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.

www.EastJava.com

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.

April Tourism Calendar

1 April

Blitar Anniversary

This annual event is celebrate to commemorate the anniversary day of Blitar city. This celebration is include :

1. Flag ceremony of old Blitar. This activity is very interesting and unique because all of the participants of the ceremony are using Dutch wardrobes from Colonial era.
2. Bazar and Traditional Arts. This exhibition contains vintage nuanced, and lively arts traditional include: jaranan, Gambyong Classical Dance, Keroncong, Mocopat, kentrung, Cokekan, Ketoprak and musical performances.
3. As a peak event, there will be an all-night puppet show at the Mayor’s Office field of Blitar, that preceded by a fireworks show.

Location: Blitar City Square

April 9 to 10

NGANJUK ANNIVERSARY

In order to commemorate the anniversary Nganjuk Regency, there will be range of activities to celebrate this event. It starts with celebration of Boyong Pemerintahan, or Government mass convoy to regency hall. It followed by the Regent, the government officers and local societies. Those participants are using royal carriage, traditional dokar, padicap or vintage motorcycle for ride. Moreover, all participants are dressed in traditional Javanese clothes.
Location: Berbek Sub-district, Nganjuk Square and Regency Hall, Nganjuk city

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Remo Dance, East Java Traditional Dance

Remo Dance

Remo dance is originating from Jombang regency, East Java. At early begin, this dance was used as an opening show before Ludruk show. In times, this dance is practically performed as a welcome dance in special occasion like state ceremonies and local arts festival.

Remo dance is telling about the struggle of a prince in a battle. Hence, this dance is performed by a man, or today, it is performed by a woman who dressed up like a man. By that case, today, there is a type of Remo dance, which is Remo Putri or type of Remo dance which performed by a woman.

The main characteristic of Remo dance is a smart footwork and dynamic movement. This movement is supported by the bells that attached at the ankle. This bell will sounds when the dancers stepping or stomping on the stage. In addition, the other movement characteristic is taken from the scarf or sampur, nod and shake of the head movements, facial expressions, and the horses movement make this dance more attractive.

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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.

www.EastJava.com

Wingko is one of Indonesia traditional foods. People recognize this food as Wingko Babat from Semarang, Central Java. Whereas, Babat is a small town in Lamongan Regency, East Java. And it is true; this food is particularly Lamongan traditional food.

Wingko is a typical of cake which made by coconut and sticky rice. It taste sweet and savoury at the same time, and having chewy texture in every bite. It mostly having round shape or in small round flips. The taste of savory from the coconut milk that blend with the sweet of sugar is having unique taste.

It sweet everyone…

Serang Beach - Blitar

Serang Beach

Serang beach is located in Serang village, Panggungrejo sub-district, it ‘s about 40 Km from Blitar city.

This beach is stunningly beautiful. The sea water has turquoise color and strong waves, typical of Indonesian south sea. Moreover, the greenish nuance is also can be found around the hill in the next side of the beach.

The visitors who come to the beach can hike the cliff and fishing. In fact, there are numbers of fisherman who traditionally fishing the lobster and fishes.

More info visit:
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The Mist At The Edge Of The Crater

Ijen Crater

Ijen is the complex of volcanic area, which there is a crater of Ijen and its plateau, which has 2,600M and 8,660 M high. Ijen is located in three parts of regencies, which in Situbondo, Bondowoso, and Banyuwangi, East Java. This volcanic area become the most incredible and surreal volcanic area in East Java.

In this volcanic mountain, there is also the sulfur mining, regarding that the mountain is still active and produce the nature sulfur. In here, we can see the sulfur miners that collect and carry huge loads of pure sulfur up from the crater floor along a steep, rocky path in the middle of clouds of sulfur dioxide gas. They did it as their living hood. Particularly, Ijen volcanic mountain is consider as the home to the largest lake of sulfuric acid in the world. The lake can produce 36 Million cubic meter representing a solution of sulfuric acid and hydrogen chloride, the most powerful existing acids.

Ijen volcanic area is lies to west of Merapi Mountain. The crater is having a wide turquoise colored acid lake that rich in sulfur. The dramatic nuance can be seen around this marvelous Tosca Lake.

The Ijen Plateau, is a large of highland area in Southeast of Bondowoso, which includes the peaks and foothills of Ijen Mountain, Raung Mountain, Suket Mountain and Merapi Mountain.

Among the plateau, the area is such a rural village, which there is coffee plantations, vegetables garden and an upland forest.
For those who like to hike Ijen crater, the access is about 3Km hike from Pal Tuding. In Pal Tuding, there is camping ground, dorm and national park office, where the hikers can get the safety info before hiking the crater.

The path to the crater is about steeply uphill, passing the forest edge that can be easily be follow. The journey will pass 45 minutes and the visitors will get into the crater. The visitors can walk along the top of the crater, or descend to the edge of the lake along the narrow path that the miners usually through while mining the sulfur.

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Animal Museum, Batu Secret Zoo, Batu City

Batu Secret Zoo

Batu Secret Zoo is an official site of Jawa Timur Park or Jatim Park 2 that located in Batu city, East Java. Batu Secret Zoo is a modern zoo, complete with the high architectural design and numbers of animals’ collection. This zoo can be accessed for about 30n minutes from Malang city or 90 minutes from Surabaya. Moreover, this location is also near to other recreational park, which is Batu Night Spectacular or BNS.

By lying on 2 hectares land, there are three sections become the visitors’ route during the exploration to this zoo. The first section is about the zoo. The visitors who entrance the gate, can exploring the animals in some of artificial cage. The animals are taken from the entire endemic world and divided into some sections like Tiger land, Savannah Land, Hippo and Croc Garden, River Adventure, Safari Farm, Reptile zone and so on.
While enjoying the exotic animals, the visitors can also experience the beautiful sceneries along the uphill and down road.

The second section is called Museum Satwa or The Animals Museum. The content of this museum is about the bones of the animal, like, dinosaurs; the artificial pre historic animals, the artificial of the extinct animals and the preserved animals like butterfly, civet, deer, some of fishes and more. This museum is standing close to exit gate of the main section. The museum is having luxurious white building and high interior design.
The last but not least section is about the hotel inside the location, called Pohon Inn. Pohon Inn is a hotel within the zoo areal, it standing in front of the main location, next to the main entrance gate to the zoo.

This hotel is having the ‘tree house’ concept, which is designed similar to the real trunk and walled by solid material look- like wood. Beside the architectural, this ‘tree house’ is the only hotel in Indonesia that facilitated by moving fast food, forest nuance and surrounded by living animals. The animals are placed into the glass cage, so the visitors seems having close distance to the animals around. Furthermore, this hotel is surrounded by the view of Arjuna Mountain, Banyak Mountain and Panderman Hill. Do not worry about the hospitality, for this hotel is also highly concern about that.

Batu Secret Zoo is your safari-in-town recreational site that highly recommended for families, group and personal. It contents of educational, fun and togetherness among the warm hospitality, yet chill nuance.

More info
www.eastjava.com

Kesiman Temple

Kesiman Temple is located in Kesiman Tengah village, Pacet district, Mojokerto regency. In Kesiman temple there are only the foot and body part remain. This temple is looks out upon west direction. On its fourth body part, has crafted some relief in Javanese style, medallion, rectangle, and human shape.

In medallion, there is animal relief; then in rectangle, there is entertainer. The up stair is located in southwest and southeast side. The under part of stair in southeast is getting broken. The north side wall of the entertainer is dragon relief that pull by two human, in left and right side. While, in right and left side of the up stair is “Gana”.

More info
www.EastJava.com

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.

SEPTEMBER
1 – 7 September – SEBLANG OLEHSARI

Seblang is a ceremony of village purification highlighted with mystical traditional dance called Seblang. Women will play it for seven days in row. This ritual dance aims to drive away the evil spirit. In the last day, the dancers parade throughout the village by distributing some flowers and the villagers try to get and keep it at their home as an amulet.
Location: Glagah, Banyuwangi Regency
8 September – FISH AUCTION

It is held to welcome Idul Fitri highlighted with special fish (Bandeng) auction. The fish is taken from either dry water or salty one.
Location: Market, Gresik Regency

27 September – SENDANG BIRU SEA OFFERING

The religious rituals of Hindu society that are consecutively held in 3 days before Nyepi holiday on the beach of Balekambang. The ceremony launches offerings to the sea to express thanksgiving and pray together to drive away the evil spirit.
Location: Sendang Biru Beach, Tambakrejo, Malang Regency
September – KARO CEREMONY

It is a tradtional ceremony held by Tennggerese commmunity for seven days consecutively in the hope to keep alive the custom and tradition. It is highlighted with traditional dances like Sodoran, Ojung and Nyadran.
Location: Tosari, Pasuruan Regency.
September – SKILOT

To celebrate the seventh day after Lebaran Day, the Pasuruan community holds the competition of sky on the mud.
Location: Lekok, Pasuruan Regency

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