Indonesian rijsttafel added to the list of intangible Dutch heritage

Indonesian cuisine and the rijsttafel tradition have been added to the Intangible Heritage of the Netherlands. The Indonesian food is the 200th addition to the inventory, the foundation responsible for it announced on Tuesday.

An Indonesian rijsttafel is when several Indonesian dishes - like rendang, ikan pedis, tahu kecap, sambal goreng telor, sambal goreng beans, or rojak - are combined with rice or noodles and served together, often on special occasions. The preparation and consumption of the rijsttafel usually happen with friends and family.

“This intangible heritage is part of the socio-cultural community that has its roots in the former Dutch East Indies,” the foundation said. “Over the years, the older generation passed on the knowledge of the Indonesian rijsttafel, including the skills and preparation thereof, to the younger generations.”

The Inventory of Intangible Heritage of the Netherlands now consists of over 200 crafts, festivities, and social practices. Other newcomers this year include the massive carnival parade in Zwaag, Bidweg of the Sterre der Zee - a fixed route through the center of Maastricht that believers walk while praying the Rosary - and paper-making in Doesburg and Rotterdam.

Slurping papeda - a traditional Malukan dish that you slurp right from the plate - and living on the water are now also part of the Netherlands’ Intangible Heritage.