Lake Sentani Festival 2011, Papua... Tifa war drums that vibrating the heart!

A cool collection of photos send from a friend about an event held in Papua at June third weekend, Lake Sentani Festival 2011. The images are able to talk a lot though just a sequence of images. The question is “what is the Lake Sentani Festival?”

Sentani itself is a volcanic lake located at an altitude of 70-90m above sea level in the province of Jayapura. Situated between the mountains of the Cyclops, there are 24 villages around the lake spread over the coastal and small islands located in the middle of the lake. Beautiful scenery.

Apparently the festival has become an annual calendar of tourism in Papua since 2008, held annually on June 19 to 23 in the Tourism Area Khalkote, Eastern District of Sentani. It’s a cultural event that introduce the traditional culture inherited from ancestors (Ondoafi or Ondofolo) of Papuan society in general and as a medium for unity among the tribes in Papua and fit the theme of the festival "Love, Peace and Harmony", the organizers also invite anyone who helped enliven the event.

It's to be expected at this festival will be many cultural attractions, such as echo a thousand drums, flute drum competitions, art exhibitions of various tribes in Papua, ornamental boat races, rowing races, swimming competitions, woven hair, distinctive culinary Papua, as well as bark painting.

Friends who send these photos tell the event's very festive, despite the attractions of the inland tribes is not as much as the previous year. He was excited because traditional tribal hinterland dances is still make the colors of the festival. Unique and enchanting!

An event that will be remembered when performances of tifa drums, the participants are beating the tifa drums enthusiastically. Also displayed the longest drum making as many as 165 pieces in 2 days by a village community Babrongko, Ebungfauw District.

Tifa is a kind of musical instrument like the drums and play it with a punch, made from a timber and emptied its contents on one side and the edges covered with lid is usually used buckskin that has been dried to produce a beautiful sound. It plays during ceremonies such as encouragement before going to war between the tribes in the past times.

War dance in a boat, traditional Asmat dance, Gatsi dance was performed with rumble shouts, typical inland tribes, the sounds as if a comeback at this festival. The tribes of the interior of the past comes back to present the event as tribal warfare, but in this festival only as cultural performances.

Very thrilling when the drum was beaten repeatedly with shouts of the tribes in Papua replied shouting.....

Papua is always tempting, island in the most tip of Indonesia with a rich culture, unique works of art Dani tribes, exotic beach and landscapes that still has not been introduced to the outside world. Fascinating!

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(From the story of my friend / Images Daniel Rattu)