nyadran_festival.htm

Indonesia has many islands with difference cultures and languages. Indonesia is so popular with the braveness of their sailors. Sea becomes their daily life for Indonesian. Almost all regency that population have many fisherman for life depending, have special culture. Banyuwangi, Lamongan, Cirebon, Sidoarjo few regency have the same culture, they call Nyaran. Nyadran always happen on moonlight, it call Ruwah moon. They always clean their village, it call Bersih Desa. The purpose of Village clean and nyadran is for saying thanks to God that has blessed them with health, good fortune and have lucky for getting many fish on the year.
They always celebrate the Nyadran Festival in the middle of sea. They will spread flowers, Rice tumpeng, chickens, and goats. After they throw away them on the sea, they will dance with strong music with dangdut dance. They expect to get many fish and good fortune next year. However, there is one of regency at East Java, Sidoarjo regency has special event. Sidoarjo is so popular with milk fish, celebrate nyadran festival, with baking milk fish festival, call Bandeng Tunon. The regent will invite many women from all Sidoarjo villages to bake milk fish together. The regent has success to assemble 1115 baker women at stadium. They baked and eat together after finishing the festival. The event also success to be the winner from Museum record of Indonesia at 2005.Because of the togetherness and participation. The milk fish that not popular to others countries, because the fish is thorny. As matter of fact, women from Sidoarjo are so clever to cook them. They can serve with much variation and have good taste. When did the nyadran Festival become tradition? No one can answer, because Indonesian majority Moslem belief, also have animism influence. The animism influence also strong and implement to their daily life. They are so afraid, if they do not celebrate the festival, the luckiness never comes to them.

Fishermen with colourful fishing boat on nyadran festival