Tong Tong Fair facts for kids
The Tong Tong Fair is the biggest festival in the world for Indo culture. Indo people are those with both European and Indonesian backgrounds. This exciting event happens every year in the Netherlands. Until 2009, it was known as Pasar Malam Besar.
The fair started way back in 1959, making it one of the oldest festivals in the Netherlands. It's also the fourth largest fair overall! In The Hague, it's the most popular event, bringing in over 100,000 visitors every year since 1993.
The old name, ‘'Pasar Malam Besar’', comes from the Indonesian and Malay language. It means ‘Great Night Market’. The new name, 'Tong Tong Fair', was chosen to show its connection to the 'Tong Tong Foundation' and its goal to share culture. It also helps people tell it apart from other smaller fairs called 'pasar malam'.
Every summer, the fair sets up on a special field called the ‘Malieveld’. This spot is super close to the main train station in The Hague. The festival covers a huge area of 22,000 square meters! Many volunteers, mostly from the Indo community, help visitors from all over the world. The fair has three popular food areas, a cooking stage, many stages for performances, and places for workshops. You can also find areas for talks, market stalls, and places to buy cool stuff.
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Discovering the History of the Tong Tong Fair
A group of strong-willed Indo people, part of the ‘Indies Cultural Circle’, wanted to keep their culture alive. This was even though the government wanted them to fit into Dutch society. They gathered around a famous Indo thinker named Tjalie Robinson. One of their big achievements was starting the Pasar Malam Besar in 1959.
The fair has been a huge success, attracting people of all ages. It offers a wide range of new and old cultural programs. It has done an amazing job of keeping the old cultural ties with Indonesia strong. In 2003, Queen Beatrix herself officially opened the 45th Pasar Malam Besar. She also opened the 50th fair in 2008, which was the last time it used the name Pasar Malam Besar.
After the Indonesian National Revolution, many Dutch citizens had to leave Indonesia. This caused a long period where the Netherlands and Indonesia didn't have strong political, economic, or cultural ties. This continued even into the 21st century. The Tong Tong Fair has always tried to bring these two nations closer. Since the 1970s, it has invited Indonesian artists to the event. For example, in 1985, the royal princesses of Solo, daughters of Pakubuwono XII, performed special Serimpi dances. This was the first time ever that members of the Solo royal family performed these dances outside their palace, the Kraton.
In 1985, the Tong Tong Fair also helped raise money to rebuild the Kraton of Solo after it was damaged by a fire. In 2006, the fair helped Indonesian victims of the 2004 Tsunami.
What to See and Do at the Fair
Music and Dance Performances
Two special types of Indo music are often featured at the fair. Kroncong (also called Krontjong or Keroncong) is a very old music style. It has roots in Portuguese Fado music and grew in Indo communities around Batavia (now Jakarta). You can still find classic Kroncong orchestras in both the Netherlands and Indonesia.
The other unique music style is called Indorock. This music combines exciting showmanship and amazing musical skill. It's based on American Rock and Roll and has been played by Indo bands since the early 1950s. Today, younger Indo artists, including DJs, hip-hoppers, and live bands, also bring their own style of Indo music to the stage at the Tong Tong Fair.
Delicious Food and Drinks
Indo cuisine is a mix of different food styles. It's thought to be one of the first "fusion" kitchens in the world! It takes many ideas from various Indonesian regions. The classic Rijsttafel (a Dutch word meaning 'Rice-table') is a great example. It's a European-Asian food idea that wasn't common in Indonesia before colonial times.
The food courts at the fair offer a huge variety of traditional Indonesian and Asian dishes. At the cooking theater, visitors can share recipes, discuss food, and even make and taste dishes. The market stalls sell fresh Asian fruits like durian or manggis. You can also find snacks like martabak or pisang goreng. All the amazing food is a big reason why so many people visit the fair!
Shopping and Cultural Experiences
A large part of the Tong Tong Fair is set aside for Indonesian businesses. They sell all sorts of items, including antiques, silver from Yogya or Bali, furniture, batiks, and wood carvings.
Besides these beautiful items, the fair also offers workshops and master classes in different arts. You can also attend talks about literature, architecture, and cultural research. It's also special because cultural groups from specific areas in Indonesia are invited to share their traditions.
Awards and Recognition
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The Tong Tong Fair, when it was still called the Pasar Malam Besar, won the Promotion Award of The Hague in December 2006. This award was for its success in tourism and economy. In June 2007, it won an even bigger award: the prestigious Grand Prix of the National Events Awards. This is like the ‘Oscars’ for Dutch events! The Grand Prix is only given to events that are so big and important they become a real phenomenon. In 2008, the Tong Tong Foundation received the highest award from the city of The Hague, called the Stadspenning.
Future Challenges for the Fair
Even though many people still visit the festival, it faces some challenges for the future. The biggest challenge is to have a clear plan for what it wants to achieve culturally. As the most important showcase of Indo culture, it needs to grow beyond just being a nostalgic event about the Dutch East Indies. It needs to become a lively place that helps Indo identity and culture continue to develop.
Other modern challenges include how it can use online platforms and social media in different languages. It also needs to find ways to professionally record all the unique cultural activities and performances it hosts.
