Molimbu

Molimbu is the name of a Sulawesi feast. In Feb of 2025, Moving Rasa and Modero partnered to raise funds and activate the community. Modero is a cultural organization in South Philadelphia that offers free classes in traditional Indonesian dance for all. We were excited to make this partnership happen as part of the Indonesian community in South Philadelphia getting to know us. 

At our Molimbu gathering, 25 people came together to explore connection to land, ancestors, and culture through movement and food. I shared my experience as part of the Indonesian diaspora, inviting participants to meet themselves and one another through touch—starting with the warmth of sarraba- Ginger tea- on our own bodies, and expanding into shared gestures of presence and connection. We explored rice and movement as metaphors for ancestral relationships, asking: What if our ancestors move with us, follow us, and shape the space around us?

Participants then swam like fish in ancestral waters, navigated space together, and played with ideas of boundaries and togetherness through exploration of place, storytelling, and partner work. A highlight was the group massage line inspired by the processing of sago—chopping, pouring, massaging, and noticing the rasa that arises—leading seamlessly into a communal meal. Modero’s team prepared beautifully, creating a long table where people mixed, mingled, and made new friends over a vibrant spread of delicious Sulawesi, Indonesian dishes. It was joyful, grounding, and full of warmth.