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Raja Ampat, Ultimate Underwater Expedition

2011-08-02T22:11:00.001+07:00

LOCATION

Papua » West Papua

OVERVIEW

When arrived at Raja Ampat, nothing can be heard but the rifting little waves, lapping against the vibrant paint on the sides of the boat that gracefully slows down. Native birds hop on the tip of a small tree in one of the deserted Raja Ampat islands in the distance.

: Raja Ampat Islands

Raja Ampat or ‘Four Kings’, is the name given to these islands and comes from a local myth. The four major islands of Raja Ampat found here areWaigeo, Misool (which is home to ancient rock paintings), Salawati, and Batanta.

CONTENTS

Underwater enthusiasts flock to this region because Raja Ampat offers the world’s best marine sights. Two days earlier, some of these travelers had been at a deafening corner of a tourist trap in Bali. Once they took their flight to the bird head of the island of Papua everything changed as they embarked on a diving tour of a lifetime. In the Raja Ampatislands, divers can explore vertical underwater walls. The thrill of drift diving is another great challenge. These are the awesome diving and snorkeling experiences you will find in Raja Ampat.

Meanwhile, on this tour several divers were well equipped and looked advanced. The territory within the islands of the Four Kings (Raja Ampat) is enormous, covering 9.8 million acres of land and sea, home to 540 types of corals, more than 1,000 types of coral fish and 700 types of mollusks. This makes Raja Ampat the most diverse living library for world’s coral reef and underwater biota. According to a report developed by The Nature Conservancy and Conservation International, around 75% of the world’s species live here at Raja Ampat.

“Disini bagus!”, says the friendly local guide who had been appointed by the tour operator who runs an eco-lodge in Raja Ampat, indicating that they have arrived at one of the most fantastic diving sites. On other days, this guide is just a simple fisherman. The fishermen usually eat pinang (betel nuts) during Para-para Pinang, or social chatting and exchanging funny stories while chewing Pinang. In many respects, like nature, culture, and history, these fishermen are closer to the Moluccas.

“No doubt about it, Raja Ampat is definitely the richest place for fish that I have ever been.” –Dr G.R. Allen

“I was like a five-year-old, seeing a reef for the very first time. I was awestruck, held by the incredible power of this richest reef. We must, with all available resources, preserve the beauty of Raja Ampat. This may be the last frontier.” –Michael Aw

“I love the people, I love the diving, it’s super! I’ve never been for a second time to the same dive destination but now I’m thinking about going back for the third time! Should I say more?” –Peter van Dalen

(These testimonials are taken from www.iriandiving.com)

While the Raja Ampat landscape may look like a dream, this is not an illusion. As you embark on your dive, the phrase ‘Attention to detail’ takes on new meaning as pigmy seahorses swim around your fingers. Manta Rays and wobbegongs will glide right by you. Tuna fish, giant trevallies, snappers, and even barracudas are there to complete your underwater ‘meeting list’. Not to mention the friendly assistant of the dugong, and a busy colleague, the turtle. Natural and untouched beauty is the main attraction at Raja Ampat islands. With no unnecessary adages, the sky, the lush islands, the sea, and everything above and under it is genuinely saying ‘Welcome to Raja Ampat Islands; your personal Disneyland of diving sites’.

More facts about the Raja Ampat Conservation Area:*

This area is home to 1,511 species of reef fish in the Bird’s Head Seascape;
1,320 species of reef fish in Raja Ampat;
75% of all known coral species in the world;
10 times the number of hard coral species found in the entire Caribbean;
In the Birds Head Seascape there 600 species of hard coral recorded;
5 species of endangered sea turtles;
57 species of Mantis Shrimp;
13 species of Marine Mammals;
And 27 species of endemic reef fish found only in that area

*according to a tour operator

: Manta Rays Fish at Raja Ampat

WHAT YOU CAN DO

The Raja Ampat islands are a truly natural phenomenon with enormous biological diversity. The amazing marine landscape means thatunderwater photography should be on the top your list during your stay.

However with Raja Ampat’s natural conditions, high endemic level of land, sea biodiversity, coastal ecology, and local culture & tradition the islands offer more than just amazing landscapes to photograph.

So you may also consider:

Wreck diving
Sailing
Kayaking
Exploring the islands by boat
Visiting the Red Bird of Paradise
Enjoying the Karst islands around Wayag Island
Exploring the bat caves (literally, not the Dark Knight variety)
Make your own wood sculpture guided by an Asmat artisan
Fishing using traditional Papuan techniques
Trekking to discover waterfalls
Feeding couscous
Snorkeling
Watching The Sea Ghost

On North and West Waigeo, you can see a traditional bamboo flute (suling tambur) performance. This traditional performance usually takes place during religious festival, on Independence Day, (August 17th), and during visits from important officials or leaders. If you are interested in anthropology, this is something to definitely consider in your agenda.

In East Waigeo, particularly in front of Urbinasopen and Yesner villages, there is a very interesting and unique natural phenomenon, which can only be seen every year-end. A light comes out from the ocean and wanders around on its surface for about 10 – 18 minutes. After that, it disappears and can only be seen again at the following years-end. Local inhabitants in both villages call this phenomenon the “Sea Ghost”. This is more than just a sunset view, overlooking from your liveaboard.

In Tomolol, you’ll be amazed by the caves in the area, where you can see paintings of huge human palms and animals which were painted by ancient cave dwellers. While on North Waigeo, you can also take in some history with a visit to the World War II caves where the Dutch and the Japanese army built bunkers. The locals will sometimes perform a war dance. There is also the ever-flowing waterfall of Salawati, which is a sight you should not miss.

In addition, there are also exotic locations such as the Ayau islands consisting of small islands on a very large atoll. Many islands in this archipelago have white sands with a large seabed connecting one island to another. But there are also islands with unique sands that the local community calls “zandplaat”, which are a unique habitat for local vegetation. On these islands, mothers and children of local tribes collectively catch sea-worms (insonem).

For diving enthusiasts the favorite destination is usually South Waigeo. But while you are here, why not take the chance to visit Kabui Bay with many karst islands, goa tengkorak (cave of skulls), and the historical sites of Raja Ampat in Kali Raja. You can see a variety of birds in Yenwaupnor and Sawinggrai village, the Salay dance in Saonek, and plaited handicrafts in Arborek. In Arborek, visitors can dive and watch groups of stingrays. In Sawandarek, there’s a white sand beach with sea ducks and beautiful corals. In addition, there is a traditional village where you can walk around in and enjoy the unique slow paced atmosphere.

You can also dive in West Waigeo, Batanta, and Kofiau. These potential destinations are great places to visit by houseboats. The Karst islands in Wayag, especially, have very interesting natural attractions to enjoy.

WHERE TO STAY

Presently on Saonek Monde, a Tourist Center and harbor are being constructed. In the near future there are plans for three resorts to be built on Nyandebabo, Batbitiem, Waiwo, andWaigeo Selatan Islands. But in the meantime, you can choose from the alternatives below:

Sorido Bay Resort, which is famous for the house reef
Kri Eco Resort, a traditional resort built over the water
Island camp
Boathouse (most diving agents provide this service)

: Underwater Life at Raja Ampat

And even though Raja Ampat islands have only few visitors, there are already hotels and homestays on Saonek, Mansuar, andYenwaupnor islands.

WHERE TO EAT

Dining services are provided by the diving organizer, and range from an international menu to fresh traditional food made by the local people. Naturally, there will be a variety of seafood dishes. Do try the fish soup. There’s a local specialty called Sup Ikan Kuning (Yellow Fish Soup), served with local spices.

GETTING THERE

If you are flying from Jakarta, you can take a six hour flight to Sorong with a stopover in Manado. Alternatively, you can join a diving tour in Baliand fly from there. You will find Sorong just like any other city where you can get almost everything, although prices are higher due to its remote location. Usually only divers come to Raja Ampat, so you will not find many other tourists around. Joining a tour is the most common practice when visiting Raja Ampat. You do not have to be a professional diver to join a tour, as tour operators sell tours ranging for both for divers and non-divers.

Flying from Jakarta/Bali to Sorong, with connecting flights in Makassar or Manado are offered by:

Merpati
Express Air
Batavia Air
Lion Air
Wings Air
Silk Air
Garuda Indonesia
Pelita Air

GETTING ARROUND RAJA AMPAT

Commonly, divers will join a tour and live in a diving resort during their stay in the Raja AmpatIslands. To access diving spots, please contact and use the professional diving organizers, who can be conveniently found in Sorong. Several tour operators also offer the option of liveboard tours:

Before going to a dive spot, you’ll need to obtain a permit from the local Papua police station. You will need to bring your passport and three copies of the passport page with the Indonesian Visa. The diving organizers can help you with these formalities

From Sorong, there are two type of boats available;

Speed Boat (40 minutes – 1 hour boat trip, carries 15 passengers and costs Rp2 million/US$208.55);
Long Boat (2-3 hour boat trip and could carry 10 passengers for the cost of Rp1,2 million/ US$126).

Please note that all rates are subject to change without notice.

You may rent a small boat if you wish to stop and make personal discoveries along the beaches. As the Raja Ampat Islands have four mountainous main islands and hundreds of small islands in their vicinity, you may want to take this opportunity to explore. In addition, the Karst area is a beautiful and original natural phenomenon, as it has various unique flora and fauna as its attractions e.g., Bird of Paradise (Cenderawasih) Botak, Red Cenderawasih, Maleo Waigeo, Kus-kus, orchids, palm etc. You can also trek around Raja Ampat islands to find hidden beauties, like waterfalls and ancient caves.

Research and Markets: Indonesia Tourism Report Q3 2011

2011-07-15T18:57:00.001+07:00

Research and Markets has announced the addition of the"Indonesia Tourism Report Q3 2011" report to their offering.

The Indonesia Tourism Report provides industry professionals and strategists, corporate analysts, tourism associations, government departments and regulatory bodies with independent forecasts and competitive intelligence on Indonesia's tourism industry.

Core Forecasts Tourist arrivals for the first four months of 2011 have shown strong growth, in line with BMI's forecasts. Total arrivals for the January-April period stand at 2,323,039, up 7.2% year-on-year (y-o-y) according to figures from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS). For 2011, therefore, BMI maintain their target of 9% growth in tourist arrival numbers, taking total tourist arrivals for the year to the 7.63mn mark. This target is in line with the government's own aims to attract between 7.3mn and 7.7mn tourists to Indonesia throughout the year. After two strong years of growth in 2010 and 2011, the core forecast is then for Indonesia to consolidate recent gains with a more measured rate of tourist arrival growth, to reach a total of 8.72mn tourists by end-2015.

Tourist arrivals for 2010 were in line with BMI's forecasts, with Indonesia welcoming just over 7mn tourists over the year, representing an increase of 9.76% y-o-y. This strength in visitor arrival numbers underlines continued bullish stance towards Indonesian tourism for 2011 and beyond. Hotel occupancy rates also rose slightly, to an average of 50.6% for the year as a whole, according to information from the country's Central Statistics Agency (BPS). Tourist expenditure for 2010 stood at an estimated US$7.6bn, which represents an annual increase of 20.7%.

Fellow low-cost carrier Air Asia Indonesia (AAI) has also said that it still plans to sell a 20% stake later in 2011. Company CEO Dharmadi says that the airline still plans to raise US$150-200mn via an IPO on the JKSE during the fourth quarter. The proceeds of the IPO will be used to buy new planes and fund growth, according to the company. AAI has a stated aim of increasing its fleet size to 30 (from 20) by 2015. Like Lion Air, AAI is arguably in better financial shape than Garuda, with the low-cost airline posting a 37% increase in revenues during 2010, to IDR2.76trn, with net profit up by 350% at IDR474bn.

Bullish Outlook For Hotel Industry For 2011-12, there are an expected 13 new hotel openings scheduled for Jakarta, according to the local hotel and restaurant industry association (PHRI), with a further six to be built in Surabaya. The PHRI has also stated that local players Santika and Sahid are to build some 40 new hotels across the archipelago over the coming two years, with the industry witnessing strong interest from foreign investors.

In this context, there is currently a great deal of construction activity in the high-end hotel sector on the island of Bali, which is due to host the 2013 APEC summit. To prepare for the arrival of high-ranking dignitaries to the island, there are several new high-end hotels scheduled for opening in 2011, including Starwood Hotels' W Retreat & Spa Bali at Seminyak and Pullman Hotels' Bali Legian Nirwana, which have both now opened. Other high-end hotel chains set to open new properties in Bali over the 2011-13 period include Banyan Tree, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), Ritz Carlton and Kempinski.

Rounding out the optimism surrounding the Indonesian hospitality sector at present, in May 2011 luxury hotel chain Fairmont Hotels & Resorts announced plans to open the 380-room Fairmont Jakarta in 2014.

Visit Batik Palace in the 2011 Jakarta Fair

2011-06-15T17:47:00.012+07:00

Batik lovers who want to complete their collection have new alternative place to shop right now. For this whole month, they can simply visit the 2011 Jakarta Fair (PRJ) in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta. All district booths located in Hall A, B and C are displaying and selling various kinds of traditional to modern batik designs.

PRJ, as a strategic industrial entrance of Meeting, Incentive, Convention, and Exhibition (MICE) in Asia, as well as PT. JIExpo are still consistent to promote local products and campaign the love of nation nuances through their big and global events. Therefore, as a form of real support, local and central government propelling national economy through Jakarta Fair which packed with original local products as national identity of Indonesia.

The situation in the PRJ is similar to “Batik Palace’’. Almost all Indonesian batik, handmade or printed, from regions such as Jogjakarta, Solo, Semarang and Pekalongan, are shown in this event. The price is also cheaper than other events besides Jakarta Fair.

The reason is because Jakarta fair is a special trade forum and a huge event, so the merchants are showing their best of art works. Batik as national apparel set by the government becomes entrepreneur’s attention in MICE world.

That is why PRJ visitors use this opportunity to shop in “Batik Palace’’. Batik and traditional clothes from Kalimantan, Aceh, Bengkulu, Sumatra, and other kingdoms in Indonesia are also can be found there. For example, West Kalimantan Provincial Government displays local products such as tenun sintang, awan berarak batik, and sorak insang apparels.

Bromo - Tengger - Semeru National Park

2011-06-13T09:21:00.000+07:00

This National Park is one of the most beautiful places of interest in East Java. The beauties of mountain covered, give a special and characteristic green plants, arousing great interest. Tenggerese traditional farming also makes this famous place being more interesting and attractive. In addition, cool and breezy wind always blows freshly giving ever visitor special deep impression a unforgettable memories.
The accessibility has no problem and very reachable (via Malang, Pasuruan, Probolinggo or Lumajang).
Surely, different access give different characteristics scenery landscape. The elevation reaches about 2.392 meter sea level above and the temperature varies from 3 up to 20 degrees centigrade.
Facilities: Star Hotels, home-stays, restaurants, and many others that visitors needed can be found.
The people who live in this area are supposed to be descended from Majapahit Kingdom about six hundred years ago. The belonged to Tenggerese Hinduism with old traditional. That tradition still survives up to now. Every year, they always carry out the traditional and religious ceremonies, and the most popular ones is Yadnya Kasada, an offering ceremony held at the edge of the crater on the top of mount Bromo.
The Story of Offering Kasada Ceremony
Hundreds years ago, during the reign of the last king of Majapahit, Brawijaya, the situation was so uncertain due to the expanding new religion, Islam. At the time, the queen gave birth a baby girl and named her Roro Anteng, later the princess married Joko Seger, a Brahma Caste.
Since the influences of the new religion was so strong that it created chaos. The king and his followers were forced to back off to the east, some of them reached Bali and some of them reached a volcano.
The new married couple, Roro Anteng and Joko Seger were also found among the fugitives who went to the volcano. Later they ruled the volcano area and named it Tengger. The word Tengger was derived from Roro Anteng and Joko Seger. Then he surnamed himself the riffle of Purba Wasesa Mangkurat Ing Tengger which means the righteous ruler of Tengger.
Years after year as the region flourished in prosperity, the King and Queen felt unhappy for they had no children to succeed their throne. On their desperation, they decided to climb the top of the volcano to pray and beseech before God, the Almighty. Deeply, impressed by the faith of their meditation affected the murmuring sound of the crater lifted up miraculously followed by a golden lightning that made the surrounding locked so scintillating. Their prayer were heard the God and would give them children, but they should sacrifice their last child as return. It was a promising future that could not be denied.
Not long after, the first baby boy was born and Roro Anteng named him Tumenggung Klewung. Child after child was born during the years and it reached 25 in number to whom she gave the named Kesuma for the last child.
Roro Anteng and Joko Seger were very happy ever since, love and affection were imparted among their children. Happiness lingered on years after years, but a dull and sad feeling still haunted them for their promise would be claimed one day. They realized that they could not run from the fact, a bitter disappointment of losing a child shot through their brains. The day came, the God reminded them of their promise which could not be avoided.
As they felt how cruel it was to sacrifice their beloved child, they decided to break their promise by not offering him to the God. They brought away their children in order to save their last child from the offering. They tried to find a place to hide, however, they could not find away.
All of by sudden, the dreadful eruption of the volcano followed to where they went and miraculously Kesuma, the last beloved child was swallowed into the crater. At the same time when Kesuma disappeared from their sight, turbulent brawl diminished and strange silence for a while but a sudden voice echoed: Hi, my beloved brothers and sisters. It was sacrificed to appear before God Hyang Widi Wasa to save all of you. And what I expect be in a peace and live prosperously. Don't forget to set mutual assistance among you and to worship God constantly to arrange an offering ceremony annually on 14th of Kasada (the twelfth month of Tenggerese calendar) by full moon. For the sake of your God. Hyang Widi Wasa.
Kesuma's Brothers and sisters held the offering ceremony annually just like what Kesuma advised and it was held from generation to generation up to now.

visit indonesia 2011

2011-06-05T00:12:00.002+07:00

DEEP & EXTREME INDONESIA 2011

start: 31 Mar 2011 Until: 3 Apr 2011

Focusing on the Komodo Dragon and Diving around Komodo, the www.indonesia.travel website of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism together with private companies participation supported by Swisscontact, - will be prominently present in Deep and Extreme Indonesia 2011, to be held at the Jakarta Convention Center from March 31st to April 3rd 2011.

This Exhibition is the one stop opportunity to find and discuss everything and anything about what Indonesia has to offer in amazing Dives around the Archipelago and Extreme Adventure and Sports, that will be available for individuals or groups, as well as buyers to discuss arrangements with private sector participants.

The www.indonesia.travel web will also gather bloggers for discussions and feedback on how best we can promote Diving and Extreme Adventure throughout Indonesia.

DEEP and EXTREME Indonesia 2011 combines two exhibitions in one continuous event. The event is a perfect elaboration of Indonesia’s most prominent show featuring an emerging business in tourism Industry, marine and eco travel. It is also considered an essential agenda for all related key-players in the region especially in Asia and the Pacific Area.

DEEP and EXTREME Indonesia is now recognized as one of the important events in the region and is highly recommended by the industry involved in the marine and eco travel business. DEEP Indonesia exhibition returns to its 5th edition in 2011 with huge market anticipation. The show is acknowledged as the only exhibition in the country which offers the most complete display of the diving industry. For the third year, DEEP Indonesia will be held in conjunction with EXTREME Indonesia, the 3rd exhibition covering all aspects of outdoor and extreme sports, and eco tourism industry showcase.

Held during four days,Thursday, March 31st 2011, is a special Tradeshow day and set apart exclusively for trade visitors and media representatives, who are given free access to a number of programs including the official opening by the Minister of Culture and Tourism, buyers’ sellers meetings, press gathering and conferences and other official programs. On following days the show is open to the public.

The DEEP&EXTREME Indonesia 2011 exhibition occupies an exhibition space of 6,300 square meters (twice the size of the previous event). The show hosts more than 150 exhibiting companies and targeting 20,000 visitors attending the four-day show. Previous shows indicated that the DEEP&EXTREME Indonesia exhibition has gained a respected reputation among the tourism industry, and is known for its quality exhibitors and accurate targeted visitors.

With such level of importance and opportunities offered, DEEP&EXTREME Indonesia 2011 is simply a must for anyone involved in the tourism industry, and diving and adventure enthusiast to attend.

For More information, do visit: http://www.deepandextremeindonesia.com/2011

Related Destination

Science and technology in Indonesia

2011-06-01T14:56:00.005+07:00

As many other developing countries, Indonesia is not considered as world's leading parties in science and technology developments. However, throughout its history, there have been notable achievements and contributions made by Indonesian for science and technology. Currently, the republic's Ministry of Research and Technology is the official body in charge of science and technology development in the nation. In 2010, the Indonesian government has allocated Rp 1.9 trillion (approximately US$205 million) or less than 1 percent of the total state expenditure for research and developmen

History

Drawing of a Pinisi boat
Living in an agrarian and maritime culture, people in Indonesian's archipelago have been famous in some traditional technologies, particularly in agriculture and marine. In agriculture, for instance, people in Indonesia, and also in many other Southeast Asian countries, are famous in paddy cultivation technique namely terasering. Bugis and Makassar people in Indonesia are also well-known with their technology in making wooden sailing vessel called pinisi boat. Borobudur and many other temples (candis) also marked Indonesian people mastery in architecture and construction technology.

Construction technology
There are some notable technology developments made by Indonesians in modern Indonesia (post independence). In 80's an Indonesian engineer, Tjokorda Raka Sukawati invented a road construction technique named Sosrobahu which becomes famous afterwards and widely used by many countries. The technology has been exported to the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore and in 1995, a patent was granted to Indonesia.

Aerospace and transportationIn aerospace technology, Indonesia has a long history in developing military and small commuter aircraft as the only country in Southeast Asia to produce and develop its own aircraft, also producing aircraft components for Boeing and Airbus, with its state-owned aircraft company (founded in 1976), the Indonesian Aerospace (Indonesian: PT. Dirgantara Indonesia), which, with EADS CASA of Spain developed the CN-235 aircraft, which has been exported to many countries.

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Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie, a former Indonesian president played an important role in this achievement. While active as a professor in Germany, Habibie conducted many research assignments, producing theories on thermodynamics, construction, and aerodynamics, known as the Habibie Factor, Habibie Theorem, and Habibie Method respectively. Indonesia also hopes to manufacture the South Korea KAI KF-X fighter.

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Wiweko Soepono, a former Garuda Indonesia director is also known as inventor of the modern two-man cockpit design (Forward Facing Crew Cockpit/FFCC) for Garuda Indonesia Airbus A300 aircraft.
Furthermore, Indonesia has a well established railway industry, with its state-owned train manufacturer company, the Indonesian Railway Industry (Indonesian: PT. Industri Kereta Api), located in Madiun, East Java. Since 1982, the company has been producing passenger train wagons, freight wagons and other railway technologies and exported to many countries, such as Malaysia and Bangladesh.

Information and communication technology

Indonesia is one of few countries during 70's which owned their own communication satellite. Since 1976, a series of satellites named Palapa have been built and launched in the United States for Indonesia's state-owned telecommunication company, Indosat.

In Internet technology, an Indonesian information technology scientist, Onno W. Purbo has developed RTRW-net, a community-based internet infrastructure which provide affordable Internet access possible for people in rural areas.

RoboticAlthough still far left behind from such countries like Japan, robotic technology in Indonesia is promising. Numerous universities in Indonesia are intensively developing this technology.Morever, Indonesian students also have a good record in winning many international competitions in science and technology. In 2010, the robotic team from Computer University of Indonesia successfully defended their title by winning gold medal at Robogames in San Francisco, United States after they won the same award in 2009. Two years earlier, in 2008, another robotic team from the Tenth of November Institute of Technology won the third place in the robot contest of Asia Pacific Broadcast Union (ABU) Robocon 2008 in Pune, India.

Notable people

B.J Habibie

Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie, German-trained professor in aerospace engineering. Produced theories known as Habibie Theorem, the Habibie Factor, and Habibie Method. Later he became the president of Indonesia.
Onno W. Purbo, Internet and information technology expert. Well known for his design on RT/RW-net, a community based Internet solution for poor people.
Nelson Tansu, Professor in Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Lehigh University. An Indonesian Einstein with research works related to energy efficiency, renewable energy technologies, nanophotonics, nanostructures, semiconductor physics, and lasers. He is a genius, the youngest professor in history, become professor at the age of 25. Has more than 500 refereed publications, and holds more than 5 US patents.
Yohanes Surya, physics scientists and professor.

Candi Belahan

2011-05-23T11:06:00.001+07:00

Petirtan Belahan

Posted in Traveling | March 27th, 2011

Petirtaan Belahan, juga dikenal dengan sebutan Candi Belahan, merupakan sebuah Petirtaan (pemandian) yang terletak di lereng Gunung Penanggungan. Tepatnya berlokasi di Desa Belahan, Kecamatan Gempol, Kabupaten Pasuruan, Jawa Timur. Petirtaan ini sering disebut oleh penduduk sekitar dengan sebutan Candi Tetek, karena adanya pancuran air yang disalurkan lewat payudara dari salah satu arca. Kekhasan itulah yang membuat kami tertarik, untuk menyambangi sekaligus mengangkat nilai lebih Candi Tetek sebagai sebuah situs sejarah budaya yang menarik untuk dikunjungi.

Akses menuju lokasi, bisa melalui tiga jalur, lewat jalur Watukosek, lewat Raya Gempol-Apollo, atau juga lewat jalur pandaan. Akses paling recommended adalah melalui jalan raya Gempol-Pandaan, dari pertigaan Pom Bensin Pelem , menuju ke arah barat dan berjarak kurang lebih berjarak 10 km dari jalan utama. Perjalanan kurang lebih 30 menit, menyusuri perkampungan penduduk, diselingi dengan hamparan bukit dan persawahan di jalur aspal yang tidak begitu bagus, membuat perjalanan kami kali ini seolah petualangan sebuah tim arkeolog kawakan, yang sedang memburu sebuah situs sejarah yang lama tak terjamah.

Setibanya di lokasi, hamparan pohon-pohon tinggi menjulang, dan mendung yang sedikit gelap menyapa kami. Jujur, ada rasa sedikit kecewa menyaksikan sosok Candi Tetek yang legendaris itu, ternyata kondisinya tidak terawat baik seperti yang kami bayangkan. Berbahan dari batu bata dan andesit, dengan permukaan yang sebagian sudah ditumbuhi lumut.

Petirtaan Belahan merupakan sebuah pemandian berbentuk kolam persegi empat yang mendapat pasokan air dari sebuah sungai kecil. Dinding sebelah barat belakang mengepras lereng gunung penanggungan dengan bentuk relung-relung yang dahulunya berisi arca perwujudan Airlangga sebagai dewa Wishnu. Dengan ukuran panjang 6,14 m dan lebar 6,14 m.

Diperkirakan dibangun pada masa Raja Airlangga. Serta dipercaya pula sebagai tempat pemakaman beliau, hal ini dibuktikan dengan keberadaan candrasengkala yang terpahat pada sebongkah batu besar, berangka tahun 1049 masehi.

Cukup lama kami meluangkan waktu berteduh dibawah pendopo sederhana dalam kompleks candi seluas kurang lebih 120 meter persegi itu. Menyaksikan aktifitas penduduk sekitar yang memanfaatkan petirtaan candi sebagai sarana kebutuhan air bersih. Mulai mencuci, mandi, sekedar membasuh muka, atau bahkan mengambil langsung air dari pancuran untuk kebutuhan air minum.

Walau sekarang candi Sumber Tetek mungkin sudah tak sebagus, atau sesakral pada masanya dulu. Namun setidaknya, eksistensinya masih bisa memberikan manfaat bagi penduduk sekitar. Dan menjadi sebuah tanda keberadaan sebuah sejarah pada eranya. by Pastic

Tari Reog Jatim

2011-05-05T14:52:00.000+07:00

Reog adalah salah satu kesenian budaya yang berasal dari Jawa Timur bagian barat-laut dan Ponorogo dianggap sebagai kota asal Reog yang sebenarnya. Gerbang kota Ponorogo dihiasi oleh sosok warok dan gemblak, dua sosok yang ikut tampil pada saat reog dipertunjukkan. Reog adalah salah satu budaya daerah di Indonesia yang masih sangat kental dengan hal-hal yang berbau mistik dan ilmu kebatinan yang kuat.

Sejarah

Pertunjukan reog di Ponorogo tahun 1920. Selain reog, terdapat pula penari kuda kepang dan bujangganong.

Pada dasarnya ada lima versi cerita populer yang berkembang di masyarakat tentang asal-usul Reog dan Warok ^[1], namun salah satu cerita yang paling terkenal adalah cerita tentang pemberontakan Ki Ageng Kutu, seorang abdi kerajaan pada masa Bhre Kertabhumi, Raja Majapahitterakhir yang berkuasa pada abad ke-15. Ki Ageng Kutu murka akan pengaruh kuat dari pihak rekanCina rajanya dalam pemerintahan dan prilaku raja yang korup, ia pun melihat bahwa kekuasaan Kerajaan Majapahit akan berakhir. Ia lalu meninggalkan sang raja dan mendirikan perguruan dimana ia mengajar anak-anak muda seni bela diri, ilmu kekebalan diri, dan ilmu kesempurnaan dengan harapan bahwa anak-anak muda ini akan menjadi bibit dari kebangkitan lagi kerajaan Majapahit kelak. Sadar bahwa pasukannya terlalu kecil untuk melawan pasukan kerajaan maka pesan politis Ki Ageng Kutu disampaikan melalui pertunjukan seni Reog, yang merupakan "sindiran" kepada Raja Bra Kertabumi dan kerajaannya. Pagelaran Reog menjadi cara Ki Ageng Kutu membangun perlawanan masyarakat lokal menggunakan kepopuleran Reog.

Dalam pertunjukan Reog ditampilkan topeng berbentuk kepala singa yang dikenal sebagai "Singa Barong", raja hutan, yang menjadi simbol untuk Kertabumi, dan diatasnya ditancapkan bulu-bulu merak hingga menyerupai kipas raksasa yang menyimbolkan pengaruh kuat para rekan Cinanya yang mengatur dari atas segala gerak-geriknya. Jatilan, yang diperankan oleh kelompok penari gemblak yang menunggangi kuda-kudaan menjadi simbol kekuatan pasukan Kerajaan Majapahit yang menjadi perbandingan kontras dengan kekuatan warok, yang berada dibalik topeng badut merah yang menjadi simbol untuk Ki Ageng Kutu, sendirian dan menopang berat topeng singabarong yang mencapai lebih dari 50kg hanya dengan menggunakan giginya ^[2]. Populernya Reog Ki Ageng Kutu akhirnya menyebabkan Kertabumi mengambil tindakan dan menyerang perguruannya, pemberontakan oleh warok dengan cepat diatasi, dan perguruan dilarang untuk melanjutkan pengajaran akan warok. Namun murid-murid Ki Ageng kutu tetap melanjutkannya secara diam-diam. Walaupun begitu, kesenian Reognya sendiri masih diperbolehkan untuk dipentaskan karena sudah menjadi pertunjukan populer di antara masyarakat, namun jalan ceritanya memiliki alur baru dimana ditambahkan karakter-karakter dari cerita rakyat Ponorogo yaitu Kelono Sewondono, Dewi Songgolangit, and Sri Genthayu.

Versi resmi alur cerita Reog Ponorogo kini adalah cerita tentang Raja Ponorogo yang berniat melamar putri Kediri, Dewi Ragil Kuning, namun ditengah perjalanan ia dicegat oleh Raja Singabarong dari Kediri. Pasukan Raja Singabarong terdiri dari merak dan singa, sedangkan dari pihak Kerajaan Ponorogo Raja Kelono dan Wakilnya Bujanganom, dikawal oleh warok (pria berpakaian hitam-hitam dalam tariannya), dan warok ini memiliki ilmu hitam mematikan. Seluruh tariannya merupakan tarian perang antara Kerajaan Kediri dan Kerajaan Ponorogo, dan mengadu ilmu hitam antara keduanya, para penari dalam keadaan 'kerasukan' saat mementaskan tariannya ^[3] .

Hingga kini masyarakat Ponorogo hanya mengikuti apa yang menjadi warisan leluhur mereka sebagai pewarisan budaya yang sangat kaya. Dalam pengalamannya Seni Reog merupakan cipta kreasi manusia yang terbentuk adanya aliran kepercayaan yang ada secara turun temurun dan terjaga. Upacaranya pun menggunakan syarat-syarat yang tidak mudah bagi orang awam untuk memenuhinya tanpa adanya garis keturunan yang jelas. mereka menganut garis keturunan Parental dan hukum adat yang masih berlaku.

Kontroversi

Foto tari Barongan di situs resmi Malaysia, yang memicu kontroversi.

Tarian sejenis Reog Ponorogo yang ditarikan di Malaysia dinamakan Tari Barongan^[4]. Tarian ini juga menggunakan topeng dadak merak, yaitu topeng berkepala harimau yang di atasnya terdapat bulu-bulu merak. Deskripsi dan foto tarian ini ditampilkan dalam situs resmi Kementrian Kebudayaan Kesenian dan Warisan Malaysia.

Kontroversi timbul karena pada topeng dadak merak di situs resmi tersebut terdapat tulisan "Malaysia",^[5]^[6] dan diakui sebagai warisan masyarakat dari Batu Pahat, Johor dan Selangor, Malaysia. Hal ini memicu protes berbagai pihak di Indonesia, termasuk seniman Reog asal Ponorogo yang menyatakan bahwa hak cipta kesenian Reog telah dicatatkan de ngan nomor 026377 tertanggal 11 Februari 2004, dan dengan demikian diketahui oleh Menteri Hukum dan HAM Republik Indonesia.^[7] Ditemukan pula informasi bahwa dadak merak yang terlihat di situs resmi tersebut adalah buatan pengrajin Ponorogo.^[8] Ribuan seniman Reog sempat berdemonstrasi di depan Kedutaan Malaysia di Jakarta.^[9] Pemerintah Indonesia menyatakan akan meneliti lebih lanjut hal tersebut.^[7]

Pada akhir November 2007, Duta Besar Malaysia untuk Indonesia Datuk Zainal Abidin Muhammad Zain menyatakan bahwa Pemerintah Malaysia tidak pernah mengklaim Reog Ponorogo sebagai budaya asli negara itu. Reog yang disebut “Barongan” di Malaysia dapat dijumpai di Johor dan Selangor, karena dibawa oleh rakyat Jawa yang merantau ke negeri tersebut ^[10].

Pencak Silat

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Pencak silat (Indonesian pronunciation: [pentjak silat]; also spelled penchak silat and pentjak silat) is an umbrella term for the indigenous martial arts created in Indonesia.[1] The leading organization of pencak silat in Indonesia is IPSI (Ikatan Pencak Silat Indonesia meaning Organization for Indonesian Pencak Silat). The liaison body for international pencak silat is the International Pencak Silat Association or PERSILAT (Persekutuan Pencak Silat Antara Bangsa).

Etymology

Pencak silat was chosen in 1948 as a unifying term for the Indonesian fighting styles. It was a compound of the two most commonly used words for martial arts in Indonesia. Pencak was the term used in central and east Java, while silat was used in Sumatra. In modern usage, pencak and silat are seen as being two aspects of the same practice. Pencak is the performance aspects of the martial art, while silat is the essence of the fighting and self-defense.

History

The pencak silat tradition is mostly oral, having been passed down almost entirely by word of mouth. In the absence of written records, much of its history is known only through myth and archaeological evidence. The primary weapons of Indonesia's tribal peoples were the single-edge sword, shield and javelin. The inhabitants of Nias Island had until the 20th century remained largely untouched by the outside world. However, they are culturally similar to the Himalayan Naga tribe. Neighbouring Sumatrans are said to have left the Nias people alone because they were fearless warriors.

indonesian ancient warriors

Bas-reliefs in Srivijaya depict warriors wielding such weapons as the jian or Chinese straight sword, which is still used in some styles today. Additionally, Javanese blades are of Indian derivation. It was during this period that silat was first formulised. The earliest evidence of silat being taught in a structured manner comes from the Sumatra-based empire of Srivijaya where folklore tells that it was created by a woman named Rama Sukana who witnessed a fight between a tiger and a large bird. By using the animals' movements, she was able to fend off a group of drunken men that attacked her. She then taught the techniques to her husband Rama Isruna from whom they were formally passed down. There are several variations of this story depending on the region where it is told. On the island of Boyan (Bawean), Rama Sukana is believed to have watched monkeys fighting each other while the Sundanese of West Java believe that she created cimande after seeing a monkey battle a tiger. The accuracy of this legend cannot be substantiated but the fact that silat is attributed to a woman is thought to indicate their prominence in ancient Southeast Asian society.

While Srivijaya dominated the coastal areas, the Sanjaya (or Mataram) and Sailendra kingdoms ruled central Java. Pencak silat especially flourished in Java which is now home to more different styles than any other Indonesian islands. In the 13th century, Srivijaya was defeated by the Cholas of south India. This was followed by the decline of the Sailendra and Sanjaya kingdoms but it also gave rise to the Majapahit empire. This was the first empire to unite all of Indonesia's major islands.

The influence of silat from the mainland was consolidated by Ninik Dato' Suri Diraja (1097–1198) to create silek or Minangkabau silat in Sumatra.Pencak silat was later used by Indonesian freedom-fighters against Dutch colonists. During this time the Bugis and Makassar people from south Sulawesi were very well known as expert sailors, navigators and warriors. After Indonesia's independence, pencak silat was brought to Europe by Indo people of Eurasian (mixed Indonesian and European) ancestry, such as the well known Paatje Phefferkorn. The art is now popular in the Netherlands, Spain and France. Schools can also be found in the USA.

Weapons

Traditional weapons

Kris: A dagger, often with a wavy blade made by folding different types of metal together and then washing it in acid.
Kujang: Sundanese blade
Samping/Linso: Piece of silk fabric worn around the waist or shoulder, used in locking techniques and for defense against blades.
Batang/Galah: Rod or staff made from wood, steel or bamboo.
Cindai: Cloth, usually worn as sarong or wrapped as head gear. Traditionally women cover their head with cloth which can be transformed into cindai.
Tongkat/Toya: Walking-stick carried by the elderly and travelers.
Kipas: Traditional folding fan preferably made of hardwood or iron.
Kerambit/Kuku Machan: A blade shaped like a tiger's claw that women could tie in their hair.
Sabit/Clurit: A sickle, commonly used in farming, cultivation and harvesting of crops.
Sundang: A double edge Bugis sword, often wavy-bladed
Rencong/Tumbuk Lada: Slightly curved Minang dagger, literally meaning "pepper crusher".
Gedak: Mace/ club made of steel.
Tombak/Lembing: Spear/ javelin made of bamboo, steel or wood that sometimes has horsehair attached near the blade.
Parang/Golok: Machete/ broadsword, commonly used in daily tasks such as cutting through forest brush.
Trisula: A trident or 3-pronged spear
Chabang/Cabang: Short-handled trident, literally meaning "branch".

KRETIFITAS ANAK NEGERI

2009-10-01T14:28:00.000+07:00

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