Around 35 foreign students at Andalas University participated in the Sawahlunto International Songket Silungkang Carnival (SiSSCA) activity in 2019 in West Sumatra, Indonesia.
The Sawahlunto International Songket Silungkang Carnival (SiSSCA), was held with the aim of boosting the Silungkang Songket (traditional eco-weaving) industry and preserving cultural heritage. Andalas University foreign students who participated in the 2019 SiSSCA activities came from Madagascar, Japan, Vietnam, Germany, Chile, Slovakia, Iran, Egypt, Britain, Thailand, Timor Leste, Suriname, South Korea, Cambodia, China and Malaysia. Yep! There’s my country’s name as well.
It was a great honor for me to attend such an event along with other foreign students from the same University as me. Two busses were arranged and I remember leaving on Saturday, 7th of September, 2019. On our way to Sawahlunto, we stopped at a warung to have lunch first. As we stepped out of the busses I got to meet and to know other foreign students I didn’t meet yet. I must say that we immediately bonded very well.
There was beautiful scenery, a mesmerizing view of ricefields with just a few small houses and mountains around. You could feel the breeze that felt so fresh. As time struck, we continued our journey.
As we arrived, males and females were separated. We stayed at separate homestays, but it was fun. Because it was my first time going to Sawahlunto, the area where we stayed was really poor. My first impression of the area was: “What is this? A mosque at the front of the homestay, shops and a local market further from it beside the road. Where is the event and where is Sawahlunto exactly?” I was very confused.
But in the afternoon around 6, as everyone got ready, we got into the bus and head to the event. On our way there (more than 20 min.), I suddenly saw lights from a distance as if it was Christmas from afar. The closer we got, it felt festive enough to say that it was beyond festive, but mesmerizing with all the sparkling lights from houses, street lights, and small buildings shining around you. We drove through the mountain and went down and this is Sawahlunto.
As the busses stopped and as we stepped out, all of us walked into an old Dutch building to have dinner. Afterward, we went to attend a show that was held outside of the building. A nice stage with lights and concert LED screens. All of us sat down and enjoyed the performances; from a gorgeous fashion show, talented music performers to a legendary artist who painted live on stage. In the meanwhile, I wanted to walk around to explore a bit, so a Japanese guy who came for a very short course and I went together to walk around. We took pictures and suddenly met other foreigners as well who did the same as us. We went to the small market and there was a lot to see; self-made chocolates, cupcakes, traditional clothes, and even souvenirs.
As time struck again, we went back to our place to take our rest.
The next day, Sunday, we all prepared early to leave for the festival, which I didn’t expect it to be a Carnaval, the Sawahlunto International Songket Silungkang Carnival (SiSSCA).
We stopped by a building first, because 8 of the foreign students were chosen to dress traditionally from their respective countries from England, Germany, Chile, Madagascar, South Korea, Vietnam, and Japan which had been combined with Silketang Songket. I must admit that they all looked stunning. Afterward, we went to another building to have lunch at first and continued to walk to the center where the event was held. There were countless of people wearing different amazing costumes, from small to oversize wardrobes. It felt as if I was in Brasil or in one of the Caribbean islands during a Carnaval.
My friends and I took lots of pictures together and made amazing memories this day which I can’t forget. Then the eight who were chosen walked the parade along with the other participants from other groups.
It was a long day, the sun was shining brightly above our heads and it felt as we were slowly getting cooked, but a nice cold drink or a nice freezing ice-cream would help, so why not? That is what I and some others did.
After this event was over, we went back to our homestay and in the evening we went to have dinner together. There was a small stage at the warung on which anyone could sing a song or dance. So some of the students went on stage and performed some songs and we all sang and danced along. It went wonderful, but sadly and disappointedly, we were told to go back to our homestay and take a rest. Most of us hoped and thought that we were going back to the center of Sawahlunto and to explore a bit of the area, but unfortunately, that didn’t happen.
So as we got back, I stayed outside of the mosque in front of the homestay I stayed at, with some of the foreigners while having a nice conversation.
The next day which was a Monday (morning), we all took a group photo together before leaving, in front of the same mosque. Afterward, we headed back to Padang.
If I have to describe this experience with one word, I would use “UNIQUE”, because it was truly a unique experience and now I’m longing to experience more what’s so “UNIQUE”.
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