Sumba�s Tenun Ikat Traditional Handwoven Fabric Festival 2017/jean

Following the success of the fascinating that has taken place from 3rd to 12th July 2017, the exotic island of Sumba in East Nusa Tengara Province will once again be highlighted with exciting festivity. This time, the spotlight will turn to one of the island's most treasured distinct masterpieces, the Tenun Ikat traditional handwoven fabrics, as the Sumba's Tenun Ikat Festival is set to be staged on 12th to 15th July 2017 centered at the Town of Tambolaka, Southwest Sumba Regency.

This festival is expected to be attended by President Joko Widodo himself.
Celebrating the people of Sumba's outstanding artistic quality, the festival will present all that has made the art of Tenun Ikat so special. These include the outstanding motifs and designs, exceptional colors that use only natural substances for dyes such as leaves and roots, as well as the philosophy and history behind this unique traditional fabric. The use of natural dyes uniquely cause colors to withstand time instead of fading, a quality that is truly intriguing. 

The word "ikat" itself means to tie or to bind. Each region in Sumba has its own variety of ikat motifs and patterns; in Wanokaka, Lamboya as well as at Tana Righu there are the kain (cloth) panggiling, pahikung and pawora while in the Loli region there is a cloth called kain lambaleko.  Until today, although most have converted to Christianity or Islam, the people of Sumba, nonetheless, still follow megalithic traditions as taught by their ancestors. 

Ikat weaving throughout Sumba has social, religious and traditional significance. The different types of ikat cloths are related to the patterns in the making and coloring techniques. Traditionally only members of the highest clans and their personal attendants wore this for special ceremonies only. At funerals of kings and important personalities, the body used to be dressed in the finest textiles to be well appearing in the afterlife, and piles of extra textiles were then often sent with the dead as well.  

It were the Dutch who began to export ikat to Europe and Java, where these expensive materials quickly became very popular. To this day, Sumba's cloths are collected as examples of the highest quality textile design and are found in the major museums of the world as well as in the homes of collectors.
"This is indeed a potential that must not be overlooked. Sumba's handwoven fabric has distinct motifs. Its design variants are mostly symmetrical representing balance and harmony in human life. This is the reason why, the Ministry of Tourism is passionate in supporting the event" said Deputy for Tourism Marketing Development of the Ministry of Tourism. 

Considering its significance, President Joko Widodo is scheduled to personally attend the festival. The Governor of East Nusa Tenggara Province, Frans Lebu Raya explained that the President is expected to arrive on 11th July 2017 and will head back to the capital city on 12th July.
Presenting the best of what Sumba has to offer, the festival will see the participation of over 2,000 artisans from across the island. Aside from showcasing the rich motifs as well as variants of Tenun Ikat, the festival will also be highlighted with fashion shows, workshops, and several other attractive programs. For those who wish to learn more about the fabric, there will be demonstrations on stages in the productions of Tenun Ikat. These include color mixing, spinning the threads, dying, as well as weaving the threads into shawls or other products. 

The festival will also feature a bazaar and exhibition of top products of East Nusa Tenggara Province and other modern innovations of Tenun Ikat.
Meanwhile, Minister of Tourism, Arief Yahya expects that Sumba's Tenun Ikat Festival 2017 will boost the economy of the island. Mentioning that Sumba's art of Tenun Ikat needs to be promoted further to stimulate the growth of the creative industry, where the festival is the perfect tool for it aside from promoting tourism to East Nusa Tenggara in general. "East Nusa Tenggara is a world class destination, this is where you will find the iconic Komodo Dragons, various diving destinations off the coast of  Labuan Bajo, the three-colored Lake of Kelimutu, and much-much more,"added the minister. (Indonesia.travel)

THE SPECTACULAR JEMBER FASHION CARNAVAL 2017: �VICTORY�/jean

The spectacular Jember Fashion Carnaval (JFC) extravaganza will again take center stage this year when it rolls out the carpet in the charming city of Jember in East Java Province, from 9th to 13th August 2017.

The Jember Carnival was the first that started the trend in Indonesia, parading  unbelievably spectacular modern costumes that are rooted in the multiple traditions and cultures across the Indonesian islands.  

Entering its 16th edition and celebrating the success of JFC in achieving awards and acknowledgments in various international pageants and fashion events in the past years, this year  the Jember Fashion Carnival presents the theme: �Victory�. Among  notable achievements in costumes designed by JFC are: Best National Costume Miss Supranational 2014 in Warsaw, Poland; Best National Costume Miss Universe 2014 in Florida, USA;  Best National Costume Miss Supranational 2015 in Warsaw, Poland; Best  National Costume Miss Grand International 2016 in Las Vegas USA; and Best National Costume Miss Tourism International 2016 in Malaysia.

This year, the carnival will involve participation of more than 1,000 talents ranging from kindergarten students to the general public. These are Jember�s finest boys and girls who will show off this spectacular style across the 3.6 km runway right in the heart of Jember city. As in previous years, the event will also be complemented with a conference and a fashion exhibition.
 
According to Vice President of JFC, Suyanto, JFC has earned its place among world�s international fashion carnivals. 

Therefore, next year the carnival will collaborate with carnival drum bands �Eventually, JFC will grow equal to other world carnivals such as the one in Pasadena, USA� said Suyanto.

Further adding, that for JFC 2018, the carnival will invite international participants from other countries. � Up to now, we have  international participants, but they came individually. So, in the future we plan to invite full delegations� said Suyanto.  Furthermore, JFC is projected to be part of a more professional annual MICE (Meeting, Incentive, Convention, and Exhibition)  event in Jember.

For its  outstanding initiative and consistent performance, Minister of Tourism, Arief Yahya designated Jember as Indonesia�s   Carnaval City. Having  successfully and consistently staged  JFC for 16th years in a row, JFC has emerged as an outstanding icon for Jember. �I am confident that  the city of Jember with its Fashion Carnaval will attract more tourists not only from all over the country but also from the rest of the world.� Said Minister Arief Yahya.

To get to Jember you can fly to Banyuwangi airport from Jakarta by Nam Air. By August 2017 the Jakarta-Banyuwangi route will also be served by Garuda Indonesia. From Banyuwangi there are taxis or rented cars available to take you to the town of Jember.   

More information is available at: http://www.jemberfashioncarnaval.com

(Indonesia.travel)

THE RIVETING WAYANG KULIT SHADOW PUPPET SHOWS OF JAVA AND BALI/jean

For centuries, the art of Wayang (traditional shadow puppets) has become an inseparable part of the lives of the people on the islands of Java and Bali and is a prominent part of Indonesian culture.

Source: zimbo.com

This long-lived art is among the world's greatest story-telling tradition. It comes in the form of theater (wayang orang), three-dimensional wooden puppets theatre (wayang golek), and the most distinguished one: leather puppet shadow theatre (wayang kulit).

While wayang golek is mostly associated with the Sundanese in West Java Province, wayang kulit is the outstanding art of the Javanese in Central Java, Yogyakarta, East Java as well as Bali.

Today Wayang orang and wayang kulit performances are still regularly held at the Keraton or Sultan's Palace of Yogyakarta and Keraton Solo. In wayang orang, actors usually wear the mask of the character they portray, whereas, in the dramatic Ramayana dance legend which is regularly performed at the grand stage of the Prambanan temple, the masks are cast off. To watch this fabulous Ramayana ballet at its very best see this on full moon nights in the dry season between May through October, when the bright round moon shines directly on the elegant Prambanan temples, becoming an unforgettable backdrop to the riveting play. 
 
Nonetheless, Wayang kulit is still the most well known Indonesian wayang performance. It is made of cow's leather, meticulously chiseled with very fine tools, supported by carefully shaped buffalo horn handles and control rods. The art of creating wayang kulit is incredibly detailed. Several artists are usually involved in the different stages required to make one single puppet.
VIsitors are welcome to observe and learn the intricate process in making wayang kulit in the Village of Kepuhsari, Wonogiri Regency, in Central Java.

The stories in wayang kulit are brought by one sole master performer called dalang, whorelates the story and at the same time does the voice for all characters, both male and female, the good as well as the bad.

He has a screen and a small oil lamp in front of him that throws shadows of the wayangs on the screen, while when not appearing, the wayang figures are stuck on a long banana stalk that can be easily taken up whenever the master needs them.

Tales in wayang performances are usually taken from the Ramayana or Mahabharata Hindu epics as well as from Java's own history and legends, that usually involve moral and ethical dilemmas faced by the characters, following their journeys through life, love, and war. During the endless battle between good versus evil, they also contemplate the existential struggle between right and wrong. The means to those ends are not always clear cut. "Good" characters may possess negative traits and likewise, not all "bad" characters are entirely immoral. Whatever the circumstance, wayang stories always present philosophical ideas and poignant messages.

The stories presented in wayang kulit performances that are based on the classic Hindu Saga, are commonly known as wayang purwa (classical wayang). The performances refer to four cycles of epics, which were standardized by the royal courts of Central Java in the 18th century.
Wayang kulit performances are grand events that last throughout the night, accompanied all the while by a live traditional gamelan orchestra. During folk festivities and significant events such as births, weddings, or other celebrations, wayang kulit performances often appear with specific messages that are relevant to the event.

Traditionally, wayang kulit performances draw large audiences from all neighboring villages who sit on both side of the screen: the "shadow side" and the "dalang" (puppeteer) side. In the past, people typically watched from the shadow side. Today, performances are set up for the audience to watch from the dalang's side of the screen.

The art of Wayang has been inscribed by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

Related articles:

1. Wayang Kulit: The Greatest Storytelling Tradition 
2. Explore Jakarta Kota Tua: Today�s Old Batavia 
3. THE KEEPERS: CNN Introduces Guardians of Indonesia�s Rich Cultural Traditions 
4. Things You Can Learn in Yogyakarta While Traveling
(Indonesia.travel)

All Indonesian Muslims in Lebaran festive mood/jean

Muslims in Indonesia seem to be in a festive mood of Eid al Fitr, better known as Idul Fitri or Lebaran celebration.

The aura of the holiday spirit can now be felt in the Greater Jakarta areas where the normally congested streets are pleasantly deserted, and one can actually take a deep breath without inhaling a lungful of pollution.

Muslims in Indonesia, who account for nearly 90 percent of the countrys population, are celebrating Lebaran on July 25-26 this year.

During this time, the capital city of Jakarta reveals itself as a friendly city, with wide, tree-lined avenues where pedestrians can stroll on the pavements without the risk of being hit by a motorbike.

The prevailing custom of Lebaran in Indonesia is one of the largest temporary human migrations observed globally when workers return to their hometowns to celebrate with their families and relatives and to seek forgiveness from parents, in-laws, and other elders.

Such a mass exodus, or homecoming, is known in Indonesia as "mudik," which is an annual tradition wherein the people living in major cities, such as Greater Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya, and elsewhere, travel to their hometowns to meet their relatives.

Early on Sunday morning, mosques in Jakarta and elsewhere were packed with thousands of worshipers performing Eid al Fitr prayers and then listen to sermons, focused on unity and integrity, goodness, social spirit, and many more positive things.

The Idul Fitri prayer service at the Istiqlal mosque in Jakarta was started at 7 am on Sunday with the presence of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), Vice President Jusuf Kalla, and other state officials.

Also present at the Idul Fitri prayer service at Southeast Asias largest mosque with the capacity of 120,000 people were also thousands of Muslims from all corners of the state capital city of Jakarta.

In his Idul Fitri sermon at Jakartas Istiqlal moaque, Prof. Quraish Shihab preached on "Idul Fitri and the Spirit of Strengthening the Unity and Integrity."

Quraish Shihab gave some advice on unity for Muslims both as individuals and in society.

"The unity of the human self consists of the spirit and the body. The unification of the soul and body makes the man intact so that there is no separation between faith and practice, neither feeling nor behavior, deeds with morality, idealism with reality, and these are all complementary parts," Shihab remarked.

In the meantime, Peoples Consultative Assembly (MPR) Vice Chairman Hidayat Nur Wahid in his Idul Fitri sermon at Nurul Hidayah Grand Moaque in Bintaro, South Jakarta, said all the goodness during the holy month of Ramadan must continue to be practiced, although the fasting month has ended.

Hidayat said that even though Ramadan is over, the relationship and efforts to spread goodness must continue to be done. (Antara)

Tourism Ministry signs MoU on Halal Wonders/jean

Masjid Demak (Source: Wikipedia)

The Tourism Ministry and the Indonesian Mosque Council (DMI) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Halal Wonders, witnessed by Vice President Jusuf Kalla here on Thursday.

MoU on Halal Wonders is a religious tourism development program that would integrate tourism destination with the nearest mosque in a region using internet-based application.

"One out of three people in the world make a tour for their beliefs. We have the potential of halal tourism," Tourism Minister Arif Yahya said.

However, he outlined that such a huge potential is yet to be explored optimally in Indonesia, as none of Indonesian mosques were on the list of "worlds 10 most beautiful mosques" by the World Tourism Organization (WTO).

"We have crowd in mosques, but sadly we could not use the economic values in those mosques," he stated.

According to WTO, religious tourism has two values that would need to be developed, namely spiritual and economical values.

"Everything is managed with information technology, and all people would seek something with practical and accessible technology," he added.

The signing ceremony was also attended by representatives from Indonesias Syaria Economy Society, Indonesian Halal Travel Association, Indonesias Halal Product Association, and Association of Indonesian Hajj and Umrah Operator.(Antara)

�Beduk� festival to welcome Idul Fitri in Jakarta/jean

Residents take part in a convoy to celebrate the end of the Ramadhan fasting month. (kompas.com/-)

The Jakarta administration will hold the final round of the Beduk Festival drumming competition on June 24 at City Hall as part of the capital�s Idul Fitri celebration.

Subdistrict across Jakarta will be allowed to compete in the festival and vie for a trophy and a cash prize. 

Jakarta�s assistant to the secretary for administrative affairs, Bambang Sugiono, said the competition would start on June 16 at the district level and on June 19 for municipalities.

"District winners will compete at the municipal level; finalists will then compete at city hall," he said on Wednesday as quoted by beritajakarta.id.

A team will comprise six members; five will hit the beduk, a large drum made of animal skin and barrel, and one will chant the takbir (prayer in praise of Allah). Assessments will be based on each group�s 10-minute performance and team work, Bambang said.

"The first-place winner will earn Rp 15 million [US$1,129], second-place winners will receive Rp 10 million, while the third-place winner will get Rp 7.5 million," he said, adding that each winner would also bring home a goat and governor�s trophy. (JakartaPost)

Bengawan Solo: immortal melody of Javanese river/jean

In the central Javanese city of Solo, a statue of Gesang Martohartono looks over the gently flowing Bengawan Solo, or Solo River.
It was the famous Indonesian singer-songwriter Gesang, who composed the celebrated Indonesian melody "Bengawan Solo" during World War II -- when the country was under Japanese occupation.

"Bengawan Solo, this is a song of your history. People have been fascinated with this great river since ancient times, Around the source of the Solo River, there are a thousand mountains, and the river flows all the way to the sea.
There are always many merchants on board ships going up and down the river.These ships also show your history."
"I had dreamt since my childhood about writing a song of praise for the immortal Solo River," Gesang says at his humble residence in Solo, his hometown. The folk song-like melody has been etched in the minds of countless Indonesians, former Japanese soldiers, and even Dutch civilian ex-detainees regardless of their age and background.
In Tokyo, Nobuo Ikegami, 80, recalls the tune. "This song always set my mind at ease. I memorized the melody as local residents crooned the tune so often." Ikegami, then a second lieutenant, was posted to Indonesia for five years during and after the war as a member of the Imperial Guard.
In the final days of the war, university student-turned-officer Ikegami served as commander of a detainment camp for Dutch civilians in the remote village of Si Rengo Rengo in Sumatra.
After the conflict ended, he was detained as a war crime suspect because of his position as camp commander but was eventually released thanks to a witness, the late Dutch journalist Albert Besnard.
Besnard, of the Sumatra Post, had said Ikegami did not handle the detainees violently although Ikegami did not know him personally.
A historic encounter took place in Tokyo last Sept. 11 between Ikegami and a former Dutch detainee when they met for the first time in 53 years.
Noted Dutch author Rudy Kausbroek, 70, was giving a lecture at the city' s Waseda University on his bitter experience at the Si Rengo Rengo camp. As soon as he finished, Ikegami approached him.
"I was your camp commander," Ikegami said in Indonesian. "If you have a grudge against the Japanese, hit me in the face first."
The packed audience froze. "No," Kausbroek quietly replied in Indonesian. Ikegami asked, "Really?" Kausbroek told the audience, "No. He did not do any evil deeds toward us."
Kausbroek, who was born and grew up in Sumatra, was detained at the camp for about three years as a teenager along with his father.
Ikegami told Kyodo News, "I never expected to meet a former Dutch detainee more than half a century after the war.
"When I was appointed camp commander, I was prepared to give up my life at any time. Regrettably, scores of detainees died at the camp while I was the commander."
In his best-selling book, "The Dutch East Indies Detention Camp Syndrome," Kausbroek urges his fellow Dutch people to abandon their demand that Japan apologize over its treatment of Dutch detainees.
He asks his compatriots, "Don' t you think your apology demand is based on hatred against Japanese who put a stop to Dutch colonial rule in Indonesia?" He urges Dutch people to reflect on their more than 300-year colonial rule when considering the Japanese occupation.
He was visiting Tokyo to mark his book' s publication in Japanese.
After returning home, Kausbroek wrote a full-page story on the encounter with the former camp commander for the leading Dutch daily NRC Handelsblad.
Kausbroek, who speaks Japanese and Indonesian, studied modern Japanese literature after the war and according to Ikegami, particularly loves antiwar poems by the late Nobuo Ayukawa.
Ikegami says that as a sensitive teenager, Kausbroek must have been moved by "Bengawan Solo" at the detention camp.
Another former Japanese serviceman, who had stayed in the city of Solo as a member of an Imperial Japanese Army aviation training corps, thought at the time that "Bengawan Solo" was a centuries-old traditional Indonesian folk song.
Minoru Takahashi, 78, of Osaka, a former mechanic of the corps, gained comfort in singing "Bengawan Solo" whenever he felt homesick. Takahashi says he used to sing the tune with Japanese lyrics written by a fellow soldier.
Japanese veterans including Ikegami and Takahashi erected Gesang' s statue in October 1991 as a token of their appreciation.
Ikegami serves as vice president of the "Japan Gesang Fund Association" which promoted the erection of the statue.
Gesang is a self-made musician. His father owned a factory that produced batik fabric, but it went bankrupt after Gesang finished elementary school. He grew up in the gutter and became a singer of "kerongcong" -- popular Indonesian music originating from Portuguese songs.
Although he could not read or write musical notation, he composed "Bengawan Solo" on a bamboo flute at the age of 23.
At first he sang it at local wedding parties and other social functions. Two local radio stations then asked to broadcast the song, marking the beginning of its nationwide popularity.
In Japan, Toshi Matsuda, known as a "Singing Aunt," put out a recording of "Bengawan Solo" with Japanese lyrics in 1947.
Her record scored a big hit and other pop singers such as Hibari Misora, Akira Kobayashi and Harumi Miyako also included the song in their repertoire. Now most Japanese are familiar with "Bengawan Solo" as representing Indonesian music.
The Solo River, for its part, smells bad due to liquid waste from a nearby chemical factory and other plants. But children still swim there and women do their washing with the polluted water, just as they did centuries ago when the river was purer.
The zoological park where Gesang' s statue stands is now dedicated in his honor, and Gesang still sometimes sings "Bengawan Solo" in public when he is asked to do so.
(Kyodo News International, Inc./ Gale Group)
Source: FindArticles