Bilingual Picture Book on Indonesian Agricultural Specialties: New Residents in Yunlin Lead a Culinary Journey to Southeast Asia

The Cultural and Tourism Department of Yunlin County Government released the bilingual picture book "Gifts from Tropical Lands: An Indonesian Agricultural Journey" today (1st). Created by five Indonesian new immigrants, the book uses vivid colors and delicate strokes to depict common Indonesian agricultural products rich in cultural significance, taking readers on a culinary journey through Southeast Asia. The launch event for the bilingual picture book was held today at the children's room on the first floor of the Yunlin County Cultural and Tourism Department, featuring passionate traditional Indonesian dance performances and Indonesian delicacies for tasting. The department stated that this picture book is the latest achievement of the "New Immigrant Parent-Child Reading and Picture Book Creation Club," which has entered its 11th year. Through images and text, it leads the public to understand the richness of Indonesian land and its diverse cultural connotations, starting from food culture. Deputy Director Chen Shih-hsun of the Cultural and Tourism Department said that the picture book was co-created by five Indonesian new immigrant sisters: Pan Pao-jung, Hsieh Meng-yin, Fang Hsiao-tsui, Chen Na-li, and Hsu Yu-li. They used vivid colors and delicate strokes to depict common yet culturally significant Indonesian agricultural products. Chen pointed out that the book not only introduces the giant meatball (commonly known as "pregnant meatball"), which symbolizes blessings and longevity, but also vividly presents the cultural differences and interesting stories behind cassava leaves, which are often misunderstood as "pig feed" in Taiwan but are a staple dish in Indonesia. These words and images are not just food records, but also reflect the spiritual landscape of the new immigrant sisters as they put down roots in Yunlin. Since 2014, the Cultural and Tourism Department has continued to cooperate with the Yunlin County Social Care Association to promote parent-child reading and picture book creation for new immigrants, accompanying them as they grow from readers to creators, transforming their nostalgia for their hometowns and life stories into moving picture book works.