Badness and Goodness in Beting

When you go to Kampong Beting, what is in your mind? Do you feel peaceful when see the two historical place in Pontianak, Jami’ Mosque and the Kadariyah palace? Or you see the place that provides high criminality rating? Forgot those two problems, how about the potential of tourism object in Kampong Beting, the place that seperate the river and have the longest “Gertak” in Indonesia even in the world. In this article, I will give my opinion about the goodness, the badness and the potential tourism object that Kampong Beting have. First, let we see the history of Kampong Beting.

Two Main Transportation to Visit Kalbar

West Kalimantan has a lot of tourism object to visit. Starting from the objects that have been known as the equatorial monument, palace, royal palace and others as well as objects that are hidden like a Pancur Aji waterfall, Landak waterfalls and the exotic lakes Sentarum. For the people of West Kalimantan, they can easily reach them. But, for the people who live outside of West Kalimantan, there are two main transportation which can be a choice of air and sea transportation. The air transportation using a plane and sea transportation by ship. Both are of course very different. The purpose of this essay is to contrast the cost and long trips, service and comfort at the time of travel and access to tourist attractions and lodging.

Different Cultures, Different Acts

Many ethnics in one region can be sitting together, but in some places they are not able to confirm the other ethnic and realize that they are also human being. In my place, conflict between ethnics once happen and thousands died. Now the situation is safe, but still we can see in some places it is hard for people to accept other ethnics. If we think deeply, it is only wasting our time and it provides unstable condition. On the other hand, I cannot blame them and force them to receive my conception. It needs long time to change. I am a blended child because my parents come from different ethnics. I am proud that my parent’s ethnic never cause conflict. It means that they have understood each other. In my family, it provides a different act of my parents. Sometimes they have different ways and intonation when they speak to teach their children.

BIG FISH VERSUS SMALL FISH IN KAPUAS RIVER TRANSPORTATION

Through many years, people have been living with a lot of development in transportation element. In past, people used to walk to travel from one place to another. Then people develop a vehicle to reach far places called bicycle. After many years, as human nature, people become not satisfied with bicycle. They begin to develop another vehicles start with motorcycle, car, ship, and plane. Nowadays, people can travel to farther places without wasting their time. In our country Indonesia, there is an island with the longest river, the island is Borneo and the river located in West Borneo. The river name is Kapuas River. People in West Borneo prefer to use ship rather than car or motorcycle. Capital city of West Borneo is Pontianak. Pontianak city is divided by Kapuas River.

Bubur Pedas is a traditional meal of west-borneo especially in sambas region. If we meet sambas people and ask them about their traditional food, they will absolutely mention Bubur Pedas as their traditional food. Eventhough its named Bubur Pedas, the tastes is not spicy at all. Sambas people said that Bubur Pedas is the king of porridge, because all of the ingredients blend into one. There are 3 steps for making Bubur Pedas, from preparing the food materials, choosing the vegetables and preparing the refined ingredient.

DAYAK'S HANDICRAFT

As a biggest ethnic in Borneo, Dayak also has a lot of unique handicrafts and have a lot of function, for example Shield which is a tool to defense from enemy's attack. However, every single handicraft also have a long story and used for a long time. In this writing, i want to show you some of the the traditional handicraft from Dayak.

 

Shield/Kelembit
It is a tool to repel enemy's attack in a battle. The shield is made of wood so that it is light and not easily breakable. In front of the shield there are ornaments, however nowadays the ornament is composed with painting of white and red or white or black color. There are 3 basic motives for decorating the shield: 

1. Motif of Enggang Bird (Kalung Tebengaang) 
2. Motif of Dragon/Dog (Kalung Aso') 
3. Motif of Mask (Kalung Udo') 

Besides as protector from enemy?s attach, the shield also functions as: 

1. protection from fire  
2. War dance equipment  
3. Tool for break up a fight 
4. Equipment for Belian ceremony

Nowadays, shield is sold as souvenir / house decoration. 

KUNTILANAK

According to local people, the word Pontianak comes from word Kuntilanak. Kuntilanak is a ghost that frightening us in night. There are many stories about how kuntilanak, but here, i will tell you the trusted story of Kuntilanak. I got this story from old people in pontianak and other places.

A long time ago, there was a beautiful woman named Intan Lemang. Her beauty was well known to many villagers as she has big round eyes, a pointed nose and long black hair past her shoulders.  When she smiled at others, they always always smiled back. Her laugh sounded like melodies that comfort every heart. She was adored by everybody.

GAWAI DAYAK 2011

Have you heard Gawai Dayak? or perhaps you've been there to seen the biggest ethnic in west borneo when they hold a traditional party??
Gawai Dayak was successfully held in May 2011 at Betang House. As usually, a thousand of people came at that party to see the tradition party.
Gawai Dayak was a grateful ritual. it was held because God still blessed them life, food and what they need. However, the effect of ICT is also influences the ritual. The party has a improvisation every years but not omit the principal itself.

As a biggest land in the world, Wast Kalimantan has a lot of place that can attract you. Here, I will prescribe you the good place in West Borneo that you can visit with your friend or family and can reduce your stress if you get there.

1. Taman Pasir Panjang Indah

Taman Pasir Panjang Indah(TPPI) is one of the place where you can visit with your family to enjoy your holiday. If we start from Pontianak it takes 4 hours in the trip. The location of TPPI is in Singkawang City or well known as Amoy City. You will easy to find the place, because close the TPPI, you will see the sign how far you and TPPI. TPPI is very attracting to see, because the soft sand, blue water and etc. There you can hunt the hotel if you don’t have a family in Singkawang.

THE HIDDEN WATERFALL

There are many ways that we can do to spend our holidays. Mostly we can choose to visit tourism objects to relax and put away the problem for a while. In our region, West Kalimantan, there are many options that we can choose like Pasir Panjang beach, Samudra Beach and Rindu Alam in Singkawang.

But  if we want to get more challenges in the way to get recreation place, we can choose to go to the hidden waterfall, named Pancur Aji Waterfall in Sanggau  regency. Before we  get there, we must be well-prepared. We get there through long journey and the last we have to be on foot hiking to get to the waterfall.

A Young Boy and His Bicycle

Did you know desire can beat everything?  It can work in every condition and every situation that seems like impossible to do. It was happened to a boy who lives in Telok Pakeai especially in Arus Deras Village. Truly,we did not asked what his name was, but we just call him Budi. He was about 9 years old and he just an ordinary boy who lives his life normally.  His desire to study beat his limited facility that he had, and he inspired the committee and give a value about giving thanks to god about everything that he gave to us.

Cap Go Meh Festival

Singkawang is well-known as the city of thousand temples. This city has many temple that used by Chinese people to pray. Singkawang city is also known as the duplicate of Hongkong in China or Indonesian China – town. This is because there are many Chinese people live there as well as preserving their culture through many Chinese celebrations.

            One of the celebrations is called Cap Go Meh. This is a kind of celebration or ceremonial that conduct in every fifteen days after Chinese New Year celebration that known as Imlek. The ceremonial also meaning that the Imlek celebration is over. In this celebration there are many attraction performs in the up-town  from Barongsai or the dragon show, until Tatung performance, the person who has great and mystical power that resistant to sword and nails.

A JOURNEY TO BORDERED VILLAGE

Nanga Mahap is sub quarter of Sekadau regency. It is 400 kilometers away and it takes 12 hours to get there from Pontianak. Along the road, live the biggest ethnic in West Borneo and known as Dayak. It has an ethnic that left behind from globalization and lived in furious land.

Dayak has a biggest and oldest ethnic in West Borneo and it has 200 subs of Dayak itself. Each of them has a different use of language, tradition and how they communicate with other. Many of them live in edge of river, inside forest and they have been living under poverty for many years. There, people have been living with no technology and no communication. It makes them maintenance with the culture and keeps it in the correct track.

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