Dieng ‘Dreadlocks’ Hair Cut Ritual, the Mystery without answers

Traditional ritual of cutting the dreads that experienced by the children of hill tribes Dieng Plateau, Central Java, until this time has never done the research why occur in children who inhabit the mountains there. At the age of adolescents some of children's hair mysteriously turned into a dreads swirling, curly hair like reggae singer Bob Marley.

The traditional ceremony that lasted for generations since their ancestors became an annual event which is now facilitated by the local government, Dieng Culture Festival 2011 lasted for three days from 1 to 3 July 2011. This event became one characteristic of the tradition that has always accompanied by a variety of local arts events at the Pandawa Temple complex, Mount Batur, Banjarnegara led by Ki Naryana one of Dieng village head.

Approximately eight children dreadlocked hair was shaved at once cleaned, hair shaving procession is the top event on Sunday, July 3 carried one by one on the court steps of Arjuna Temple in the temple complex, dreadlocks hair pieces then washed away at Coloured Lake (Telaga Warna) adjacent to the temple.

Children who had cut their hair then given the right to ask whatever they want, always show this request to invite a sense of excitement and fun of all the visitors, they asked for bicycles, earrings, a goat, chicken, raw eggs 3 squares, 500 seeds raw tempe and others. Children!

Leave early in the morning before sunrise, the cold mountain air, to reach the location of the ceremony in the temple complex required a separate effort, walking from the Hill of Sikunir, hiking up the mountain through the small streets of the mountain slopes, 600 meters, approximately half hours in a hiking trip into the mountains, exhausting! It's beautiful when it reached the top, just as the sunrises!

There have been many other visitors, some even camped in the courtyard outside the temple, apparently they were tourists who had arrived several days earlier.

After the ceremony of the stomach feels hungry, go down the mountain through beautiful scenery of Lake Merdada and Sikidang Crater, cold air around and the stomach quickly hungry, do not worry, around the slopes of the mountain many sellers of local specialties, grilled spicy chicken and pecal rice, wow... Lovely!

How to get there:
1. Car rental Yogyakarta - Dieng around Rp 400.000, - (46.5 USD)
2. Bus or Commercial Vehicle
3. Tour Guide Rp 150.000, - (17.4 USD)
4. Dieng Plateau Attractions
a. Hill of Sikunir Rp 2,500, - (0.3 USD)
b. Coloured Lake (Telaga Warna) Rp 5,000, - (0.6 USD)
c. Dieng temple complex & Sikidang Crater Rp 6,000, - (0.7 USD)
d. Lake Merdada Rp 2,500, - (0.3 USD)

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(As told by the story of a friend Wahid Ar and other sources /Images Wahid Ar)