TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Tourism Minister Arief Yahya and North Maluku Acting Governor Natsir Thaib launched three festival agenda in North Maluku, Tuesday, February 13. The festivals are Kora-Kora Festival in North Maluku, Tidore Festival in Tidore Island, and Jailolo Bay Festival in West Halmahera.
The festivals have gone through a national curation process and selected in Top 100 Wonderful Events of Indonesia to be promoted at global tourism market. “They (the festivals) have a balance value between cultural and commercial,” Arief said at Sapta Pesona Building, Tourism Ministry office, Central Jakarta. At the event, North Maluku administration also released other 30 events tourism packages.
Read: 5 Top Places in Eastern Indonesia, According to Travel Bloggers
North Maluku Provincial Agency Head Samsuddin A. Kaddir stated Kora-Kora Festival, Tidore Festival, and Teluk Jailolo Festival are the annual events to be held in the region as to attract foreign tourist.
These unique events feature traditional characteristics that uphold local customs. Let’s mark the date:
1. Jailolo Bay Festival displays a contemporary art performance themed Sasadu on The Sea which adapted from Jailolo traditional dance. The performance includes local customs ritual Sigofo Ngolo which means cleanse the ocean. This year, the festival will be held on May 3-5.
2. Kora-kora Festival featured activities such as traditional wooden boat rowing competition. The boat locally known as kora-kora is a symbol of marine life for North Maluku people. The festival will begin at the year’s end, precisely on December 1-3.
Read: Widi Islands to be the Future of North Maluku Tourism
3. Tidore festival is held to educate tourists about North Maluku as the royal region. The event presents traditional customs that are still upheld until now through Tupa ritual or Sobaka Dorora and other rituals. The festival will last for around three weeks starting Friday, March 23 until April 12.
FRANCISCA CHRISTY ROSANA
