2 min read –
A quiet week ahead
Jakarta silenced
Lebaran
I hope you did not plan to do any business in Indonesia this week.
Because the country is virtually closed.
This week is Idul Fitri, also known as Lebaran in Indonesia.
It is a significant religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide.
It marks the end of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting.
Lebaran is celebrated by more than 200 million people in Indonesia, which has the world’s largest Muslim population.
People living in major cities embark on a journey to their hometowns to celebrate the holiday.
More than 150 million people travel within Indonesia during the festivities each year.
This annual mass exodus, known locally as “mudik,” is a cherished tradition in Indonesia.
In Jakarta, where the majority of this exodus happens, almost the entire population of the city leaves.
During this one-week off, the Big Durian, as Jakarta is sometimes called, is transformed into a temporary ghost town.
It is the best time of the year to drive in town because there is no traffic jam.
The usual traditions associated with this holiday season are:
– Buying and wearing new clothes. It symbolizes renewal and a fresh start.
– Visiting relatives and neighbours to seek forgiveness, reconciliation, and exchange warm greetings.
– Traditional foods, like “ketupat” (rice cakes wrapped in palm leaves), or “opor ayam” (chicken cooked in coconut milk).
– Giving gifts, especially to children. Money or small tokens are exchanged as a gesture of goodwill.
Gift money is given in the form of brand new small denomination banknotes.
A new business has emerged: people selling new banknotes on the side of the road.
Those temporary money-changers take a 10-15% fee, it is the price to pay if you don’t want to go and queue for hours at the bank.
This business may appear negligible because cash is in small notes of 1000 Indonesian Rupiah to 20,000 Indonesian Rupiah (6 cents to 1.2 USD).
Make no mistake! Bank Indonesia prepares about 200 trillion Indonesian Rupiah each year for this money exchange ritual ahead of celebration. This is an astonishing 12 billion USD.
Idul Fitri is a time of joy, reflection, and unity.
It brings families together, strengthens bonds, and reminds every one of the importance of compassion, forgiveness, and gratitude.
Enjoy the holiday, if you celebrate it.
And for those in Jakarta this week, enjoy the relative peace of the city !
PS: If you want to receive weekly news and insights all year long about doing business in Indonesia, follow us on LinkedIn and activate the bell on our profile.
Source : Cintasia’s LinkedIn post, dated 10 April 2024
Picture : photo of downtow Jakarta, so quiet you can sleep in the middle of the main street.
Source of picture : unknown, inspired by Fabrice Gaullier aka Om Bule 💙