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Gorontalo Holds Apangi Festival to Celebrate Ashura Day
WINDONESIA July 31, 2024
Gorontalo Deputy Governor Hendra Hemeto partaking alongside other visitors in the Apangi Festival to enjoy the freely-provided apangi cakes in Tibawa District, Gorontalo Regency, Gorontalo. (Gorontalo Post).
The celebration for Ashura Day, which commemorates the 10th of Muharram in 1444 After Hegira (AH) in the Hijri calendar, and the Islamic New Year in Tibawa District, Gorontalo Regency, Gorontalo Province was enlivened with a thousand apangi or apem cakes along the road of Datahu Village in the district on July 16, 2024.
Hundreds of people crowded the location where rows of long tables were arranged like stands, and each of those stands provided apangi cakes with various colors and flavors that were distributed to residents for free.
Apangi Festival Organizing Committee member Santo T. said that the festival has become an annual tradition for the area and its people, with the village and district Family Welfare Movement (PKK) groups working together to make the event a success.
The festival which presents the characteristic Gorontalo cakes is very lively and attended by thousands of people who want to taste the cakes. It is held annually by the local community in collaboration with the Datahu Village government, youth organizations, and PPK group members.
The apangi cake itself is made from processed wheat flour that is served with palm sugar that has been melted beforehand. Although it looks ordinary, this cake is sought after when 10 Muharram arrives.
Apangi cakes have special meaning for the locals, with every house usually serving Apangi for two full weeks when Muharram comes.
"In fact, it used to be provided for a month for free during the month of Muharram," Santo revealed.
He added that the apangi cake has symbolic meaning, with the white-colored cake itself symbolizing purity while the red-colored part made from palm sugar symbolizing courage and sacrifice.
"That's a little bit of the philosophical meaning of the apangi cake that I know of. It is hoped that this tradition can be meaningful for Gorontalo residents to maintain pure-heartedness and saintliness in life and, of course, to also be brave in upholding the right thing," he said.
Source: gorontalopost.id