CULTURE

THE DAY OF FISHERMAN

                I have a friend. She worked in Pelabuhan Ratu, Sukabumi, Indonesia.  One day, she invited me and friends for visit her in there. She will show the day of fisherman. A few days later, we came to Pelabuhan Ratu.  We arrived in Palabuan Ratu at five p.m.

                The day after tomorow,  we go to field.   In there, we look ceremony day of fisherman. It's celebrate every April 6th. We saw the many people. It's so crowded. I saw the major. I saw a bride and bridegroom, false bride. They come from to Senior high school in Pelabuhan Ratu. I saw the snake too. After that, the major, the bride and many people walk to the beach. It's parade. They will do a ceremony of  culture. The people call that is Larung Laut . Larung Laut is sacrifice to Nyi Roro Kidul, The Queen of South Beach.  My friend suggest us to go first. So, we do it. We walk fast.

                15 minutes later, we arrived in beach. We go to fish market. But, we get surprise. That place was close. We late. It's very crowded. I and my friends have spirit to look that traditional ceremony. So, we try to solve the poblem. We walk around that place and get idea. We roll under  the stage.  We cross that stage. So, we can get in an area of ceremony. So many media came to Palabuan Ratu. They will shoot that ceremony. I saw indosiar,TPI, RCTI etc. I hope we shooted by them.

                                In the fish market, I saw traditional dance for welcome ceremony for the major. There is Lengser too. He is directing the major to his place. A few  minute later, he opened the ceremony. The custom leader bring many things for sacrifice, such as the head of buffalo, many kinds of flower, traditional cake such as : apem, bugis etc. It's full color. They used many winnowing tray (tampah or nyiru). Then, the custom leader bring all to the  beach. They get in sail boat.  The media get in the boat. We want to follow them, but we don't have sail boat. My friend call her student.

                                Finally, we get the sail boat . This is the first time for me on the sea. The local people have a myth. It's forbiden to wear green clothes, because it used by Nyai Roro Kidul. If, we wearing that’s cloths we must get trouble , accident or die. Do you believe that ? My friend says that we from Bandung, so we don't get trouble.

                                It's about one hour we sailing the sea. I feel scare. I saw the big wave . We float on the center of the sea. But, we can not see Larung Laut because the others sail boat run so fast. They left us. We just look the beautiful view. In the far distance we can see Australia. One day, we want to go the whole world.

                                 After ceremony of Larung Laut finished, In the afternoon, at  five p.m, we go to cave of bat. We saw so many bat came out from it. That's amazing ! We saw the bats fly like soldiers. They will looking for some food. The bats going away from the cave. One bat falling down near my leg. Someone took it. He open wide the wings. We saw it. When I saw the face, I remembered to vampire. That face look like vampire. Scared !

                                                                                                                                                                                                

                                                                                                                                                                                                 20 April 2012

                                                                                                                                                                                                  ARUNDINA