IMAGE OF INDONESIA: CULTURES

Indonesia is pretty well known about its animals, plants and cultural diversity in the world. Recently, indonesian cultures such as traditional dances, has been known, learned, and has gained popularity around the world. For example gamelan, it has been taught in several art universities in Japan and disseminated, or angklung, which has been performed in front of americans, british, japanese and other peoples in different nationalities. But, as the technology continues to develop, young generation have found their kind of interests, which is, for instance, gadgets, and some of them may had already forgotten about their own country's cultures.

Based on my research, most of my friends know about indonesian heritages well, but they do not apply them in their life, also they do not know how to perform those cultures, such as saman or angklung. Efforts that they do in order to protect indonesia's heritages? About less than half of 20 people prefer to do and learn traditional dances and instruments of indonesia. The others still haven't done anything significant in order to learn and spread indonesian cultures.

We can not deny that many Indonesians, especially the teenagers, even 'leave' their own cultures and fall into modern technology. It is somehow a big irony if we compare them to the other countries, many of them had started learning Indonesian cultures. In my view, this is caused by three dominating aspects, development of modern technology, less knowledge about the cultures themselves and lack of nationalism. If this problem continues, other countries may end up stealing our cultures.

Conclusively, as an Indonesian, we should protect our country, heritages and anything related to it and must not leave our cultures into modern technology. We also should start using technology itself to spread our heritages in front of the world.

Aqil Anindityo Raharjo X-D/9

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IMAGE OF INDONESIA: TRADITIONAL SNACKS

Assalamualaikum Wr. Wb.

   As we know, Indonesian traditional snack is still being local's favorite. But some of them even don't know about our local snack. Like teenagers and kids that live in downtown and have a modern lifestyle maybe don't know what kind of tasteful snack that we have, they usually eat import and expensive cookies and candies for their snack. So, now I interviewed some of my friends about their knowledge in Indonesian traditional snack and what they like.

Q: What do you know about the existence and condition of Indonesian traditional snacks?
   I gathered many answers from my 9 friends, so I summarize it. They said that local snacks are still does exist and it cost a little and taste good, but depends on the places. Like at mall, they are hardly to find now, even though you find it there, they are so expensive and taste different. But one of my friend said that local snacks existence have decreased these days and covered by the modern snacks.
   And for the conditions, Indonesian traditional snacks quality had decreased, especially at the cleanliness. My friends said that it's not good to consume traditional snacks because the lack of awareness in food hygiene. But it depends at the place where it made and sold, if it was made and sold at supermarket, they believe it's ok to consume. One of my friend said that the portion and the taste are different these days. And I agree that.

Q: Are you still eat Indonesian traditional snacks?
   They still consumed it but 4 of them are sometimes eat that. One of my friend eat it once a week. 3 of them are often to consumed it. And one of them are depending of the hygiene.

Q: Where you usually buy Indonesian traditional snacks?
   From the survey, they usually buy it near school, crowded places, bazaar, Supermarket, Mini mart, 'Pasar Kaget', Traditional mart, and bakery. One of them said that he forgot where did he buy the local snacks.

   The result of their favorite's snacks are almost different each person, so from the results, teenagers like Putu Mayang, Serabi, Kue Lupis, Kelepon, Risoles, Gulali, Teng-Teng, Layer Cake, Martabak, 'Gorengan' and Lemper. Based on my survey, we can conclude that teenagers still know about the existence of Traditional snacks but they are rarely to consume it because the hygiene of the food and the quality. But they like to buy it and eat it because it cost a little and fit for students pocket.

Wassalamualaikum Wr. Wb.
Written by Nabila Elga Putri Nedria X-D/26

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