No body can exactly tell the meaning of those words. Halal itself means something that religiously can be eaten or utilized, such as eating meats from animals slaughtered with Islamic way or sleeping with a woman that you have married. Halal bi halal in Indonesia means an event that we gather with people from our social networking to ask for forgiveness in relation to celebrating Lebaran day that just has past. You could see, there is no relation at all of the real meaning of Halal word with Halal bi halal activities. In an other word, we are creating our own wording for our own meaning.
Shakespeare said “what is a name?”, so whatever the meaning of Halal bi halal is, most of Indonesians love this words as we are having this kind of gathering event each year after Lebaran day. That is the time when we can meet, hug, shake hands and eat together with our friends or long unseen old friends, colleagues or ex-colleagues, business partners, bosses stored inside glassy boxes, securities and everyone that has connection with our life. The wider social networking you have, the higher status you have in your society or office or political parties, the more Halal bi halal invitations to be attended, and the more fat accumulation you have in your stomach since big feasts is a must. To date, I have attended 4 Halal bi halal events, the one with my colleagues, with other foresters, with high school friends and with my nature lover group. And there will be more to come.
Halal bi halal also functions as a reunion. It is the best reason to arrange a reunion where we can meet all of the old friends. Seeing how they change a lot. Asking how life is. In Halal bi halal with the members of my university’s nature lover group last Sunday (see the picture - these are people I have not met for about 20 years), a friend of mine was amazed seeing how I totally changed. For him, when we were in university, I was such a small, tiny, dark, ugly and smelly girl – I rarely took shower when we had a trip, walked across the jungle or climbed up a mountain. I was 18 years old that time. You could see, most girls will reach the peak of their beauties when they are teenagers. But for me, life begins at 40’s. Wait until I have a boy friend. I promise I will totally change my appearance, what ever the result is.
In the Halal bi halal with foresters from my university, I met an old guy who used to be my partner when we had meeting with other governmental institutions discussing about mining versus protection forests several years ago. As normal with a big smile I asked, “so how is life and where is your position now?”. He said” well, I’m the one who signed for your permit to extend your studying period”. What ? How come? A friend of mine whispered from behind “Retno, he is the director of HRD bureau in our ministry”. Ups. Oh no. It was so embarrassing. After these years away from my office for studying, I’m not up dating information from my office. I felt so stupid. Perhaps, for the whole Ministry of Forestry of Indonesia, I’m the only one who does not know about his central position, as he is the one who decide whether we are appropriate enough to be promoted or not or decide which town in Indonesia for our official placement. Well, I hope after that day he will not consider to officially placing me in a remote area somewhere in East Indonesia. Oh dear.
However, it was not my first time of behaving stupidly. When I enjoyed painting exhibition in Erasmus Huis several years ago, an old guy approached and asked my opinion about the paintings. Frankly, I have a zero understanding how to give artistic value of a painting. But since he needed my opinion, I just said what ever in my mind. I said ”Well, I think the painter does not know how to draw perspective in his painting. All objects have similar size. The painter must be childish too, as his paintings look similar with the ones produced by children”. Suddenly that old guy gave me a lecture about painting value. Who is this guy? I was stunned when I saw from the booklet, that he was the painter who had the exhibition. Oh no. What have I done? To make up with him, I told him that his paintings had color that was different to any paintings that I have ever seen. And soon I vanished.
Back to Halal bi halal. The atmosphere of celebrating Lebaran day will last for a couple months ahead, sometime more. Every day during these months you will see people shake hands and said “How are you? Happy Lebaran day and I’m sorry for everything”, though they have not met for a decade. When formal Halal bi halal event provide food from expensive catering, the one with friends use potluck system where everyone can show off their specialties in cooking certain kind of food. But for me, thank you for the existence of coca cola company.
These couple months are the time for Indonesian people having parties every where. Eating here, eating there. Smiling to everyone. Shake hands at any time. Saying sorry for no reason to any one. I wish this happy atmosphere will remain in people’s hearts throughout the years to come.
Shakespeare said “what is a name?”, so whatever the meaning of Halal bi halal is, most of Indonesians love this words as we are having this kind of gathering event each year after Lebaran day. That is the time when we can meet, hug, shake hands and eat together with our friends or long unseen old friends, colleagues or ex-colleagues, business partners, bosses stored inside glassy boxes, securities and everyone that has connection with our life. The wider social networking you have, the higher status you have in your society or office or political parties, the more Halal bi halal invitations to be attended, and the more fat accumulation you have in your stomach since big feasts is a must. To date, I have attended 4 Halal bi halal events, the one with my colleagues, with other foresters, with high school friends and with my nature lover group. And there will be more to come.
Halal bi halal also functions as a reunion. It is the best reason to arrange a reunion where we can meet all of the old friends. Seeing how they change a lot. Asking how life is. In Halal bi halal with the members of my university’s nature lover group last Sunday (see the picture - these are people I have not met for about 20 years), a friend of mine was amazed seeing how I totally changed. For him, when we were in university, I was such a small, tiny, dark, ugly and smelly girl – I rarely took shower when we had a trip, walked across the jungle or climbed up a mountain. I was 18 years old that time. You could see, most girls will reach the peak of their beauties when they are teenagers. But for me, life begins at 40’s. Wait until I have a boy friend. I promise I will totally change my appearance, what ever the result is.
In the Halal bi halal with foresters from my university, I met an old guy who used to be my partner when we had meeting with other governmental institutions discussing about mining versus protection forests several years ago. As normal with a big smile I asked, “so how is life and where is your position now?”. He said” well, I’m the one who signed for your permit to extend your studying period”. What ? How come? A friend of mine whispered from behind “Retno, he is the director of HRD bureau in our ministry”. Ups. Oh no. It was so embarrassing. After these years away from my office for studying, I’m not up dating information from my office. I felt so stupid. Perhaps, for the whole Ministry of Forestry of Indonesia, I’m the only one who does not know about his central position, as he is the one who decide whether we are appropriate enough to be promoted or not or decide which town in Indonesia for our official placement. Well, I hope after that day he will not consider to officially placing me in a remote area somewhere in East Indonesia. Oh dear.
However, it was not my first time of behaving stupidly. When I enjoyed painting exhibition in Erasmus Huis several years ago, an old guy approached and asked my opinion about the paintings. Frankly, I have a zero understanding how to give artistic value of a painting. But since he needed my opinion, I just said what ever in my mind. I said ”Well, I think the painter does not know how to draw perspective in his painting. All objects have similar size. The painter must be childish too, as his paintings look similar with the ones produced by children”. Suddenly that old guy gave me a lecture about painting value. Who is this guy? I was stunned when I saw from the booklet, that he was the painter who had the exhibition. Oh no. What have I done? To make up with him, I told him that his paintings had color that was different to any paintings that I have ever seen. And soon I vanished.
Back to Halal bi halal. The atmosphere of celebrating Lebaran day will last for a couple months ahead, sometime more. Every day during these months you will see people shake hands and said “How are you? Happy Lebaran day and I’m sorry for everything”, though they have not met for a decade. When formal Halal bi halal event provide food from expensive catering, the one with friends use potluck system where everyone can show off their specialties in cooking certain kind of food. But for me, thank you for the existence of coca cola company.
These couple months are the time for Indonesian people having parties every where. Eating here, eating there. Smiling to everyone. Shake hands at any time. Saying sorry for no reason to any one. I wish this happy atmosphere will remain in people’s hearts throughout the years to come.
