Thousands Flock to Mount Bromo to Witness Ritual Ceremony of Tengger Tribesmen
Jakarta. The Yadnya Kasada, or Kasodo, a ritual ceremony of the Tengger tribe held on Monday (10/07) on Mount Bromo in East Java, part of the Bromo-Tengger-Semeru National Park, attracted thousands of tourists wanting to bear witness to the ancient tradition.
Visitors braved a chilly temperature of 10 degree Celsius to see Tengger tribesmen throw sacrificial offerings into the volcano's crater as a tribute to their ancestor Jaya Kusuma, the eldest son of Roro Anteng and Joko Seger.
The ceremony is held every year on the 14th day of the traditional month of Kasada.
Local and foreign tourists and residents from nearby villages flocked to Mount Bromo a day before the ritual took place not wanting to miss the early morning ceremony, and also to enjoy several events organized by the Tourism Ministry.
"We held the 'Eksotika Bromo' mini festival, which became quite an attraction on its own. By our calculation, nearly 10,000 tourists stayed on Mount Bromo for three days," the ministry’s deputy of tourism development Esthy Reko Astuti said in a press conference in Probolinggo, East Java, on Sunday evening.
She said preparation for this national event should be improved in the future to involve more local communities.
"We should also announce the dates earlier so more visitors would come to Bromo. It will have a great economic impact for the Tengger community," Esthy said.
Tourism Minister Arief Yahya said the Yadnya Kasada ceremony is a great example of Indonesian culture, tradition and local wisdom.
"Bali is famous for its culture and natural beauty. Yogyakarta also offers a great combo of natural attractions and culture. The Bromo-Tengger-Semeru National Park has this local tradition to help promote it," Arief said.
Tags: Keywords: