For the past ten years or so, there are a quite familiar custom held by a rich (or a very rich) person, or a public (governmental) officials in the public holidays, especially the religious ones, in Indonesia. It is ‘an open house’. Despite of the political and business purpose of the open house’s holder, open house actually has a ‘very Indonesian’ meaning, where religious tolerance, social care, and any of Pancasila’s characteristics are bound together in this custom. Two big religious ceremonies in Indonesia, Idul Fitri (Lebaran) and Christmas are often celebrated by holding an open house in a home office of a public official or a private house of a businessman to show that they care with the surroundings. By letting all people from different social groups, religions, ethnicities, wealth or economic state, to enter their houses, the open houses’ holders also show their feeling of tolerance and the sense of kinship. Open house becomes a way to get closer with the people (once more, despite the implicit (or even negative) purpose behind it).
‘Open House’ according to Merriam-Webster Dictionary (2012) is defined as ‘(noun) ready and usually informal hospitality or entertainment for all comers.’ By looking at this definition, no wonder that an open house becomes a culture in Indonesia, especially when it is compared to Indonesian’s people’s natural characteristics, where put the kinship, understanding, and tolerance at the top of the social life.
Though open house just started for around the last ten years ago, it becomes popular today along with more and more people become successful and richer in Indonesia. Of course by looking at this view, an open house is also meant a ‘show off moment’ to flaunt and expose ones’ wealth, especially because in an open house the host provides meals and entertainment.
This Christmas (2012), luckily, a big open house was successfully held in Pontianak (Kalimantan Barat (West Borneo) province, Indonesia) by its governor. As a Christian and a public official, Cornelis can be said as an official who first started this custom around five or six years ago, at the time he was elected through a democratic political election. He started this custom (perhaps now a culture) in the first term of his government and leadership. Now, as he was elected for the second time, the open house was held again as an annual custom, but now it is held in his second term.
On December 25 and 26, the open house was held in the governor’s home office. Different comers from different background were welcomed to visit this place. As it was held the previous years, foods, meals, drinks, and entertainments were always been waited. People came for free meals almost without limitation! What a party, right? The meal time started from 10.00 am to 05.00 pm and restarted at 06.00 pm to 09.00 pm, a break for the Muslim’s afternoon prayer.
Well, it was quite interesting for sure. That was why, I and my brother took a digital camera to freeze the moments and to have some meals of course. We visited the governor’s home office on December 26, right at lunch time 😉
I didn’t visit the open house last year (2011), but I did come the year before. This Christmas, I wanted to put this simple story in my blog to be shared.
In the governor’s home office square, we can see a huge Christmas tree. However, it is more beautiful if it is seen or taken by the camera at night… its lights of course. In the front door of the house, people were checked for their belongings through a metal detector and some security officers. It was a routine.
The interesting part was already seen in this part. In Indonesia, besides a Christmas tree as a symbol and a must in a Christmas, there is also a Christmas ‘cave’ (gua Natal). It is a structure imitating a place where Jesus was born. So, we can see statues of Jesus, Mary, Joseph, angels, a huge star, or even some more properties such as sheep, and the kings. The structure or building of this cave is usually made of papers painted with colors of the nature: color of the stone, grass, and sky. Some people build it in their houses, and also the churches. Some build it in a tiny structure and some build it in a very gigantic form.
On the front wall of the home office, range from most corner side to another side, there was a long and huge Christmas cave. On the right side of the entrance, we could see a Christmas cave with statues describe the story of Jesus’ birth, while on the left side of the entrance – this one is unique – we could see a scale model of a long house, a traditional house of dayak people.
The home office of the governor consists of four main rooms. There are two guest rooms, one dining room, and a big hall with a stage in it. When we entered the building, we could find the first guest room. It was a Malay-style guest room, where the unique characteristics could be found from the style of the chairs, ceiling ornaments and chandelier.
Hey, there was also a welcoming Santa! A robot singing playback song over and over… it was interesting for kids for sure. However, after few minutes, you really wanted to shut down and kill this robot… ha ha ha… I couldn’t imagine how bored the receiving-line-guy over there… 😀
Well, I will skip the second guest room. It was the time where the governor served people to take a picture with him. So it must be a very crowded time and room. When I said ‘people’ I referred to ‘special’ people, perhaps some business people, public officials and their families, the governor’s relatives and friends, and more special people. Common person like me wouldn’t dare enough to ask for a picture or two (though I don’t think that the governor himself mind about this). It was the main room where the governor’s and his families’ rooms were located. However, despite dare or not one in asking for a picture, people were very welcomed to enter this guest room. To sit and eat (if you confident enough), just to look around (many people were curious to see the insides of the building), or to take some pictures by yourself). So, let just consider, the second room was prepared for people who were confident enough to be the ‘special’ ones – with a note that there was no prohibition to anyone who wanted to stay in the room.
The third room was also an elegant room. It was a dining room with beautiful Malay-style-ceiling and chandelier – and some dayak ornaments in the entrances. Meals were prepared for anyone to have them. There were dim sum, roti cane [my Indian friend told me to spell ‘cane’ with ‘cenai’], bakso, sate, empek-empek, some fruit salads, and some more drinks. I particularly decided to take roti cane [cane bread], an Indian-middle-eastern-based meal which is known in Pontianak.
Here too, actually I and my brother thought the same thing. People should be confident enough to sit and eat at the round tables in the room. Most people wore shirts, formal dresses, and some even wore gowns. People were welcomed to sit and eat anywhere in the place actually, but hey, who were able to stop the feeling of ‘eliteness’? We didn’t care though; the foods were hilarious, ha ha ha…
The last room was a big hall that could cover more than two hundred people. There were meals and drinks. Perhaps, ‘common’ people decided to sit and eat in this room better than the two previous rooms. Well, you didn’t have to speak, sit and eat formally and in particular manner, right? You can let your children running around the hall in mouthful of beef… ha ha..
Nice hall though. Dayak and Malay decorations and ornaments were beautiful stuff. Don’t forget about the meals and entertainment. On the stage some singers (or anyone who wanted to present some songs, freely) gave their best. Some even danced on the floor, with dangdut rhyme and a single keyboard player. In other words, this hall was placed for a really naturally public room.
On the corner of one wall, on the right side of the stage, I took a picture of ornaments on the wall with a stand piano. It looked luxurious.
Enough for the building, let’s go to the foods!
Three main foods were presented in the hall; bakso, lontong sayur, and rice together with side dishes: meats and vegetables. Each type of the dish was presented in two different stands, including the drinks. (Mention it, cokes, teas, plain mineral waters). Don’t forget, the Christmas cakes!
It was totally all you can eat! You could come back for the dinner though…
In brief, it was totally awesome for you who were a foodwhore! Especially bakso, it is always be the most popular food in Pontianak (perhaps in Indonesia). No wonder, people would kill to stay on the line in front of the cooks to deliver the food for them!
Well, if you’re lucky, for the next four years from now, you can still experience this custom and culture, as long as today’s West Borneo’s governor still will be held by the same person. Full of hope, for the next governor, this culture will be still kept and maintained. I really don’t care if the governor won’t be a Christian anymore, as long as he/she will hold the ‘party’ in Id (Idul Fitri), Christmas or any public holiday … J
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