Nyepi The Balinese New Year

HAPPY GALUNGAN AND KUNINGAN DAY BALI!!!

Bali will celebrate Galungan Day on February 01, 2012 and Kuningan day falls on February 11, 2012, exactly ten days after the celebrations of Galungan. It is celebrated once every six months according to the Balinese calendar. Galungan Day is the most important feast for Balinese Hindus, to thank God and feel grateful for his blessing and for the creation of the earth and its contents. Symbolically, Galungan represents the universal struggle of good versus evil. It is a time for personal reflection, to address past wrongdoings and make changes towards a better future.

The Sinulog Festival in the Philippines: PIT SENYOR & Grateful Hearts!

By: Joan Mae Soco-Bantayan

PIT SENYOR! The Sinulog Festival is one of the most interesting times of the year for Filipinos; especially for the devotees of the Holy Infant Jesus of Cebu.

Wherever you are in Cebu, you’ll be reading and hearing the catchy phrase ‘Pit Senyor!”’all over. Pit is a contraption of the Philippine vernacular ‘Sangpit’ meaning ‘to call upon’. Senyor, on the other hand, is an endearment to the Holy Infant Jesus of Cebu. Sinulog means ‘like water currents’ movement’; it actually describes the dance movement of the festival.

The festival takes place in Cebu, the second largest city in the Philippines. It takes place every third Sunday of January but when you’re there, you’ll experience a weeklong celebration involving just about everyone! This year, an estimated 3 million people flocked to join Sinulog to give thanks and praise to the Holy Infant Jesus.

Indonesian Batik: A living Heritage, Jakarta & Solo

On January 25th, 2012 the exhibition "Indonesian Batik: A living Heritage" opens its doors for Batik enthusiasts at Galeri Nasional, Jakarta.

Galeri Nasional
Jl. Medan Merdeka Timur No. 14
Jakarta 10110

From 13-19 February the exhibition will be shown in Solo, at the City Hall (Balai Kota):

Pendapi Gede
Komplek Balaikota
Surakarta

Chinese New Year Cake: Nian Gao Recipe

By: Maya Liem

The celebration of Chinese New Year never goes without food. A special cake which is made only for the celebration of Chinese New Year is called Nian-Gao (New Year Cake) in Mandarin. The New Year cake has become well known in other countries where Chinese communities celebrate their New Year. For instance, in Indonesia this sweet snack is adopted by the Indonesian community under the name ‘kue keranjang’, which means ‘cake in a basket’.

According to classical Chinese stories, the sweet snack is made to be an offering to the kitchen God. Each home has a kitchen god, who has to make sure that the family that lives in the house brings their daily offering to the God of all Gods. The sweet snack is to bribe the kitchen God and to prevent him from telling bad stories about the family to the God of all Gods. The sweet taste of the cake symbolises the hope of the family for a sweet life during the coming year, whilst the sticky texture symbolises the wish for peace and harmony within the family.

Seminar ‘Nurturing the Youth’s Creativity through Contemporary Dance

Seminar ‘Nurturing the Youth’s Creativity through Contemporary Dance: A Collaboration among Cultures” will be taking place on Thursday, the 2nd of February 2012 at the Erasmus Huis Jakarta from 09.00 – 15.00.

This seminar is a collaboration between Erasmus Huis, Indonesian Dance Festival and Fakultas Pertunjukan, IKJ. Speakers: Sal Murgiyanto, Maria Darmaningsih, Melina Surya Dewi, Gerard Mosterd and Nungki Kusumastuti.

The Naga Festival

By: Maya Liem

Every year on January 15th the Naga people, living in Myanmar, celebrate the Lunar New Year Festival, known as Kaing Bi. All Naga tribes in Myanmar send delegations to celebrate their most important festival of the year. At midnight on new year’s eve, the Naga chief prays at the festival site. When the praying is over, people sacrifice cattle, pigs and chickens, which will be prepared for the meal at the festival. The festival is usually celebrated with lots of food, rice wine and dances.

Naga, a people divided

The term Naga people is given to a conglomeration of tribes living in the North Eastern part of India (in Nagaland, Manipur, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh) and the North Western part of Myanmar (in the Naga Self-Administered Zone, Sagaing division). Although many Naga have been Christianized after the arrival of missionaries from the middle of the 19th century on, and the new educational system has brought changes to the old social patterns and cultural practices, the Naga people still attract the attention of the outside world.

Art Stage Singapore

Art Stage Singapore is Asia’s premier international art fair. It is a rendezvous point for the movers and shakers of the Asian Art market. Focused on quality through stringent selection, it provides an avenue for dynamic dialogue between collectors, artists, curators, galleries and art aficionados.  Art Stage embraces Singapore’s unique position as a bridge between the East and the West in a celebration of both emerging new regional artists and international superstar names.

In 2012, Art Stage Singapore (ArtSS12) will be held on 12 to 15 January at the Marina Bay Sands Convention and Exhibition Centre. With over 100 galleries exhibiting, there will also be a lecture series featuring renowned art industry professionals, various fringe programmes, and art-centred activities over the four fair days.

Java Jazz Festival 2012

Cats ahoy, it's time for the Java Jazz festival 2012. See Al Jarreau & George Duke Trio | Bobby Caldwell & Big Band | Dave Koz | The Manhattan Transfer | Erykah Badu | Quincy Jones presents: Alfredo Rodriguez Trio | Herbie Hancock | Pat Metheny | Joey DeFrancesco | Jeff Lorber & Friends | Barry White Show & The Pleasure Unlimited Orchestra | Barry Likumahua | Donny Koeswinarno Quartet and many more li...

Chinese New Year