Beginning of August this year marked the action of 60 chefs from Pontianak demonstrating their prowess of cutting catfish and preparing condiment to be used as Asam Pedas (sour and spicy) cuisine.
Not without a reason though. They are competing for a place to cook for President Joko Widodo on August 17, for the 72nd Indonesia Independence Day celebrations at the Royal Palace in Jakarta.
This chef’s festival is housed in Kapus Square Park, a green area on the edge of the Kapuas River in Pontianak, West Kalimantan that has been well maintained and laid out for the better in the last 10 years.
Previously, this park is not in the least bit interesting, with a lot of illegal vendors along the stretch and reported cases of pickpockets disturbing the visitors.
In the touch of Mayor Sutarmidji – the mayor for two terms – the park begins to reshape. Moreover, the Mayor wants to develop this area much like the Waterfront in Kuching, Malaysia.
A number of ministries are the stakeholders of the cooking festival. They want the chefs in Indonesia to be able to process sea-produce into a nutritious and varied culinary.
Indonesia, a country with five big islands – Papua, Java, Sulawesi, Kalimantan and Sumatra – wants their original natural product to be recognised. Thus, the chefs are encouraged to inculcate the fish into their culinary arts, worthy to be presented to heads of state and foreign guests.
“I do not expect to win, because this is just a hobby for me. In the culinary world, I just started to try a food catering business,” said Liawati, a 26-year-old woman who was busy preparing a 500 gram catfish.
She mixed pineapple slices to give a sour taste, as well as chilli for a spicy flavor, to the dish that she cooked on a small gas stove. The other contestants did the same. They compete to create a delicious taste, then present the menu and try to makeit as interesting and appealing as they can.
Christma Al Bandjar, the Presidential office staffer, said that from five provincial cities across Indonesia – Batam in Sumatera, Gorontalo in Sulawesi, Biak in Papua, Jakarta in Java, and Pontianak in Kalimantan – ten winners will be selected, in which they will attend a workshop of standard food presentations for the president.
Then from the ten chefs, three winners will be determined, and the main prize winner will get to cook for the President during the Independence Day celebrations in Jakarta.
“One type of fish alone can produced so much. This is a good tourism potential, because tourists who visit will definitely ask, what kind of special food can be enjoyed here,” said Christma.
Implementor of Task of the Regional Secretary in Pontianak City Government, Zumiayati, said the Kapuas River has so much potentials to offer. The cooking festival is held in Kapuas Square for instance, can further popularise the area and make it well known.
By travelling down this river, said Zumiayati, many landmarks with various historical stories can be found. On the edge of the river there is the Equator Monument, Palace of Kadriyah Sultanate, Jami Mosque, Sultanate Tombs, or witness the traditional life of riverside communities.
“By riding a traditional boat, or a motor boat, you can enjoy its peculiarities,” said Zumiyati.
Water front and carbide cannon
Kapuas River is the longest river on the island of Borneo and also the longest river in Indonesia with a long reach of 1,143 kilometers. Mayor Sutarmidji has long dreamed of developing the riverside area into a water front city.
He also uploaded the concept of development on his Facebook account, so the townspeople can see the draft. The riverside from Kapuas Square, to the Port of Seng Hie Harbor, to Kapuas Bridge I were designed as a tourist area of the city with a safe path for pedestrians and cyclists, decorated with green trees, rest chairs, and also Carbide cannon.
“Visitors can light a carbide cannon, not just on Eid or the anniversary of Pontianak, but on certain days. Visitors can feel the sensation of lighting the cannon and feel the vibration of the explosion,”said Sutarmidji.
Carbide cannon is a traditional game and considered a culture in Pontianak City. Made from a wooden tree with a length of between 4 to 7 meters and a diameter of 40 to 100 centimeters, it uses a carbide mixed with water as the catalyst, and is ignited to produce a powerful outburst.
Carbide cannon emerged from the history of the founding of Pontianak by Sultan Abdurrahman Al Kadrie in 1771, who, it is said, suffered from disturbance from the ghost of kuntilanak/ pontianak (vampire).
During that time the cannon was fired to drive away the kuntilanak.
Perhaps this inspired the name of the city as Pontianak (vampire).
Now carbide cannons is recognised by the Ministry of Education and Culture of Indonesia as a cultural heritage, and become more known as the icon of Pontianak.
The tradition of a mid-day bath
For the Chinese community, the Kapuas River becomes a privileged location to perform the u-shi bath ritual, or a midday bath to drive away bad luck, cast out evil spirits, heal illnesses, and prolong life. Usually at the beginning of June, thousands of Chinese gather at the river, took off their clothes, and bathe together.
Some of them brought along their children. There are some who catches boat rides. This ritual is always done on the 5th day of 5th month according to the Lunar calendar. While taking a u-shi bath, they also enjoy food such as bak cang and ki cang.
Bak Cang is rice filled with nuts, pork and mushrooms wrapped in banana leaves, and Ki cang, is glutinous rice wrapped in bamboo leaves as big as betel nuts and tied with strings, which is enjoyed with sugar or brown sugar.
According to legend, in ancient times there was a knight ending his life by plunging himself into the river.
The knight is said to be loyal and patriotic, but he feels disappointed with the government. He failed in his attempt to fight, and he sacrificed himself by plunging himself into a river.
This tradition is celebrated to commemorate the knight as well as drive out the evil spirits that exist in humans.
