Giving thanks to the sea in Indonesia

Pirates, fisherman, buffalo heads and brightly painted boats…you can see them all at Indonesia’s popular Lomban Festival. Held in January each year, it is a time when fishermen thank the sea for what they have caught during the year and pray for a prosperous year ahead.

It is one of the country’s most ancient festivals and is celebrated with much fanfare. The fishermen make offerings to the sea, sending out heads of buffaloes, chicken, fruit, flowers and other items.

If you are lucky enough to be in Indonesia during the time of the festival, you should try and catch the boat race, which is one of the major highlights.

People come from all over the country to watch brightly painted boats racing one another, and to witness a war between the fishermen and the “pirates”. This is held in honour of the days when pirates used to attack fishing boats, making it hard for the fisherman to catch anything.

In other parts of the country, processions are held in the streets. The most popular is held along the Batang Coast, celebrating the defeat of mythical sea creature King Kala Drupikso.

The procession ends at Klidang Beach, where fisherman then take part in a traditional canoe race. The canoes are painted in bright colours and are richly decorated. Then, in the evenings everyone dances and feasts.  

Have you been to the Lomban Festival? Tell us about it in the comments section below. Or share your stories and images via twitter and Facebook.

If you'd like to plan a trip to Indonesia to take part in this festival, or to see the rest of this stunning country, why not browse our trips. Find the one that best suits you and request a FREE brochure.

Sale

Beat the back to work blues, with our Change of Scenery sale. From 23 December to 31 January 2012 you can get 15% off all Gecko's tours! Check out the sale today!

Subscribe and win!

Simply subscribe to our monthly eNews and you'll go in the running to win an iPad2! Visit the website to subscribe today!

• Tweet