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Pasola 2015: Ritual Jousting Fights on Sumba island
10 Feb 2015 -
14 Mar 2015
The Pasola 2015 ritual jousting battles
will again take place during the months of February and March
in six traditional villages of the island of Sumba, in the province of
Ease Nusatenggara. In February Pasola jousting will be held in the
villages of Homba Kalayo, Bondo Kawangoi and Rara Winyo. While in March
these fights can be seen at Maliti Bondo Ate (Ratenggaro), Waiha and
Wainyapu.
The exact dates when the battles will take place are determined by the village elders at full moon rising, known as "naalbukolo". Here the Rato nyale plays
a most important role to decide on the dates. It is difficult to
estimate when exactly the Pasola jousting events will be held since the
fights are not only organizedfor entertainment but are part and
parcel of and an important ritual in the local belief called Marapu.
In Pasola, two parties prepare for
battle, each comprising 100 men carrying wooden lances with a diameter
of 1.5 cm but having a blunt edge. During the fight, men who have
fallen off their horses may not be attacked. The belief goes that each
drop of blood that falls on earth will fertilize the soil for the next
harvest.
The Pasola battles are not
only meant for fun and entertainment but this tradition has long been
embedded in the culture of the Sumbanese people. Pasola comes from the
word sola or hola, in the local language means wooden lance, but added with a prefix, pasola means a game to strengthen brotherhood.
For the Sumba people, Pasola is a
peaceful and friendly battle: a ritual required by tradition
(therefore, not a war game), so that despite the fact that victims do
fall, Pasola on Sumba is held to sympathise – as the legend goes - with
the distress of their ancestor at losing his soulmate, which is at the
core of this ritual.
The island of Sumba itself offers
many amazing attractions to catch on film. Besides the exciting Pasola
battles , Sumba is also famous for its Megalithic traditions, large
stone graves as well as the Marapu traditions that have
survived over the centuries.
The Pasola 2015 traditional jousting battles will take place as follows:
In February 2015
10 February 2015 :Pasola Homba Kalayo, in the sub-district of Kodi Bangedo.
13 February 2015 :Pasola Bando Kawango, sub-district Kodi.
14 February 2015 : Pasola Rara Winyo sub-district, Kodi.
In March 2015
11 March 2015 :Pasola Maliti Bondo (Ratenggaro), sub-district Kodi Bangedo.
13 March 2015 :Pasola Waiha, sub-district Kodi Blaghar.
14 March 2015 :Pasola Wainyapu, sub-district Kodi Blaghar.
Festive Chinese New Year Celebrations all across Indonesia
19 Feb 2015 -
5 Mar 2015
As Indonesia counts a large population
of those with Chinese descent, most of whom have lived here for
generations, Chinese New Year - here known as Imlek - is
celebrated with lots of fanfare in many townships across the
archipelago. Chinese New Year has also been declared a national
holiday, which this year falls on 19 February 2015. While celebrations continue for 15 days culminating on 5 March , known as Cap Go Meh.
On New Year's eve, Chinese families
whose members may be living far apart, make it point to gather at New
Year’s eve family dinner. The next morning they will all go to the
temple to pray and burn incense and joss sticks. Preparing for this
auspicious occasion, temples have been spruced up and decorated with
red lanterns and huge red candles. During the two weeks celebrations,
groups of lion dancers prance around the city accompanied by loud drums
and cymbals. In response, people give red packets of money or ang pao in
its mouth, to receive good luck from the lions. Meanwhile at parades,
athletic dancers carry colorful "dragons" zig-zaging along the streets
that are crowded with onlookers.
In the city of Semarang, capital of the province of Central Java,- where Chinese Imperial Emissary Admiral Zheng He (here
better known as Cheng Ho ) first set foot on Java, - its Chinatown
known as Pasar Semawis is crowded when the annual Pasar Imlek or Chinese
New Year market is held here from 4-16 February selling
decorations, special New Year clothes, knick-knacks and foodstuff for
families to prepare for the big day. Then the market is transformed into
a festive arena where open air stages are set for performances along
Gang Pinggir and Srawung, held from 14-17 February. Here
the public can enjoy typical Chinese dances, music and cultural
performances like the Wayang Potehi, Gambang Semarang, Twa Kok Djwee,
barongsai, toya games and even Wushu.
Meanwhile in the city of Solo, also
in Central Java, Chinese New Year is celebrated around Pasar Gede
Market near the Tien Kok Sie temple. Both Chinese descendants as well as
locals celebrate together starting with the traditional Javanese Grebeg
Sudiro held from15-18 February, just prior to Chinese
New Year celebrations which falls on 19 February. At the pinnacle of
Grebeg Sudiro people are encouraged to grab vegetables and fruits from
the cone-shaped mountain of produce that are piled up high, and which
has earlier been paraded around town. The tradition of grabbing and even
fighting for a piece of produce is based on the Javanese teaching that
says : ora babah ora mamah, meaning there is no food without struggle.
Along with the Grebeg Sudiro tradition, a
series of events will also highlights the Chinese New Year celebration
in Solo, including: The million Lanterns fiesta from 30th January to 18th February; cleaning the banks of the Pepe river and planting medicinal plants on 1st February 2015; the Umbul Mantram Ritual and the Pepe River Decorated Boats on 5th February; Grebeg Sudiro Cultural Carnival on 15th February; Release of lanterns and Firework Fiesta on 18th February; Barongsai (Lion Dance) and Liong (Dragon Dance) Parade on 5th March; and the Official “Imlek” Chinese New Year Ceremony of Solo City at Pendhapi Gedhe, the City Hall of Solo on 5th March 2015.
As expression of sympathy for victims of
recent misfortunes that occurred in several places including the fire
that burnt the traditional Pasar Klewer Market in the city, this year the Solo Imlek Festival will not take place.
Meanwhile, in neighboring Yogyakarta, this Chinese New Year celebration promises to be even more festive. Named the Chinese Cultural Week the event is held from 1-5 March 2015 in
conjunction with Cap Go Meh. Carrying the theme: Knitting together
Cultures, Creating Unity, people will be shown the acculturation of
Chinese heritage into Javanese life. Throughout the week there will be
exhibitions, Mandarin language competitions, karaoke sessions at Kampung
Ketandan, and more fun, music and dance extending to the Suryatmajan
arterial road.
Meanwhile, in the mountain cities of Bandung and Sukabumi in
West Java, people will also not pass Chinese New Year without
celebrations with the mandatory lion and dragon dances along busy
streets, of course after morning prayers at the temples.
View photographs :
In Jakarta,
capital of Indonesia, Chinese New Year is celebrated around China town,
at around Petak Sembilan and Glodok area, where stands the Yin De Yuan
temple, the oldest Chinesed temple in Jakarta built
in 1650. Malls will be festooned with gay Chinese New Year
decorations, and people will flock to restaurants to enjoy Chinese New
Year meals with the whole family.
While, on the island of Sumatra, starting from the city of Medan in
the North, the large Chinese population here will celebrate this year
with the Gebyar Imlek Fair, - or the Chinese New Year Fiesta from 30 January to 8 February.
Although Medan is known to have long been a favored port of call for
Chinese merchant vessels since centuries, yet this year for its
celebrations Medan has opted for the more trendy and modern, appealing
to the youth. There will be rock, jazz and pop music, as well as fashion
shows, modern dance festival and a cosplay festival. There will of
course be an array of delicious spreads of seafood, a favorite of Medan.
In South Sumatra, the city of Palembang in the Dempo Chinatown, the Imlek Festival will be held from 28 February – 4 March,
where people will be spoilt with a culinary exhibition and a number of
competitions of traditional boats and dragon boat races.
Since Palembang was once the seat of the
great Srivijaya kingdom, when Chinese merchants were wont to visit here
and Buddhist scholars made this their place of sojourn and learning
before proceeding to India, Palembang holds many traces of Chinese
cultural heritage that can be seen from the architecture of houses,
clothes, medicines, graves, and of course cuisine.
At Cap Go Meh a host of people take boats to the island of Kamaro where is an old Chinese temple, and a center for prayers at Chinese New Year.
On the islands of Batam and Bintan, just opposite Singapore, people will flock to the new huge Buddhist temples on Batam and near Tanjung Pinang on Bintan. Devotees will come not only from the hundreds of surrounding islands but also from Singapore and Malaysia.
But arguably the pinnacle of celebrations of Chinese New Year in Indonesia is the Cap Go Meh at Singkawang in West Kalimantan, known as the greatest Chinese New Year event in the region. This is because here the age-old tradition of tatung
is still followed, when men, women and children will meditate, go into
a trance then pierce themselves with sharp lances but strangely remain
completely unharmed. These colorfully dressed tatungs are believed to
ward off evil spirits and keep the city and the area safe from disasters
and illnesses through the coming year. The parade of tatungs will take place on 5 March at Cap Go Meh, starting from Diponegoro road, pass Jalan Sejahtera, Budi Utomo, Setia Budi, finishing at Jalan Niaga.
Indonesia Fashion Week 2015: “Setting Fashion Future”
26 Feb 2015 -
1 Mar 2015
Indonesia Fashion Week 2015 (IFW2015),
a full one week-long fashion festival organized by the Association of
Indonesia Fashion Designers (APPMI) will again highlight the capital
city of Jakarta from 26th February to 1st March 2015 at the Jakarta Convention Center.
Aimed to establish Indonesia as one of
the fashion centers of the world, IFW is where all the unique features
of Indonesian cultures, both traditional and up-to-date are presented in
the form of diverse ready to wear fashion and accessories. The event
will be punctuated with exhibitions, fashion shows, competitions,
seminars, and workshops. According to the official website,indonesiafashionweek.com , this year the event will involve 32 fashion shows, 665 brands, and over 1920 outfits.
Held for the first time on February
2012, the annual Indonesia Fashion Week synergizes all fashion elements
in the country including government, industry, associations, and
academics. This year, IFW2015 is supported by a number of ministries
namely the Coordinating Ministry of Economy, Coordinating Ministry of
Welfare, Ministry of Trade, Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Industry,
and the Ministry of cooperatives, Small and Medium Businesses.
Building up to the event, a number of pre-events will be held for fashion lovers. Among this is the Starting Point Competition
which is dedicated for young and emerging designers who wish to offer
their brilliant designs. Those who like urban style with distinct
Indonesian batik and hand-woven fabrics can take part in the Sunday Dress Up which will take place on 1st February
2015. Sunday Dress Up is a fun walk involving no less than 5000
participants starting at the Sapta Pesona Building, the Office of the
Ministry of Tourism.
For more information you can contact:
PT. Kerabat Dyan Utama
Phone: +62 21-3926867
Fax: +62 21-3926092
FB: Indonesia Fashion Week
Twitter: @IndonesiaFW
”Imlek” Chinese New Year Festival 2015 in Palembang
28 Feb 2015 -
4 Mar 2015
Scheduled to take place from 28th February to 4th March 2015, the Imlek Festival 2015 will highlight the Chinese New Year Celebrations in the Dempo Chinatown area of Palembang, the capital of South Sumatra. Building up to the Cap Go Meh,
which is the peak of the Chinese New Year celebrations, the festival
will be filled with an array of competitions, art performances, and of
course, a culinary fiesta.
Some of the exciting features of the
festival will include a culinary bazaar, an ornaments and accessories
bazaar, mass Tai-Chi and aerobic exercises, and a lot more. There will
also be competitions including in : photography, cooking, Chinese
Karaoke, Chinese Dangdut singing contest, Barongsai (Lion Dance), and fashion show on the street.
Ever since the 9th century when the
ancient kingdom of Srivijaya became a thriving trading power and an
epicenter for Buddhist learning, Chinese merchants came to trade in
Palembang and monks stayed here to study Sanskrit and Buddhism before
proceeding to India, or on their journey home from India. Many settled
in the city so that through the centuries the growing Chinese
population, its culture and history became an inseparable part of the
city of Palembang. The interaction and bond between the indigenous
Malay ethnic population with Chinese descendents were made even
stronger when Admiral Cheng Ho (or Zheng He), emissary of the Chinese
Emperor came to Palembang in the 15th century.
The historical traces of Chinese influence in Palembang can still be found throughout the city. Among these are the Cheng Ho Mosque and also the old town complex of Palembang at the southern part of the Musi River directly facing the Kuto Besak Fortress Plaza.
Following the festival, the annual highlight in the Chinese calendar is the Cap Go Meh, held 15 days after Chinese New Year - here called Sin Cia,- centering on the Island of Kamaro,
located midstream in the wide Musi River delta where there are pagodas
and Chinese temples. On this day, thousands of ethnic Chinese from
Palembang and around Indonesia, as well as from neighboring Singapore,
Malaysia to Hong Kong and Taiwan gather on the island, arriving here by
boat from Palembang city.
Bali Spirit Festival 2015 :
An Annual Celebration of Yoga, Dance, and Music
31 Mar 2015 -
5 Apr 2015
From 31st March to 5th April 2013, the tranquil town of Ubud in the cultural heart of Bali will once again be filled with worldwide spirituality as the Bali Spirit Festival 2015
gets underway. As the event celebrates its eight year of existence,
news of its magic has reached around the world. Not only does the
Festival bring together celebrated musicians, yogis and dancers from
every continent, but it has also become a magnet for fans, students and
followers of every calling.
As always, the Bali Spirit Festival will take place at two of the most stunning venues in Ubud: Purnati Centre for the Arts and the ARMA Open Stage and Museum.
The World Stage Concert will be staged on the majestic outdoor stage of
Agung Rai Museum of Arts (ARMA). Located on the grounds of one of ARMA,
a museum housing one of Bali's most impressive collection of Balinese
and Indonesian visual art, the stage is framed by towering, traditional
Balinese stone architecture and shaded by incredible tropical beauty.
Offering rejuvenation and inspiration to
all who enter its tropical grounds, the festival invites some of the
world’s greatest instructors offering diverse workshops in yoga,
meditation, music and dance, as well as seminars in healing and health.
Drawing in a global audience of 6000
from over 50 countries, the tranquil town of Ubud in Bali will be
transformed into an international cornucopia of world music and yogic
fun. On the Coco Love Stage the festival features a Bhakti feast of
world-renowned devotional music. Passionate about celebrating diversity,
The One World Night Music Stage brings together music and traditions
from every corner of the planet, staying true to the festival’s message
of peace, love and positivity.
This year, this one of a kind festival will feature some of the world’s top yoga masters including: Noah Maze (USA), Ronan Tang (China), Simon Borg Olivier (Australia), and Maryam Askari (France).
The Festival seminar programme will feature a range of healing experts
who will be giving talks and running workshops throughout the festival
including: Lorin Roche (USA) and Margot Anand (France) -Tantra Yoga, Relationships and Sexuality; TanishkaTantrika(Australia) -Goddess and Priestess of the Divine Feminine; Jeffrey Amstrong (Canada) -Vedic Astrology; Kat Dawes (Australia)- Creator of NOWism and promoter of the Powerful Present Moment.
Getting you up to dance at the Festival will be the Hoop
Yogini Jocelyn Gordon, Masala Bhangra with Sarina Jain, Tribal Fusion
Belly Dance with Deb Rubin, Embodied Hip Hop with Daniel Rojas and many more.
Described as one of the most vibrant and
uplifting festivals happening to date, this inspirational event unifies
the global community through live music, yoga, dance, encouraging
people to spread the message of positive change in their homes,
communities and worldwide.
BaliSpirit’s dedicated Family day ‘Hari
Cinta Keluarga’ is the perfect excuse to involve the whole family with
fun workshops, creative performances and bilingual classes. Immerse
yourself in the buzz of the marketplace at the Dharma Fair which brings
together delicious healthy food, exceptional healers and traditional
Indonesian performances while you eat your lunch.
More Information available at: http://www.balispiritfestival.com/
Unique SEMANA SANTA Easter Holy Week celebrations in Larantuka, East Flores
1 Apr 2015 -
5 Apr 2015
Unique SEMANA SANTA Easter Holy Week celebrations in Larantuka, East Flores
1 Apr 2015 -
5 Apr 2015
Each year, the week before Easter Sunday, the town of Larantuka, East Flores, solemnly celebrates the Holy Week, popularly known here as “Semana Santa”. This year the series of rituals will take place from 1st to 5th April 2015.
During this special week, the small town
of Larantuka will be thronged with thousands ofCatholic pilgrims, not
only coming from surrounding islands in Flores but also from Java, Bali,
around Indonesia, joined by many international tourists. This is
because of Larantuka’s unique commemoration of Holy Week which blends
Old Portuguese devotion with local tradition.
Pilgrims from around Flores and Indonesia come here to pray and participate in this one of a kind procession.
The Semana Santa will commence with the Rabu Trewa or Shackled Wednesday (or Ash Wednesday) on 1st April,
on the mid-Easter week. On this day, devotees gather in chapels and
pray, remembering the betrayal of Jesus by Judas Iscariot which led to
Jesus’ arrest and shackling. This is the time when the town of Larantuka
turns into the Town of Mourning; a time when it drowns into solemnity
and reflection for the purification of the soul.
In the afternoon of Maundy Thursday, congregations hold the tikam turo ritual , preparing
the route for the following day’s seven kilometer procession by
planting candles along the route. At the Chapel of Tuan Ma (Virgin
Mary) the casket that has been sealed for one year is carefully opened
by the Conferia, and the statue of Tuan Ma or Virgin Mary is bathed and
then dressed in mourning clothes (a piece of black or purple, or blue
velvet coat).
The pinnacle of the rituals falls on Good Friday or the Sesta Vera which this year falls on 3rd April 2015. The door of the chapel of Tuan Ma and Tuan Ana
(Jesus and the Virgin Mary) opens at ten o’clock in the morning. The
Good Friday procession is highlighted by the ritual of carrying the
statue of the body of Jesus Christ, placing Jesus at the center of the
ritual and placing Mother Mary at the center of attention, as the
mourning mother (Mater Dolorosa).
The Sabtu Santo (Holy Saturday) and the Minggu Paskah (Easter Sunday) follow the next days, marking the end of the entire Easter week procession.
Having strong Portuguese colonial
influences, Larantuka is commonly known as one where Catholicism
flourishes in Indonesia. For more than four centuries, this region
inherited Catholicism through the role of the common people rather than
through the clergy. The King of Larantuka, missionaries, the brotherhood
of apostles of the common people (Confreria), the Semana Tribe, and the Kakang (Kakang Lewo Pulo Tribe) as well as the Pou (Lema Tribe) have played pivotal roles in the growth of Catholicism in this Larantuka region.
From Jakarta or Bali the town of Larantuka is accessible by flights to the El Tari Airport in Kupang or the Wai Oti Airport in Maumere, followed by about 3 hours’ overland journey to Larantuka.
Since Larantuka is a small town with
limited accommodation facilities, those wishing to attend the Semana
Santa in Larantuka are advised to book their hotel and flights early.
Total Lunar Eclipse on 4th April 2015: “Blood Moon” Over the Sky of Jakarta
4 Apr 2015
Start At: 17:45 Until: 21:45
444
In the capital city of Jakarta, this special phenomenon will be visible from 17:52:26 to 21:58:58 West Indonesia Time. The Jakarta Planetarium and Observatory is making all the necessary preparations for this special phenomenon.
A slight difference from a total solar eclipse (which will also occur over the Indonesian sky in 2016), the total lunar eclipse can be observed directly with the naked eye. However, binoculars and unfiltered stellar telescopes can help to observe the phenomenon even clearer.
The color of the moon while it is on the umbra or dark shadow of the earth area during the total eclipse will depend on the earth’s outer space condition. On 4thApril 2015, a spectacular view will be presented to all observing eyes since the moon will feature a blood red color, which is commonly known as the “Blood Moon” for about 5 minutes during the peak phase of the eclipse. The red color appears when the moon is at the Earth’s umbra area caused by the refraction of sunlight by the earth’s atmosphere. The red color unfortunately also reflects the high level of pollution. The higher the pollution level of an area (in this case Jakarta), the more red the color of the moon. The peak of the total solar eclipse will occur for 5 minutes from 18:57:54 to 19:02:37 West Indonesia Time.
On 4th April 2015, the total lunar eclipse will be visible only in Asia (including Indonesia), Australia, Pacific, and America. Other regions will not be able to observe the total solar eclipse since the moon's position is below the sky or the horizon of the observer.
Lunar eclipse occurs during full moon and when the moon enters the earth’s shadow area. The earth shadow area consists of the grey shadow area or penumbra and the dark shadow area or umbra. When the moon enters the penumbra area, the vague or penumbra lunar eclipse occurs which is vaguely visible to the naked eye and can only be observed via telescope, or other devices. When the moon enters the earth’s umbra area, the visual or umbra occurs. When the moon only partially enters the umbra area, the eclipse is called partial lunar eclipse; when the entire moon’s disc enters the umbra, then we have what is known as the total solar eclipse.
Lunar Eclipse is a fascinating phenomenon to be observed, since one can also evaluate the precision of ephemeris calculations (the coordinates of space objects). During the lunar eclipse, the earth, moon, and sun are perfectly aligned and the gravitational pull of the moon and the sun can cause a maximum sea tide.
The second total lunar eclipse which will occur on 28th September 2015 will not be visible in Indonesia. This is because the eclipse will occur at daylight, and the moon is below the horizon of the observer. This second total lunar eclipse will be visible in east pacific, America, Europe, and West Asia.
Source : F. Espernak. NASA's GSFC.
For more information contact :
Jakarta Planetarium and Observatory, The Office of Education of Jakarta
Jalan Cikini Raya no. 73
Central Jakarta
Telephone : (021) 2305146 and 2305147
Tour de Bintan 2015: The Epic Cycling Challenge on Bintan Island
6 Nov 2015 - 8 Nov 2015
After a one-year hiatus, the 2015 Tour de Bintan sees the return of the popular Prologue Time Trial (ITT) to kick off three days of racing action on Friday, 6th November 2015.
The 11km test of speed and power against the clock will be slightly hillier and a bit more technical than the previous Tour de Bintan ITT course as it negotiates the twists, turns and undulations of an out-and-back loop connecting the Lagoi Bay and Ria Bintan resort areas. Even though TT bikes, aero helmets and disc wheels are again banned for the Prologue, the course should still suit the strong time trialists such as 2013 overall champion Pierre-Alain Scherwey and last year’s runner-up Bastian Dohling. However, it’s unclear at this stage whether 2014 champ Ayub Gathurima of the Kenyan Riders team will be back to defend his title.
Now in its sixth edition, MetaSport as the Race Organizer returns to the center of action to its traditional home in the Nirwana Gardens Resort, which is just a short 9km spin away from the Plaza Lagoi where the Prologue will start and finish.
The respective leading teams from Allied World CCN and the Specialized Mavericks, Scherwey and Dohling will be among the favorites battling for the overall trophy and the S$8,000 total prize fund, but they will face stiff competition as the best of the region’s cyclists will definitely flock to Bintan for what has become one of Southeast Asia’s premier amateur stage races.
In the women’s race, the Melbourne-based 2014 champion Grace Phang has not ruled out returning to Bintan to defend her title, but if she does, Phang will definitely face fierce competition from some of Singapore’s best lady-cyclists, as well as some those Perth-based Wormall CCS outfit.
As in previous editions, the Prologue is only for the Category (Cat) 1, Cat 2 and Women’s races, and will again act as a qualifier for the Cat 2 field, with the fastest 100 riders moving forward to take part in Stage 1 proper on the Saturday morning, 7th November 2015. Cat 2 riders missing the ITT cut will drop into the Cat 3 contest.
As ever, the centerpiece of Tour de Bintan 2015 is still the venerable 150km ride through the heart of Bintan that is Stage 1. While there are no major climbs on the course, it is seldom flat, and the near constant diet of rolling hills and heat and humidity will ensure an epic day in the saddle for all competitors.
The standout feature of Stage 1 course is the famous “red road” sector, which comes just 22km from the stage start at the village of Simpang Lagoi. It delivers riders to the coast via 13km of short, sharp climbs on a road carved through a starkly beautiful landscape, where the predominant red soil contrasts vividly with the bright green but stunted foliage.
The Tour de Bintan concludes with Stage 2, a 107km Sunday morning journey through the scenic northwestern section of the island. While not quite as lumpy as Stage 1, the course does have a few hills, including on the 8km-long stretch of road that connects the special Bintan Resorts area to Bintan “proper” via Checkpoint Charlie security post. Tackled in both directions, the top of the last hill on the return leg of this section will not only mark the final (King of Mountain) KOM sprint, but it is also used as the launch pad for race-winning moves. More often than not, however, the Stage 2 honors are settled by fast and furious bunch sprints on the iconic finishing straight up into Nirwana Gardens.
Part of the Tour de Bintan’s appeal is its location. The island is just an hour’s ferry trip from Singapore but on arrival it feels like another world. The lush green landscape, quiet and well-paved roads to ride on, and the generous hospitality of the easy-going local population, provide a striking contrast to the hustle and bustle of big cities. Regular ferries ply several times daily from Singapore and Malaysia and also between Batam and Bintan. Today, Garuda Indonesia, Lion Air and Sriwijaya Air operate frequent flights from Jakarta to the new airport at Tanjung Pinang.
Jakarta Marathon 2015: Indonesia's Biggest Running Event come October
25 Oct 2015 - 25 Oct 2015
To promote Jakarta Marathon 2015, the Ministry of Tourism along with the city of Jakarta and promoters jointly held a press conference and opened a registration booth at the Tokyo Marathon Expo 2015 in Japan a day before the Tokyo Marathon 2015 that also marked the opening of the World Series Marathon held on 22nd February 2015.
Initiator and Chairman of Jakarta Marathon, Sapta Nirwandar, explained that the pre -event in Tokyo was aimed to attract participation from international runners. He added that in the two previous editions of Jakarta Marathon in 2013 and 2014, runners from Japan dominated international participants, 250 Japanese participated in 2013, while the number grew to 350 in 2014.
Meanwhile in the official press release, Indonesia's Minister of Tourism, Arief Yahya, stated that “Jakarta Marathon is an important part among Indonesia's Seven Programs on Special Interest, which is sports and recreation that is currently encouraged by the Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Indonesia to attract tourists from all over the world to come and Enjoy Jakarta. Through the Jakarta Marathon, we want to portray Jakarta also as a sports-tourism destination and globally included among the six major cities in the world acknowledged as the World Marathon Majors, so that Jakarta can also be appreciated as a world-class city”
In line with the Minister, Jakarta’s Governor, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama asserted that, “The people of Jakarta are very enthusiastic to welcome the 3rd Jakarta Marathon that has become an annual event in Jakarta and Indonesia. We hope thar this event will continue to boost the number of international tourists to Jakarta, because through Jakarta Marathon we can introduce and show the beauty of megapolitan Jakarta to the rest of the world”.
In 2014, it was recorded thar 50 countries took part in Jakarta Marathon while the total number of participants reached 14,120. There were more than 1,200 international runners from many countries, that iincluded Kenya, Ethiopia, Japan, USA, UK and Australia. “The number of participants in Jakarta Marathon has been increasing from year to year since the first time it was held in 2013. Given the high enthusiasm, we target the total number to reach 15,000 participants for Jakarta Marathon 2015,” said Sapta Nirwandar.
Similar to the two previous editions’ of Jakarta Marathon, the starting point and finish line will take place at the Southwest gate of the National Monument (Monas). The event wil again feature four categories, namely: the full marathon 42.195 km, the half marathon 21 km, 10 km and a special “Maratoonz” category (a 1.3 km marathon for children).
As in previous years, The Full and Half Marathon route will take competing athletes and participants pass some of Jakarta's most wellknown landmarks that include the National Monument or Monas, the Istiqlal Mosque and the Cathedral across, theOld Batavia (Kota Tua) and the Fatahillah Square, and the Hotel Indonesia Roundabout. Meanwhile the 10K and 5K runners will be presented with some of the most impressive buildings in Jakarta’s own central business district. The Jakarta Marathon has received certification from the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) with elevation level 0 m/km which is valid for 5 years from 2013.
Adding to the festivities, the event will also be highlighted with a cultural festival featuring variety of Indonesian traditional art performances such as Gambang Kromong, Tanjidor, Bale Ganjur, Tabuik, Barongsai (lion Dance), Reog Ponorogo, Rampak Kendang, and more. There will also be a DJ performance and a special show by the top teenage girl’s band JKT48. Participants will also be treated with an array of Indonesian culinary delights in a culinary festival.
Registration for Jakarta Marathon 2015 was opened since February 2015. Registration can be done online at www.thejakartamarathon.com or to the office of promoter INSPIRO at Jamsostek Tower, Jakarta. Early Bird registrations are offered with discounts reaching between 50% to 70%. Registration will be closed on 30 September 2015.
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