chocolate or savory roasted peanuts. Today, to preserve es goyang, now in shopping centers you can it put in the freezer.

Photo credit: kemlu.go.id

The Indonesian Embassy in Colombo/ Sri Lanka/ presented  a Buddha statue/ a gift from Indonesia to the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka/ Dinesh Gunawardena/ in Colombo//

 Indonesian Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives/ Dewi Gustina Tobing/ said/ the statue is a symbol of the deep cultural and spiritual ties that unite the two countries// Dewi explained/ in Indonesia/ Buddha has become a source of inspiration for wisdom// This statue reflects the values of peace/ compassion/ and enlightenment that are the core of Buddhist teachings//

According to a written press statement from the Indonesian Embassy in Colombo received by the Antara state news agency in Jakarta/ Saturday (14/9)/ the statue was given by the Chairman of the Indonesian Theravada Sangha/ Bhikkhu Sri Pannavaro Mahathera/ to be handed over by Ambassador Dewi to Prime Minister Gunawardena for the Dharmayathanaya Vihara in Colombo/ on Thursday (12/9) local time//

Head of Dharmayathanaya Temple/ Bhikkhu Elle Gunawansa Thero/ also witnessed the handover of the statue depicting Buddha in a meditating position//

The Buddha statue was made by an Indonesian  sculptor in Muntilan/ near Borobudur Temple in Magelang/ Central Java/ following the basic guidelines for Buddha statues at Mendut Temple//

The statue is made from a block of good quality andesite stone/ weighing one ton and 140 centimeters high//

Regarding the gift of the Buddha statue / Prime Minister Gunawardena expressed his gratitude to Indonesia/ especially the Buddhist community in the country/ for the gift of the high-quality statue//

The gift of the Buddha statue from Indonesia to Sri Lanka symbolizes the good relations and brotherhood between the two countries that have existed since the 8th century//

Photo credit: kemlu.go.id

Today’s Miscellany takes you to the Land of the Rising Sun, Japan, to celebrate the extraordinary achievements of Indonesian students from Al-Ya’lu Elementary School in Malang City, East Java province. Theyhave successfully brought honour to the nation in the international arena.

On September 10, 2024, the Indonesian Embassy in Tokyo, Japan had the honor of receiving a special visit from Al-Ya’lu Elementary School students at the invitation of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology of Japan.

They wereinJapan to celebrate their achievement as the first winner in the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) Japan - Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Award - SEAMEO Japan-ESD Award 2023. In this prestigious competition, they competed with 115 schools from various countries in Southeast Asia with innovative projects that focus on environmental conservation through renewable energy.

The Coordinator of the Socio-Cultural Information Function of the Indonesian Embassy in Tokyo, Muhammad Al Aulaalongwith the Education and Culture Attaché, Amzul Rifin, stated that this achievement reflects the role of Indonesian champion students as unofficial ambassadors of the country.

According to Al Aula, the students of Al-Ya'lu Elementary School in Malang City have shown the world thatThey have high creativity that is not only benefitsl for the surrounding environment but also contributes to creating a cleaner earth.

Furthermore, Al Aula also emphasized the importance of continuing to work and achieve achievements in various fields. He emphasized that the Indonesian Embassy in Tokyo will continue to provide full support for the concrete efforts of the nation's children who can make achievements on the international stage, especially in Japan.

In the SEAMEO Japan-ESD Award 2023, Al-Ya’lu Elementary School stood out with their project in the Environmentally Friendly Behavior Innovation category. A 10-year-old Niki Ilahi along with her friends, managed to amaze the jury with programs,such as bamboo pellets and a micro hydro system for hatching duck eggs.

Their achievements brought a good name not only to the school,but also to Indonesia as a whole, showing that the creativity and environmental awareness of Indonesian children from an early age excels in the international arena.

Photo credit: dunia.indra.com/bob.kemenparekraf.go.id

Goa Kreo or Kreo Cave is one of many hidden cave sites in Indonesia. It offers an adventure into a fascinating underground world. Goa Kreo  is located in Dukuh Talun Kacang, Kandri Village, Mijen Sub-district, Semarang, Central Java. It is a tourism spot located in the hilly area of Mount Krincing. This area is a natural tourism destination with cool air.

Goa Kreo is a tourism destination located in a forest area with an area of five hectares. In this forest, there are a lot of trees that make the weather around cool. The Kreo cave tourism area has hundreds of monkeys of theMacaca Fascicularisethnicity or long-tailed monkeys which are the legend behind the name Kreo cave. Goa Kreo is unique, because although it is not so big, it is quite long and there are several more caves in it. Kreo itself means “take care”. It is considered that the monkeys guard the area from criminals.  The interesting part of this place is that tourists will pass a number of stairs surrounded by the Jatibarang reservoir. These stairs are the access to the cave.

Before the construction of the Jatibarang reservoir, which was built to overcome flooding in Semarang City, the hill where the monkeys live was integrated into the surrounding areas. But after the reservoir was filled with water, it looked like a small island. The cave area is usually used to shelter the monkeys when it rains. Kreo Cave has a wide room at the mouth of the cave and gets narrower as it is explored into the interior. Travelers exploring the cave must squat to reach the end of the cave which is a monkey statue. After exploring Kreo cave, you can immediately enjoy the beauty of Jatibarang reservoir.  In this area,  tourists can do activities, such as walking along the river, traveling by speedboat, riding a tour boat or fishing. Besides,  in the area,  you can also enjoy the sunrise and sunset.

Goa Kreo tour is open every day, Monday to Saturday from 6 AM to 6 PM. The ticket price for adults is Rp 4000 on Monday to Saturday and Rp 5000/person for Sunday and holidays.