There are two uniting forces that can bring all cultures together – music and food.
And it’s music and food that will be the main offerings from the Adelindo Indonesian group, celebrating the cuisine and culture of our near neighbour to the north at this month’s Multicultural Festival in Victoria Square/Tarntanyangga.
Festival goers will be able to tuck into a bowl of beef rendang or satay before trying their hand at the uniquely Indonesian musical tradition of angklung, which uses bamboo instruments.
The instruments are shaken, rather that hit with mallets like the better known gamelan style.
Group spokesperson Yen Yen Chandra said that with more than 6000 inhabited islands hosting the fourth-largest population in the world, Indonesia was a nation overflowing with diverse cultures.
"Australians are really interested in these cultures, and food and music is the perfect way to intr
oduce these cultures to them," Ms Chandra said.
"Every province has a slight difference in culture, it’s very rich."
Ms Chandra said all of the favourite Indonesian foods Australians might have tried on holiday would be available at the Multicultural Festival, along with a few surprises.
"We will have satay, yellow rice, rendang of course, and other street food snacks and sweets," she said.
"It’s food that suits everyone, and it’s not TOO spicy."
Ms Chandra said the group had been part of the Multicultural Festival since its inception, and she thought it was a wonderful way to bring people and cultures from around the globe together.
"You don’t need to travel around the world, you can get everything in the one place," she said.
"It’s fantastic, and it’s free for everyone to join in. We might have different cultures, but we can all live together in harmony."
The 2025 Multicultural Festival is in Victoria Square/Tarntanyangga, on Sunday 23 November from noon–6pm.
It's a free, fun and family-friendly event where more than 85 multicultural community groups representing 65 different cultures will showcase and celebrate their cultural heritage through food, music, dance, arts, crafts and storytelling.
You can find the full program at the Multicultural Festival’s website (external site).
