The Republic of Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world comprising 17,504 large and small tropical islands fringed with white sandy beaches, many still uninhabited and a number even still unnamed. Straddling the equator, situated between the continents of Asia and Australia and between the Pacific and the Indian Oceans, it is as wide as the United States from San Francisco to New York, equaling the distance between London and Moscow. Indonesia has a total population of more than 215 million people from more than 200 ethnic groups. The national language is Bahasa Indonesia. [Indonesia Travel]

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Toraja Funeral

The Toraja are an ethnic group indigenous to a mountainous region of South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Their population is approximately 650,000, of which 450,000 still live in the regency of Tana Toraja ("Land of Toraja"). Most of the population is Christian, and others are Muslim or have local animist beliefs known as aluk ("the way"). The Indonesian government has recognized this animist belief as Aluk To Dolo ("Way of the Ancestors"). [Source: Wikipedia]

Tomate, is a funeral procession in Toraja society. This ritual procession held to send the spirit to the Puya, the afterworld properly to avoid misfortune to its family.

In Toraja funeral dead person called 'Tomate'. Without proper funeral rites the spirit of the deceased will cause misfortune to its family. The funeral sacrifices, ceremonies and feats also impress the gods with the importance of deceased, so that the spirit can intercede effectively on behalf of living relatives. In Tana Toraja, there are several arcs of groups of roughly hewn stone slabs around villages, and each stone possibly represents a member of the noble class who lived and died there.

The dead person presides over the funeral from the high-roofed tower constructed at one and of the field. At a funeral, bamboo pavilions for the family and guests are constructed around a field.

The Toraja generally have two funerals, one immediately after a death and elaborate, second funeral after preparations. The souls of the dead can only go to Puya, the afterworld, when the entire death ritual has been carried out.

They believe the soul of the deceased will ride the souls of the slaughtered buffaloes and pigs to heaven. The buffalo has traditionally been a symbol of wealth and power-even land could be paid for in buffaloes. After the guest display their presents of pigs and buffaloes, the traditional Mabadong song and dance is performed. This is a ceremonial re-enactment of the cycle of human life and the life story of the deceased. It also farewell to the soul of the deceased, and relays the hope that the soul will arrive in the afterworld safely.

Funerals can be spread out over several days and involve hundreds of guests (and many tourists).

Source: http://www.toraja-info.com/mysterious-toraja.html 

Kite Cultures - Indonesia

A country with one of the richest kite heritages in the world, Indonesia boasts the leaf kites of Sulawesi, the Pechukan, Janggan, and Bebean of Bali, the Sumbulan of central Java, among many others. The country’s kites are made from a variety of materials. Frames are made of bamboo; sails of cotton fabric, paper, foil, wax paper, leafs, or cassava paper.

As with many agrarian cultures, flying kites went hand in hand with the jubilation of a successful harvest. Indonesia is also an ocean culture in which kites were used for fishing; perhaps the first use of kites, anywhere.

Source: http://www.drachen.org/learn/kite-cultures/indonesia 

Sustainable Destinations

Sustainable Travel International offers destinations a suite of next generation solutions which help make sustainability actionable.

We’re here to help define and navigate a new path forward. We’re experts at leading stakeholders toward a collective vision. Our Sustainable Destinations Approach offers you the tools and capacity to support each step of your journey.

What Is A Sustainable Destination?

Sustainable destinations have achieved balance. They have balanced the long-term economic needs of residents  with the short and medium term needs of businesses. They have done this by creating a diverse and value-laden tourism product that attracts a mix of domestic and international guests, many of whom are repeat visitors and have made a personal financial commitment to the destination.

Sustainable destinations are managed by well-trained and committed staff. They have an up-to-date tourism plan which focuses on sustainable tourism. They have the personnel, resources, and political commitment to implement and monitor the plan. Achievements are tracked and made public.  Tourists are consulted and their opinions are considered in plans. Safety is taken seriously and plans and policies exist for crisis, security, fire, health and safety.

Sustainable destinations reinvest the profits from their tourism activities in environmental conservation and historic restoration and preservation. They demonstrate a thriving culture, strong social networks and increasing biodiversity. They show effective planning, substantial land and marine protection, increased energy and water conservation, and a reduction in solid waste per guest over time. They have an effective recycling and wastewater sanitation program that is carefully managed. They have taken steps to reduce the carbon footprint of their activities.

Sustainable destinations are internationally recognized, valued by tourists for their environmental quality, and receive increasing value from tourist stays.

Our Approach for Destinations

Using the Sustainable Travel International Approach, we’ll help you assess the landscape, create a road map, implement solutions and evolve as needed. We’ll draw on our relationships and experience to guide you, and together we’ll write the next chapter of your Sustainability Story.

Assessment

• We start by working together to establish a long-term view of the destination landscape, identifying sustainability risks and strategic growth opportunities. We facilitate discussions with stakeholders, while utilizing our innovative tools and expertise to develop a clear plan of action.
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• Planning

• As we design and implement initiatives, we’ll prioritize critical impacts, build local capacity and set achievable benchmarks. Over time, we’ll help you implement these programs, track their progress, and monitor your results.
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• Standards and Monitoring
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• Sustainable tourism standards are the genesis of quality tourism planning. Our place-based solutions focus on the needs of the destination, while assuring that local tourism businesses meet third-party verified levels of quality and sustainability.
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• Marketing and Communications
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• Sustainability requires ongoing adaptation in our ever-changing world. Sustainable Travel International will continue to support your commitment to sustainability long after we’ve laid the groundwork and taken first steps together.

Source: SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL INTERNATIONAL 

Wonderful Indonesia | Feeling is Believing (HQ)

Dive Komodo 2013 with Salila Boat

SAVE our EARTH

Ulos

Ulos is the traditional cloth of the Batak people of North Sumatra. Different kinds of ulos have different ceremonial significance. The ulos is normally worn draped over the shoulder or shoulders, or in weddings to ceremonially bind the bride and groom together. Ulos are traditionally hand woven and in the case of higher-quality examples are significant family heirlooms, to be worn at important events, such as funerals and weddings.

With increasing modernisation has come the decline in significance of the ulos, with many varieties no longer in demand.

History

According to Batak people, there are 3 sources of warmthness for human, sun, fire and ulos. Ulos said as warmthness source because they are living in the mountain with cold temperature. This natural condition makes the sunlight not enough give warmth especially at night. Then, they made something able to give them warmth, also believed able to give the men bravery and the women strength from infertility voodoos.

At first, Ulos only as an ordinary cloth. But later, it developed to become a symbol of love, traditional ceremony stuff, and society structural system symbol. Even Ulos believed has magical religious power and considered as 'sacred' and has special power to protect the user.

Many kind and motives has it own meaning. According to characteristic, condition, function, and some relation. When it is usedm given to whom, and which traditional ceremony like wedding, birth, death and other rituals will never run without Ulos. If Ulos used by a man, the upper called ande-ande, lower called singkot, used on head called tali-tali, bulang-bulang or detar. But, because it sacred value, not all Ulos can be used in daily activities. Ulos Jugja, Sadum, Ragidup, and Runjat only used in some occasions. In daily, male using Ulos in box pattern with black shirt named baju Kurung without shoes nor sandals.

Usage

Ulos used by female, the bottom called haen, the back called hoba-hoba and if it used as sacrf it called ampe-ampe. If used as head cover called saong, and if used to carry baby called parompa. In daily, the female using black long dress and head cover.

There are three ways to use Ulos. First, siabithononton (used). The Ulos used for this are Ragidup, Sibolang, Runjat, Djobit, Simarindjamisi, and Ragi Pangko. Second, sihadanghononton (used as head cover). The Ulos used for this are Sirara, Sumbat, Bolean, Mangiring, Surisuri and Sadum. Third, sitalitalihononton (tied at hip). Ulos used for this are Tumtuman, Mangiring and Padangrusa. Using Ulos in the right way is extremely important to make good looking and also to fulfill the philosophy meaning in Ulos. Ulos as love symbol it called mangulosi. In Batak culture, mangulosi (giving Ulos) is symbol of love to the receiver. In Mangulosi, there are common rules, mangulosi only can be done by people who has family relation or to give it to lower social status people. Like, parents can mengulosi their children, but not opposite. If want to mangulosi a child who give birth ffirst child, Ulos given is Ragidup Sinagok. Ulos given to special guest is Ulos Ragidup Silingo.

Production

Ulos made with manual loom machine. A spinner (Sorha) used to make cotton into yards. Pamanggung using to tie yards. Pagabe to hold the yard. Baliga, used to organize yards. Hatalungan ised to separating yards. Pamapan used to make the yard into cloth. Palabuan (Periuk tanah)used to saving coloring water. Ulos made of cotton and the coloring water made of barks, grass, roots, mud or leaves.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulos

Ogoh-ogoh

Ogoh-ogoh are statues built for the Ngrupuk parade, which takes place on the eve of Nyepi day in Bali, Indonesia. Ogoh-ogoh normally have form of mythological beings, mostly demons. As with many creative endeavours based on Balinese Hinduism, the creation of Ogoh-ogoh represents spiritual aims inspired by Hindu philosophy.

The main purpose of the making of Ogoh-ogoh is the purification of the natural environment of any spiritual pollutants emitted from the activities of living beings (especially humans). The forms of Ogoh-ogoh represent the Bhuta-Kala (Bhuta: eternal energy, Kala: eternal time), according to Hindu teachings. The imperceptible potentials of nature cannot be thoroughly explored by anyone. Philosophically, civilized men are required to manage the natural resources without damaging the environment itself.

Aside from being the symbol of Bhuta-Kala, Ogoh-ogoh is considered a symbol of modes of nature that form the malicious characters of living beings. Ogoh-ogoh are usually made by the group of artists found in villages around Bali. After being paraded on a convoy around the town, finally it is burnt to ashes in a cemetery as a symbol of self-purification.

An Ogoh-ogoh is normally standing on a pad built of timber planks and bamboos. The pad is designed to sustain the Ogoh-ogoh while it is being lifted and carried around the village or the town square. There are normally eight or more men carrying the Ogoh-ogoh on their shoulders. This procession is accompanied by orchestral music performed by the youth. The use of flares is also a main part of the parade.

During the procession, the Ogoh-ogoh is rotated counter-clockwise three times. This act is done at every T-junction and crossroad of the village. Rotating the effigies during the cremational parade and the eve of Nyepi represents the contact of the bodies with the spirits. It is intended to bewilder the evil spirits so that they go away and cease harming human beings.

The Ogoh-ogoh is a very recent addition to the Nyepi ceremonies, first appearing in Denpasar in the early 1980s. At that time, they were carefully monitored for any criticism of the Suharto regime.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ogoh-ogoh

Nyepi

Nyepi is a Balinese "Day of Silence" that is commemorated every Isaawarsa (Saka new year) according to the Balinese calendar (in 2013, it falls on March 12). It is a Hindu celebration mainly celebrated in Bali, Indonesia. Nyepi, a Government holiday in Indonesia, is a day of silence, fasting and meditation for the Balinese. The day following Nyepi is also celebrated as New year.

Observed from 6 a.m. until 6 a.m. the next morning, Nyepi is a day reserved for self-reflection and as such, anything that might interfere with that purpose is restricted. The main restrictions are: no lighting fires (and lights must be kept low); no working; no entertainment or pleasure; no traveling; and for some, no talking or eating at all. The effect of these prohibitions is that Bali’s usually bustling streets and roads are empty, there is little or no noise from TVs and radios, and few signs of activity are seen even inside homes. The only people to be seen outdoors are the Pecalang, traditional security men who patrol the streets to ensure the prohibitions are being followed.

Although Nyepi is primarily a Hindu holiday, non-Hindu residents of Bali observe the day of silence as well, out of respect for their fellow citizens. Even tourists are not exempt; although free to do as they wish inside their hotels, no one is allowed onto the beaches or streets, and the only airport in Bali remains closed for the entire day. The only exceptions granted are for emergency vehicles carrying those with life-threatening conditions and women about to give birth.

On the day after Nyepi, known as Ngembak Geni, social activity picks up again quickly, as families and friends gather to ask forgiveness from one another, and to perform certain religious rituals together.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyepi

Produk Hutan Bukan Kayu, Aset Ekonomi Indonesia

Indonesia

The mass destruction of Indonesia's rainforests and carbon-rich  peatlands for palm oil and paper is the main reason why Indonesia is the world's third largest emitter of climate changing greenhouse gases. Greenpeace is campaigning for an immediate moratorium on forest and peatland destruction in Indonesia, and for zero deforestation by 2015.

Indonesia is a treasure chest of biodiversity; it is home to between 10 and 15 per cent of all known species of plants, mammals and birds. Orang-utans, elephants, tigers, rhinoceroses, more than 1,500 species of birds and thousands of plant species are all a part of the country's natural legacy.

But many of these unique forest-dwelling animals, including the orang-utan and the Sumatran tiger, are endangered.

It's not just these wonders of our natural world that are disappearing. The lives of millions of Indonesians who depend on the forests for food, shelter and livelihoods are changing beyond recognition as the forest disappears.

This destruction also threatens our wider world; peatlands are perhaps the world’s most critical carbon stores, and Indonesia's peatlands are vast, storing about 35 billion tonnes of carbon. When these peatlands are drained, burned and replaced by acacia, eucaylptus or palm oil plantations, carbon dioxide is released.

Indonesia's irreplaceable rainforests and carbon-rich peatlands are being destroyed to make the disposable consumer products we find in our shops - paper for our glossy magazines, toilet paper and packaging and palm oil for products like toothpaste and chocolate. 

Greenpeace is campaigning for an immediate moratorium on the destruction of Indonesia's forests and peatlands, for a meaningful international deal (and funds) to protect them, for a new green development pathway and for zero deforestation in Indonesia by 2015 (and globally by 2020).

To achieve this, we investigate the global supply chain that turns forests in Indonesia into consumer products around the world, and we expose the companies that are destroying forests. Over the past few years, our campaigns and pressure from our supporters have led Nestlé, Unilever and other corporate giants to cancel vast contracts with notorious rainforest destroying suppliers like Sinar Mas.

We are also working alongside Indonesian civil society and NGOs who, recognising that Indonesia's low carbon development goals need not depend on deforestation, are campaigning for a better future for Indonesians, their forests, biodiversity and the global climate.

Today, Indonesia stands at a crossroads; will it choose to allow industry to relentlessly and unnecessarily expand into natural rainforests and carbon rich peatlands, or to announce a moratorium on all existing rainforest and peatlands, with the help of the international community?

Source: http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/forests/asia-pacific/?accept=e069d9a4dbfc93d0129c7a69618c2116