Serabi Imut from Bandung

Serabi is one of the snack or snack market from Indonesia. Similar to the pancake griddle (Pannekoek or pannenkoek) but made from rice flour (not white flour) and given a sweet liquid sauce (usually from sugar palm). pancake is also very easy to make.

In addition to easily make, pancake sold everywhere. One of Serabi Imut shop located Setiabudhi Road 194 (across the street from Uneh dinner. there are many more shops other pancake: Beta Surabi and Surabi NHI (enhai) also sells the same snacks.

Linggardjati Building

Linggardjati building is the ancient home of Dutch-style buildings in the past that was in the Village Linggarjati, Cilimus district, Kuningan District. This building became the negotiations between the Netherlands and Indonesia on 10-15 November 1946.

The building of this size Text Linggadjati 800m2, standing on a land area of 2.4 hectares. A third wall was composed of stone, and whitewashed walls remaining. This building consists of six rooms for the members of the negotiating delegation, one room for a mediator, a dining room, two reception room, three bathrooms and kitchens. In every room there are two beds, chairs, and cabinets. Almost all the furniture in the building unless it is a replica of a piano and four chairs in the dining room. Some of the pristine antiquity is the floor in the main room with several windows and doors.

President backs controversial school exams

Despite his earlier request for a review, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono appears to have thrown his weight behind his subordinate’s decision to retain the controversial final national school exams.

National Education Minister Muhammad Nuh said after a Cabinet meeting with the President on education and health issues, that the government would continue to hold the exams this year, regardless of lingering controversy and the Supreme Court order for the government to first improve the quality of education across the country.

“The national exams are part of our evaluation system, which is part of the studying and teaching process. It is a method [to evaluate], and there are always pluses and minuses in a method,” Nuh told a press conference at the Presidential Office.

“However, at the moment, and with various considerations, the [national exams] is the most appropriate means of assessment. The exams have more positive aspects than negative ones.”

Earlier, while opening the three-hour Cabinet meeting, Yudhoyono expressed concern over the implementation of the exams, which have been plagued with controversy for many years.

Students across the country have come to dread the national exams because the assessment determines their eligibility to graduate from elementary and secondary schools, yet it has seen increasingly difficult passing standards applied equally across the country, regardless of the disparities in education quality among regions.

In his opening speech, Yudhoyono offered two options to improve the public acceptance of the exams; first by allowing failing students to take remedial exams, and second by reviving the Ebtanas system that was used in the 1990s.

“I believe that the UN shouldn’t be the only tool to measure [students’ eligibility to graduate]. It should be combined with other assesments,” he said.

Nuh said that in the 1990s, teachers measured students’ abilities using a system combining results of the school’s own exams and the national-level exams, called Ebtanas.

Earlier, Nuh said, a student’s eligibility for graduation was determined simply by tests schools organized themselves.

Now, students’ eligibility is determined by four factors, and not solely by the national exams — as many may believe.

“First, they have to have finished the school’s education programs. Second, they have to generally
show good morals. Third, they have to pass exams organized by their own school. Fourth, they have to pass the national exams,” the minister said.

He added that there should be no more concerns regarding the exam because his ministry had adopted what the President suggested in his first suggestion, i.e. to allow failing students to take a remedial exam one month after the original exam.

Nuh said the current national exams were the best system, because it could simultaneously help the government map the quality of education in each region.

“So we can improve the quality of teachers and upgrade education facilities in worse-performing regions,” he said.

Nuh denied that the government was defying the September 2009 Supreme Court ruling in favor of a civil lawsuit rejecting the national exams.

He said that despite media reports, the court did not order the government to scrap the exams, but to improve the quality of education in regions to make them better prepared for the exams.

“And that’s what we’ve been working on over the past few years,” Nuh said.

Source :

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/01/08/president-backs-controversial-school-exams.html

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQDsU2SplGBvmkYF_TChQjeI6xJYJIoV4nIvsmUGA04fonOJIbUz5L-3xXXYK-Q-R70NQuweuQ0LZwAeXagVXUL4UHJiOE8AigfVTIAlrb5kjH3yG_jJLrtJ8nn0QDfnxwfbZgrivIfTBR/s1600/tanpa+mengurangi+rasa+hormat.jpg

Sisingaan Dance

Sisingaan is a unique arts community featuring Sunda dolls giant lion which was carried by the players while dancing. On top of which carried the lion puppet was sitting a child who will be circumcised, or a public figure.

One story says that the art sisingaan circa 1840 created by the artists who come from Ciherang area, about 5 km from Subang City. At that time, Subang regency had become "owned" the Dutch and English with established P & T Lands. This causes like local government Subang be double, because politically dominated by the Dutch, but economically under the influence of the businessmen P & T Lands. As a result, the people of Subang become very miserable. In these circumstances, the arts sisingaan born as a form of popular resistance against the occupiers of both nations. And, to assert that sisingaan art is a form of resistance, then used two puppets lion is a symbol of the Dutch and the British state. Therefore, to this day in every game sisingaan always displayed at least two stuffed lions.

In a further development, the arts sisingaan not only spread to other areas in Subang District, but also to other districts in West Java, like Bandung Regency, Purwakarta and Sumedang. Apart from spreading to some areas, this art is also experiencing growth, both in the form of a lion puppet refinement, the arrangement of dance, costume players, as well as waditra and the songs being played.

The players are generally sisingaan men joined in a group consisting of: 8 people penggotong lion puppet (1 doll carried by 4 people), a leader of the group, some waditra players, and one or two people jajangkungan (players who using wood for as long as 3-4 meters walk). These players are people who have special skills, both in dancing and playing waditra. Special skill is necessary owned by each player, because in a show of collective sisingaan needed a solid team for all dance movement that is played while carrying a stuffed lion can be in harmony with the music played by the nayaga.

Arts sisingaan generally shown during the day with around the village during a circumcision ceremony, welcoming the great, the inauguration of the village head, the celebration of independence day and so on. The duration of a gig sisingaan usually takes a long time, depending on the area whether or not to be surrounded by homes.

Equipment used in the game sisingaan are: (1) two or four stretchers lion puppet. Stretcher frame and the head of a lion puppets are made of wood and bamboo are wrapped with cloth and given a seat on his back. Meanwhile, for the feathers in the head and tail made of yarn raffia. For the record, once a lion-shaped bier is made of wood with feathers from the rafters and the flowers are usually made in a snap in time to hold the show. So, first sisingaan not permanent, but only used once and then discarded; (2) waditra set consisting of: two large drums (percussion and drums ovarian children), a trumpet, three beats (bonangs), a kentrung (kulanter ), a small gong, and a kecrek.; and (3) fashion players consisting of: a pair shucks / pangsi, iket barangbang semplak, clothing and footwear taqwa tarumpah or salompak.

Sisingaan show begins with words of welcome by the group leader. After the group leader gives a speech said, then the child will be circumcised or community leaders who will be paraded welcome to climb the lion doll. Furthermore, beating accompaniment tool with songs brought the rhythmic dynamic as a sign of the beginning of the show. Then, a number of 8 players will begin to carry two lion doll (a doll carried by 4 people).

After the lion puppet penggotong ready, then the leader will start giving the cue for them to start doing the dance movements in unison and together. The doll penggotong immediately akrobatis movements are quite exciting. Dance movements are usually played by the puppet lion penggotong are: igeul ngayun glempang, plug / horse-riding, mincid, padungdung, gugulingan, bangkaret, put up, kicking two, step back, kael, ewag, jeblang, Jakarta, Solor , sesenggehan, genying, turn taktak, nanggeuy lions, lift jungjung, ngolecer, symbol, pasagi tilu, literacy cau, nincak rancatan, and kakapalan.

Meanwhile, the songs played by kawih interpreters to accompany the dances are usually drawn from the arts Tilu Tap, Doger, and Kliningan, such as: drought, Song, Titipatipa, Gondang, Kasreng, Gurudugan, Mapay Roko, Kembang prasina, Kangsring, Kembang Beureum, Fruit Kawung, Gondang, Tenggong Petit, Sesenggehan, Badudud, Tunggul Kawing, Side battered, Sireum Beureum, and the song Interlude (Siyur, Tepang Sono, Awet Rajet, Salira Fiber, Honey and Poison, Mr. Wonderful, Goyang Dombret, etc. Warudoyong ).

The show is performed while sisingaan around the village or the village, until finally returning to its place. And, with the dancers arriving in their place, then the show was over.

When examined in depth sisingaan contains not only the aesthetic value alone, but there are other values that in turn can be used as a reference in daily life for the community supporters. These values include cooperation, cohesiveness, order, dam persistence. The value of cooperation seen from the togetherness in preserving the cultural heritage of his predecessors. Cohesiveness and order value is reflected in a performance that can run smoothly. Value of hard work and persistence is reflected in the mastery of dance movements.

Palaces in Cirebon

IN THE CITY Cirebon, historic sites worth visiting are the two palace brothers, the royal palace and the royal palace Kesepuhan Kanoman.

Based on historical records, as Sunan Gunung Jati was still alive, Cirebon has only one court. However, after death, the palace had split into two by the Dutch. The first royal palace royal palace there is Kasepuhan.

Entering the Palace Kesepuhan area, you will be greeted by a gate made of red brick story. The front of the palace is usually called by Siti Hinggil or high ground, facing directly toward the field where the palace used to gather the troops.

After passing Siti Hinggil-shaped gate and a long fence, other buildings of interest is the Mande Sunando Semar. The building was made of wood. Formerly used as a seat palace advisers. The building has two carved pillars symbolizing prosperity.

Marks the triumph of the palace in his day, can be seen with many ceramics from the Ming Dynasty China attached to the wall, starting at the front gate, to the inside of the palace.

"Ceramics China symbolizes that the relationship was once the palace of Cirebon with China very well. In fact, one of Sunan Gunung Jati's wife is the daughter of China," said the guide in the Palace Kasepuhan, Sugiman.

Kasepuhan royal palace built in 1529 as an extension of the oldest royal palace in Cirebon, Pakungwati, which was built by Prince Cakrabuana, the founder of Cirebon in 1445. The glory of this palace is also seen in a mosque called Masjid Agung Sang Cipta Rasa is in Kasepuhan Palace complex, so beautiful and was built in 1549.

This royal palace also has a sacred golden carriage. The train was called the Lion Barong. Since 1942, this train is not used anymore, and only issued for every 1 Syawal bath.

"The train is golden lion Barong has an interesting technology, like the spokes of a wheel made curved inward, so that water and dirt does not enter into the train," said Sugiman.

If Palace Kasepuhan seemed so grand and well groomed, not so with Kanoman Palace. Unforgettable impression on the royal palace was built in 1662 by Amangkurat I was. To enter this palace, visitors must enter from Market Kanoman. In fact, the high robustness of the gate with more than four meters, was in vain with the number of rickshaws and sidewalk stalls, which mangkaldi below.

Gloomy impression is slightly changed for the better when he entered the palace gates on the inside. Identical with the color pink, the main gate of the palace became a symbol of the triumph Kanoman in the past. Almost the same as Kasepuhan Palace, Kanoman also displaying dozens of antique plates from the Ming Dynasty at the main gate. But unfortunately, many are lost and taken out thieves antiques so many holes in the gate.

"Pendopo the Palace called Pendopo Kanoman Pujinem with 17 poles, there is also a special room called Rabayaksa," said guide Kanoman Palace, Rohim.

Historically, the palace Kanoman younger than Kasepuhan. Kanoman derived from anom which means "young". Splitting of the palace in Cirebon power represented by the two palaces, Kasepuhan and Kanoman.

Fresh tribal clash in Papua

New clash has taken place between rival groups t in Kwamki Lama village in Timika regency, Papua, on Friday although police had managed to stop the fightings a day earlier.

News portal tempointeraktif.com reported that the new clash began at 7:10 a.m. local time (5:10 a.m. Jakarta time) following provocation from one of the groups since Wednesday night.

The groups, fighting using traditional weapon, picked a new area to fight on after the local police parked an armored vehicle on a street between the two warring neighborhoods on Wednesday.

The clashes began Monday afternoon, and have resulted in the death of one man and injuries to many more.

Police said the feud was due to the unpaid compensation demanded by one tribe for a rape that was allegedly committed by a member of the rival tribe six months ago.

Clashes between tribes are common in Mimika, home to one of the world's richest gold mines. A protracted conflict in 2006 killed 18 people. Another between tribes in Kwamki Lama claimed eight lives in 2007.

Source :

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/01/08/fresh-tribal-clash-papua.html

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/00643/news-graphics-2007-_643007a.jpg

Gudeg Jogja

If we asked about the traditional foods of Jogja, we would spontaneously replied "Gudeg". Because it is a food Gudeg of Yogyakarta. Like Sate Madura and Pempek Palembang, Yogyakarta Gudeg also very familiar in the ears of Indonesian society. Even foreign tourists even if the visit to Yogyakarta, most of them would find Gudeg, because Gudeg also been known by the world community. In Yogyakarta itself Gudeg almost in all areas Yogyakarta, the center of Gudeg on Wijilan Street to remote areas in the province of DIY.

Special on Wijilan Street, there are many stores selling Gudeg with price and taste vary. Besides Gudeg, at Wijilan Street we can also find a variety of gifts typical of Jogja. Particularly in the Palace District, Gudeg can we find in some other places, such as in restaurants or food stalls, food stalls scattered in various parts of the Palace District.

Usually to entice prospective buyers, sellers pack Gudeg Gudeg wares with attractive packaging, which is served with kendhil, the container made of clay. In addition to attract more potential buyers, it also makes kendhil Gudeg more distinctive taste and better. Gudeg kendhil can we find in almost any place that sells Gudeg.

Based Gudeg young jackfruit stewed in conjunction with special spices, Santen, at the bottom and the top pan ingredients to boil boiled the leaf were young teak. To get the flavor and color Gudeg perfect and delicious, the material is boiled for about overnight. Teak leaves are used to obtain an attractive color Gudeg. For his areh or broth made from coconut milk, spices, and turmeric for coloring. Broth is poured on top Gudeg already ready to serve, only a little, but gravy is also sprinkled with fried onions.

Gudeg has a sweet taste. Gudeg usually served with warm rice, boiled eggs, chicken, chicken claw, tofu, tempeh, krupuk, and others. To drink mate, can drink anything; such as hot tea, warm orange, iced tea, ice lemon, white water, and others. It was less complete if a visit to Yogyakarta without feeling Gudeg.

Source :
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