“On Bangka, Qurban (the ritual sacrifice) is only a small part of a larger Lebaran tradition. Celebrating Idul Adha with my Indonesian host family meant that I helped weave palm leaf baskets for the ketupat (a traditional Indonesian package of rice), cook food for the entire neighborhood, buy traditional island snacks that filled jars for post-meal snacks, and host the stream of family, friends, and neighbors that  visited. Idul Adha is the first day of many during which residents of Bangka begin circulating through the houses of everyone they consider important parts of their life. Children receive token amounts of money from the hosts and everyone must eat some of the food offered. These visits continue until the snack jars are empty, a procession that often takes weeks. Indonesian hospitality dictates that a host must over-prepare with tables covered in Tupperware, glassware and every other container filled with specialty snacks.”

Anna DeVries | Pangkal Pinang, Bangka-Belitung