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Lombok’s Unique Festival – Bau Nyale!
One of Lombok’s most important and popular festivals is “Bau Nyale”, meaning “to catch Nyale (a type of sea worm)” in the local Sasak language. It is a cultural tradition, deeply rooted in local legend, and unique to the island of Lombok.
PERANG TOPAT… The Rice War!
Thousands of people attended Lombok’s unique “Perang Topat” held on Wednesday, 11 December at historic Lingsar Temple in West Lombok. Perang means “war” and Topat are small diamond-shaped parcels of rice, which have been wrapped in woven coconut leaves and boiled – a delicious local alternative to ordinary rice.
Masbagik Pottery
Just east of the town of Masbagik there is a small Sasak village where time seems to have stood still; a village where horse and cart are still the main form of transportation and the people follow the time-honoured traditions of generations.
THE LEGEND OF PUTRI MANDALIKA
The highlight of the Bau Nyale festival is the theatrical dance and music drama which re-enacts the legend of Putri (Princess) Mandalika and is the basis for the magic surrounding the Bau Nyale festival.
PERESEAN… More than just Stick Fighting!
Peresean, or stick fighting, is a popular traditional sport unique to the Sasak people of Lombok. More than just a sport, or a form of entertainment for tourists, Peresean has its roots in the ethnic Sasak culture of Lombok and is seen as a test of courage for a man, as well as a symbol of masculinity held in esteem by the Sasak people.
BAMBOOZLED IN GUNUNG SARI!
Bamboo – called bambu locally or bambusa vulgaris botanically – is one of the most versatile plants found in Lombok and is used extensively for everything from furniture to building construction.
Nyepi in Lombok
You can see Bali in Lombok... but you can’t see Lombok in Bali! This old Lombok saying is especially true during Nyepi – the Balinese Hindu “Day of Silence” – when you really can see Bali in Lombok!
THE FABRIC OF LIFE
The tradition of weaving cloth in Pringgasela is so old no one quite knows where the original idea came from. All that the people of Pringgasela know is that weaving is the life-blood of their village and has been practiced for as long as anyone remembers.