Sound of "dagu", the traditional Chinese drum, broke silence in the Theater Studio of Ismail Marzuki Park, a prominent art venue in Indonesia' s capital city of Jakarta, heralding the opening of China-Indonesia Art Cultural Festival on Friday night.

The symbol of China-Indonesia Art Cultural Festival

Four performers wearing lion suits, accompanied by five young girl musicians, performed lion dance for about two minutes, followed by the singing of the national anthem Indonesian Raya or Great Indonesia by all attendees.

After speeches by several officials, the event was officially opened by Mara Oloan Siregar, assistant of public welfare at Jakarta local government, who represented Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo, by striking the Chinese drum.

The lion dance was performed again. The dancers wearing red and white costumes, colors of Indonesian flag, jumped around, ran around and moved their bodies beautifully.

Fajar Gita Nusantara Choir or Indonesia Song Dawn Choir followed with their angelic voices. Twenty six middle-age Indonesian Chinese women wearing red and white suits sang two Chinese songs, accompanied by the sound of piano.

Ten Indonesian Chinese middle-age men joined them and they sang one Indonesian song.

Applause welcomed their good job as they have, that has to be admitted, very good voice.

Screen was scrolled down and when it was lifted, a couple young Indonesian Chinese teenagers read a poem titled "To the Rubber Tree". The young boy, Jeick Tan (17), read the poem in Chinese with all his heart, and the young girl, Kesia (15), read the same poem in Indonesian.

Later after the show, Tan told Xinhua that the poem is about invitation to love people not of their wealth, but to accept them of what they are.

Their performance was followed by musicians consisting of about 50 Indonesian Chinese middle-age women and men playing West Java traditional music instrument called "angklung". With the instrument made of bamboo, the group called "the Mei Chow Association" sounded patriotic songs of Bangun Pemuda (Wake Up, Youth) and Halo-Halo Bandung (Hello Bandung).

The concert conductor was very expressive, inviting audiences to join the atmosphere by clapping their hands, following the sound of the music.

After several performances, six wushu and kung fu performers showed their ability to play the traditional Chinese martial arts. Spectators were invited to enjoy the beauty of the martial arts by the performers wearing Chinese traditional martial art costumes.

The martial art show was opened by three young boys fighting each other with techniques of kung fu, as of bringing spectators to the era of Bruce Lee who was very popular in Indonesia in 1980s.

A sword play by a performer, a genuine Indonesian young boy, put a magnet to spectators as he played the sword combined by moves beautifully.

An attraction of bare hand moves prompted spectators to clap their hands loudly.

The one and half hour show was concluded by performance of young girls performing "Happy Dance". With traditional costumes, they brought spectators to join the joyful ambiance they have created.

Jeanne Laksana, chairwoman of the Indonesian Chinese Writer Association said that the event is an invitation to celebrate the diversity of the nation and return to some historical moments that participated in forming the current Indonesia.

"History, culture and various experiences have formed our identity diversity that we want to provide room so that we receive them as things that enrich us, not split us," she said.

Firman Ichsan, executive chairman of Art Council of Jakarta ( DKJ), said, "We hope that performances of the cultural art of China-Indonesia and discourses emerged in discussions could increase appreciation, respect and wisdom in facing diversity."

He said that the attitude is needed to promote peaceful life for the sake of glorious nation.

Indonesia opened the two-day festival to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the country's independence with performing various unique Chinese performances such as lion dance, classical Chinese music, product exhibition, Chinese culinary show, as well as motion pictures with the theme of independence and pluralism.

(Xinhua News Agency August 10, 2010)