Indonesian

Year 8 Indonesian - Learning about family

In Term 3 we learnt about Keluarga (family) in Indonesia, including their housing and clothing.  The term culminated in Hari Baju Adat (Day of Traditional Clothing) or Dress Up Day!  We have a collection of traditional Indonesian costumes at MECS and each class was given the opportunity to try them on and have their photo taken.

Indonesians love to dress up in colourful and glittery costumes with golden ornaments for their traditional dances and weddings. The jamang is one of these pieces and is like a crown.

Hari Baju Adat was sooo fun!! Dressing up and being able to just have a laugh with your friends (because we all looked so funny in the clothes that on a daily basis we wouldn’t wear) was amazing. The clothes were beautiful. It was an amazing Indonesian quarter just being able to have a laugh. 

Ella

Hari Baju Adat was a really fun experience for me. It was very cool to try on traditional Indonesian clothes with my friends, and interesting to see the different styles of clothing, as well as the intricate Batik designs and patterns on the sarongs and shirts. I love interactive lessons like these that allow us to somewhat step into the shoes of Indonesians, and I hope to have more experiences like that in the future.

Sophie

For an important event Indonesian men traditionally wear a sarong with a batik shirt. Here are Caleb and Braydon, also wearing a peci (a black velvet cap).

Many of the men's costumes have a traditional hat to accompany them. Asher is looking sangat ganteng (very handsome) wearing a traditional Balinese headscarf called an udeng. Whilst in Java the wearing of the blangkon is popular. Joseph too looks sangat ganteng in his blangkon.

So me and my friends found out about this and we weren't excited and we were planning on not doing anything. Then I saw this hat and decided to put it on and then suddenly after I did that all of my mates start trying the stuff on and we were goofing around having fun and taking pictures. They weren't great or anything but who cares we were having fun. 

Brodie

Women traditionally wear a kebaya which is a long sleeved blouse worn with a batik sarong.  Hair is worn up in a bun and decorated with gold or silver hair pieces.  All our young women looked cantik sekali (very beautiful)!

Sharon Tromp

Secondary Indonesian Teacher

Primary Indonesian Games

In the middle of last term, the Primary students explored the meaning of Indonesian Independence Day, celebrated on 17 August. This year was Indonesia’s 78th year of declaration of independence from the Netherlands in 1945. This is a national holiday for Indonesia where they play a variety of games and activities.

The Primary students at MECS had an opportunity to participate in Indonesian inspired games. These included: eating donuts from a string; putting a pencil in a bottle (in such an awkward manner!); sack racing and tug of war. Our Middle Primary students also had an opportunity to welcome our Senior and Middle School students when they arrived back from their wonderful Indonesian trip.

Ibu Koole