Uwi is a kind of edible tuber. It is white and stringy. This plant is so popular in East Nusa Tenggara Province -NTT. Before getting to know rice, farmers throughout Manggarai Raya, NTT have already known the Uwi as a staple food. As a staple food, the local community initially cultivated the Uwi plant that grew in the forest. Now, the farmers have planted the Uwi plants that are scattered throughout the fields at the village of Manggarai Raya. Apart from being used as a staple food, the Uwi is also used as the main ingredient in the Kewur Uwi ritual.
The Kewur Uwi ritual is an annual ritual inherited by the ancestors of all residents of Paua village, Mangarai Raya. It is a sign of the start of the rice harvest which is scattered on the slopes and hills around the village. The rice in the fields cannot be harvested if the Kewur Uwi ritual has not been carried out. All farmers in the South Elar sub-district obey this ritual. The Kewur Uwi ritual is carried out every April in the agricultural calendar of the local residents. This ritual is held massively in all villages in the South Elar sub-district. The local residents hold it for one day only and it is held from house to house.
During the Kewur Uwi ritual, the Uwi is burned to serve. In addition to the Uwi, the local residents also serve Ghan Rupang, a meal wrapped in young bamboo leaves. Rupang is a traditional meal from some tribes in the South Elar District. It is always served during the Kewur Uwi ritual. Before the Uwi and Rupang are enjoyed, the traditional elders will pray for the meal. When the Kewur Uwi ritual takes place, women are prohibited to eat. In addition, the residents are prohibited from beating drums and gongs at local traditional houses. Drumming and gong beating can be carried out when the ritual has been completed. In addition to the sign of the start of the rice harvest, the Kewur Uwi Ritual is a legacy of the people of South Elar to honor the universe, ancestors and the Creator of life who provided staple food for local residents before getting to know rice. Until now, the ritual has been preserved and has even become a tourism attraction in Manggarai Raya, East Nusa Tenggara.
Musamus is a nest of a unique type of termite which lives in Merauke, Papua. Its name is Nasutitermes triodiae, a type of blind subterranean termite that only exists in Merauke, Papua and northern Australia. The subterranean termites are 5 millimeters in size which live in groups led by a termite queen and eat plants. In Merauke, the place where these subterranean termites make a home becomes an attractive tourism destination. When visiting the 1000 Musamus in Merauke, you can see how strong the home made by termites is. The location of this tourism destination is in Kampung Selor 2, Kurik district, Merauke. The location is inside the Wasur National Park area. To arrive there, it takes about 2 hours from Merauke city.
When arriving at this 1000 Musamus tourism attraction, you will feel amazed by what you see. There are various Musamus which reach the height of 5 meters with a diameter of more than 2 meters and the size is various above the ground surface. The termite home has conical shape with the bottom supported by supporting poles which look like sheets or the outer shape of a star fruit. The surface texture of Musamus is squiggly and reddish brown like the color of the ground where it is located. When you look into it, you will find a very complicated room of hallways. These hallways function as a living space and a ventilation cavity which keep the temperature stable inside Musamus in order to keep it warm. It is the existence of these hallways that makes the nest safe for termite colonies because they will be protected from extreme temperature changes, even from forest fire.
Musamus is formed from the basic materials of dry grass, soil and the termite's saliva. These termites build their palace solidly and strongly, even it is able to withstand the weight of an adult human. For Merauke people, Musamus has its own philosophical meaning. Like Musamus termites, they work diligently without talking much and the result is visible in the form of Musamus' palace towering into the sky splendidly. Likewise, what the people of Merauke believe that by keeping working without complaining much and without destroying nature, we will see a magnificent result.
A gentle breeze, cool air will welcome you to this tourism spot. One of the best spots to enjoy the beauty of Lake Toba is at Huta Ginjang. Huta Ginjang comes from Batak language; 'huta' means village and 'ginjang' means above. Huta Ginjang offers views of Lake Toba from an altitude of 1,555 meters above sea level. Huta Ginjang is located in Muara District, North Tapanuli Regency, North Sumatra, and is one of the tourism attractions to enjoy the view of Lake Toba. This place offers views that are as beautiful as other toursim spots, such as Merek or Tomok Samosir. Since the first time you arrive, you will be immediately presented with a view that immediately shows the beauty of the vast Lake Toba.
At Huta Ginjang, you can also take photos with Lake Toba as the background. Besides enjoying the beauty of one location, you can also enjoy the view from a hang glider or a hanging kite. If you are brave enough, you can do this activity to see the beauty of Lake Toba and its surroundings while hovering over it. Along the way, you will see a beautiful pine forest. If you want to go to Huta Ginjang, you are recommended when the sun is still visible. Because if it's too early the fog will cover the entire panorama, so you cannot see the view. Likewise in the afternoon, the fog will fall. If you are lucky, you can also see the beautiful sunset from the corner of Huta Ginjang. Unfortunately, in the rainy season, this tourism spot is often covered in fog. Generally, the fogging time ranges from 15 minutes to 30 minutes. Afterwards, it will return to normal and the sun will shine again. Huta Ginjang also provides binoculars that facilitate visitors to see some of the other tourism objects from Huta Ginjang.
To get to Huta Ginjang is very easy; you can directly rent a car at Sisingamangaraja XII Airport (Silangit Airport). The surrounding community provides car rental at various prices according to the selected tourism destination. If you go to Huta Ginjang, prepare Rp 50,000 to IDR 100,000 per person to rent a motor vehicle. For entrance tickets to Huta Ginjang, you also do not need to worry, because entering Huta Ginjang is free of charge. As a tourism spot, Huta Ginjang already provides quite complete facilities, from restaurants to souvenir sellers. No matter how beautiful your favorite tourism destination is, don't forget to keep implementing the set health protocols.
Lore Lindu National Park is one of the national parks in Indonesia which is located in the province of Central Sulawesi and is one of Sulawesi's biological protection locations. It is located about 60 kilometers in the South of Palu City. The park is in the south part of Donggala regency and in the west part of Poso regency, becoming a region of water catchment for 3 major rivers in Central Sulawesi, namely Lariang river, Gumbasa river and Palu river. This national park is divided into three areas, namely Lore Kalamanta Wildlife Reserve, Lake Lindu Tourism Forest, and Sopu Gumbasa Wildlife Reserve.
Lore Lindu National Park has endemic fauna and flora of Sulawesi and also interesting natural panorama because it is located at Wallace line which is a transitional region between Asian and Australian zones. This national park is also the largest native mammal habitat in Sulawesi. These endemic animals are anoa, babirusa, deer, ghost apes (Tangkasi), kakaktonkea monkeys, marsupial cuscus and the largest meat-eating animals in Sulawesi, Sulawesi civets living in this park.
Apart from the endemic flora and fauna, megalithic statues that are hundreds or even thousands of years old are also scattered in the Lore Lindu National Park areas such as the Napu, Behoa and Bada Valley. Based on the research in 2013, there were 1,466 megalithic findings from 83 sites that have been disclosed. Megalith statues in this National Park are classified into several categories, such as stone statues in the form of humans, kalamba which is in the form of a large water storage, tutu'na which is in the form of stone plates, dakon stones which are flat to convex shaped stones that describe channels, and other forms such as stone mortar, a pillar of the house, and others. Lore Lindu National Park operates 24 hours with an entrance ticket fee of Rp10,000 per person.
Samosir Island in North Sumatra, which is geographically an 'island on an island', was formed due to volcanic activity. The island, which has an altitude of 1,000 meters above sea level, is currently attracting attention as a tourism destination for both domestic and foreign tourists. As one of the largest provinces in Indonesia, you can find a variety of tourism charms, beginning from nature, culture, history, until special culinary. Each tourism spot has an interesting story and uniqueness to know. Legendary stories are another attraction. One of the exotic places that you can visit while in North Sumatra is a village, namely Bonan Dolok. Bonan Dolok Village is located in Sianjur Mula-mula District, Samosir Regency. This village on the shores of Lake Toba has an extraordinary charm. This beautiful destination is similar to Pergasingan Hill in Lombok. Traditional houses, rice fields and beautiful nature surrounded by green hills will be interesting scenery in this village. The rice fields here are very green and there is never a shortage of water because the water from two waterfalls near this area always flows. The hills around this village are very comfortable to climb. From the top of the hill, you can watch a beautiful view around the village with Lake Toba that stretches out.
Bonan Dolok village has three exotic waterfalls which are located close each other. One of the three waterfalls, Sitapigagan is the most popular and frequently visited by tourists. Sitapigagan Waterfall has its own uniqueness. The water flows through the hillside with a slope of about 60 degress and looks like a water slide. The water in Sitapigagan waterfall is a bit dark red and many people think it's dirty. However, if the water is put into a container such as a glass bottle, the water is clear. The pool under this waterfall is only as high as an adult's chest. The place is so nice and still so beautiful and natural. There are no facilities here yet. We recommend that you bring all the necessaries you need, including mealsfood and drinks.
Next to Sitapigagan Waterfall, there is Aek Sibottar Waterfall which is also beautiful. Here you can also refresh yourself after a long trip to the village of Bonan Dolok.
To get to the Sitapigagan waterfall location, you can go through 2 routes. The first route is by boat from Pangururan port to Bonan Dolok which takes about 1 hour and costs 300 thousand rupiah. The second one is by motor vehicles which take about 45 minutes. Nowadays, it is quite easy to find Dolok Bonan Village because there are many directions posted on the side of the road.
To preserve the village of Bonan Dolok and several waterfalls in this area, the Indonesian government has inaugurated Bonan Dolok village as a tourism village in North Sumatra so that the development of tourism destinations in the area and also the economic life of its people is helped through the tourism sector.
Pasola is part of a series of traditional ceremonies conducted by Sumbanese people who still adhere to the original religion called ‘Marapu’ (the local religion of the Sumbanese people).
Pasola games are held in four villages in West Sumba regency. The four villages are Kodi, Lamboya, Wonokaka, and Gaura. The Pasola in the four villages is carried out in rotation from February to March each year.
Pasola is not just a form of crowd, but is a form of devotion and an acclamation of obedience to the ancestors. It is a religious culture that reveals the essence of the religiosity of the Marapu religion.
Pasola becomes the bond of brotherhood between the two groups that participate in the Pasola and the general public. Pasola is an expression of gratitude and joy for the local community, because of the abundant harvest.
Pasola comes from the word "sola" or "hola", which means a type of wooden javelin used to throw one another from a horse that is being driven fast by two opposing groups. After getting the affix "pa" (pa-sola, pa-hola), it means the game.
So, pasola or pahola means a game of dexterity by throwing wooden javelins from the back of a horse that is being riden fast between two opposing groups.
Pasola begins with the implementation of the Nyale tradition. Without getting the Nyale, Pasola cannot be implemented. Pasola is held in a vast expanse of field, witnessed by all residents from the two competing groups, the general public, and foreign and local tourists.
Each group consists of more than 100 youths armed with spears made of wood with blunt ends and about 1.5 cm in diameter. Even though it has a blunt end, this game can take lives.
If there is a victim in the Pasola, according to Marapu's belief, the victim receives punishment from the gods for having committed an offense or mistake.
As the largest regency in East Java Province, Banyuwangi is currently one of the most popular tourism destinations. It is directly adjacent to Bali strait. Most visitors who come only pass before crossing to Bali. If you have time, try to stop over for a moment and explore this small town called The Sunrise of Java. The area is quite diverse, from lowlands to highlands, mountainous areas and beaches, as well as historical sites and other ancient heritage sites. By carrying out the concept of ecotourism, Banyuwangi has succeeded in developing eco-friendly tourism by prioritizing aspects of nature conservation, socio-cultural and economic empowerment of the local communities. The tourism village which is the residence of a tribe in the East Java region called the Osing Tribe, can be your tourism destination in Banyuwangi. What activities can we see and learn at this village? Let's explore this tourism village together.
The local community is more familiar with the name ‘Kemiren Village’, but this village is better known to tourists by the name Osing or Using Village. The inhabitants of this village are a group of people who have unique customs and culture as one tribe, known as the Osing (Using) tribe. The government has designated it as a cultural heritage area and developed it as a Tourism Village of Using (Osing) tribe. The Osing tribe used to be servants of the Majapahit Kingdom. However, when the kingdom was attacked, some of them fled to Tengger, Banyuwangi and Bali. In Banyuwangi, they formed the Blambangan Kingdom.
In the Osing Village area, the main attraction is Sanggar Genjah Arum, with its typical Osing old houses that are more than 100 years old. At this village, you can learn the history of the tribe from the shape of the house. The culture includes four traditional houses with different shapes that indicate the social status of the occupants, namely Crocogan, Tikelbalung, Tikel, and Serangan. At Sanggar Genjah Arum, you can directly see the culture and customs of the Osing tribe. There is an angklung paglak that farmers often play while protecting their fields. There are also Barong Kemireng and Gandrung dances that are performed when welcoming guests. The most interesting thing is that visitors can listen to Othek or mortar music played by middle-aged women of the Osing tribe. This music is performed by playing a pestle and mortar accompanied by music from the angklung paglak and drums.
At Osing Tourism Village, you should also taste the Using Coffee at the Kemiren Traditional Village of Banyuwangi, or the typical coffee of the Using people, which is known to have such a delicious taste. You can also practice directly processing it from roasting, grinding coffee beans, filtering coffee grounds to practicing how to serve coffee. The coffee beans are processed into coffee drinks of any type, from espresso or Robusta; the taste is definitely very delicious. The village is located only about 15 minutes from downtown of Banyuwangi. So, the location of this tourism village is quite easy to access. You will get a variety of new experiences in this village. So, you don't have to worry about getting bored in this village. We recommend that wherever you go for a trip, you must follow health protocols so as not to create new clusters. Prepare a mask, hand-sanitizer and keep your distance from other tourists. Have a good vacation!
To celebrate Christmas, Christians in many regions in Indonesia have also installed various Christmas decorations, such as Christmas trees, bells, Santa Claus statues and various other Christmas decorations. Besides decorating the house with various Christmas ornaments, Christians in Indonesia also prepare various culinary of Christmas. For Christians in Ambon, they make popcorn. They think that Christmas is incomplete, if they haven't served Poporcis cake.
Poporcis cake is actually adapted from a typical Dutch cake called poffertjes cake. Its shape is like pancakes but smaller in size. So, it is often called mini pancake. This cake is made from wheat flour, yolk, baking powder, liquid milk, butter, and salt. Uniquely, pumpkin is also added to this cake dough. If this cake is going to be served, it is sprinkled with sugar. Then, there are also people who add it with ice cream, honey or grated cheese. The cake texture is smooth and soft and it tastes sweet. In spite of the small shape, this cake makes you full.
For Ambonese people, this cake is a must cake for Christmas celebrations. It is usually eaten by the family members in the morning. Moreover, this cake is also usually prepared for visiting guests. It goes without saying that if Christmas comes, you can find this poporcis cake in every Christian home in Ambon.
Karang Bolong Beach is one of the most popular tourism attractions in the region of Central Java. Because this coastal area has a unique beach panorama with hollow coral rocks inside.
In addition, Karang Bolong Beach has mixed black sand; some are soft and coarse. The beach sand is wide enough to cover the edge of the beach so that the contours of this beach are sloping. The coastal boundary is in the form of hills and unique rocks, making the beauty even more charming.
There are so many other exciting activities that visitors can do while at the beach. One of them is cycling and fishing. At the beach, there is also a cave which is famous for its swallow nest. The cave is named Goa Karang Bolong which is located on the east side of the beach. This cave is spacy with 30 meters long and10 meters wide. There is a special ritual that needs to be conducted when swallow nests are to be harvested.
Karang Bolong Beach is precisely located in Karang Bolong Village, Buayan District, Kebumen Regency, Central Java. Visitors who start their journey from Yogyakarta City can follow Daendels Street until they find a direction to Suwuk beach. Then, they follow this road to Karang Bolong Square.
From the square, they continue the journey following the road and then take the right lane when they find a T-junction. Follow this road until they find the location of Karang Bolong beach.
The ticket price for entering Karang Bolong beach is only Rp 5,000. Then, the parking fee for motorbikes is Rp 5,000 and for cars is Rp 10,000. This beach facility is also quite complete, starting from parking lots, food stalls, gazebos for resting, bathrooms, until places to worship.
Raja Ali Haji Museum - Indonesia Wonder
Raja Ali Haji Museum was opened on December 18 2020, in coincide with the commemoration of the 191st Anniversary of Batam City. The opening was marked by the opening of a curtain sketch of the face of King Isa bin King Ali or Nong Isa by Batam Mayor Muhammad Rudi. Nong Isa was the recipient of mandate of Sultan Abdul Rahman Muazzam Syah from the Lingga Sultanate, to rule the Nongsa area and its surroundings, on December 18, 1829. Nong Isa's government became a milestone in establishing Batam City.
Batam Raja Ali Haji Museum is located around the town square, Engku Putri Batam. This museum contains various historical objects and photos of the civilization of the city since the era of the Riau Lingga Kingdom. There are also various historical objects during the Dutch colonial period, the entry of Temanggung Abdul Jamal, Japanese era, Indonesian Independence, the Riau Islands Regency Government, the early development of the Batam Authority, the leadership of BJ Habibie, the Administrative City until the history of Astaka, Malay treasure, and the present Batam infrastructure.
Visiting this Museum, you can also see various collections of Malay cultural objects, as well as learning Malay culture. There is Bangkeng, a storage container for Malay wedding clothes which is at hundreds of years old. There is also Pahar which is usually used to serve dishes. It has a unique shape, complete with legs. Then there is the Semberit, which is a small legged dish. The museum also has a complete collection of Malay-style tableware. There are collections of Sanggan, Talam, and Sangku.Sangku is a hand washing container. Another collection is Tepak Sirih with Kacip. The Kacip is used to split betel nuts. Tepak Sirih is more complete with Cembul, a container for betel nut, Gambier, Lime betel, and Tobacco.There is also Keto a container to dispose leftovers after eating betel. There is also Kaki Dian, a container to put candles from the Riau-Lingga era.Then, another collection is the Embat-Embat which is a container for fragrant water. There is also the Kupi a container to keep sewing tools. If you are interested to see these various Malay collections, I suggest you to visit Batam Raja Ali Haji Museum.