MANDAU DANCE, SYMBOL OF FIGHTING SPIRIT IN DEFENDING DAYAK TRIBE STATUS AND DIGNITY

Mandau dance of the Dayak community symbol of fighting spirit in defending Dayak tribe status and dignity. Mandau dance is one of the many types of dance that was born from the culture of the Dayak community culture in Central Kalimantan. Mandau dance is performed by men of four in pairs. Mandau is the name of a kind of sword in Kalimantan of a unique form and a beautifully decorated sheath.

The costume is very simple, consisting only of a loin cloth and a piece of ribbon with feathers round the head. Mandau Dance group dancers are often equipped with Mandau grip on the right hand, while on the left hand Talawang fend off the enemy as a shield Dayak tribes also appear sturdy tune Dancing Mandau Dayak tribes are shown.

The accompanying music is also very simple: only a string instrument like a guitar. The dancing position is for greater part a squatting one. First the dancers, turning round and round, play with their mandaus or swords and their shields. When each faces his partner, the war dance starts.

In addition to describing the patriotic citizens of the Earth Tambun Bungai to keep the homeland, Mandau Dance Central Kalimantan Dayak tribe is also a symbol of virility of the Dayak of Central Kalimantan in the face of all sorts of challenges in the areas of life.

In every show or dance offerings Mandau sound lacks rhythm and sonority Gandang Garantung very loud. Harmonization of the traditional music of these bring energetic rhythms, as if inviting them to hear and see Mandau Dance offerings even more excited as the Dayak warriors who are ready to jump into the battlefield.

TOR TOR, TRADITIONAL DANCE BATAK TRIBE NORTH SUMATERA, INDONESIA

Tor Tor is an awfully a fantastic traditional dance Batak tribe, North Sumatera, Indonesia.

  
These dance moves in rhythm with the music (magondangi) played using traditional instruments such as gondang, flute, trumpet Batak, and others. Historically, dance Tor Tor used in rituals associated with spirits. Spirit is invoked and "go" to the statues of stone (a symbol of the ancestors). The statues were then moves like dancing, but with a rigid motion. The movement is a movement of the foot (toe-toe) and hand movements.

Tor Tor various types of dance. Some are called Tor Tor Pangurason (cleansing dance). This dance is usually held at a big party.

 

Before the party starts, place and location of the party first cleaned by using lime to be far from danger.

Then there is the Cup Sipitu Tor Tor dance (Dance of the seven bowls). This dance is usually held during the inauguration of a king.


This dance is also derived from the seven daughters of heaven to bathe in a lake at the top of the mountain by an incoming Pusuk Buhit Sipitu Sasarung Piso (seven knife sheath).

PEKALONGAN BATIK MOTIVES, INTERACTIONS PEKALONGAN SOCIETY WITH VARIOUS PEOPLE OF NATIONS

Jlamprang Batik

Batik appeared in Pekalongan since around the year of 1800. According to history, Pekalongan Batik motives, like little tree motive was found in the year of 1802.

The significant development was estimated to happen after the big war in the year of 1825 up to 1830 in the kingdom of Mataram. This battle pushed the royal families and the followers to evacuate from the kingdom. They were then widespread eastwards and westwards as well. In those new regions these families and the followers developed batik that nowadays known as Pekalongan Batik.

Jlamprang Batik Motive

The interactions between Pekalongan society with various people of nations like Chinese, Dutch, Arabic, Indians, Malays and Japanese gave a big contribution to the dynamics of the coloring of batik art motives. As the result then several new batik motives that then known as the identity of Pekalongan Batik.

The motives are called Jlamprang Batik, influenced by the Indian and Arabian. Motive Jlamprang Batik is one of the most popular batik produced in the region Krapyak Pekalongan. This is the development of batik motif fabric from India Potola sometimes shaped geometric form of stars or of the wind and using the branch that ends a square. Batik is immortalized Jlamprang be one way in Pekalongan. 

Encim Batik Motive

Encim and Klengenan Batik, influenced by the Chinese. 

Encim Batik is highly influenced by the Chinese cultures, which can be seen in the colors composition which often represents the color combinations common applied in Chinese porcelene. Encim Batik is usually consists of 3 motifs; buketan, the Chinese symbols, and painting motif.

a. Buketan motive, usually applied in variety of colors such as famille rose, famille verte and many others.

b. Chinese symbols motive, usually represents the holy animals in Chinese culture such as hong bird (which symbolizes happiness), dragon  (which symbolizes precaustions), butterfly and many others.

c. Painting motive, which tells stories about chinese weddings, or inspired by the legend of Sam Pek Eng Tay, the story of lovers from different social classes which fought for their loves and destined to be together in death and turned to be butterfly. That’s why butterfly is believed to be the symbol of happy marriage in Chinese culture.
 

Encim Batik Motive

Klangenan Batik Motive

Encim Batik often applies kawung motif, sawat motif and lar motif because Encim Batik is also influenced by Solo-Yogya motif.
Other motif called Semarangan applies earth motif and well spread accross Pekalongan.  Some famous Encim Batik makers in Pekalongan are The Tie Siet, Oey Kok Sing and Oy Soe Tjoen from  Kedungwuni.

Batik Pagi Sore Motive

Batik Pagi Sore influenced by the Dutch and Hokokai Batik grown since the Japanese occupation in the second world war. Batik Pagi Sore motif were made by some Dutch producers in Pekalongan in early 1900, one of them is E. Van Zuylen. The product is known as van Zuylen Batik. Buketan motif with typical Dutch floras were commonly applied in Van Zulen Batik.  Some of the floras were Krishan flower, grapes and European style bouquet.

Some western motifs such as bridge, cupid (love symbol) horse shoe and klaverblad (luck symbol). Some legends like Snow White, Red Riding Hood, and Cinderella are also applied in Batik Pagi Sore motives.

Hokokai Batik Motive

Pekalongan Batik becomes very special because it is supported by hundreds of small scale entrepreneurs, rather than big capital companies. Since last decade until now, the biggest part of Pekalongan Batik is produced as home industries product. Consequently Pekalongan Batik has tight connection with the life of Pekalongan society.

During the difficult days Pekalongan Batik became the icon of Batik development in Indonesia that  never gives up against the dynamic developments of time. Today Batik has been the daily life of Pekalongan society and become one of the primary products of Indonesia. Pekalongan is now acknowledged as Batik city, the nickname given by a long tradition of Batik that rooted in Pekalongan.

REOG PONOROGO MYSTERI BEHIND THE MASK

The dance known as Reog Ponorogo is an awfully spectacular dance with a fantastic mysteri behind the mask. Several dancers wearing bright colorful costumes accompanied by merry gamelan music.

Reog Ponorogo is always played in the open terrain, such as in a square, street, etc. This dance which always draws a lot of spectators is a traditional art dance combined with magical show or a trance dance. The story is related with the legend in Ponorogo Kingdom    ( East Java ). Nowadays Reog Ponorogo dance groups can be found also in other regions of Solo, Yogya, other town in East Java, Kalimantan, Jakarta, even in Suriname. One of the famous group is Reog Ponorogo Prambanan in the border of Yogyakarta - Solo.

History of Reog Ponorogo

The powerful King Kelono Sewandono of Ponorogo Kingdom was famous with his fighting skills and magical power, accompanied by his Patih ( Prime Minister ) Bujanganom and his strong soldiers were attacked by King Singabarong, The King of Lions of Kediri Jungle, supported by his army, consisted of Lions and Peacocks.

At the time the Ponorogo's group were on the way to The Kingdom of Kediri guarding King Kelono Sewandono to marry Dewi Ragil Kuning, a princess of Kediri Kingdom.

There was a big fight between mighty warriors having magical power. The peacocks flew up and down flapping their wings to support The Lions - Singabarong.

Bujanganom with his magic whip, supported by some Waroks in black traditional dress defeated The King Lion with all his followers.

The King of Ponorogo and his soldiers merrily continued their way to Kediri on horse back. Singabarong joint the procession. The peacocks kept close to Singabarong opened their tail feathers which looked like beautiful fan.

ONDEL-ONDEL BETAWI GIANT DOLL REPELLENT REINFORCEMENTS

Ondel-ondel Betawi awfully fantastic giant doll original function as repellent reinforcements or spirit who haunts the disorder. 

Ondel-ondel Betawi (DKI Jakarta) people is a form of performance that is often displayed in people's parties. It seems Ondel-ondel portray ancestors who always keep their grandchildren or a resident of a village.

Ondel-ondel in the form of a large doll that is about 2.5 meters in diameter ± 80 cm, made ​​of woven bamboo, which is prepared in such a way so easily borne from it. Form part of the face mask or a mask, a head of hair made ​​from palm fiber. Face Ondel-ondel men usually painted in red, while white women. These forms show many similarities to those in some other areas.

The music that accompanies the Ondel-ondel not necessarily, depending on each group. There are accompanied tanjidor, such as group leader Gejen Ondel-ondel, Kampung Setu. Some are accompanied by a troupe of martial Betawi like "Beringin Sakti" Duloh leader, now head of Yasin, from Rawasari. There is also accompanied by Bende, "Kemes", Ningnong and Rebana Ketimpring, such as group leader Ondel-ondel Lamoh, Kalideres.

Today Ondel-ondel is usually used to add vibrant folk festivals or to welcome an honored guest, for example, at the inauguration of the new building was completed. No matter how swift currents of modernization, ondel-ondel still persist and become trimmer Jakarta metropolitan city faces.

KUDA LUMPING TRANCE ATTRACTION OF CRAZY HORSE

Kuda Lumping is awfully trance attraction fantastic of crazy horse. Kuda Lumping also called " Jaran Kepang " is a traditional Javanese (Central Java and East Java) dance depicting in a group of horsemen.

The dance employs a horse made from woven bamboo and decorated with colorful paints and cloth is performed with gamelan instruments like ; gong, kenong, kendang, and slompret. This performance obviously could  amuse the audience. The original Kuda Lumping traditional dancer is usually performed by girls dressed like soldiers. Nowaday Kuda Lumping dance is mostly performed by boys. Common Kuda Lumping dance only performed the dance of the troops riding horses, however another type of Kuda Lumping performance also incorporated trance and magic trick.

When the "possessed" dancer is performing the dance in trance conditions, they can display unusual abilities, such as eating glass and resistance of whipping. Kuda Lumping ( Jaran Kepang ) is also a part of Reog dance performance. Although this dance is native to Java, Indonesia.

Kuda Lumping dance is a folk dance that still performed until today in many societies of Nusantara Indonesia. This formless folk dance is still existed and enjoyed especially in Centra Java and East Java, since the ancient's kingdoms time. Initially, according to history, Kuda Lumping was as a symbol of the ability of the populace to fight against the enemy or against the army of the kingdom's elite. Besides, it was also as the media to comfort the populace with a cheap entertaining performance.

Source: Indonesia Heritage Culture Performance by Ministry of Culture and Tourism Republic of Indonesia

www.my-indonesia.info

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SRIMPI DANCE A SACRED DANCE OF CENTRAL JAVA

Srimpi dance is also awfully sacred fantastic dance of Central Java performed by four girls dancers, because it has a common sense of the word Srimpi with number 4. Only the dancers Renggowati Srimpi there are 5 dancers. Sri means a queen, Impi means desire, wish. The wish to live in honor and peace. The Srimpi dance originally performed in the Pendopo (open hall) of Javanese mansion with four main pillars in the middle. It is believed when Srimpi dance is performed correctly, it should give magical power.

The dance has a very soft movement depicting a good moral behavior. The dancers have the same dresses and make up, wish that people not to be jealous one to another. The life of mankind should be in accordance with the nature consisting of fire, water, wind and soil. 
As a classical dance palace beside Bedhaya, serimpi live in the palace of Yogyakarta. Srimpi dance is considered art and heritage Adhiluhung Kraton. Displayed on a dance theme Srimpi virtually identical to the theme of the dance Bedhaya Sanga, which describes the conflict between the two things are contrary to the good with the bad, between right and wrong between human reason and human passion.

REMO DANCE

Remo dance is a welcoming dance special from East Java which described dynamical characteristic of Surabaya / East Java society as a picture of Prince's courage. It supported by Gamelan music and in this Gending there are Bonang, Saron, Gambang, Gender, Slentem, Zither, Flute, Ketuk, Kempul and Gong with Slendro rhythm.

Usually, it is using Gending Jula Juli Surabaya rhythm, and sometimes it continued by Walang Kekek, Gedong Rancak, Krucilan or new other creation.

The main characteristics of the Remo Dance is a smart footwork and dynamic. This movement is supported by the bells attached at the ankle. This bell sounds when the dancers stepping or stomping on the stage. In addition, another characteristic that is a scarf or sampur movement, movement and shaking of head nods, facial expressions, and the horses dancers make it more attractive dance.

Remo dance can be danced with woman's style or man's style by together or alternatively. Usually this dance performed as an opening of Ludruk art or Wayang Kulit in East Java. For the dancers, they wear a costume called Sawonggaling or Surabaya's style consist of at top the Black cloths showing from 18 century, velvet trousers completely with Batik and Gold ornament. In waist there are a belt and Keris. In right thigh, they wear shawl which hanging until their heel. Female dancers wear a hear bun. Remo dance was mentioned that it has been promoted in 1900, then it is useful to communicate with many people.

KERONCONG TUGU INHERITANCE OF COLONIAL ERA

Keroncong Tugu has survived for more than three centuries due to seven factors :
* Its quality as an egalitarian ars nova that did not belong either to Western classical music or to the indigenous gamelan music,
* Regular appearances in Batavia's Pasar Gambir Festival,
* Generating income by producing musical instruments for a distinctive market in Batavia's Passer Baroe,
* Communal support by Batavia's Indies community,
* a Repertoire of Dutch and Malay songs to accommodate urban musical tastes,
* the Tugu community's expertise in producing rice in a collective kinship system,
 * Their primordial commitment in preserving the annual Mandi-Mandi Festival to end the New Year week, which is still observed by the Tugu community today.

Keroncong Tugu historical can not be separated from the Kampung Tugu, the oldest village in Jakarta which is located in the eastern part of Jakarta is the road Cakung Cilincing, North Jakarta.The story, in this Kampung Tugu settled people of Portuguese descent (Betawi). This is where art begins Keroncong.

Did you know why this village called Kampung Tugu? Because this place has been previously found stele of King Purnawarman heritage (the Kingdom of Tarumanegara) who like Tugu.

But according to another version, the origin of the word 'Tugu' is derived from the Portuguese word piece, the Por-tugu-ese, a term for the Portuguese who occupied the Kampung Tugu.

In the Dutch colonial era, keroncong very popular and are excellent. Keroncong was then continues to grow, and give birth to other keroncong music in various areas, especially in Java. The songs Keroncong Tugu is the famous 'Mauresco' and 'Cafrinho'.

At the turn of the 19th century, Keroncong Tugu developed into "art by acculturation", which was imitated by the Indies community in Batavia, and gave rise to others ars nova styles such as Keroncong Kemayoran by the De Krokodilen group in Kemayoran, Keroncong Lief Java by local Javanese musicians and Langgam Keroncong in the Gelijkgesteld style of the American Tin Pan Alley by eastern Indonesian musicians, before keroncong spread to others cities in Java, including Bandung, Semarang, Yogyakarta, Surakarta and Surabaya.

TANA TORAJA FUNERAL CEREMONY

Extravagant Tana Toraja funeral ceremonies are a social and religious necessity in this Christian-Animist society because families have to impress the gods with the importance of the dead. If not, the soul of the dead person may not be able to enter heaven and will travel the earth instead, causing trouble for the relatives. Families keep the corpse of their kin in their strangely shaped three room houses for two or three years, while they save up for the sumptuous wake.

This fond and funky farewell involves the construction of an entirely new village of bamboo, sometimes with more than a hundred rooms, in which to entertain thousands of guests for up to seven days. The procession carrying the deceased's effigy (tau tau) from her family home to funeral village, Tana Toraja.

The beginning of the funeral celebration starts with the transportation of the red and gold covered coffin, and the effigy, from the relatives home to the funeral village. There is loud cheering and the many carriers stop regularly to jump up and down with the coffin. The coffin is also pushed to all sides, under loud laughter and cheering. It is all meant to scare away the bad ghosts and spirits. Eventually the coffin is pushed and pulled into the verge and uphill through the bush to a rocky cliff. Suddenly, on an open space, the coffin is put on the ground and several women are diving on top of it crying load. Apparently, this is the last goodbye and it seems as if actresses are hired to change the joy into grief. One of the women even faints from the emotion.

The body is not buried until the eleventh day of the ceremony. Following a birth ceremony for the dead person, characterized by the sounds of cries of family members, the deceased is buried - but not in the ground. The final resting placed is in a cave up on the cliff.

To Get There

From Makassar go to Rantepao, in the mountains of Tana Toraja. This is the area of the Toraja people, known for their funeral rituals and typical houses. Although they are converted to Christianity, their traditional animist beliefs are still part of everyday life. The first part of bus drive to Rantepao is in flat terrain, along the coast heading north. The views are nice, with simple yet typical malay houses in the rice fields with mountains in the backdrop. After the harbor city of Pare Pare, move up into the mountains. This means heavy winding roads, roaring engines going up, and squeaking breakes going down. After a while the first Tongkonan houses appear, and at the end of  Rantepao.

CAKALELE MYSTICAL DANCE WAR MALUKU

Cakalele is awfully mystical fantastic dance war Maluku. Cakalele is a traditional dance of Maluku, Indonesia which tells the Maluku community courage to defend themselves from enemy attack. Cakalele is a dance that depicts the gallant spirit of heroism. played by about 30 men and women. The men dancers of Cakalele typically use Parang (machete) and Salawaku (shield) while female dancers use Lenso (handkerchief).

Salawaku

The male dancer dressed in a war cloth that is dominated by red and dark yellow. On both hands of men dancer grasping traditional weapons, which are parang (machete) on the right side and salawaku (shield) on the left side, and wearing a hat that made of aluminium which decorated with a white fur. Meanwhile, the female dancers dressed in white, holding Lenso (handkerchief) in both hands. The dancers are dance in pair, with the accompaniment of Tifa (drum), flute, and also blown sound of bia (large scallop).

The specialty of this dance lies in three function symbols :

1. Male dancers wearing red dress costume, symbolizing the sense of heroism on the land of Maluku.

2. The sword in his right hand symbolizes the pride of Maluku people.

3. Salawaku (shields) and shouting loudly as an interlude that blaring on the dance are symbolizes the protest movement against the system of government in the colonial era that is considered unbiased to the public.

Cakalele dance can be found on the island of Haruku, Central Maluku. From Ambon, the capital of Maluku province, tourists can ride public transportation in the form of minibuses Tulehu majors. Then followed by a speed boat ride across the Strait of Tulehu, headed Haruku Island, and takes about 30 minutes.

SASANDO THE MAGICAL SOUND OF EAST NUSA TENGGARA

Sasando

Sasando is awfully fantastic a stringed musical instrument or cordophone type musical instrument. Sasando comes from the island of Rote, East Nusa Tenggara Indonesia. The most southern island in Indonesia archipelago. Sasando word comes from Rote word sasandu. It means vibrant instrument the main part of the long tubular, Sasando commonly made from bamboo. Then in the middle, circling from top to bottom is placed some lumps in which the strings that stretched across the tube, from top to bottom resting. The wedge gives different tone to each passage of the string. Then this Sasando tube placed in a container made from a kind of woven palm leaves ( Lontar leaves ) like a fan made. This container is the place of Sasando resonance. Sasando has two model, Sasando with 28 strings called Sasando Engkel, and with 56 strings called double strings. Sasando is played with both hands reaching into the stings on bamboo tube through lontar opening on the front, and the player's fingers plucked the strings in the fashion similar to playing harp or kacapi.

Legend of Sasando

Two type of Sasando

According to local tradition, the origin of Sasando was linked to folktale of Rote people about the tale of Sangguana. Once upon a time, there was a boy named Sangguana who lived in Rote Island. One day he tended to savannah. He felt tired and fell asleep under a palmyra tree. Sangguana dreamt that he played beautiful music with a unique instrument. The sound and the melody was so enchanting. Then he woke up, surprisingly Sangguana still remembered the tones he played in the dream. He wanted to hear it one more time, so he tried to sleep again. He dreamt the same song and same instrument. Sangguana was enjoying his dream, however he had to wake up. Did not want to lose those beautiful sounds, Sangguana tried to recreate the sounds and in no time created a music instrument from palmyra leafs with the strings in the middle, based on his memory from the dream.

Ngaben Ceremony

Ngaben Ceremony  or the Cremation Ceremony is the ritual performed to send the dead through the transition to his next life. The village Kul Kul, hanging in the tower of the village temple, will sound a certain beat to announce the departure of the deceased. The body of the deceased will be placed at Bale Delod, as if he were sleeping, and the family will continue to treat him as if he were still alive yet sleeping. No tears are shed, for he is only gone temporarily and he will reincarnate into the family.

Actually Ngaben comes from the word "Beya" means the provision, which is a kind upakara required in the cremation ceremony. Beya said that means the stock, then in the Indonesian language to be charged or "prabeya" in Bali. people who hold Beya in Balinese called "meyanin". Ngaben or meyanin said, has become the standard language, to name but a ceremony of "sawa wedhana".What is clear is ceremony meyanin cremation or organization sawa (bodies) for a deceased person.In other languages ​​in Bali, which connotes a smooth, cremation is called Palebon, which comes from the meaning prathiwi dust or soil. Palebon means making prathiwi (ash).

To make the land there are two ways, namely by burning and planting into the ground. But burning is most rapid. Place to process a land called "pemasmian" and called tunon their area. Tunon derived from the word "tunu" which means to burn. While pemasmian derived from the word meaning Exterminate destroyed. Another Tunon he says is "Setra" or "sema". Setra means tegal. While the sema derived from the word meaning smasana Durga. Humans consists of two elements, namely: Physical and Spiritual. According to Hinduism man is composed of three layers, namely Raga Sarira, Suksma relics, and the Antahkarana Sarira. Sarira sport is rough body, the body that is born of passion (ragha) between mother and father. Suksma Sarira astral body or the body is composed of soft body such as thoughts, feelings, desires, and passions (Citta, Manah, Indriya, and ahamkara). Antahkarana Sarira is the cause of life or Sanghyang Atma. When a human dies, Suksma Sarira by Atma will leave the body. Atma which had so long united with the relics, the relics Soul confines, difficult to leave the agency. Though the body is not able to function, because some parts are damaged. This is a suffering for the Atma.For not too long hindered the departure of Atma, the body needs to speed up the ballpark ceremony return to its source in nature. Similarly, for the Atma should be made to go into nature ceremony Pitra and decided attachment to the body ballpark. This process is called cremation. If the cremation ceremony is not held within a period of time, the body would be roughly the seeds of disease, called bhuta cuwil, and atma will get to hell.

 Purpose of cremation ceremonies in principle are:
 *Removing the Atma from earthly ties.
 *To get the safety and enjoyment.
 *To get the morning heaven Pitra.

The proper day of the ceremony is always a matter of consulting a specialist on ceremony days. On the day of the ceremony, the body of the deceased is placed inside a coffin. This coffin is placed inside a sarcophagus resembling a buffalo (Lembu) or in a temple structure (Wadah) made of paper and wood. The buffalo or temple structure will be carried to the cremation site in a procession. The procession is not walking in a straight line. This is to confuse bad spirits and keep them away from the deceased. The climax of Ngaben is the burning of the whole structure, together with the body of the deceased. The fire is necessary to free the spirit from the body and enable reincarnation. Ngaben is not always immediately performed. For higher caste members it is normal to perform the ritual within 3 days. For lower caste members the deceased are buried first and later, often in a group ceremony for the whole village, cremated.

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Lembah Baliem Festival

Lembah Baliem Festival is gathering of tribe in Papua. The main point of interest of the festival will be the massive tribal attraction involving different tribes living on the villages around Baliem Valley such as Dani, Lani and Yali tribe. All tribes group will deliver their envoy to attend the festival while bringing all tribes attributes, kotekas, art and craft. Lembah Baliem Festival  is a right chance to observe the rich culture of the hinterland.

Baliem Valley area is mainly occupied by three main big clan, namely Dani, Yali, and Lani. They have different phisical feature, culture and way of life as well as unique custom. Many kinds of tribal attraction will be performed by the stone - age tribe group. Among them are the Mocked War, Pig Feast, Earth Cooking Ceremony, Traditional Mouth Harpa, etc.To show the stimulation of war, Kampung Wosiala, Village Wosilimo Kurulu District, the local government has prepared a plot of land with a wide field about 400m x 250m, which can display the war show about dancers 500-1000. 

Staging war games are usually scheduled for 2 days with displays of tribal warfare about 26 war group consisting of 30-50 people per group. Then in a separate area also featuring traditional music game pikon created from the bark, called in his mother tongue "Hite" (bark to bow). While the song being played is an expression of the hearts of the music player in the ring and then played back to console her and the listeners. Interestingly, not everyone can play the Baliem Valley of the instrument, as it requires special expertise.

Special attractions Sege throwing and archery competitions devoted to international tourists in honor of his visit. Foreign tourists can also try to live the culture by wearing koteka Baliem Valley and blacken his body as the ancient natives, so that helped liven up the atmosphere of the festival.

To achieve Jayawijaya district, can only be reached by traveling through air transport (aircraft), and require considerable expense, but the satisfaction you will be paid off if you watch the whole Baliem Valley Festival activities and witnessed firsthand the true life of the Dani, Yali, and Lani tribe. To be able to get to the Baliem Valley, visitors must pass through the main airport in Papua province, the Sentani Airport. Sentani airport can be accessed by using maspakai flight from Jakarta, Surabaya, and Manado. On arrival at Sentani Airport, visitors can go on with the aircraft Hercules and Twin Otter to Wamena, the capital of Jayawijaya.

Wamena Baliem Valley currently has some jasmine-class hotel is quite comfortable include: Hotel Baliem Pilamo, Ranu Jaya I and II, Baliem Valley Resort, Hotel Orchid, Hotel Nayak as well as some traditional inn (honai) that has been created especially for foreign guests countries that want to enjoy life as the local community. Everything can be reached with relatively low prices. WELCOME! Here too you can come together and mingle with the people who still hold fast to traditions that may be far different from what we have. All that is found in the Baliem Valley will surely make your trip will always be fond of all time.

The Gamelan

The music of the gamelan, played often for the pleasure of the hearers, has also special compositions reserved for ceremonial occasions.

In Bali, for example, the gamelan is an integral part of religious life of the community in that it forms the sonorous background of ceremonies and prayers in the temples. When the Balinese march in procession, carrying the images of the gods, to the sea, they are accompanied by a special melody of the gamelan  called the "bleganjur". For the cremation ceremonies , the "gambang" composition is played. And the "sanghyang" with vocal accompaniment is performed during the sacred dance of little girls in trance.

In Java too, specific compositions are played for weddings, and for official or religious ceremonies. One of the principal occasions for the playing of the gamelan is the shadowplay during which performance the three successive states of mind are of primary importance for the corresponding accompaniment. Hence the most fundamental feature of gamelan music for the accompaniment of the shadowplay, is the tonality of the melody chosen to correspond to the mood of the play during its various phases.

The choice of tone c.q. tonality is particularly important since the change of key, across the successive acts of the repertoire to recite, symbolizes the quest of man straining towards the highest significance of life. The act begins with the base key called "patet nem", but at midnight, the mood changes and the gamelan passes on to a higher key; the music then corresponds to the most calm and mysterious moment of the night. When dawn arrives and life begins anew, the orchestra passes to a higher key and plays a vivid melody. The change of tonality punctuates the different phases of the repertoire, it symbolizes the slow rise of the subject matter across human desires to the final intelligence of the divine. Thus the shadowplay and its gamelan music accompaniment are no longer a simple diversion, but contain a vigorous moral and acquire a metaphysical significance.

For a wayang kulit performance the Javanese gamelan orchestra may consist of some stringed instruments like the rebab (a bi-or sometimes tri-chord violin type) and the chelempung ( a Javanese zither), a wind instrument the suling ( a bambo0 flute) and of some percussion instruments like the kendang ( a type of Javanese drum ), the gender (a Javanese metallophone instrument), the gong, etc.

The Balinese gamelan accompaniment, however, is much simpler in strength and consists only of some gender instruments for such performance. The gamelan plays then a polyponic dramatical music composed either on pentatonic scale called the selendro, or on a diatonic scale called the pelog, such according to the nature of the acts of the shadowplay.

Selendro: A pentatonic scale of five notes, i.e. barang-gulu-dada-lima-nem, on the base of three patet's (read : tonality), i.e. patet nem, patet manyura, and patet sanga.

Pelog: A diatonic scale of seven notes, i.e. bem-gulu-dada-pelog-lima-nem-barang based on four patet's, i.e. patet lima, nem, manyura, and barang.

However, in the practice only three of these patet's are used for wayang kulit performance. Briefly, each patet of both scales the selendro and the pelog, is put in accordance with one of the three periods of the wayang kulit theater as indicated by the following schedule:

Key	1st Period, Eve	2nd Period, Midnight	3rd Period, Dawn
Selendro	patet nem	patet sanga	patet manyura
Pelog	patet lima	patet nem	patet barang

The difference between the selendro and the pelog lies in the scale systems employed by each, however, neither of the two are corresponding with the note intervals of Westrn music.
When using a specific measurement, first introduced by the physicist Ellis, the so-called 'cent' inwhich a whole tone is measured by 200 cent and a half tone by 100 cent, the selendro and the pelog scale can be denoted by undermentioned table:
Selendro:
Barang  -  Gulu  -  Dada  -  Lima  -  Nem  -  (Barang-alit)
         240c      240c     240c      250c      240c

Pelog:
Bem  -  Gulu  -  Dada  -  Pelog  -  Lima  -  Nem  -  Barang  -  (Bem-alit)
      120c     150c      240c      150c     120c      150c        270c

In general the selendro system is used a.o to accompany a wayang kulit performance, although in the coastal regions of Central java only the pelog is prevailing for such occasion and the selendro plays the role of giving some variations from time to time to the whole gamelan composition.