Festival Jajanan Bango 2010 Celebrates Indonesian Mothers

Located in Gedung Arsip Nasional Jakarta, Bango, an iconic product of PT Unilever Indonesia Tbk. held a media conference to introduce a new execution concept for “Festival Jajanan Bango (FJB) 2010”, which was conducted in a uniquely memorable interactive talkshow and launching procession. This year, Bango presents a special theme entitled “Festival Jajanan Bango – Pilihan Ibu Nusantara” to highlight our appreciation for all mothers’ central role as the harmonizer in the family. Mothers are both the key figures and hosts of the 2010 FJB.

Related to the theme of “mothers”, this event was attended by exceptional guests, including public figures and well-known celebrities who represented inspirational mothers, namely: Ir. Aurora Tambunan, M.Si as the DKI Jakarta’s Deputy Governor of Cultural and Tourism, Hj. Danarsih Santosa as the founder of the Danar Hadi batik boutique, Ibu Sisca Soewitomo, famous Chef and Dian Nitami, one of Indonesia celebrity.

In her speech, Aurora Tambunan stated her support for the event. “In my opinion, the Jajanan Bango Festival is an event which provides positive contributions to Jakarta’s tourism, since culinary tours have always been one of the main attractions for both local tourists and foreigners. Especially this year, the concept of discovering a mother’s potential in conserving culinary heritage is particularly fascinating. This is an inspirational issue for mothers so they will be motivated to continue preserving their noble role within the family.”

Memoria Dwi Prasita as Senior Brand Manager Bango explained,“We have organized the annual FJB since 2005 as our social mission to continuously encourage people to participate in conserving various traditional foods, which is a legacy of our ancestors. As we enter the sixth year, we have maintained this concept by adding a new dimension to our objective: a special tribute to mothers, who play a direct role in preserving both harmony and traditional culinary heritage in their families.”

Family and female psychologist, Anna Surti Ariani, Psi, as one of the speakers who attended the talkshow, shared her insights about this. “A mother has a very specific upbringing, which in psychology is known as ‘mothering’. She is far more sensitive compared to the father. Relying on her expertise in paying attention to the details of just about everything, she is able to acknowledge and understand her family members better, including the character differences amongst them. At the same time, a mother is very nurturing, which leads her to favor organization and harmony within her family to encourage a sense of “safety”. One way that mothers create harmony in their families is by embodying the positive traits received from previous generations, for instance carrying on the traditional culinary skills.”

Sitta Manurung M.Si,a culinary sociologist who works as the Food Managing Editor in Femina Magazine, concurred with this statement. “One of the most important issues about mothers is that they are hugely responsible for the harmony in their families, which is crucial to molding a generation that appreciates their national identity, including their culinary arts, of course, since it is a part of their national heritage. In terms of sociology, this also involves power, for when it comes to the traditional culinary arts; mothers have the power to determine what food should be served - not the male figure or father. To determine what to serve, all a mother needs to do is recall the previous meals served by her own mother during her childhood.”

This statement apparently resonated with Dian Nitami in terms of her own household. “I am the person in charge of varying the menu on the dining table. Even though my husband and children sometimes have different preferences, I have a great strategy to harmonize those differences. I will usually serve a reliably delicious meal that I learnt from my own mother. It is guaranteed to make my husband, Anjas and the children gobble it down! Besides that, I often take time to find out great places to eat. It is so exciting to share culinary adventures with my beloved family“ said Dian, sharing her experience.

Hence, it is completely understandable why Bango offers a chance to appreciate the noble role of mothers across the country. This process will also be conducted in an exceptional way. Previously, the hawker stalls in FJB were selected by Bango, but this year Bango invited mothers to choose their favorite hawkers to be presented in FJB.

A range of activities will be held in three FJB participating cities: Jakarta, Surabaya and Bandung, during which the selection process in Jakarta will begin in June 2010. Mothers will be able to express their familes’ favorite traditional food using plates as the medium. Mothers can also vote through the Facebook fan page of the Festival Jajanan Bango: @FesJajananBango, on Twitter and also by sending an SMS to 0857 505 800000, using the format FJB#name#city#foodselection. Based on the vote results, Bango will seek out “culinary legends”, who will then go on to represent mothers’ favorite traditional food at FJB.

“Traditional food is inseparable from the daily lives of Indonesian families. Mothers, as the culinary experts of their families, play a vital role in introducing them to and familiarizing them with their national heritage. The “Festival Jajanan Bango 2010” is the perfect vehicle to accommodate the role of mothers, which will enable mothers to share the best culinary experiences with their families as well as pass on the culinary traditions to the next generation. Furthermore, this event can also be a means of improving family harmony in a way that all family members can enjoy,” said Memoria.

Today’s festivities reached their ultimate peak during the launching procession hosted by Bango’s Brand Ambassador, Surya Saputra. As many as 100 mothers from various communities in Jakarta enthusiastically wrote down their names and their favorite hawker food on their plates. Afterwards, Surya asked the mothers to simultaneously declare their support for the success of FJB 2010.

“I invite all mothers across the country to participate in rooting for their favorite hawker foods in Jakarta, Surabaya, and Bandung. This year, FJB is dedicated to all mothers! I hope that this range of facilities and activities presented for mothers this year will encourage mothers and families to continue their love for traditional culinary delights,” Surya concluded.