Tongkonan - Tana Toraja Traditional House

Indonesia is a country very rich in culture and its tourism places, many of the travelers who are amazed to see that condition, from results it culture one of which is Tongkonan traditional house.

Tongkonan traditional house Located in Tondon village, Tana Toraja regency, South Sulawesi - Indonesia, Tongkonan or Baruang Tongkonan is where people in the village to gather, deliberation, and solve indigenous problems, Tongkon means sit. The word 'an' to say place.

The Toraja ancestor came from Latimojong Mountains, most of all the Toraja house facing north This refers to Puang Matua was in the north, Puang Matua means the Creator, or Almighty God, according to Toraja people who created the earth and all contents.

Tongkonan own shape is the house on stilts built from a combination of sticks and sheets of board. If observed, rectangular-shaped diagram to follow the practical shape of the timber material. No varnish or lacquer, it all comes from uru wood, a type of local wood that comes from Sulawesi. Quality wood is good enough and many are found in the Toraja.

Akshardham Temple

When we talk about the temple then directly there into my mind is india because India has many temples with against the background of the society who embraced Buddhism and Hindu, one of which is the temple of Akshardham.

Akshardham means the eternal, divine abode of the supreme God, the abode of eternal values and virtues of Akshar as defined in the Vedas and Upanishads where divine bhakti, purity and peace forever pervades. source: www.akshardham.com

Akshardham Temple in Delhi has an important place in Delhi's tourism. was officially opened on 6 November 2005. The structure depicts great Indian culture and its architecture is simply immaculate. The temple is located at NH 24, Noida Mor, New Delhi. This amazing structure comprises of 20,000 statues, floral motifs and exquisite carved pillars made of stones.

The building was inspired and moderated by Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the spiritual head of the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, whose 3,000 volunteers helped 7,000 artisans construct Akshardham. There are various structures within the temple which depicts the history and culture of Hindu Religion.

The main monument, at the center of the complex, is 141-foot (43 m) high, 316-foot (96 m) wide, and 370-foot (110 m) long, and is covered top to bottom with carved details of flora, fauna, dancers, musicians, and deities.

It is built along the river Yamuna and lies over an area of around 100 acres with beautiful gardens, water fountains and carved pavilions. The temple took complete two years for completion and a hefty sum of rupees was invested in the construction. According to estimates, around 2 billion was spent in the construction of this masterpiece which indeed depicts the great Hindu religion. source: www.delhicapital.com

Akshardham temple open time for public: 9AM - 9PM from tuesday to sunday. Closed on monday.

Hahoe and Yangdong Historic Villages of Korea

For those of you are looking for a vacation in South Korea then you don't miss a visit to the village of Hahoe and Yangdong village, Hahoe Village and Yangdong Village founded in the 14th-15th centuries, both located in North Gyeongsang province, South Korea, selected as the main representative of the historic clan culture in Korea and has been recognized by UNESCO as world cultural heritage.

Houses of the aristocracy are well kept and orderly, study room, and colleges reflects the Confucian/Confucius culture of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), the beauty of the mountains surrounding it, grasslands and rivers that inspire many ideas by the poets of the 17th and 18th centuries. And Mask dance tradition is still alive until today, since 500 years ago.

Jantar Mantar

Jantar Mantar at Jaipur is the largest historic observatory and the oldest in India, built by Maharaja (maharaja meaning King) Jai Singh II at his then new capital of Jaipur between 1727 and 1734, The entire building is made of local stone and marble.

Maharaja Jai Singh II was a fanatical astronomer himself who studied various works from Hindu, Muslim and European astronomy.

It has been inscribed on the World Heritage List as an expression of the astronomical skills and cosmological concepts of the court of a scholarly prince at the end of the Mughal period.

It is a remarkable structure which consists of fourteen geometric devices used for measuring time, forecasting weather changes, predicting behaviour of planets and finding extraterrestrial altitude. All these devices are fixed structures and point to a specific direction. The largest device or instrument is the Samrat Yantra which is 90 feet high and its shadow is plotted in such a manner so that is shows the exact time of the day. Any weather change or the onset of monsoons can be ascertained by the Hindu Chatri, which is a small domed structure.

Thoroughly restored in 1901, the Jantar Mantar was declared a national monument in 1948. Some of the major instruments at Jantar Mantar are:

• The Samrat Yantra 'Prince of Dials' (the largest device)
• The Ram Yantra - two circular buildings
• The Jai Prakash
• The Misra Yantra (north-west to the Samrat Yantra)
• Pillars on the southwest of Mishra Yantra used to measure the shortest and longest days of the year.

Hula Dance

Hula is a type of dance from the islands hawaii accompanied by chants or songs. Hula was created by the Polynesians from the Hawaiian islands. The song that accompanies the dance is called mele. Hula describe or dramatize mele.

Hula dance is often shown to tourists as an appealing presentation of the characteristics of the Hawaiian culture.

There are many types of hula. Hula can be classified according to the style, theme, or period. Hula Preservation Society records about 300 types of hula. Based on the style of presentation, the hula is divided into two categories: Kahiko and Auana.

In Hawaii there are hundreds of hula studio, dance studio who teaches hula called Halau. Hula dance teacher called Kumu hula, Kumu means source of knowledge. In a hula dance there are many movements

who danced symbolizing aspects of nature, such as the basic Hula and Coconut Trees movement, or the basic leg movements like Kaholo, Ka'o, and Ami.

Kahiko is the ancient hula performed before white people arrived in Hawaii. Kahiko accompanied by song and play traditional musical instruments. Hula evolved through the influence of western called Auana. Hula is also accompanied by singing and play traditional musical instrument that has been combining modern musical instruments like guitar, ukulele, and kontrabass.

Costumes play a role in illustrating the hula instructor's interpretation of the mele. While there is some freedom of choice, most hālau follow the accepted costuming traditions. Women generally wear skirts or dresses of some sort. Men may wear long or short pants, skirts, or a malo (a cloth wrapped under and around the crotch). For slow, graceful dances, the dancers will wear formal clothing such as a muʻumuʻu for women and a sash for men. A fast, lively, "rascal" song will be performed by dancers in more revealing or festive attire. The hula kahiko is always performed with bare feet, but the hula ʻauana can be performed with bare feet or shoes.

Hula performed for entertainment everyday or family at parties. When performed in the presence of chiefs, dance the hula became a serious event. Chiefs typically traveled from one place to another in the realm.

each village must entertain the chief with food, provide shelter and entertainment for the chieftain and his entourage. Hula performances used to be one form of sign of loyalty, and is often used to flatter chiefs. All dance the hula should be brought to complete without errors. Errors are thought to bring bad omen and disrespect.

Lion Dance

Lion dance is a traditional Chinese dance by using a glove that resembles a lion. Lion dance has a history thousands of years. The first record of this dance can be traced during the Chin Dynasty around the third century BC.

Lion dance is a form of traditional dance in Chinese culture, in which performers mimic a lion's movements in a lion costume. The lion dance is often mistakenly referred to as dragon dance. An easy way to tell the difference is that a lion is operated by two people, while a dragon needs many people. Also, in a lion dance, the performers' faces are covered, since they are inside the lion. In a dragon dance, the performers can be seen since the dragon is held upon poles. Basic lion dance fundamental movements can be found in most Chinese martial arts.

Lion dance art became popular in the North-South Dynasty (Nan Bei) years 420-589 AD. At that time the troops of King Song wen Di overwhelmed by the assault troops of the elephant king Fan yang from Lin YI country. A warlord named Zhong Que create artificial puppet lion to expel the king Fan's forces. Apparently the effort was successful until legendary lion dance.

The lion dance consists of two main types of the northern lion has a mane of curly hair and four legs. Appearances northern lion looks more natural and like a lion rather than the southern lion that has scales and a varying number of feet between two or four. Southern Lion head is equipped with horns that are sometimes similar to the 'Kilin' animals.

Lion Dance is performed accompanied by the music of beating of drums, cymbals, and gongs instruments synchronise to the lion dance movements and actions. The recent development of an application played on iPhone/iPad/iPod touch to play lion dance instruments has contributed to the evolution of how people can play lion dance music.

Salsa Dance

Salsa is popular throughout Latin America as well as in North America, Europe, Australia, and some countries in Asia and the Middle East. It is fast becoming a global phenomenon.

Salsa is typically a partner dance, although there are recognized solo forms, line dancing (suelta), and Rueda de Casino, where groups of couples exchange partners in a circle. Salsa can be improvised or performed with a set routine, choreography and freestyle.

Salsa dance movements originate from the Cuban Son dancing of the 1920s more specifically through the beat of Son Montuno with strong influences from the dance of Danzon, Mambo, Guaguanco and other Afro-Cuban folkloric dancing. Today's Salsa dancing is a rich blend of Latin-American and Western influences. Other dance styles that have influenced today's Salsa include Western and Ballroom dancing. Salsa traces a 90-year history in which there are numerous evolutionary paths, sometimes split due to political and social influences. As a result, today there are various distinct styles of Salsa dancing, namely

• Cuban ("Casino")
• New York Style ("Mambo on 2")
• Los Angeles Style ("On 1")
• Colombian Salsa ("Cali-Style")
• Miami-Style Salsa.

Every Salsa composition involves complex African percussion based around the Clave Rhythm (which has four types), though there can be moments when the clave is hidden for a while, often when quoting Charanga, Changüí and Bomba. The key instrument that provides the core groove of a salsa song is the clave. It is often played with two wooden sticks that are hit together. 

Every instrument in a Salsa band is either playing with the clave (generally: congas, timbales, piano, tres guitar, bongos, claves (instrument), strings) or playing independent of the clave rhythm (generally: bass, maracas, güiro, cowbell). Melodic components of the music and dancers can choose to be in clave or out of clave at any point. However it is taboo to play or dance to the wrong type of clave rhythm (see salsa music). While dancers can mark the clave rhythm directly, it is more common to do so indirectly (with, for example, a shoulder movement). This allows the dancing itself to look very fluent as if the rest of the body is just moving untouched with the legs. (source: wikipedia)

Plate Dance - Minangkabau

Plate Dance, including traditional dances that are hundreds of years derived from Solok, Minangkabau, West Sumatra - Indonesia.

This dance describes the feeling of excitement when harvest season arrives. The youngsters swung the motion step by showing skill in playing the plate in his hand.

This dance is accompanied by talempong and saluang music. Gratitude ritual is done by some pretty girl to bring offerings in the form of food that is placed in a plate. The girls dressed in good clothes and bring food in a plate with a dynamic movement.

After Islam arrived in Minangkabau, This dance tradition still continues, but only as an entertainment for the community.

Jaipong Dance

Sunda Land (Priangan) is known to have various unique and interesting culture, Jaipongan is one of the famous art and culture of this region. Jaipongan or Jaipong Dance is actually a dances that has been modern because it is a modification or development of traditional dance that is typical Sundanese Ketuk Tilu.

This Jaipong dance performed with musical accompaniment is also typical, namely Degung. Music is a diverse collection of musical instruments such as Kendang, Go'ong, Saron, Kacapi, etc..

Degung can be likened to 'orchestra' in European music / American. A unique feature of this Jaipong Dance is a stomping music, where Kendang musical instruments most prominent sounds for dance accompaniment.

This dance is usually performed by one, in pairs or in groups. over the development period jaipong dance is now more performed by women. As an interesting dance, Jaipong often performed on special occasions entertainment, salvation or wedding. Dance Jaipong also often performed to domestic and foreign tourists such as Kecak Dance in Bali.

Kecak Dance - Bali Culture

Kecak dance is an art culture that originated from Bali - Indonesia and is often shown to foreign and domestic tourists. Kecak Dance is a form of Balinese music drama, originated in the 1930s and is performed primarily by men, although a few women's kecak groups exist as of 2006.

Also known as the Ramayana Monkey Chant, the piece, performed by a circle of 150 or more performers wearing checked cloth around their waists, percussively chanting "cak" and throwing up their arms, depicts a battle from the Ramayana where the monkey-like Vanara helped Prince Rama fight the evil King Ravana. However, Kecak has roots in sanghyang, a trance-inducing exorcism dance.

Kecak was originally a trance ritual accompanied by male chorus. German painter and musician Walter Spies became deeply interested in the ritual while living in Bali in the 1930s and worked to recreate it into a drama, based on the Hindu Ramayana and including dance, intended to be presented to Western tourist audiences. This transformation is an example of what James Clifford describes as part of the modern art-culture system in which, the West or the central power adopts, transforms, and consumes non-Western or peripheral cultural elements, while making art which was once embedded in the culture as a whole, into a separate entity. Spies worked with Wayan Limbak and Limbak popularized the dance by traveling throughout the world with Balinese performance groups. These travels have helped to make the Kecak famous throughout the world.

Performer, choreographer, and scholar I Wayan Dibia cites a contrasting theory that the Balinese were already developing the form when Spies arrived on the island. For example, well-known dancer I Limbak had incorporated Baris movements into the cak leader role during the 1920s. Spies liked this innovation, and it suggested that Limbak, devise a spectacle based on the Ramayana, accompanied by cak chorus rather than gamelan, as would have been usual.