Like most expatriates far from home, parents in Indonesia make an extra effort during special holidays to recreate traditions from home for their children. Halloween is no exception and is widely celebrated amongst the expatriate community in Indonesia, particularly amongst North Americans.
Explaining Halloween
If you have troubles explaining Halloween to Indonesians, it may be helpful to think of Halloween in terms of something that is similar in Indonesia. A Halloween-like (in some ways) religious/cultural event in Indonesia is Nyepi, which is celebrated by Hindus in Bali. The night before Nyepi, the Hindu New Year, Balinese leave their homes and make a lot of noise all through the neighborhood and community, to scare away the evil spirits. The next day, Nyepi, Balinese must stay inside their homes, not doing any work, cooking or making any noise that would invite the spirits into their home. So, if an Indonesian friend asks you to explain Halloween, you may find it easier to point out the similarities with Nyepi than to describe how the pagan origins of Halloween turned into the candy-seeking, costume-wearing party that it is nowadays.
Jack-o’-Lantern
If you’re looking for bright orange pumpkins, they will be hard to find in Indonesia. A local Jack-o’-Lantern equivalent, labu parang, has a similar shape — though the color is tan. The meat and seeds are similar, so the carving experience is comparable.
You can purchase labu parang at larger pasar and neighborhood markets. Neighborhood vegetable salesmen rarely stock labu parang on their carts, but you may be able to place a special order a few days in advance. Other squash can also be found that are the same shape as a jack-o’-lantern, but the exterior would be green or green-orange. Even though these aren’t the traditional jack-o’-lantern colors, your children will have just as much fun carving them.
In recent years, imported orange pumpkins have started appearing at higher-end supermarkets such as Ranch Market and Grand Lucky in the weeks leading up to Halloween, though availability varies by year and they sell quickly. If you want the real thing, keep an eye out from early October.
Costumes
Most parents will find it easy to create Halloween costumes in Indonesia. Seamstresses (tukang jahit) and tailors are used to making clothing based on a picture given to them. Halloween costumes wouldn’t be any different — other than explaining what this strange outfit is going to be worn for! Clip a picture from a magazine, craft book, pattern book or website and take it to your seamstress, along with the material. In a few days or weeks, your kids will be outfitted and ready to party.
Ready-to-wear costumes are sold in the weeks prior to Halloween at selected stores and supermarkets, though sizes and selection are limited so buy immediately if you see something suitable. Indonesian e-commerce platforms including Tokopedia, Shopee and Lazada now carry a wide range of imported Halloween costumes and accessories, often with faster delivery than you might expect — worth checking from early October.
Trick or Treat
Informal neighborhood expat groups usually organize trick or treat activities in Jakarta. The most popular locations, where they occur most years, are in Permata Hijau, Pondok Indah and Executive Paradise, as well as in other housing estates where there is a high concentration of expatriate residents. You will need to find a friend in that neighborhood who knows about the trick or treat festivities so that you can find out which day and what time it will be held. It is not always celebrated on October 31st. Also, if you are not from that neighborhood, it’s customary to contribute your share of candy to a friend’s house on the route. The candy goes quickly!
The most reliable way to find out about trick-or-treat routes and community Halloween events today is through Jakarta’s expat Facebook groups. Groups such as Expats in Jakarta and similar community pages typically share maps, schedules and participating house lists in the week before Halloween. WhatsApp community groups tied to specific housing estates are also widely used for this purpose.
In the bigger sub-divisions, since not all houses participate, most trick-or-treaters travel from house to house by car. There may be a map which is distributed detailing the houses on the route, or you can drive around at random through the sub-division searching for orange and black balloons or jack-o’-lanterns at the front gates of participating houses. This is one day in the year where you will actually find people’s front gates open!
As you can imagine, the parade of children dressed in heretofore-unseen costumes quickly draws a small crowd of the Indonesian neighbors, drivers and household staff who watch and enjoy the parade of fun. It may be easier to find the small crowd watching the trick-or-treaters than the balloons or other decorations which signify the houses that are participating.
Fortunately for the kids, some participating parents really get into the spirit of the holiday and decorate their homes with lots of Halloween cheer, even creating mini-haunted houses for the kids to tour.
One of the most fondly remembered trick-or-treat events in Permata Hijau in the early days of this community involved children travelling from house to house by delman (horse-drawn carriage) — Halloween trick-or-treating with Indonesian wheels, and a memory that still makes expat veterans smile.
In areas where trick or treating is well established, you may find local teenagers joining in the fun — not always in costume. It’s worth deciding in advance how you’d like to handle this, as it can vary from genuinely fun neighbourhood participation to a mild logistical headache depending on numbers.
Safety
Over the years there have been occasional isolated incidents of opportunistic crime coinciding with Halloween celebrations in Jakarta expat neighbourhoods. In some cases, individuals have used the cover of trick-or-treating to attempt to gain access to homes. Be sure that your jaga, driver and other household staff are out in front of the house to help you keep watch — a visible presence is a fine deterrent. Another alternative is to have your household staff distribute candy from the gate, or manage a partially open gate so that only children in costume are allowed up to the front door.
Despite these occasional isolated incidents, you will find that the controlled, small-scale nature of the celebration in Jakarta is in many ways safer than a typical Halloween night back home. The amounts of candy the kids collect will be far less than in the average neighbourhood back home — so there will be smaller belly aches the next day too.
Community Parties
If you are a member of a recreation or community association like the American Club Jakarta, check with the Activities Director to see if they have any festivities planned for the kids. If you’re not a member, perhaps you can participate as a guest of a member.
Student and Parent Associations in the international schools often organise Halloween events as well. This remains one of the most reliable ways to find organised Halloween activities for children. Most of Jakarta’s international schools — including Jakarta Intercultural School, British School Jakarta, and Mentari International School among others — run Halloween events for students and families. Check your school’s events calendar from early October.
Public Venues
Each year a number of international hotels, bars and restaurants around Jakarta put on special promotional events for Halloween. Venues in the Kemang, SCBD and Senopati areas have traditionally been the most active, and many expat-friendly hotels run themed nights for both families and adults. The best approach is to check current listings through Jakarta expat event pages on Facebook and Instagram, or through sites such as Jakarta100bars and Whatsnew Jakarta, in the two weeks before Halloween.
Check your favourite restaurants’ social media pages or contact them directly to see if they have anything planned. Some clubs and lounges have parties for adults to celebrate the night and dress up in costumes as well. Not everyone will participate by wearing costumes though, and normally there will be more spectators than participants. Often it is worth the effort of making or wearing a costume as some of the best dressed prizes are quite attractive. Normally clubs will have the party on the Saturday night that is closest to October 31st, either before or after.
Halloween in Bali
While Jakarta remains the centre of the expat Halloween calendar, Bali has developed its own lively Halloween scene, particularly in the expat and tourist-heavy areas of Seminyak, Canggu and Legian. Bars and clubs in these areas typically run Halloween events across the last weekend of October, with costume competitions a fixture at many venues.
For families based in Bali, the international school community organises events in a similar way to Jakarta — your school’s parent network is the best starting point. Bear in mind that Bali’s Hindu cultural context means Halloween sits slightly differently here than it does in Jakarta, but the expat community celebrates openly and visitors during this period will find plenty going on.
Private Parties
Another great way to celebrate Halloween is to throw a party in your own home. Celebrating with expat friends makes sense, as the Indonesian community at large doesn’t celebrate. Children, teens and adults alike can all don their costumes and join in the fun. Party ideas and inspiration are easy to find online, and Indonesian e-commerce platforms make it straightforward to source decorations locally.
You may, however, encounter difficulties when inviting Indonesian friends to a Halloween party. There is a widespread view within parts of the Indonesian Christian community that Halloween celebrations conflict with their faith, given the holiday’s pagan origins. This is worth being sensitive to. Indonesians are also, as a cultural tendency, reluctant to decline an invitation directly — so do not be surprised if Indonesian guests confirm attendance but do not appear on the night.
So as mid-October rolls around, hunt down your labu parang, visit your seamstress and check out the many opportunities to join in the Halloween fun.
Frequently Asked Questions: Halloween in Indonesia
Do Indonesians celebrate Halloween?
Halloween is not a traditional Indonesian holiday and is not widely celebrated in the general Indonesian community. It is primarily observed by the expatriate community, particularly in Jakarta and Bali, and by some Indonesian young people in urban areas who enjoy the costume and party aspects of the celebration.
Where can expats celebrate Halloween in Jakarta?
The main trick-or-treating areas in Jakarta are in expatriate residential neighbourhoods such as Permata Hijau, Pondok Indah and Executive Paradise. Bars, restaurants and hotels in Kemang, SCBD and Senopati typically run Halloween events. Community events are also organised through international schools and clubs such as the American Club Jakarta.
Is Halloween celebrated in Bali?
Yes — Bali has a visible Halloween celebration, particularly in Seminyak, Canggu and Legian, driven by the large expat and tourist community in those areas. Bars and clubs run events across the last weekend of October.
Can I find Halloween pumpkins in Indonesia?
Bright orange pumpkins are not widely available, though higher-end supermarkets such as Ranch Market and Grand Lucky sometimes stock them in the lead-up to Halloween. A local alternative is labu parang, a tan-coloured squash with a similar shape that can be carved in the same way.
Where can I buy Halloween costumes in Indonesia?
Costumes can be custom-made by a local seamstress (tukang jahit) using a reference photo, purchased from selected supermarkets and stores in October, or ordered through Indonesian e-commerce platforms such as Tokopedia, Shopee and Lazada.
