Written by: Rachel Emmanuella Marlinang & Aghna Agifta Taslim
Edited by: Rumaisha Ghina
Tenku Festival, the annual autumn festival of APU since 2003, made its way back to a face-to-face event after being held online for years due to the Coronavirus. Bringing back the real atmosphere of how a festival really is, the event held on Saturday, October 29 and Sunday, October 30, 2022, was without a doubt the highlight of most APU students’ weekend.
Starting with the opening ceremony, the day became a non-stop flow of amazing performances presented by many clubs at APU. From 11 a.m. until almost 4 p.m., people took turns gathering in front of the stage to watch and capture the performers. The crowd was filled with the exuberant cheers from friends and families. Captivated by these performances, many guests were in awe of viewing these performances for the first-time since the pandemic restrictions. Not only that, the campus was filled with a variety of food booths, which APU students have anticipated from days prior to the event. Though not all can be mentioned, from sweet potato balls to Tom Yum soup, the festival had cuisines of APU’s diverse community. Asking Rohini, a 2nd year, 3rd semester student from India, about her day at the festival, she said "the event itself is so well-made and organized; we know where to go as there are maps and clear signs." But sharing the thing she was most excited about, "The food!" she exclaimed, though she then stated the little disappointment of how the food ran out so fast she could not taste all that she wanted. However, she was also waiting for the performances, noting Wadaiko "Raku'' as one of them. Generally, she said, "It is my first Tenku Festival, so I did not know what to expect, but it has been fun so far!
Sharing an even more compelling story, Firza, a 4th year, 1st semester student from Indonesia, told us about the first Tenku Festival he attended before the pandemic in 2019. "Though," he said, remembering the previous festival, "both are almost similar; there was a lot more going on back then, both the booths and the people who came." Telling us further about how he really felt regarding this year’s festival, he noted that the food could be improved. "Most of them are quite pricey, but I expected that and the portion already." and "For a festival, well, it is understandable, but I just wish they had more (options) and better." Besides that, despite not having the chance to watch lots of performances, he admitted that the festival was overall enjoyable and not bad after being on hiatus for so long.
Moving on from the students’ point of view, we got a closer look from Anna, a 4th year CSM student who got chosen to be one of the MCs for the event after applying for the recruitment she found on "campus terminal." As an MC, she shared that she has been preparing for the event a month before the date, but above that, she believes the Tenku Festival committee has started preparations long before that. Recalling all the preparation that she did, Anna uttered her sadness at how time flies so fast that the event almost comes to an end. But she claimed that it is "so exciting to see so many people gather on campus and make the campus feel more alive." In terms of expectations, the atmosphere of the festival itself matches what she imagined, but she clearly did not expect this many people, especially local people other than APU students. As nerve-wracking as it might have been, she emphasized how much fun it has been participating as an MC at the event. Through the festival, she wanted more people to see how collaborative APU is, not just as the event committee but also as the performers and the effort they put into this 2-day festival.
students write short words of encouragement and share their feelings as students in APU. After finishing their activities, students were given a mini zine about self-care.
But the fun didn’t stop there. Located at the ground floor of building F, students can roam around the flea market area. As a club that previously participated in Tenkusai festival by opening flea market stands and class booths, APU ECOs is persistent to inform each visitor about the importance of sustainable living. The circle held a collaboration with a tea farm in Kumamoto and a zero waste shop for its flea market stand, where students can buy organic products easily. For their booth, APU ECOs planned activities focusing on the importance of recycling; through drawing on bags and making bracelets with beads made of magazines.
In the span of two days, Tenkusai was able to capture the enthusiasm of a seasonal festival. Through amazing performances, engaging circle activities, and delicious food, the event has changed APU’s campus scene into a recreational place for students and outside guests to relax and refresh their spirit. Certainly, students are looking forward to seeing what APU has in store for them at the next Tenku Festival. That being said, if you missed this year's festival, make sure to be there next year!
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