Experts seek the UNESCO’s recognition for Bawomataluo

 Culture, EcoDestination  No Responses »
Jan 152013
 

A man demonstrates his stone jump in Bawomataluo, South Nias. (illustration)

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA – Experts from Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) and Japan are introducing Bawomataluo Village in South Nias to the world. The village is expected to be recognized by the UNESCO as a world heritage as the village is famous for jumping stone tradition.

The observer of Nias Cultural Conservation, Etis Nehe, said such recognition would protect cultural value in Bawomataluo, while more people would be invited to conserve the culture. Continue reading »

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In preparation for ‘ngaben’

 Culture  No Responses »
Jan 202012
 

Intricate: A sarcophagus is delicately chiseled.

Preparations for community ngaben or cremations are intense.

Every day, men, women and children head to the community bale banjar to create the specified offerings — to build the great bamboo platforms that will carry the sarcophagi or make endless baskets to carry the flowers, fruits and rice of offerings.

Gusti Mangku Batur of Tengkulak Kaja says the women of the village make thousands of offerings during the 17 days leading up to a cremation.

“We come together from morning until night every day,” says Mangku of the thousands of man hours spent creating the offerings that, like the sarcophagi, will be burnt during the ngaben. Continue reading »

Hunting for blessings

 Culture, EcoDestination  No Responses »
Jan 202012
 

Sacred animals: A herd of albino buffalos, Kyai Slamet, from the Kasunanan Surakarta Palace parades on the eve of 1 Sura in Surakarta, Central Java, on Nov. 26. JP/Ganug Nugroho Adi

For the people of Surakarta and its surrounding Central Java towns like Karanganyar, Sragen, Boyolali, Klaten, Sukoharjo and Wonogiri, the appearance of albino buffalos called Kyai Slamet is synonymous with the ritual to mark the eve of 1 Sura, the new year in the Javanese calendar.

The herd of white buffalos, considered sacred by some in the local community, emerged from the palace of Kasunanan Surakarta on Nov. 26, the eve of 1 Sura, to spearhead a procession of palace heirlooms.

Thousands of people had crowded around the Surakarta court and lined the routes where the eagerly awaited traditional parade would pass by at midnight. Continue reading »

Indigineous Ecotourism in Gunung Halimun National Park

 Culture, EcoDestination, Ecotourism  No Responses »
Dec 292011
 

Gunung Halimun National Park, The Mountains of the Mist, a largest remaining rain forest in Java.

Gunung Halimun National Park, Sundanese for “The Mountains of the Mist”, is the largest remaining primary lowland forest in Java. Each year visitors come to Gunung Halimun to explore mountainous terrain, canyons, rivers and waterfalls, natural hot springs, tropical forests and tea plantations at the center of the Park.

Established in 1992, the Park is a nirvana for the native wildlife of West Java with an abundance of untouched wildlife and stunning scenery. Comprising an area of approximately 40,000 hectares, the Park is home to more than 200 species of endemic, rare and common birds such as the endangered Javan Hawk Eagle, as well as several species of primates, including the endangered Javan Gibbon, Javan Leaf-monkey and Black Leaf-monkey. Continue reading »

WBS Participants Visit Museum of Textile

 Culture  No Responses »
Oct 062011
 

There are many of activities to welcoming the Batik Day on the Second of October, such as the World Batik Summit 2011 (WBS) held by Indonesian Batik Foundation.

Well, one of agenda in this world event was visiting the Museum of Textile. In this place, participants were introduced to various kind of Indonesian batik, particularly those made in Solo and Yogyakarta. Their arrival was in conjunction to Batik Exhibition called Sustainable Tradition, The World Heritage. Continue reading »

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