this is how I see the world, you may like it or not :)

Talking about culture and every detail it embedded will be a very exciting topic to discuss. I believe everybody has different perspective toward culture. I will say it is anything that attached in society to identify their identities, it can be in the form of language, beliefs, set of behavior, and set of distinguished objects. Manifestation of culture is portrayed through the foodstuff, one of which is traditional food. Traditional food is a unique food that some places may not have and it is made from a rather distinguished ingredients.
Tumpeng is one of traditional foods in Indonesia. it employs various meaning, symbols, and represent the beliefs of people in Indonesia, especially Javanese tribe. Tumpeng consists of yellow or white rice and side dishes. The unique shape of Tumpeng, which is cone and it looks like mountain, represent the strong characteristics of Indonesian of a religious nation. The color of the rice shows the hope of people; yellow for prosperous life and white for holiness. The side dishes like eggs, chicken, cat fish, Teri fish, and vegetables hold very crucial meanings and symbolize culture of Indonesian people: egg for planned-precise-thorough people, chicken for peacefulness and self-control ego, cat fish for firmness, Teri fish for togetherness, and vegetables for human characteristics like caring, helping, and encouraging, etc. Tumpeng is served in special occasion like wedding, celebration of important event, and kenduri (reading prayer together). Tumpeng is meant to show gratitude of people to God, and it show the togetherness and harmony of Indonesian people. The creation of Tumpeng indeed needs a very creative imagination and long process of cooking.
Looking at how people put meaning into the way serving food indicates how culture shapes people’s mind and vice versa. This has embedded over centuries and becomes the identity of Indonesian. The development of technology doesn’t really affect the practice of serving Tumpeng because the practice has been cultured and devolved for centuries. By looking and understanding meaning of food being served in special occasion, we can understand the culture as well as the beliefs attached. Like in Tumpeng, we can see that Indonesian is religious, harmony-and-togetherness-oriented, and cultured.