Catching pig race held in Niti Praja Field, Lumintang, Denpasar on Sunday morning as it was attracting local people attention. This event coupled jogging competition to celebrate 20th anniversary of Denpasar city. It witnessed by Denpasar Mayor Ida Bagus Rai Dharma Wijaya Mantra. “The catching pig competition involved some people,” said the Head of Public Relation Department Denpasar, Dewa Gede Rai.

Any kinds of fun competitions held in Lumintang field but the catching pig race was mostly attracting people. This competition was allowing its participants to race their speed and agility. Committee used half competition system to find the champion.

Each participant fought one by one to catch a pig in a 70 square meters area. Since Saturday night (4/2) Denpasar city got rain that made Lumintang field wet. The wet field made the competition getting attractive due to the participant and the pig were full of mud. The competition was also including three committees as the bugger so the pig was getting more difficult to catch.

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The closing pray also read by Islam priest, KH Burhanudin in Denpasar though some Hindu religion figures were attended this event. The food that served to the guests also fitted with Moslem people taste such as kebuli rice. It is a special food from Middle East. Puri Gerenceng people is also serving ‘lawar’ as the main menu of Galungan day to couple kebuli rice. ‘Lawar’ is usually made by pork but this time Puri’s people made it from mutton.

“All of the food is ‘halalan thoyyiban’ due to we are inviting Moslem people,” said Puri Gerenceng figure, Anak Agung Ngurah Agung as the host. According to him, this event has been a tradition of Puri Gerenceng family. “We are obliged to preserve ancestor’s tradition,” said the chairman of Hindu-Moslem Bali Brotherhood (PHMB). Mr Ngurah Agung added this activity is also aiming to tight the relationship of Hindu and Moslem people in Bali.

“We are strongly keeping religion harmony in Bali. Local people is realized if newcomers are coming to this island to make a living,” said him. Instead of drinking alcohol drinks, Galungan should celebrated by strengthening communication with others,” said Ngurah Agung. Besides KH Burhanudin, some Hindu religions were also attending this event. They are Jro Mangku Gajah and some headmen of the village in Denpasar. This event is also attended by the headman of Millitary Command Section 163/Wira Denpasar, Lieutenant Colonel (Inf) Agus Wernugroho.

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Instant penjor is being most sought item for welcoming Galungan Day. It appears on the lavish order of instant penjor. In a day instant penjor customer can reach 100 persons. They are usually choosing this instant penjor due to it priced reasonably.

Penjor instant priced Rp100,000 per piece. This price has including sanggah cucuk so buyers only needed to prepare the offerings. “Buyers are conveniently releasing any difficulties to make penjor,” said Kompyang, a penjor seller in Kaswari Street, Jambe Village, Tabanan on Sunday (29/1). This man confessed he had flooded by instant penjor order since Saturday (18/1). His customer is usually asking instant penjor.

However making penjor is not difficult. Kompyang added some workers to finish this seasonal order. Attracting buyer’s interest, Kompyang chose to sell his penjor in the edge of the road. The peak of penjor order is today (30/1) due to on Tuesday (31/1) noon all of penjor obliged to set up in front of people houses.

Besides instant penjor, Kompyang and his brother, Dobler were also providing penjor materials such as bamboo, sampian, sanggah cucuk and flag. The bamboo priced in range Rp15,000 – Rp25,000 per piece depending on its size. Sanggah cucuk priced Rp6,000 per piece and sampian priced in range Rp6,000 – Rp15,000 per piece. The bamboo stick mostly coming from Pupuan, said Kompyang. But this year he is getting much young bamboo stick. Decreasing bamboo seed is causing by piodalan season along this year.

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The head of Husbandry and Animal Health Department Bali Putu Sumantra in Denpasar on Thursday said his region now has more than 330,000 pigs stock. Each pig weighing about 100 kg as they are enough to fulfill Galungan Day demand. Years ago Galungan day was requiring pigs from other areas such as East Java.

“But now Bali is not selling pigs anymore due to the current stock is focusing to regional stock. In the other side pig population from outer area is decreasing,” said him. According to Putu Sumantra, his region now is able to send pork for South Sulawesi. The stock of 330,000 pigs is equal with 18,510 tons pork, said him.

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The foods were including noodle and wine to welcoming New Year. Amurva Bhumi Monastery priest, Chua Sing Liang said the noodle offering formed our wish to beg long age, safety and prosperity in our life. In the other side the twelve kinds of food is dominated by local crops due to in China, Chinese New Year at first celebrated by farmers.

Besides the twelve foods, there are red cup cakes. The sweet cake is being a wish for happiness in our life. “The cake has been obligatory thing for whom did New Year pray in this monastery,” said him. According to him, since morning his monastery filled by Chinese people whether local people or foreigners.

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He said Hindu believers from eight regencies and a city in Bali held “Jagra” which means the believers are not sleeping in Pura Besakih on Sunday night until dawn at Monday. The art performances are wayang, arja art and topeng bondres as they wished to deprive of sleepiness for Hindu believers who walking on ‘sleeping fasting’. The other art performances also may perform due to the artists who are coming from eight regencies and one city in Bali spontaneously will hold art performances around Pura Besakih.

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“We are specially choosing this theme for echoing the masterpieces of famous writers in Indonesia. It is important due to in 2015 Indonesia will be Guest of Honor on Frankfurt Book Fair, a prestigious book event in the world,” said him. Last year UWRF were attracted about 235 writers who were coming from 60 cities in Indonesia to send their works on application process. The masterpieces then selected by Curator Council which was composed by senior writer Kurnia Effendi from Jakarta, Iyut Fitra (Payakumbuh), Dorothea Rosa Herliany (Magelang) and Made Adnyana Ole (Bali). The curator council then was passing 15 writers to invite and sponsored them to attend the festival.

“This year the process will be same. The change appears on the membership of the Curator Council. UWRF committee tried to change its composition yearly to avoid hegemony of the appetites and favoritism,” said community development manager UWRF Kadek Purnami. Purnami also said the application process opens for writers from all of literature genres including poetry, short story, novel, drama script even essay. Writers who were not yet publishing book also allowed to follow application and selection process.

“If you are a poet who are not yet publishing a book, please send your best 30 poets. For short story writer, the writers have to send eight short stories. Drama script writer have to send three scripts and essay writer must send four essays. Those artworks can send through e-mail kadek.purnami@ubudwritersfestival.com ,” said her. UWRF and HiVos, a funding institution from Holland will sponsored the trip of 15 writers who passing application process to attend this annual festival in Ubud.

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Attended this event, there were Badung Regent A.A. Gde Agung and his wife, the head of Badung Representatives Giri Prasta, Badung Secretary Kompyang R. Swandika, the head of Badung police Beny Arjanto with his wife, the head of B Commission of Badung House of Representatives Putu Parwata, Bishop of Protestant Church in Bali Priest I Made Budiarsa, Diocese Denpasar Priest Paskalis Widastra as the preacher, priests in Badung and whole of staffs in Badung government.

Regent Gde Agung stated his proud due to since this central government office built, this building was advantaging for Christmas celebration by Christians in Badung. This central government built for the interest of Badung people to serve Badung people. “So it is proper if it used for people in welcoming their feast day,” said Gde Agung. Regent felt this Christmas celebration is great due to Kertha Gosana which have 350 persons capacity fulfilled by 500 Christians in Badung. This Christmas event was giving peaceful vibration as the form of religion harmony.

The Head of Badung Representatives Giri Prasta delivered his appreciation for this Christmast event. He hoped this celebration giving new nuance for Christians in Badung. Mr Giri also suggests celebrating Christmas 2012 in House of Representatives Badung building. The chairman of this Christmas committee Jansen Panjaitan reported this massive Christmas celebration aiming to tight relationship between Christians in Badung. Christians in Badung also shows their caring toward poor people in Badung while Jansen Panjaitan represented the congregations to hand over some aids to the Regent Badung A.A. Gde Agung to distribute the aid.

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They agreed it is important to conserve hydrology function of Bangli Regency and its surroundings. “In the other side the existence of Batur Mountain and Kintamani area should preserve as they have contributed much for tourism sector,” said Pastika. He added people need to realize if this area is including to rocky and sandy area so it is not growing certain trees.

“Making arable hole and spreading organic fertilizer, the top soil is adequately receiving new plants. Further I hoped this reforestation program will grow ampupu and bamboo seeds. The thousand seeds are able to grow in this kind of land,” said him. Batur Mountain is the sign of prosperity in Bali. This mountain is being one of holy site due to it trusted as the dwelling place of the Gods. It is also attended by Bangli Regent I Made Gianyar, Vice Regent Sang Nyoman Sedana Arta, Region Secretary Bali I Made Jendra and his people, also Jero Mangku Pura Bukit Mentik.

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She delivered this statement when she was being speaker in an event themed “Kerta Dissemination Wisdom, Extension Program of Scholarship Access for Student’ Candidate” in local campus. “Later there are 15 students who getting full scholarship through crossing subsidy from our faculty while the other ten students paid by Bali Government,” said her.

Scholarship program for those students, said dr Mita, is not the first time to apply. “We mentioned it PSPD scholarship. Each year we allocate 15 scholarship but during this time it is not fully enough due to the students were passing tight selection under fixed requirements,” said him. Meanwhile Bali Government is promising to give full scholarship as much as Rp175 million for each student who receives the scholarship.

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