Kebaya Nusantara Walks Anggun In Toronto Canada

Kebaya demonstration at the Indonesian Consulate General in Toronto. (Source: Indonesian Consulate General in Toronto)

The Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia (KJRI) in Toronto in collaboration with the Women's Dharma of the Indonesian Consulate General in Toronto held a fashion wastra promotion entitled "The Elegency of Kebaya: Heritage in Style" at the Indonesian Consulate General in Toronto, Canada at the Indonesian Consulate General's Office, Toronto.

The promotion of the wastra kebaya which was held on February 18, is an effort by the Indonesian Consulate General in Toronto to participate in celebrating and promoting Kebaya which is included in the UNESCO Humanitarian Intangible Cultural Heritage representative list on December 4, 2024.

Indonesia's kebaya nominations were proposed along with 4 other ASEAN countries, namely Brunei Darussalam, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.

"The kebaya is not just a dress, but a reflection of a cultural heritage that is rich in history," said the Indonesian Consul General at Toronto Dyah Lestari Asmarani, launching a statement from the Indonesian Consulate General in Toronto on February 25.

Furthermore, he said, kebaya is not only a symbol of misery, but also the resilience of Indonesian women.

About 80 invited guests were present consisting of Consul Generals of friendly countries, members of the Consular Corps Association in Toronto (CCAT), members of the Consular Spouse Association in Toronto (CSAT), Honorary Consuls, business players, Canadian government officials, as well as the people of Indonesia and Canada in general.

This kebaya wastra show presents 2 (two) leading Indonesian fashion designers, namely Otomina Louise and Hengki Kawilarang, which were divided into 3 performance sessions, namely the first session presenting a national kebaya collection with the Agni brand, the second session presenting a collection of Kebaya Noni from Minahasa, North Sulawesi, and the third session presenting the Hengki Kawilarang design kebaya.

A total of 32 kebaya collections were displayed gracefully by the representatives consisting of Indonesian diaspora, female students and friends who love and support Indonesian culture.

Corlia Louise and Hengki Kawilarang said this event was aimed not only at promoting Indonesian cultural kebaya and heritage, but also to strengthen cross-cultural relations, and highlight Indonesia's dedication to preserving its traditional wastra.

In addition to the three kebaya performance sessions, "The Elegance of Kebaya: Heritage in Style" also features an interactive session with invited guests, namely a tutorial on wearing batik cloth which is a mix and match for kebaya with a guest model Spouse from the Honorary Consul of Slovakia.

The activity, which was also enlivened by the Legong Lasem dance performance, was closed by enjoying the typical Indonesian culinary delights.