The 23rd edition of the Southeast Asia Food Carnival kicked off yesterday evening at Rotunda de Carlos da Maia (colloquially known as “Three Lamps” roundabout) and is on until Sunday, offering visitors a range of Southeast Asian cuisines and cultural performances.
The four-day event is organised by the Association of Returned Overseas Chinese Macau, in conjunction with the San Kio Residents’ Mutual Help Association, Macau Myanmar Overseas Chinese Association and Tai O District Residents’ Mutual Help Association, as well as the Association of Cambodia Overseas Chinese of Macau.
Addressing the launch ceremony, Lio Lai Keng, a representative of the Association of Returned Overseas Chinese Macau, said that the association hoped to promote the cultural diversity and heritage of Southeast Asia, which both have long been rooted in Macau’s society, among local residents and tourists alike. Lio added that she hoped the carnival would contribute to Macau’s community-based economies driven by local food vendors, underlining their importance to sustainable tourism development.
The formal opening ceremony is slated to be held tomorrow at 8 p.m., which will be attended by various government officials and consuls of Southeast Asian countries accredited in Macau, according to Lio.
Day one of the event presented 16 stage performances featuring the playing of traditional Southeast Asian instruments, singing and dancing as well as authentic costumes of the region such as “Phi Ta Khon” (meaning “ghosts wearing masks” in Thai). A photography exhibition is also set up in the roundabout from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily throughout the duration of the event, showcasing the scenic spots of Southeast Asian countries such as Angkor Wat of Cambodia, Rice Terraces of the Philippines Cordilleras, and Omar-Ali-Saifuddien Mosque of Brunei.
Starting from the event’s third day tomorrow, a “Gourmet Street” comprising 15 Southeast Asian food stalls will be set up on Rua da Restauração adjacent to the roundabout.
According to information provided by the organisers’ members during the launch ceremony, stalls representing Indonesia, the Philippines, Myanmar and Thailand will offer an array of famous delicacies in their respective countries. Some of them include traditional Burmese delicacies such as “Mohinga” (rice noodles and fish soup) and “Ohn No Khao Swe” (wheat noodles in a curried chicken and coconut milk), as well as Indonesian dishes such as nasi padang, turmeric rice, layer cake and satay chicken, the organisers’ said.
The neighbourhood surrounding the Three Lamps roundabout is home to a vast number of ethnic Southeast Asian residents, as well as “returned overseas Chinese” from Southeast Asia, resulting from the mass migration provoked by the political unrest of the region in the 1950s and 1960s. This has led to the cluster of Southeast Asian restaurants, grocery shops and cultural associations in the area.
Residents watch a stage performance by dancers dressed in traditional garb during yesterday’s first day of the four-day Southeast Asia Food Carnival. – Photo: Gabriel Tam
