EKPRAM

Suddenly, Met Reog parade without notice before, so enjoy it. In the land of happiness, entertainment could come anytime without warning. Very proud and happy with my beloved rich Indonesia.

Suddenly, Met Reog parade without notice before, so enjoy it. In the land of happiness, entertainment could come anytime without warning....

Happy Chinese New Year. I hope The Fire Rooster Year will bring Peace, Justice and Freedom to around the world, and I wish you and your family always in good health, happiness and prosperity  

Happy Chinese New Year. I hope The Fire Rooster Year will bring Peace, Justice and Freedom to around the world, and I wish you and ...

The Official Calendar of Banyuwangi Festival 2017 has been launched by Banyuwangi Regency Government. I apologize, because a couple weeks ago, I posted The Unofficial Calendar of Banyuwangi Festival, and this post is correction of my older post about Banyuwangi Festival Calendar. And for more information and update about Banyuwangi Festival, Follow Official Banyuwangi Regency Government Twitter @banyuwangi_kab and Banyuwangi Festifal Twitter @banyuwangi_fest. Thank's 

The Official Calendar of Banyuwangi Festival 2017 has been launched by Banyuwangi Regency Government. I apologize, because a couple weeks...

I often find 100 and 200 coins in an undesirable state, even as if people did not want or need it, although if that person looks in need of money. In some store, they would rather replace the money with candy. I also often find people "say sorry" if they give me a change in this coins as an expression of guilt. I don't know why people think 100 and 200 coins worthless and sometime ashamed to hold that banknotes.

I ever saw a beggar throw this coins (100 and 200 rupiahs) which he got from people who passed him, it was outstanding. Why he could not think to collect the coin until he get 1000 rupiah and even more? I've warned a women when her money falls, and the moneys was coins of 200 rupiahs, she just turned briefly and do not take the coin back. Maybe a different story if the money that falls is 100.000 rupiahs.

In digital transactions, I'm sure it will never happens because a billion deal can not be reduced, although only about 100 rupiahs. So why, people not appreciate this coin? Maybe this is the reason. Imagine, how people carry 1 million rupiahs in the form of 100 rupiahs coins, troublesome. Heavy and need more spaces. But it should not make us feel does not need coins at all. In some circumstances we will need although not always. We just need more appreciate.      

I often find 100 and 200 coins in an undesirable state, even as if people did not want or need it, although if that person looks in need...

Banana Sale

By the way, My Grandmother asked me to cut a banana tree to took the bananas for made fried banana last week. Unfortunately, I did not know the type of bananas. When she asked me to cut Gandul Banana Tree (Sorry, I also don't know what is "Gandul Banana" in English) but I've cut another banana tree, and the banana called "Hong". Because the tree was the first I saw that fruitful and I never check another tree. Although, the bananas looked big and lot, evidently the bananas was not ready to harvested, she said.

But it all happened, Impossible to put bananas at the tree back. I was so very sorry for my misunderstanding. Fortunately, My Grandmother was very creative. After waited for a few days, after the sap was missing from bananas. She planned to made bananas to be Banana Sale. FYI, Sale (Javanese) was a traditional snacks of Karang Pucung and Majenang districts in Cilacap Regency, Central Java, Indonesia. The snacks made from bananas that sliced thin and dried (usually dried under the sunlight). (It was different from sale for marketing activities, It was snacks).

The taste of Banana Sale was sweet with a touch mild sour taste. On the market, a lot of different flavor variants of Banana Sale but I loved the original one, and I thought My Grandmother made this one. Now, the making of the Banana Sale Snacks is in the process of drying. Perhaps, need more days to make the banana completely dry, especially now that the rainy season. I was relieved, the bananas still be used and we will have a lot of snacks. Banana Sale Snack that created by accident. Can not wait the snack ready to eat and maybe for a little shared with neighbors.

Banana Sale By the way, My Grandmother asked me to cut a banana tree to took the bananas for made fried banana last week. Unfortunately...

Musholla Al Mukasyafah, Bagorejo Village, Srono District, Banyuwangi Regency, East Java, Indonesia.

When I went to Bagorejo Village in Srono District, I found something that attracts my attention, an unique Musholla (a tiny mosque) that called Musholla Al Mukasyafah. The uniqueness was the architecture concepts of the musholla. When most of mosque used middle east architecture concepts, Musholla Al Mukasyafah preferred to exposed itself in Chinese Temple style. When I saw The Musholla Architecture concepts, I guessed the residents around The Musholla were Chinese. I was wrong, majority of residents around The Musholla were Javanese.

How a mosque in the Javanese neighborhood had Chinese style? Perhaps, the main contributor to the cost of construction was a Chinese? Were also not. The Musholla did not have anything with the Chinese ethnic or specialty ethnic. The Musholla built in 2010 by local youth with financing surround communities. The idea style of the Musholla obtained when local youth need to renovation the Old Mushola that only 4x4 meters, And they want to built a unique Musholla and other than another. They searched on internet, and found the Chinese Temple, and finally, they preferred to built Musholla like the Chinese Temple.

To built The Musholla, spent 175 millions rupiahs, with 4 millions rupiah initial capital and additional donations that collected by building committee from local residents around The Musholla. It only took six months to completed all the process of renovation. The Musholla had a new unique look and conspicuous. With red and green dominant color, residents around give The Musholla's nickname "Red Mosque". And some called The Musholla to "Dragon Fruit Mosque" because The Musholla style deemed identical with Dragon Fruit.

With position overlooking the water canal, arched bridge connecting roads and The Musholla adds to the uniqueness of the Musholla. So, other than as a place of worship, it was also exciting to be a photographic object or place for selfie. The presence of The Musholla added to the list of Mosque with Chinese Temple style in Indonesia. Because, If i searched in google, in fact I can found The Mosque with Chinese Temple style spread across several regions of Indonesia which reflect Chinese and Islam acculturation in Harmony.

Musholla Al Mukasyafah, Bagorejo Village, Srono District, Banyuwangi Regency, East Java, Indonesia.  When I went to Bagorejo Village in...

The Mlijo activities

Every morning, in my village (perhaps in every place) itinerant vegetables sellers was a person who fence awaited. If  they was not there, even just for one day, as if there would be a disaster. Because many housewives who would be able to cook foods for their families. although in fact, traditional market was not to far away, but to buy vegetables for a daily cook, would be inconvenient if you always have to go to market everyday.

In my village, residents call itinerant vegetables seller as Mlijo. They are usually use motorbike with vegetables basket in the rear. They bring fresh vegetables that they bought in morning market to sell door to door. But usually, they have base or place to stop in every block and housewives will gather soon. They will honk the horn to give a signal that they were already on the base. Interestingly, Mlijo not only bring vegetables and household needs, but also a fresh information from around village, from gossips, rumors, news to real important informations.

To prepare their work, every morning Mlijo must wake up in early morning, about 03.00am and go to morning market to shop vegetables and household needs for sell in the village. They have to compete with others to get the best groceries with good prices or they will fail to sell a lot of vegetables. Of this effort, Mlijo in average could benefit up to 50% of their capital. It was a really interesting business. Moreover, they only selling until 9.00 am or 10.00 am, and after that, they can take another activities.      

For Mlijo who have a long time selling, usually they have a lot of customers. Sometimes their customers reserve in advance what they want to buy. It's means guarantee for their make a good sell. Now for this case, Mlijo also use technology to serve their customer. Customers just need to send messages by SMS or Online Chat Room, and never worry again they will not have the desired vegetables, unless at the market empty. It's also helps when Mlijo need to holiday, They will post on social media and the customers will buy vegetables from another seller during their off.

The Mlijo activities Every morning, in my village (perhaps in every place) itinerant vegetables sellers was a person who fence awaited....

Beautiful Trumpets

2017 just a few hours away. Every where prepare to welcome a new year with many kind of styles. But there must be uniform in every places, Trumpet. I did not know the origin of this tradition, blow a trumpet when 1 January comes. If I read some of articles, some said this tradition started by Jews that blow Shofar to welcome a new year. But whatever, I do not to discuss about origin of the tradition but I will share what caught my eyes about this tradition, about how the tradition survive and give some people reason to keep it.

Every December, in markets and every where we can find people are sale trumpets. The trumpets made from paper and some from plastics. In my place, almost all of trumpets made by traditional craftsmen. They were always happy when the last months of the year came, because they can sale more trumpets. And almost every years they can double their income just by made and sale trumpets. Although trumpet craftsmen has increased last year and made the market very competitive, but trumpets always sold.

Now, types and models of the trumpets has been more variative. If in a few years ago, the style of trumpet only the shape of funnel, Now there was trumpets in sax shape until dragon shape. The creativity of the craftsmen made trumpets sometime treated better after the party end. It was also make trash after party diminish despite still high. Highlight of the tradition was trumpets gave every craftsmen new hope with extra income to past the new year with a little wealth and happiness that can be shared to their family. Happy New Year.

A trumpets seller serve buyer at my district

Beautiful Trumpets 2017 just a few hours away. Every where prepare to welcome a new year with many kind of styles. But there must be un...

Onthel : Vintage Bike

Onthel was a vintage bicycle that popular in colonial era. In those era, the bicycle used by important people such as land lord, village head man, and another nobles. That make Onthel became a luxury vehicle and has become a badge of honor and prestige. Brands such as Gazelle, Hercules, Phoenix, etc has coloring bike market competition. After eroded era and almost all of the bike not produce again, Onthel got knockout by the presence of Mountain Bikes and Motorcycles. In 80 - 90s vintage bicyles mostly hang on the garage and warehouse. But time is always spinning and history call they back.

The development of Indonesia Tourism, making antiques began to glances back. The need to attract tourist impacts for Onthel to show off again. Almost all tourist sites that are related to the colonial era provides vintage bicycles rental as a tour vehicle. This make the prestige of the old bike back again. Some people my already have become proud to show their vintage bike, which my has been simply ignored in the warehouse. Then they create Onthel community and attract other people with their prestige feel.
          
Now, Onthel lovers was increased during more vintage bicycle community spread in every city, include in my city. Every week, Onthel community in my town always do routine activities such as gathering or traveling convoy around district. If the first fans mostly elderly, now many young age are getting interested. This makes the price of the vintage bikes getting higher. I've search in some online shop, vintage bike such as Gazelle can be priced up to 10 millions rupiahs even more (depending on specification). But price never be matter when it comes to prestige.

Onthel : Vintage Bike Onthel was a vintage bicycle that popular in colonial era. In those era, the bicycle used by important people suc...

Traditional Craft : Kitchen Appliances

Vacation to Banyuwangi and want to get extra-ordinary souvenirs? Do not forget to visit Kalibaru City, the westernmost district of Banyuwangi Regency, East Java, Indonesia. You will find an interesting spot at Jember Street, a dozens booths of traditional craft such as kitchen appliances line up neatly on the side of the road. Yesterday afternoon, I drop in to the area of traditional craft booths and looked closer the beautiful craft.

On location, I found traditional kitchen appliances such as Dandang (Traditional Rice Cooker), Pans, Cans Of Crackers, Ovens, Cake Molds, Stoves, Spatulas, etc. The traditional kitchens appliances were mostly made of aluminium and stainless steel. The crafts were handmade and produced manually by craftsmen in the location. Every workshop produced 4-6 crafts per day in average (every booth also can be workshop).

The price of crafts vary depending on size, materials and levels of complexity. We can bring the crafts home with 10.000 - 500.000 Rupiahs. Quality? Do not doubt! The home industry has been operating for decades. Precisely in 1965 the home industry has started and increased in 70s. The home industries has been producing thousands traditional kitchen appliances and meet the needs of several towns outside Banyuwangi city, such as Jember, Surabaya, etc (Even outside Java).          

Traditional Craft : Kitchen Appliances Vacation to Banyuwangi and want to get extra-ordinary souvenirs? Do not forget to visit Kalibaru...

That morning, I was going to my office when a parade of endog-endogan through my village road. The parade marchers were students of a high school in my district. Good news for me, I was fail to attend the same parade that held yesterday because I had headache. The parade was more like convoy because every marcher used vehicle like motorbike and truck. Whatever, it was still a traditional celebration.

Endog-endogan was a traditional celebration that held to commemorate the birthday of  Prophet Muhammad SAW. The day (The birthday of Prophet Muhammad SAW) was also known as Muludan, that always celebrating every years on 12th Rabiul Awal (Hijri Calendar). The tradition has been held since 18th century and only in Banyuwangi Regency, East Java, Indonesia.

Called Endog-endogan because in this celebration used endog as main symbol. Endog is Javanesse/Using language to mention eggs. Boiled eggs decorated in a form of flowers and hung on bamboo sticks was also adorned with decorative paper. The bamboo stick plugged in to "Jodang" (Banana Tree). Every Jodang usually had 27, 33 or 99 eggs. Eggs and Flowers is symbol of faith and good deeds.

The Jodang with eggs and flowers usually parade around village with shoulder or becak (pedicap) and accompanied with patrol, rebana or terbang (Traditional Music Percussion). After parade, the Jodang gathered at the mosque and after Alquran recitation, eggs will distributed to the people.

I remembered an amazing video that was made in 2015, when endog-endogan held in the night, check this out.
   

That morning, I was going to my office when a parade of endog-endogan through my village road. The parade marchers were students of a ...

A few month to go, my nephew will born. My sister in law was pregnant. Age of pregnancy was 7 month. It was excited moment to prepared ...