Toraja Death Feast

Toraja Death Feast
Tana Toraja, South Sulawesi

The Toraja dead rituals are elaborates feasts which hold the greatest significant in the society. The more elaborated the rituals, the higher the family’s gratitude and esteem considered to be for departed member.

The rituals begin with the taking off the coffin from the family house, accompanied by the tau-tau, a wooden effigy of the dead person. Traditional welcoming dances are performed for the guests and bull, cock and kick fighting (sideman) are featured. The mass slaughter of buffaloes and pigs takes place afterwards.

The final part of the ritual is when the corpse is taken to its final resting place in cave high up in the cliffs. A funeral feast for a high-ranking Torajan often last for many days

Nyepi Day

Nyepi Day (Day of Silence)
Throughout Bali

This Balinese New Year in solar/lunar (Caka) Calendar. This holiday falls on the spring equinox and is observed as a day of complete stillness. No fire may be lighted, no transport taken, no work done. No one should be seen on the roads. On day before Nyepi, the last day of the old year, purification sacrifices and offerings are made at crossroad and in the centers of the villages and own towns all over Bali. Priest chart mantras to exercise the demon ( buta and kala ) of the old year. In the evening the people of Bali bang gongs and cymbals in all the corners of the family compound and parade through the street with faming torches to make sure that all the malingering evil spirits are aroused. In Denpasar, thousand of boy gathers at Puputan square or a big parade. It is hoped that all the demons and evil spirits aroused the night before will find Bali barren of life and will leave the island.

Waisak Ceremony

Megelang –Central Java

The ‘Waisak’ is a religious event observing the birth of Sidharta Gautama held at Mendut and Borobudur temples. The ceremony is first initiated with religious praying in Mendut temple during the night in May 23, and continued the following day in May 24, the concluded with procession of Buddhist monks and adherents in the morning from Mendut to Borobudur temple. Finally, all Buddhist followers gather at Borobudur for participating in another religious ceremony.

May 24, Waisak, the birthday and death of Budha, is a National holiday

Indonesia : Language and Seasons

Indonesians, using Romanized script, is the national language and English’s spoken in the main cities and tourist areas. Indonesia has two seasons, the dry seasons from June to October and the rainy season from November to March.

There are occasional showers during the traditional periods and the general maximum temperature is 33°C (62°F) and the general minimum 21°C (41°F). Humidity is high at all the time. As some events are based on cosmology or traditional beliefs, dates may vary, although every effort is made to provide correct information.

Events in open air are also influenced by weather conditions. Therefore, reconfirmation before visit is recommended.

Indonesia is the largest Archipelago

Indonesia consists of five major islands Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan, Sulawesi and Papua and about 30 small group of island, a total of more than 17.508 islands. Stretching 3200 miles (5.120km) from east to west, it straddles the equator between the Australia and Asia Continents. With the fourth largest population in the world, Indonesians number 220 million and are basically of Malay and Polynesian stock comprising of 300 ethnic groups and subgroups having their own tradition.

Early immigrant from the Indian subcontinent China, the Arab peninsula and the Persia have left their mark on culture and religion followed by influences of Portuguese, Spanish, English and Dutch trades invaders. The Indonesians constitution allows freedom of religion in a predominantly Moslem Country and the state’s “unity in Diversity” is a symbol of the co-existence of the many cultures unified in one nation. Those diverse cultures have given Indonesia a rich heritage of traditions and art resulting in festivities throughout the year in different parts of the country, which are also closely related to religion particularly on island of Bali.

Introducing Indonesia

It has been widely knownthat Indonesia is the biggest archipelago country in the world. Many praises and labels are attributed to Indonesia. For the travelers, Indonesia is the most enchanting Islands of discovery. While for biologists around the world Indonesia is the richest in the biological wonders. A list of opinions continues. Definitely Indonesia is an inexhaustible store house of historical marvels; the single most extraordinary collection of peoples, places, sights, sound and natural wonders in the world. The most mesmerizing, captivating and biggest island group of the globe.

With more than 220 million people, Indonesia now ranks as the fourth most populous nation in the universe after China, India and the United States. It is also worth nothing that Indonesia consists of hundreds of distinct ethnic groups speaking more than 350 different languages, comprising a cultural diversity of kaleidoscopic proportions collectively constituting one of the most rewarding travel destinations on earth.

Apart from those above mentioned assets, Indonesia is also rich in cultural events of performances which are continuously and regularly performed in every region throughout Indonesia. I do hope that visitors will enjoy the events during their visit in Indonesia.