Jakarta Java Jazz Festival 2012 is ready to begin. The festival is scheduled on 2, 3 and 4 March at Jakarta International Expo (JIExpo) Jalan Kawasan PRJ Kemayoran. Proud of bringing you the eighth edition of the Indonesian largest Jazz festival, the management must give the audience the best experience to enjoy jazz music.

This year, the Jakarta International Java Jazz Festival has the theme “WHERE JAZZ FINDS A HOME”.  Bringing more Jazz artists to the stage from around the world with their own musical base, this festival is worth to be included in your agenda. The list of artists are ase follows:

STEVIE WONDER, SMART REBORN, SIMAK DIALOG, ANDRE HARIHANDOYO AND SONIC PEOPLE, SPEAKEASY, ATMOSFERA, JEFF PESCATTO, THE MANHATTAN TRANSFER, CREAMY SUGAR GROOVE, SKETSA, GEORGE DUKE TRIO, TOHPATI ETHNOMISSION, LIVING COLORS, MUSIC CLINIC, ABODA, THE PROFESSORS, PAQUITA, JEMIMA, BOBBY MCFERRIN, WRQ, NOTTURNO, PONCHO SANCHEZ LATIN JAZZ BAND, AL JARREAU & GEORGE DUKE TRIO, BRUCE HAMADA, THE JOURNALISTS, INDONESIA NU PROGRESSIVE, MARGO RISING STARS, TRIBA, FOUR ON THE FLOOR, TRIO SCAPES, SHADOW PUPPETS FEAT. NESIA ARDI, MANNA FRANK MCCOMB, SWING OUT SISTER, BENNY LIKUMAHUWA LIKE FATHER LIKE SON, NINO, SANDY WINARTA QUARTET, ANDI WIRIANTONO QUARTET & THE NEXT GENERATION, OELE PATTISELANNO, SHEILA E. PRESENTS THE E FAMILY, STEREOCASE, DEVIAN BAND, TRISUM, PHYLOSOPHY ABG, DONNY KOESWINARNO QUARTET, RON KING BIG BAND and many more.

If you are a fan of Stevie wonder, you may see his performance on Sunday March 4, 2012, at stage D2 Djarum Super Mild Hall. For complete schdule, please visit this link: Schedule of Jakarta Java Jazz Festival 2012.

Last year, Jakarta Java Jazz Festival 2011 brings Carlos Santana on stage. His performance was the most wanted one. every people wants to witness the legend on stage. Here is video performance of Santana on Java Jazz festival 2011.

For Clear information pleas visit Jakarta Java Jazz Festival 2012 official Site.

Raja Ampat, a district in Papua – Indonesia gives serious attention for its tourism. It has strength in the maritime and is supported by  natural richness, cultural interest, and the unique of its art.  For its 7th anniversary, the local government via tourism information center announces the Maritime Festival (Festival Bahari) on May 2 to 9, 2010. Waisai is the town chosen to carry out the festival.

In this event, some activities performed such as underwater photo contest, paddle boat race, diving, beach volley ball tournament, and cultural attraction from the local people and participants from other regency like Wakatobi.
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Raja Ampat Tourist Information Center explains that the local people will perform its traditional boat which is used to sail the ocean. Furthermore, they will show their custom to consume mangrove fruits. Many attraction that had not been performed will be shown for the first time to surprise the tourists.

Raja Ampat photo from www.gorajaampat.com

Waisai, that is about 3 hours boating from Sorong, has no accommodation for tourists yet. But, the government will provide live aboard as floating hotels to accommodate the visitors.

Raja Ampat photo from www.gorajaampat.com

Raja Ampat Maritime Festival is planned to be annual event to increase visitors. Currently,there are some festivals in Papua such as Festival Lembah Baliem in Wamena – Jayawijaya, Festival Asmat, Festival Kamoro in Timika, and Festival Danau Sentani (Sentani Lake Festival) in Jayapura.

Batam Indonesia is seriously market its tourism to the world. In the year of 2010, several international events are held in this city in the land and in the water. Well, let’s check out the calendar of event or the schedule.

Strait Regatta
23 January 2010 – 30 January 2010
Venue Nongsa Point Marina
An international event of sailboat race or Yacht. Many contestants from the US, UK, Australia and many more are join this race.

Lions club Charity Golf Tournament
31 January 2010 – 31 January 2010
Venue Palm Spring Golf Resort
Golf tournament for charity that is expected international golf athletes will join it. The charity is purposed to help others.

Wedding Expo
18 February 2010 – 28 February 2010
Venue Nagoya Hill – Nagoya
Wedding exhibition that covers all equipment wedding and dresses.
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Cap Go Meh Celebration
28 February 2010 – 28 February 2010
Vihara Dutamaitreya
In Batam Indonesia there are many Chinese ethnic that celebrate its new year. There will be China paper lantern, and Barongsay show.

Batam Cruise Festival
02 April 2010 – 04 April 2010
Venue Nongsa Point Marina

Asia Pacific Volley Ball Championship
20 April 2010 – 25 April 2010
Venue Nongsa Point Marina

Asian Golf Charity
24 April 2010 – 25 April 2010
Venue Batam Golf Club

Soldier of Kraton photo by Victor_deka

Grebek Demak is an annual event of Demak citizens in order to welcome or celebrate Eid al-Adha. This year Grebek Demak will be held on November, 27-28 2009. The event itself was preceded by a night market in the field Jogo Tembiring Indah, Wonosalam district, Demak regency for seven days and seven nights. [ad#468x60-red] The Summit took place on the 9th of Dzulhijjah (November 27, 2009) is marked by a ceremony with offerings Nine Tumpeng (9 rice cone). Nine cone prepared in Demak regency hall at 19.00 pm, which then brought to the Grand Mosque of Demak, to be held a Selamatan ceremony.

Gunungan photo by Victor_deka

On the next day at 08.00 am at the district hall will be held ceremony to depart the Jamas oil to Kadilangu tomb which is led by the head of Demak regency who wearing Beskap (traditional uniform) escorted by Patangpuluhan soldiers. In the Kadilangu tomb is held penjamasan ceremony (purification) the heritage of Sunan Kalijaga named Kyai Cerubuk and Kotang Ontokusumo. Purification carried out by the elders man of Kadilangu who are descendants of Sunan Kalijaga. [ad#kotak336]

Kite surfing photo by myklr09

International KITE Surfing Contest will be held on the coast of  Lakey Hu’u, Dompu regency, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) in May 2010. This activity is planned to be followed by dozens of surfers from various countries including Indonesia. The Chairman of Dompu Surfer Club,   M Ali said the international surfing competitions was already initialed  with “Lakey Peak Sultan Cup” held on October 31, 2009 with 50 participants, including eight overseas surfers including from Australia and the United States. [ad#kotak336] ”

Related to the plan, the committee make coordination with the central government and a number of surfers in the world has said will participate in the contest,” said Ali, at the Lakey Hu’u beach, Friday (30/10). He said, a number of surfers from abroad speciallized in kite surfing have been practicing at the Lakey beach, which is one of the best surfing locations in the world.

Kite surfing is a sport using surfing board and a kind of kite, a parachute. Lakey beach is  considered the best place for this sport as it has big waves and strong wind. In the past five years there are more and more foreign tourists who visit the beach and doing kite surfing. Tourists visit primarily to play surfing in April – May, because in those months, large waves and strong winds are the best for kite surfing.

Lakey Beach Waves photo by olwah

In this regard, Lakey beach tourism object must be organized and road infrastructure which is now badly damaged should be repaired in order to increase the interest of tourists to visit this tourism object. Lakey beach at Hu’u district located approximately 5 hours from the town of Sumbawa Besar and from Dompu town approximately takes 1 hour 45 minutes to the south. Lakey-Hu’u Coast has 4 types of waves: Lakey Peak, Cobble Stones, Lakey Pipe and Periscop. And a few miles near the Lakey beach you will find other great surfing spot.

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Javanese has various traditions, which related to rites or ceremonies. Many aspects of life of the Javanese begin with ceremonies. A ceremony seems become the initiation to start, end or avoid something. Among ceremonies, there is one, which is very important to perform. For those who believe, this ceremony will improve the quality of life. Not only will it improve the economic aspect but also health, relationship, peace, welfare and luck. The ceremony is Ruwatan.

Ruwatan comes from the old Javanese language ‘mangruwat’. The meaning is to release or set free. The ceremony is essentially to pray to the God, asking protection and prevention from all disturbances. Therefore, the interesting things are on how the rite is performed and who should be involved.

For whom is the rite?
Before we discuss how the rite is performed, we have to know firstly on who should be involved. This is important because ruwatan should be performed for persons or thing with certain condition. This rite is for persons which is in the ‘sukerta’ category. The sukerta category can be ontang-anting (a child without brother or sister), kedhana-kedhini (a son and a daughter), kembang sepasang (two daughters), sendhang kapit pancuran (two daughters and a son, in which the son is born after the first daughter), pancuran kapit sendhang (two sons and a daughter, in which the daughter is born after the first son). The persons with sukerta category or we can call them as the patients, have bad luck that should be neutralized. The goal of this ceremony is to banish the sukerta (bad luck).

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The Procession
The one who lead the ceremony is usually a person with spiritual ability. Commonly, a dalang (puppeteer of traditional Javanese shadow plays) leads the procession. The procession of ruwatan consists of four basic steps. The first is taking a bath. The patients wear pasatan (bathing cloth), the leader pours water over them. The water consists of kanthil (magnolia), mawar (rose) and melati (jasmine) flowers. The second step is hair cutting. Only a few hairs are cutted as symbol to banish the sukerta. The third is floating the pasatan and the hair to the sea. The fourth is the Javanese shadow puppet performance.

The shadow puppet performance is not merely a show but it consists of prays. It plays certain story namely Murwakala. It tells the beginning of the calamity occurs on earth. It is Batara Kala, a giant god, who asks food to Batara Guru, the king of gods. Batara Guru is afraid if Batara Kala will eat everything. Therefore, Batara Guru makes limitations on who can be eaten by Batara Kala. The human who may be eaten are those in the sukerta category. Then, Batara Kala comes down to earth to find victims. However, he gets no victim because Ki Dalang Kandhabuwana (the puppeteer) protects the people in the sukerta category.  Ki Dalang Kandhabuwana spells magic words (a prayer) to defeat and banish the evil power of Batara Kala.  The evil power is vanished, this also banish the sukerta from the patients.

Sekaten is a religious and cultural event, and a fair to be held at Kasultanan Ngayogyakarta (Yogyakarta) and Kasunanan Surakarta (Sala). This  event is held to celebrate the birth of Prophet Muhammad, the foundedr of Islam. As we know Islam is the majority religion in Indonesia. In Yogyakarta, this event is full of spiritual ceremonies that should be done in a series. What are the processions from the start until the end?

Ziarah Pambuka
Ziarah Pambuka is a devotional visit to two tombs, Kotagede Burial and Imogiri Burial. The aim is to respect and to pray for the founder of Mataram (the former of Yogyakarta). At Kotagede, the pilgrims visit Panembahan Senopati’s grave. At Imogiri they visit the grave of former Kings of Yogyakarta. This year it take place on December 23, 2008.

Pasang Pathok
This is the ceremony to begin the preparation of the location of Sekaten. In Yogyakata, the location is always at Alun-alun Utara Kraton (North Square of Kraton Yogyakarta). On December 29, 2008.

Pambuka
It is the opening ceremony. In this ceremony, we can see various performances, the venue is on Alun-alun Utara or Pagelaran Kraton. Artists are performing their choreography, music arrangement and traditional singing. This is the most valuable time to be missed. The opening ceremony took place on January 30, 2009.

Miyos Gongso
This is the beginning event of sekaten when the sacred Gamelan Sekati that consists of Gamelan Kiai Nagawilaga and its replica Kiai Gunturmadu are taken out from the saving room at Bangsal Srimanganti to a prepared place at the Masjid Agung (Mosque) yard. The place for the gamelan is called ‘pagongan lor’ (north stage) and ‘pagongan kidul’ (south stage). The gamelan is played a week before the birthday of Prophet Muhammad at 12 Rabiul Awal or 12 Maulid. The date for this procession is on March 2, 2009.

Kondur Gongso
A night before 12 Mulid or before March 9, 2009, the gamelan will be taken back to its room at Bangsal Srimanganti. Before the ceremony, Sultan of Yogyakarta will attend at the porch of the Mosque to listen to the story of Prophet Muhammad. A chief of Kraton reads the story.

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Grebeg Maulud
This event is the peak of Sekaten when the Grebeg Maulud comes out. This is the birthday of Muhammad, on 12 Maulud (March 9, 2009). Grebeg comes from the word “garebeg”, a cultural rite of Sultan to thank God for the blessing by giving alms for ‘abdi dalem’ (Sultans’s staff/servants) and ‘kawula dalem’ (the people). Gunungan Putri and Gunungan Kakung are the focus of grebeg. Gunungan is pyramidal offerings consists of food, vegetables and fruit. The people will compete to get everything from gunungan as they believe they will get prosperity. This procession is the end of Sekaten and the fair at Alun-alun utara Krataon.

Ziarah Panutup
This is the closing devotional visit to Kotagede and Imogiri tombs. It will take place on April 6, 2009.

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The Bali bombers were finally executed on Sunday, November 9, 2008 at 00.15 pm. Amrozi, Ali Ghufron alias Muklas and Imam Samudra alias Abdul Azis were shot by three teams of executors at Nirbaya Valley, Nusakambangan. Nusakambangan is a beautiful island where high security prisons were built. It is like Alcatraz.

The authorities explained the execution used one bullet to shoot each of the Bali bombers. They were shot on their heart. Amrozi, Muklas and Imam Samudra requested that the executors would not cover their eyes during the execution. Among the trio, Imam Samudra had the strongest body. He was dead ten minutes after the shot. After the execution, their body were sent by helicopters to their home to be buried. Imam Samudra was sent to Serang, Banten where his family live. Mukhlas and Amrozi were sent to Lamongan, East Java. Muklas was Amrozi’s brother.

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Thousands of people visit the burial. They want to give their last respect for the bombers. The most of them were from Islamic organizations. The burial took place immediately after the family prayed for them.

After the execution, the Bali bombing victims at Bali were praying for their family who died on the bombing. They visited the monument brought a bucket of flower to memorize the dead. Some of the victims felt happy and satisfied with the Indonesian government, some of them forgave the terrorists and wish them forgiven by the God as well.

Participants
The participants of this expo are every industry in Indonesia like Handicraft, stone works, fashion, expedition, wood works who produce opus like teak patio furniture and any other enterprise who wants increase sales.

This expo is a good place for those who seeks for unique and fine quality product. If anyone is looking for the famous Indonesian teak furniture, probably this is the place where you can get the best offer.

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Agenda

• Seminar
• Art Performance
• Product Demo
• Business Meeting
• Design Product competition

All Photos by Deka

August is the special month for Indonesia. On August 17, People of Republic Indonesia celebrates its Independence Day. The Independence Day was first declared on August 17, 1945 by Soekarno, the first President of Indonesia. The written declaration is called the “Proklamasi” (proclamation).

It is not merely remembering the freedom from the colonialism but it’s the time to set the expression free. Independence is identical to joyful and happiness, so that the Indonesian holds many competitions and fun games.

Kids really enjoy this moment. Several days before August 17, they join the games. The games are:

Marble Race
The participant of the game should bite a spoon with a marble on it. They should race either walking or running as long as they do not drop the marble. The first who reach the finish line is the winner.
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Coin bite
Coins are half embed in the water melon, papaya or Jeruk Bali (very big orange fruit). The kids should get the coin by biting it. The one who collect the biggest amount should win.

Water hit
Plastics of water are hanged a few steps in front of the start line. Using scarf, the contestants’ eyes are sealed off. They should walk to the water and hit it using a stick from stem of banana leaves. The winner is the one who fastest smashes the water.

Filling a bottle with water
Fill a bottle with water using no aid like dipper. With the bare hand, the contestants take the water and walk for about 10 meters to the bottle.

Volley ball using plastic ball
This game is for the older people. The rule is similar to the International Volley ball rule. The difference is it uses plastic ball and smaller field.

Those games are only for fun, however, prizes like money, stationeries, chicken, and else are provided by the committee.

On the August 17, Students, government officers, army, police and every one who want are participating on the ceremony. The ceremonies are held on the nearest town squares, football yard or school ground.

Photo credit: Deka