Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Main events: October, 2008

After a full month of fasting, moslems around the world (including those who live in Indonesia) will celebrate Idul Fitri. We will celebrate our triumph on October 1 & 2, 2008. In Indonesia there is a special tradition to celebrate that day. Every moslem will try their best to go home, to celebrate Idul Fitri with family. People who work in Jakarta will go home to their hometown. I'm working in Jakarta (and live in Tangerang, about 15km to the east) and will go to Bandung on October 2, 2008. I will celebrate Idul Fitri with my father, my mother and my whole family who still live in Bandung. It's a reunion, a special occasion to appologize to every one we know.

Anyway, this Idul Fitri celebration will not disturb other events regarding Visit Indonesia Year program. There are still many events will be held in Jakarta and other islands, specially in Bali. yes, Bali...!

My friend Gildo from Catalunya, will come to Jakarta next October. Well, there are two events in Jakarta in October: 1. Asian Sailing Championship and 2. Trade Expo Indonesia 2008. Which one do you prefer to attend, my friend...? Or maybe if you have more time, you can visit Yogyakarta for Grebeg Syawal Ceremony & Borobudur International Festival and also visit Pangandaran Beach for Paper Kite Festival. What about Bali...? Ya, why not.

1. Borobudur International Festival (BIF); Semarang, Central Java. Will be held in Borobudur Temple and highlighted with art & cultural performances.

2. World Cultural Forum Exhibition; Bali.

3. Sangiran Pre Historic Javanese Exhibition; Sangiran, Central Java.

4. Gebyar Wisata Banten; Banten.

5. Paper Kite Festival; Pangandaran, West Java.

6. Sail Indonesia; Jepara, Central Java. The Karimunjava is a group of islands consist of 27 islands located in the Java Sea, +60 km away from Jepara, Central Java. Karimunjava is worth sailing, idela for hunting because it has plenty of forrest which are in habited by deers, birds and other kinds of wild life in great numbers.

7. Asian Sailing Championship; Jakarta; October 7-13, 2008. The championship will have three categories of men, women and open, and be participated by more than 800 competitors, officials and supporters.

8. Kora-Kora Race; Banda Neira, Central Maluku; October 11-12, 2008.

9. Grebeg Syawal Ceremony; Yogyakarta; October 13-14, 2008. A thanksgiving ceremony observed by moslems in the area after fasting a whole month during Ramadhan. At 8.00am the ceremony begins with a parade of the Keraton guards in their colourful uniforms.

10. Dragon Boat Races Tanjung Pinang; Riau; October 17, 2008.

11. Asian Beach Games 2008; Bali; October 18-26, 2008. Indonesia will host the FIRST Asian Beach Games, where Bali will become the venue of this international event, which will see 45 countries participating with over 10,000 athletes, officials, media and volunteers all flocking to the island of the Gods for this world class event.

12. Trade Expo Indonesia 2008; Jakarta; October 21-25, 2008.

13. Festival Mengkikit; Palangkaraya, Kab. Ketingan, Central Kalimantan; October-November, 2008.

Source: www.my-indonesia.info

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Monday, September 15, 2008

They're ours...!

Based on the personal experience of Desak Suarti, a silver craftman from Bali.

Once Suarti sell her silvers to one of the customer outside Indonesia. Dunno exactly the reason, but then this person tried to claim to the world that the silver design was his/hers. Well, if you're an Indonesia, remember the Sipadan-Ligitan Gate...? Batik Gate...? And probably hundred of another culture gates between Indonesia and other countries.

People from Bali try to ask the Government to pay attention to these kind of culture problems. In a similar way, one website was built to support this effort:

http://budaya-indonesia.org/

"Situs www.budaya-indonesia.org diperuntukkan bagi dan menjadi milik seluruh masyarakat Indonesia sebagai media untuk menggali, mengapresiasi, dan menjaga ketahanan kebudayaan tradisional Indonesia secara tidak tradisional (preserving traditional culture untraditionally). Diawali dengan berdirinya Perkumpulan Inisiatif Budaya Kepulauan Indonesia atau dalam bahasa Inggris disebut " Indonesian Archipelago Culture Initiatives" disingkat IACI, dan disusul oleh deklarasi yang akhirnya membentuk Forum Kebudayaan Indonesia."
"Kepada rekan-rekan sebangsa dan setanah air yang memiliki kepedulian (baik bantuan ide, tenaga maupun donasi) harap menghubungi IACI di email: office@budaya-indonesia.org."

"Jadi, jika temen-temen memiliki koleksi gambar, lagu atau video tentang budaya Indonesia, mohon upload ke situs Perpustakaan Digital Budaya Indonesia, dengan alamat http://budaya-indonesia.org."

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