Event & Attraction in Lombok
BAU NYALE (CATCHING NYALE)
Bau Nyale festival is a folk even based on famous legend, the Princess of Mandalika Nyale. It is said that long time ago Lombok was ruled by six kingdoms, one of them was Beberu kingdom, which ruled the southern part of the island whose beautiful princess named Putri mandalika Nyale, while other kingdoms had prince who all wished to marry the princess. The princess faced difficulty to decide for a choice and worried to bring war among the kingdoms if she would accept one of them. Finally, she invited the princes to spend some times together on the beach and had the poem read one another. At dawn, the princess spoke out some words and plunged into the water followed by the princes aimed to save her. Some times after that, a group of strange creatures worm-like appeared in the sea that the people believed the manifestation of the princess and the princes. Since then, the festival is annually held on every tenth month of the Sasak calendar or on February to welcome the come back of the princess in its new shape, sea worm (called Nyale).
NYONGKOLAN’ (WEDDING CEREMONY)
Nyongkol is an amid great ceremony on the wedding procession and agreed the most auspicious time for marriage ceremony. The ceremony is taking the bride and groom to the groom’s parent house attended by great deal number of people in traditional dress from the bride village followed by noisy traditional orchestra. This parade-looking ceremony usually takes place in the afternoon made as the last series of a marriage procession.
PRESEAN (STICK FIGHTING)
Presehan is a game that shows strength and skill. People are keen in this game. Two men fight each other with rattan whips with a cow-shield hide to protect their body from the strikes. The performace is umpired by the ‘Pekembar’ who is authorized to the area that either player is defeated or win the game or if he thinks become worse. This performance is accompanied by traditional music.
GANDRUNG
Gandrung is a social dance particularly for young people and is usually performed in open air. It is performed by a single girl dance with a fan in her hand. When she touches a man or spectators with the fan means he is requested to dance with her. Gandrung means being in love expressed in the movements of the dance itself .
RUDAT
Rudat is a traditional Sasak dance performed by a number of young men. The dance shows the mixture of Islamic and Sasak culture. The customs of the dancers were influenced by Turkish army. The dancers sing while others play the tambourines and other traditional musical instruments called jidur. The dancers sing the Islamic songs containing the message to do the Islamic doctrine. The dancers wear colorful customs, hats and other ornaments.
GENDANG BELEQ
Gendang Beleq is very famous in Lombok. It is named so because they play a big (beleq) drum (gendang). In the old times this dance was used to see off the soldiers went to the battle field and to welcome their return from the battle. Nowadays, this dance is frequently performed in many traditional events.
BATEK BARIS
This is a marching dance . They imitate the Dutch soldiers march and orders. Most of the orders are given in Dutch but pronounced in Sasak Dialect. The Batek Baris dance usually performed in traditional procession.
GENGGONG
Genggong is musical performance played by some players used a set of simple instruments such as rebab, kemong and flutes. They play genggong while dancing.
CEPUNG
Cepung is a traditional music. The musical instruments consist of rebab and flute. It is a unique music. The players imaitate the sound of gendang (drum), gong, keceng and other musical instruments.
