Erau
Erau is an Indonesian biennial cultural festival, taking place in the city of Tenggarong, Kutai Kartanegara, East Kalimantan.
[1] The story goes that in a village called Jaitan Layar, in the East Kalimantan mountainous slope, a kingdom official and his wife has been married for a few years, but had not yet been blessed with a child.
The baby cried of hunger, confused as to what to do, the husband burnt incense, scatter yellow rice on the floor, and prayed to the Gods.
And on the third day, his umbilical cord broke off and the villagers celebrated the occasion by shooting fire to the sky for seven times.
As the boy grew up to be 5 years old, he was restless and impatient, he wants to be able to play outside, swim in the river, walk around the village like other children.
The husband then remembered the God's command and so he arranged with the villagers of Jaitan Layar to conduct the Erau ceremony.
Then, covered with yellow cloth, Aji was accompanied to the nearby river where he bathed, performing the Mandi ke Tepian ceremonial rite.
Accompanied by the song of Gajah Perwata orchestra and the sound of Sapu Jagat cannon, he was brought to the village yard where he laid on brightly coloured rugs.
The story goes that she was initially a small worm found by a Hulu Dusun officer in Melanti village near Mahakam River while he was chopping wood.
Erau ceremonies then developed from being solely for the Sultan's coronation to a celebration commemorating the vesting of title to individuals for their outstanding service to the kingdom.
The Erau ceremonies were traditionally organised by the Kutai palace courtiers, who would invite the kingdom's community leaders.
Arriving from all corners of the kingdom, the leaders would bring supplies of food, livestock, fruits, and also artists for entertainment.
The last known traditional Erau ceremony was in 1965, for the commemoration of the Sultan Aji Pangeran Adipati Praboe Anoem Soerya Adiningrat coronation.
H. Achmad Dahlan, mandated that Erau be a biennial festival commemorating the foundation of the capital Tenggarong on 29 September 1782.
Activities that are allowed are art and sport or agility performances, such as Menjamu Benua, Merangin Malam, Mendirikan Tiang Ayu, Upacara Penabalan, Pelas, Seluak Mudik, Mengulur Naga and Belibur.
Traditional tribal ceremonies allowed was from the Dayak tribe, such as Papaer Maper, Kuangkay, Mumutn, Ngayau, Lemakan Balei, Uman Undad, Pasek Truit, Erau Anak.
