Santy Triprakoso Wartono, wife of Indonesian Ambassador to Mexico Cheppy Triprakoso Wartono, admires one of the Javanese puppets at the Indonesian Embassy Museum. Pulse News Mexico photo/Thérèse Margolis

By THÉRÈSE MARGOLIS

As part of an ongoing program to promote awareness and appreciation of Indonesia in Mexico, that country’s embassy here has launched a weekly Taste-of-Indonesia bazaar, with a sampling of traditional delicacies, handcraft sales and a tour on the embassy’ on-premises cultural museum.

The cultural outreach initiative, which includes a potluck cafeteria-style buffet  of indigenous Indonesian food prepared by members of the embassy staff and their spouses, was launched late last month by Santy Triprakoso Wartono, wife of Indonesian Ambassador to Mexico Cheppy Triprakoso Wartono.

Every Friday, from 1 pm. to 5 p.m., the embassy, located at Julio Verne 27 in Mexico City’s Colonia Polanco, the public is welcome to come by and sample, for a nominal fee, the rich and varied cuisine of this 17,000-island archipelago, the fourth-most-populous nation of Earth and the most populous predominantly Muslim country.

There are also a variety of batik garments and other Indonesian wares available at affordable prices.

The embassy museum houses a range of Indonesian art, including shadow puppets, gongs, sculptures and textiles.

With over 270 million people, Indonesia is one of Mexico’s largest commercial partners in the southeast Asian region, with a combined two-way trade of more than $1.7 billion per annum.

According to Santy Triprakoso Wartono, some of the proceeds from the sales of the food and handicrafts will go to support a local charity aimed at helping underprivileged children in Mexico.

On Friday, June 10, the festival will also include an auction of high-end batiks.