Indonesian domestic workers in Hong Kong have their shining moment last Sunday

(Photo by Benita Zhang)

Every Sunday, clusters of domestic workers from Indonesia, Philippines, Myanmar and some other Southeast Asia countries bringing their blankets and cardboards crowd the city’s parks, streets, underpasses and footbridges. They share snacks and chat with each other, which is the normal scene of migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong. However, last Sunday, they are different.

An Indonesian domestic worker helps another one to make up by applying the gray eye pencil to the outside half of her upper eyelash line. They’re preparing for the coming show. (Photo by Benita Zhang)

Their once-a-year event “Southeast Asian Cultural Diversity in Harmony” took place last Sunday from 1pm to 6pm in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong. Hundreds of Indonesian domestic workers took part in the event, dancing, modeling, fashioning and competing.

A dancer helps her teammate to dress up. The paper in her month is the business card of Royal Brunel Airlines which celebrates its 40th anniversary by sponsoring the event. (Photo by Benita Zhang)

“Through this, they want to show something special in their tradition and culture,” says Joselito Natividad, who is the program coordinator of Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants, a NGO organization that offers professional legal help for Asia Pacific migrants who are in trouble.

An Indonesian domestic worker draws the eyeliner for one model, who wears Indonesian traditional dress. Normally, people from Indonesia only wear traditional dress on special occasions. (Photo by Benita Zhang)

“It is also a way for them to have social lives, as it is a regulation in Hong Kong that migrant domestic workers have to live with their employers for 24 hours and can only have one day off every week,” Joselito added.