By Lisa Green When Iin Purwanti presented an Indonesian night at Six Depot in West Stockbridge, Mass. a few years ago, the response from the community was so positive that she vowed she would do more to introduce the art and talent of her native country. The result is the first annual (she hopes) Indonesian Country Fair on Saturday, Sept. 26 in downtown West Stockbridge. “A country fair is so American," Purwanti says. But instead of foot-long hotdogs, there will be six kinds of satay (one kind from each of Indonesia’s six major islands), prepared by Priscilya Princessa, winner of MasterChef Indonesia. Taking the place of a B-level country/western act, the Saung Budaya Dance Group from New York City will entertain with traditional dances. A Balinese gamelan group will perform with its traditional set of magical, percussive instruments, representing an integral part of Indonesian culture. At heart, the Indonesian Country Fair is a food fair, Purwanti says, because food and Indonesians go together, and food provides a delicious way into the archipelago’s cultural richness. But accompanying the food-related activities (including a cracker speed-eating contest, a traditional game played on Indonesian independence day) there will be a batik making demonstration, arts and crafts vendors, and the opportunity to meet representatives from several organizations who work with Indonesian youth.
Purwanti [in photo, right] and her husband, George Cox, are filmmakers who run Outpost, a video production studio headquartered just above Six Depot. With her concentration on filming nonprofit and grassroots organizations, it’s not surprising that Purwanti is eager to foster an exchange between her original home and her adopted one. “Hosting this event is like merging two big families together — my Indonesian and American family — pretty much like my own marriage with my beloved husband and creative partner, George," she says. “Lots of introductions and dialogue need to be made and nothing is better than with food and arts. “ Upon arrival at the fair, guests will be given a map of the grounds, a “passport" with six empty circles — one for each of the showcased islands. Visitors who meet up with the island tour guides will get their passports stamped. There’s a prize for those who collect all six stamps. “I’m excited about the whole concept of giving people a little vacation to Indonesia," Purwanti says. Indonesian Country FairSaturday, Sept. 26, noon-6 p.m. 6 Harris Street, West Stockbridge, MA
