Sabtu, 21 Sep 2019 11:09
Daerah : Jakarta
Jakarta (ANTARA) - With the
international maritime event of Sail Nias 2019 being organized from July
to September 2019, the government is stepping up the promotion of Nias
Island as a surfing haven for international visitors.
The
Indonesian government’s steadfastness to transform Nias into a global
tourist destination gateway was echoed by Coordinating Maritime Affairs
Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan while officially opening Sail Nias at a
peak ceremony held at the Teluk Dalam Seaport, South Nias District,
North Sumatra Province, on Sept 14, 2019.
Various
activities organized during the event included the Wonderful Nias Expo
2019, battleship parade, Nias Marathon, culinary bazaar, and traditional
art and cultural performances.
Other activities
comprised Wind Surfing and Sailing Contests, Free Diving Competition,
Stone Jump Festival, Coffee Festival, Fishing Tournament, Wonderful
Tourism Photo Expo, One Thousand Tents Festival, the Mt Sitoli cultural
seminar, and Traditional Fishing Boat Parade, with the participation of
some 100 fishermen boats.
A ceremonial stone jump
tradition is the icon of Nias and has already gained popularity among
travelers. The stone jump tradition was born along with the Nias War
Dance. Since primeval times, tribes in Nias would oftentimes clash among
themselves, and the chief (siulu) of every tribe trained their young
members for war; stone jumping being part of the training.
The
2019 Sail Nias event involved four districts and a city on the island
of Nias, specifically Gunungsitoli City and the districts of South Nias,
West Nias, Nias, and North Nias.
It unveiled Nias
Island as the best-kept secret of Indonesians to the world. Among the
top secrets of Nias Island is Sorake Beach, recognized as the
second-best place to surf, after Hawaii.
