Amsterdam, February 22, 2025 – The Minang Cultural Festival was held for the first time at Indonesia House Amsterdam (IHA)—the biggest Indonesia’s Promotion Centre in Europe that serves as a promotion hub in the Netherlands and Europe. The festival, themed “Jauah di Mato, Dakek di Hati” (Far from Sight, Close to the Heart), took place over two days on February 21-22, 2025.
More than 400 visitors crowded the five-storey building in Amsterdam, with the majority being local Dutch residents and Indonesian diaspora who have long resided in the Netherlands. Some visitors also came from Germany and Belgium.
Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Sugiono, paid a visit to IHA on Saturday on the sidelines of his official trip to the Netherlands to meet with the Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof and Foreign Affairs Minister Caspar Veldkamp, in The Hague. At the venue, he engaged with visitors, both locals and diaspora, joined a dance, and even graced the festivity with a Minang song, ‘Ayam den Lapeh.’
“This Minang Festival is part of the ongoing programs of the Indonesian Embassy in The Hague at IHA. Besides introducing and promoting Indonesia’s rich artistic and cultural heritage, this initiative also serves as a platform for empowering the significant Indonesian diaspora in the Netherlands,” said the Deputy Chief of Mission of the Indonesian Embassy, Mariska Dhanutirto, during the opening on Friday. She also emphasized that cultural festivals like this play an important role in public education, particularly in encouraging younger generations of the diaspora to take pride in and preserve their cultural heritage.
The festival showcased the authenticity of Minangkabau cultural heritage. A series of programs, including traditional dances and music performances, a culinary and Songket textile bazaar, as well as exhibitions, presented Minang traditions in their most authentic form. This, in turn, became the main attraction, drawing even larger crowds on the second day (Saturday). Performances included traditional Minangkabau dances such as Pasambahan, Piring, Indang, and Rantak, as well as Talempong musical performances and Minang pop songs. The first day also featured a presentation and discussion on the unique Minangkabau matrilineal kinship system—the largest of its kind in the world. This interactive discussion, led by a professor from Leiden University, was attended by academics and researchers from various institutions in the Netherlands, friends of Indonesia, as well as art professionals and cultural practitioners.
A highlight of the festival was the diverse array of Minangkabau cuisine, featuring delicacies such as beef and eel Rendang, Gulai Kepala Ikan (fish head curry), Sate and Soto Padang, and Lontong Sayur (rice cakes with vegetable dishes). Food stalls attracted both the Minang diaspora longing for a taste of home and curious attendees eager to experience the flavors of Indonesia. “Now I understand why Rendang is dubbed the world’s most delicious food. I just proved it myself!” said one visitor who was visiting IHA for the first time.
With its success, organizers hope to make the Minang Festival an annual event, further strengthening the cultural bonds between the Netherlands and Indonesia.
For further information, please contact: Information and Socio-Cultural Affairs Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in The Hague Email: bidpen@indonesia.nl
