Holidays in Indonesia

Indonesia is one of the brightest and colorful countries where representatives of different religions and nationalities live peacefully on almost 18 thousand islands . In Indonesia there are interesting traditions of celebrations and festivals, typical for different cities and islands, but there are also those that unite all the inhabitants.

All holidays of the country can be divided into 4 groups:

• state;
• national;
• religious;
• festivals and others.

Public Holidays in Indonesia

They are officially a day off for all residents. These include:

1. January 1 - New Year. It is loved by the local population and tourists coming here and the longest holiday in Indonesia (it is celebrated almost 2 weeks), very bright and colorful. In large hotels and airports, set and decorate Christmas trees, hang garlands. In the shopping centers are mass sales, on open areas - festivities, discos, concerts and fire shows, in cafes and restaurants - entertainment. In Bali, during the New Year, locals build large two-meter columns of dyed rice, which are eaten after the holiday. In Indonesia, there are not many fireworks during the New Year celebrations in comparison with neighboring Asian countries, but the streets are always crowded, and local people are on a big scale.
2. August 17 - Independence Day of Indonesia. One of the most important festive and at the same time days off in the country. Prepare for it begin in advance, attaching where possible the decorations of red and white, symbolizing the flag of Indonesia. The streets are in perfect order, beautiful garlands are hung. The holiday begins with the raising of the national flag in the presence of the head of state, after which mass festivities, parades and parades take place on the streets. In addition, on Independence Day, fireworks and entertainment are arranged (for example, gifts and surprises hung at the top of clay and oil of a column, which will be given to those who can climb to the very top).
3. December 25 - Catholic Christmas. It is celebrated in Indonesia for several days and smoothly flows into the New Year. At this time, there is a lot of entertainment programs, large-scale street processions, festivities. In stores you can buy a huge number of souvenirs, visit sales, participate in competitions, try delicious delicacies of national Indonesian cuisine .

National Holidays in Indonesia

These days in the country are workers, but the scope of festivities is not inferior to the state. National holidays include:

1. April 21 - Cartini Day. It is named after the national heroine of the country, Raden Agenz Cartini, founder of the feminist movement in Indonesia, fighting for equal women and men, for abolishing polygamy and for the right of women to receive education. In fact, Cartini's Day is a Women's Day in Indonesia. It is especially celebrated in women's educational institutions, for the creation of which Raden fought more than 100 years ago. During the celebration, ladies wear the traditional Javanese outfit - Kebay. On the Cartini Day in Indonesia, there are exhibitions, seminars and thematic competitions.
2. October 1 is the Day of Protection of Panchasil (or the Day of Holiness). It is a celebration to commemorate the memory of the coup d'état in Indonesia.
3. October 5 - Day of the armed forces. A holiday in honor of the formation of the national army in the country.
4. October 28 - Day of the Oath of Youth and November 10 - Heroes Day. They also deserve attention, although the scale of the festivities these days is much less.

Religious holidays

This group has a fairly large number of holidays, because in Indonesia, local people profess simultaneously 3 religions - Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism. Dates of religious holidays change every year, because they are determined by the lunar calendars of the Hijra (Muslim) and Shaka (Hindu-Buddhist holidays). The most important in the religious life of the local population is considered to be:

1. Ramadan (Buluan Poissa) - is usually celebrated in January-February. This is a holy Muslim holiday, in the days of celebration of which the strictest fast is observed (it is forbidden even to smoke), and the working day is reduced. All prohibitions apply to Muslim tourists, and all the rest should respect the local traditions , dress modestly and behave quietly. Celebrate Ramadan for a whole month, the dates change every year.
2. The Day of Silence (Niepi) and the Day of Commemoration of the Death of the Prophet Isa are held in March-April. Nyupi's day of silence fully justifies its name. At this time on the Indonesian islands silence reigns, people do not work and do not have fun. Airports and roads are closed (only ambulances, police and fire service work), tourists are asked not to leave the hotel and not to swim in the ocean. Local residents on the day of Nyepi do not leave the house, do not light the fire and spend the day in peace and quiet, meditating and thus driving the evil spirits off the island.
3. Muslim New Year (Muharram) - usually falls on April-May. This is the time of Lent, good deeds and intense prayer. Believers fast, attend services and listen to sermons about the prophet Mohammed, wealthy citizens help the poor by giving them alms and food. It is believed that Muharram is also great for weddings, major purchases, reconciliation and ending quarrels and disputes. On the streets of cities festive festivities take place, in which everyone can take part.
4. Ascension of Isa and Idul Adha Festival - both days are celebrated in April-May. During the Muslim holiday of Idul-Adha, sacrifice and distribution of meat to poor inhabitants is performed. Carcasses of animals are bought the day before, they are consecrated in mosques and after that they prepare food from them.
5. The birthday of Buddha (Vesak) is celebrated in May. This is a special day for Buddhists in Indonesia, during which they pray, meditate, visit sacred places, distribute food and charity to needy people. The main pilgrimage site in Vesak is the stupa and the temple complex of Borobudur. Exactly at midnight, there is a culmination of the holiday with the lighting of candles and the launching of paper lanterns into the sky.
6. Birthday of the Prophet Mohammed - celebrated in July. On this day, believers read the Koran, verses and prayers, perform hymns.
7. Isra Miraj Nabi Mahammed (Ascension of the Prophet Mohammed) - celebrated in December.

Festivals and Other Holidays in Indonesia

This group includes such events:

1. Feast of the Full Moon. It takes place on different islands during the full moon days and only in good weather (not in the rainy season). On this day people come to temples in snow-white clothes, and on their wrists they tie colorful shoelaces. They ring bells, sing lingering songs, Buddhists pray, smoke smokes. All are sprayed with water as a token of blessing, they give out fruit and wicker baskets with boiled rice.
2. Holiday Pont in Indonesia. Its name translates as "a night of betrayals". The Feast Pont takes place 7 times a year on the holy mountain on the island of Java . According to local traditions, those who dream of finding happiness and luck must 7 times be combined with the same partner who is not a relative, whom they were not previously acquainted with. Participate in the event can be both married couples and singles.
3. Galungan and the feast of ancestors. The holiday is connected with the worship of spirits and looks like Halloween. Children in masks go to their homes, play and sing songs, for which they receive refreshments and monetary rewards. The donation symbolizes the memory of ancestors. Galungan passes every 210 days and only on Wednesdays.
4. The festival of the dead in Indonesia (otherwise it is called the Manene Festival). A rather peculiar ritual exists among the people of Toraja, who reside on the island of Sulawesi . The fact is that the funeral is here - the event is very expensive, and it is saved for several months and even years. Therefore, often the dead simply lie in specially designated places and await the burial. During the ritual, the toraja take the mummies of their deceased relatives and dry them, and then put on new clothes. At the beginning of the funeral, a bull or a buffalo is slaughtered and then the entrance to the house is decorated with its horns. At the end of the ritual, the bodies are placed in a cave in the rock.
5. The Festival of Kisses. He is also called Omed-Omedan. He is in a meeting in a large, beautifully decorated area of ​​lovers couples who kiss, calling for happiness and luck in the coming year, while others try to find them and pour water.
6. Festival of balloons. It is held early in the morning in Penang. To become a participant in the balloon flight, it is worth to go on holiday with the dawn. In the evening at the festival you can see a fire and laser show.
7. Festival on the island of Sentani. A traditional holiday that introduces tourists to the culture of the eastern provinces of Indonesia. Passes in the middle of June. During the festival, you can watch theatrical shows and processions, exhibitions and competitions, culinary dueling and dancing "isilo", which they perform in boats. Also here arrange a fair of handicrafts and team races on boats.