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Beach festival presents traditional dances of Flores' Nagekeo
The first Enagera Beach Festival was held from Feb. 26 to March 5 in an effort to preserve Mauponggo's traditional dances and bamboo music.
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The 'jai' dance symbolizes inter-religion tolerance, performed at Enagera Beach Festival in Mauponggo, Flores, East Nusa Tenggara. (JP/Markus Makur)
N
agekeo district in Flores, East Nusa Tenggara, is where bamboo music and traditional dances thrive. In an effort to conserve the cultural heritage, the Mauponggo Youth event organizer of Nagekeo held the first Enagera Beach Festival.
Located on Sawu Hill in Mauponggo district, the event ran from Feb. 26 to March 5. Around 10 dances were presented at the festival, performed by local residents as well students from all over Nagekeo.
Among the dances were todago, a victory dance for men who come home from war; dero which symbolizes brotherhood and tolerance; ja’i, which celebrates inter-religion and inter-tribe tolerance; and sepa api, a trademark dance of Pautola village performed while stepping on fire.
Lodofikus Raga Muja, head of Mauponggo Youth EO, said to The Jakarta Post that the festival aimed to promote cultures and tourism objects in Mauponggo.
Read also: Religious harmony thrives in Flores' Puncak Liur
Nagekeo Deputy Regent Marianus Waja said millennials must be encouraged to create and be involved in developing the area. “The festival is proof that the young generation is capable of making such an event,” he said.
He added that the festival should be held annually, with the support of the government.
Nagekeo Regent Yohanes Don Bosco Do also encouraged the youth, saying they should never give up. “Keep creating and innovating to spread the beauty of Nagekeo’s nature and culture,” he said. (wng)
