Balikpapan - Kutai Kertanegara regency, East Kalimantan, will hold the week-long 2008 Erau Festival -- a Kutai community cultural festivity -- from Dec. 14 to 21 in Tenggarong.
Local residents and domestic and foreign visitors are looking forward to the Erau Festival. The festival became famous in Southeast Asia before becoming dormant for several years.
A wide range of arts and cultural activities will be held, including traditional dances and water games at the Mahakam River.
The Erau Festival was first held to celebrate the coronation of Aji Batara Agung Dewa Sakti, Kutai Kartanagara`s first king, who ruled from 1300 to 1325.
In its development, the festival was also held to confer noble titles to community leaders with great contribution to the sultanate.
Kutai Kartanegara regency secretary HM Aswin said the festival would be revived after a five-year pause. There were no reasons for the lull, he said, adding that local and foreign tourists had been anxiously awaiting the event`s return.
This year`s event will be funded by the additional provincial budget.
"The event will cost around Rp 1.5 billion (US$115,000) to organize. We hope it will be as successful and festive as previous years," he said recently.
"This is also part of our efforts to spur development in the regency and increase regional generated income. It must be successful in terms of supervision and responsibility."
A lack of accountability is an ongoing problem of the regency administration.
Aswin said many development activities were halted and a number of officials examined for graft after East Kalimantan organized the 17th National Games.
Organizers of the Erau Festival held a coordination meeting at the Kedaton Kutai Kartanegara Ing Martadipura Hall in Tenggarong.
Among those attending were Aswin, representing the local administration, Crown Prince HAP Adipati Praboe Soerya Adiningrat, representing the Kutai Kartanegara Ing Martadipura Sultanate, Keraton secretary/minister HAR Gondo Prawiro and Erau organizing committee chairman Fahrodin.
"We will revive the 2008 Erau Festival according to the Kutai people`s request. Previously, the festival was included in the regency`s annual calendar of events," Aswin said.
"The event is also part of an effort to raise the earnings of small and medium-scale entrepreneurs through an exhibition at the Putri Karang Melenu Hall in Tenggarong Seberang." Nurni Sulaiman
Source:
http://old.thejakartapost.com November 24, 2008)