East Kalimantan is a province on the island of Kalimantan. Its name has been increasingly famous since its territory was chosen for the National Capital of the Archipelago or “Ibu Kota Negara (IKN) Nusantara” on January 18, 2022.
The IKN Nusantara area is in North Penajam Paser, approximately 93 km from Balikpapan City.
However, the charm of East Kalimantan is not only the IKN but also the culture preserved to this day.
Numerous cultural festivals regularly show evidence of the preservation of culture in East Kalimantan.
Three cultural festivals from East Kalimantan have made it into the 2024 Karisma Event Nusantara.
Hopefully, the inclusion of East Kalimantan cultural festivals in KEN 2024 can introduce culture while increasing tourist visits to East Kalimantan.
For Sobat Parekraf who want to see unique cultural characteristics, here are three cultural festivals in East Kalimantan that you can watch live:
Lom Plai Traditional and Cultural Festival
A series of events in Lom Plai, including traditional and cultural festivals, will be held from March 18 to April 23, 2024. Lom Plai is a ritual carried out by the Dayak Wehea tribe after the rice harvest. This ritual is a form of gratitude from the Dayak Wehea tribe to God for abundant crops, prosperity, and welfare for the community.
This traditional Lom Plai party consists of a relatively long series of events. It starts with Ngesea Egung, or the beating of the gong by the king’s descendants in the early hours of the morning at the traditional house. The sound of the gong signals the cooperation of the village community in carrying out this sacred ritual. Meanwhile, the peak of the Lom Plai ritual is Embob Jengea, or harvest party.
Hudoq Pekayang
A ritual routinely held in Mahakam Ulu Regency, Hudoq Pekayang is one of the cultural festivals to look forward to. Scheduled to be held on October 20-22, 2024, Hudoq Pekayang is rotated among the villages, and this year, it will be held in Long Isun Village.
Unlike Lom Plai, Hudoq Pekayang is a ritual held when planting rice or menugal, usually carried out by the Dayak community from September to October every year.
The events will start with the Sak Baaq Hudoq feeding the Hudoq mask and the dancer. Then, it will be followed by Tengaran Hudoq, Ngenyah Hudoq(hudoq dancing), and Ngarang Hudoq(long dance).
Further reading — https://kemenparekraf.go.id/en/articles/cultural-festivals-of-east-kalimantan-included-in-ken-2024
