Surabaya Shopping Festival 2012

Surabaya Shopping Festival 2012

By celebrating Surabaya Anniversary, it is now open, Surabaya Shopping Festival 2012. This celebration is cooperated by numbers of Malls and  Plaza that giving special offer to all products sale.

Surabaya Shopping Festival is start during May 1- 31th 2012. The participants that follow this program are:

Galaxy Mall,Tunjungan Plaza, WTC, ITC, Hi-tech Mall, Supermall Pakuwon Indah, Pakuwon Trade Center, Royal Plaza, Surabaya Town Square, Golden City Mall, Maspion Square, CITO, DTC, Plaza Marina, Pasar Atom , BG Junction. Ciputra World, Grand City, Lenmarc, Surabaya Plaza, Etc.

Those shopping malls are compete to give special offers until 75-80% discount at all items they have. Moreover, one of those malls are also available for midnight shopping, which also giving the more special discount on some of of products details.

Enjoy the Shopping…

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Seblang is one of rituals in Osing societies, Banyuwangi regency. This ritual can be found in two villages, which is. Bakungan village and Olihsari village. Olihsari society will held this ceremony in a week after the Idul Fitri. While, Bakungan society will held the ceremony in a week after the Idul Adha.

This ritual is having purpose to be the reinforcement from bad situations that might happened within the society. This kind of ritual can also be found in some area in Indonesia, like Sintren ritual in Cirebon, Jaran Kepang and Sanghyang in Bali.

The dancers that allowed to perform Seblang dance are chosen by the shaman from each village. Moreover, it will be better if the chosen dancers are the descendants of the earlier dancers.

At Olihsari village, the chosen dancers are taken from the girls that have not puberty yet. While, in Bakungan, the dancers are taken from the elder lady in 50 years old above that already get menopause.

 Seblang dance is  a very old tradition, so it is difficult to trace the origin of the commencement. However, historical records show that the first known Seblang was a woman named Semi, which also became the first woman Gandrung dance pioneer (died 1973).

After recovering from her illness, then her mother’s vow (Mak Midah or Mak Milah ) must be revealed, Semi  finally became the first seblang dancer in the age of her childhood until her teenage age, the she started to become a  Gandrung dancer.

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Rawon - East Java Culinary

Rawon

Rawon or Nasi Rawon (Rawon Rice) is a strong rich tasting traditional Indonesian beef black soup. Rawon is originally from Surabaya, it is black because it uses black nuts/keluwek/kepayang in Malay (Pangeum edule, fruits of kepayang tree) as the main spice which gives the strong nutty flavor and dark color to the soup.

The soup is made of ground mix­ture of garlic, shallot, keluwak, ginger, candlenut, turmeric, red chili and salt sauteed with oil until it gets fragrant. The sauteed mixture is then poured into boiled beef stock with diced beef. Lemongrass, galangal, bay leaves, kaffir lime leaves and sugar are then added as seasonings. The spe­cial dark/black color of rawon comes from the keluak as the main spice.

The soup is usually garnished with green onion and fried shallot, and served with rice, hence the name Rawon Rice or Nasi Rawon in Indonesian language, together with baby bean sprouts, salted preserved egg, shrimp crackers and sambal chili sauce on the side.

It is better served hot and ate at any times. Together with Soto, Rawon is also having popular name among the society around East Java or outside province. There are stalls that put Rawon into their menus and there are also particular stalls that significantly serve Rawon as their main menu.

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The Ritual of Sedekah Bumi

Sedekah Bumi

Sedekah Bumi is a traditional ritual that still being held by some communities in East Java Province. This Sedekah Bumi is having different names in each region, but it has the same purpose either ways. Sedekah Bumi is kind of an offering and thanksgiving to the Earth or God, for the bountiful of harvest. The harvest can be either come from the fields or fisheries.

The celebration of the Sedekah Bumi is different between one region to another. In Gresik, Sedekah Bumi is held during Zulkaidah month (Islamic Calender) and Sela month (Javanese calender). There are some sub-districts in Gresik that participating this ritual, which is, Kedanyang village, Kebonmas subdistrict; Dahanlor village, Dahanrejo village; Manyar sub-district; Banjarsari village and Betiring village, Banjarsari Village, Cerme Sub-district.

At that moment, the inhabitants are bring any kind of snacks, beverages, traditional cakes and agricultures like harvest things. Those offering are set into interesting form or placed into offering trays or better known as Ancak.

Ancak is similar to altar table, which is made by stretcher. An Ancak is carried by 2-4 people to the location of Sedekah Bumi. Interestingly, in each Ancak, there is Rengginang or glutinous rice crisp. In Daharlor, Rengginang is made similar to crown shape, which symbolize the power and prosperity. While in Betiring, Rengginang is made similar to buffalo horn, as a symbol of fertility.

Before the ritual begin, the inhabitants are moving around the village by carrying Bende or little gong and sacred umbrella that belongs to Tumenggung Pusponegoro, in 294 years ago. The local inhabitants bring Bende and the umbrella to the venue of Sedekah Bumi.

By celebrating this Sedekah Bumi, the inhabitants give thank to the plentiful harvest and ask for other bountiful harvest in next season.

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Kebo-Keboan Ceremony - Banyuwangi, East Java

Kebo-Keboan Cultural Feast

Banyuwangi people, which are mostly farmers, have a sacred ritual to ask the blessings of salvation. The tradition known as kebo-keboan. Kebo in Java language means buffalo, the people in village are mostly use buffalo to do their rice field. And yes, this ritual use the buffalo as the meaning of its term. However, the buffaloes here are those who perform and act like buffalo in the field.

The ritual of Kebo-keboan is held once a year in the month of Muharram or Suro (in Javanese calendar). This month is believed to have magical powers. That said, this ritual emerged since the 18th century. In Banyuwangi, kebo-keboan is conserved in two places, which is in Alasmalang Village, Singojuruh District, and Aliyan Village, Rogojampi District.

The emergence of ritual kebo-keboan in Alasmalang Village begun during the epidemic season that happened to the village. At that time, all the citizens had disease attacked. The Pests are also attack plants. Many people starve and die from mysterious illness. In a precarious condition, the village elder named Mbah Karti meditating on the hill. During the meditation, he had vision. It contained, the residents were told to hold a ritual of kebo-keboan and glorify Dewi Sri or goddess of Sri, as a symbol of prosperity and rice keeper.

The magic comes when people hold the ritual. The residents who suffered any sudden illness were cured. The pests that attack rice plants were disappear. Since then, the ritual of kebo-keboan were conserved. The villagers are afraid, if it does not carry, then the village will once again being attacked by disease and curse.

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The East Java’s Calendar of Events 2012 contains the schedule of some traditional ceremonies, traditions, festivals and performances which held in the cities and the regencies in East Java. It is designed to promote and to publicize the tourism agenda in the whole area in East Java.

It is important to inform that the local communities usually determine the schedules of the ceremonial events by using the calendars of Javanese, Moslem, and Hindu Tenggerese. Therefore, to assure the exact date of the events, it is advisable to confirm the local Government Tourist Offices.

We hope the East Java’s Calendar of Events 2012 will be helpful and useful for visitors and travelers.

NYADRAN BLURU KIDUL

This annual ceremony is such a thanksgiving traditional ceremony to God for giving the bless and security among the fishermen
Location: Bluru village, Sidoarjo
January – December

Jawi’s Temple Full Moon Eve

This is one of the routine activities that always be held during full moon in Jawi Temple. This activity is also become the attractive moment to promote Jawi Temple, as one of tourism destination in Pasuruan Regency.
Location: Jawi Temple, Prigen Sub-district, Pasuruan.

Cultural Art Degree

This event is about celebrating the art potentials in Sidoarjo and make it to be one of the tourism attractions in Sidoarjo. Moreover, it can also increase the economic value among Sidoarjo societies.
Location: Sidoarjo

Band Parade

This event is held to be a media for those who want to express their ability in music, by performing groups of band from junior to senior highschools in Kediri.
Location: Mount Kelud tourism area

JOGGING TRACK MOJOKERTO (JTM)

Jogging Track Mojokerto is typical of night attraction at Mojokerto. The visitors can enjoy the nuance of hanging out at night and take some traditional foods around Brantas river and Gajah Mada bridge.
Location: Along Hayam Wuruk street, Mojokerto

BENPAS Culinary Tour

Benpas is an acronym of Benteng Pancasila. This location is always being crowded by the visitors who want to spend the time and enjoy the dining. There are numbers of menus that offered along the street. There are traditional foods to western one.
Moreover, there is also street vendors that sell affordable household equipments, clothes, accessories and more. Those who want to join morning gymnastic, can be arrive before 5 am in the morning and feel the very fresh air of Mojokerto.
Location: Along Benteng Pancasila street, Mojokerto
Time: 05.00 – 10.00

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It is important to inform that the local communities usually determine the schedules of the ceremonial events by using the calendars of Javanese, Moslem, and Hindu Tenggerese. Therefore, to assure the exact date of the events, it is advisable to confirm the local Government Tourist Offices.

We hope the East Java’s Calendar of Events 2011 will be helpful and useful for visitors and travelers.

www.eastjava.com

Caping Ngancak Dance

Caping Ngancak dance is one of traditional dances in Lamongan regency. The dance is describes about farmers in their rice field showing the process from grow the rice until they get harvest. Like farmers, the dancers also wearing ‘Caping’, which is a special hat that only wore by farmer in Indonesia.

This dance is performed by group of young females who wore village costumes in modern style and bring Caping as the main property.

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Mask Puppet

Mask puppet is other form of Puppet shows in East Java. Mask puppet is growing in Malang, Probolinggo, Situbondo and Sumenep. The show is like a human puppet, which the puppet played by the human players using mask. The story itself based on Mahabarata and Ramayana classic story, but in Topeng of Malang, there is also Panji’s story, a classic Javanese hero.

More info
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Siwalan Plantation

Siwalan is a type of palm trees that grow in many coastal regions in hot and dry area with the sea breeze is blowing a little stronger. Tuban Regency and some areas along the north coast (Pantura) of Java, is the endemic place from Siwalan tree.
One of the products from this fruit is Legen, which the water of the fruit. It sweet and fresh and can be fermented into tradition liquor called tuak. While the fruit of siwalan is having sweet and chewy texture like jelly.

More info
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