Taking a stand: Local artists perform the Sekar Jagat dance during a cultural parade to mark the closing of the 7th Kuta Karnival on Sunday. The first Kuta Karnival was held as a show of defiance toward terrorists, a loud proclamation that Balinese tourism would survive. JP/Ni Komang Erviani

Wiwin, 22, a university student from Malang, East Java, struggled to take a photo amid the sea of people on Kuta Beach on Sunday.

She tried her best to squeeze through the crowd with her camera to take pictures of the passing cultural parade, which drew many observers and created prolonged traffic jams at streets leading to the renowned tourist destination.

It seemed that Wiwit and other spectators didn’t mind the scorching heat of the afternoon.
“I am very lucky to spend my holiday in Bali and to have the chance to watch a great cultural festival,” she said.

The street parade was part of the closing of the 7th Kuta Karnival, an annual celebration that has became a signature event of the tourism haven.

The first Kuta Karnival was organized in October 2003, just one year after terrorists bombed two popular night spots in the area.

The bombings killed 202 people, mostly foreigners, and almost put an end to Kuta’s reputation as a world-class tourist attraction. The first Kuta Karnival was a show of defiance against the terrorists, a loud proclamation that Kuta would survive.

This year’s festival was a rich presentation of the island’s traditional and modern art forms.

“Unlike previous festivals, which focused more on modern art, the 7th Kuta Karnival deliberately featured a balanced mix of the traditional and the modern,” said the head of the organizing committee, Ketut Nugra.

The decision to promote both traditional and modern art forms, he said, was in tune with the festival’s theme “Celebration of Life”.

“Kuta is a vibrant place where traditional arts and modern lifestyles exist side-by-side and this harmony is the concept we wanted to celebrate in this year’s Kuta Karnival,” Nugra stressed.

Throughout the festival, which ran from Sept. 19 to 27, spectators were spoiled with performances of traditional art forms, such as the iconic Kecak  and the classical Legong dance.

“The festival also featured Mepantigan, a traditional Balinese martial art, and Gandrung, a joyful folk dance from Banyuwangi in East Java,” he added.

For spectators that wanted a taste of the modern side of Kuta, the festival featured graffiti art, body painting sessions and music concerts.

Two eco-friendly activities, a beach cleanup and the release of turtle hatchlings, were also part of the festival

In conjunction with the Kuta Karnival, local tourism establishments organized the Bali Food Festival from Sept. 25-27.

Food stalls were erected on the sandy beach of Legian and visitors were treated to a huge selection of Balinese traditional delicacies and western foods sold at bargain prices.

A meal, which would cost more than Rp 100,000 in a restaurant, was sold for Rp 35,000 at the food festival.

“We sold the products cheaply because the food festival was a promotional event,” said Bali Niksoma’s manager Nyoman Astama.

Latest News

• Portuguese PM wins despite chafing reforms

  Mon, 09/28/2009 - 12:28 PM
  Socialist leader Jose Socrates, set for another four years as Portugal's prime minister after weekend elections, has antagonized many - even inside his own party - with his determination to reform...

  Comments (0)

• Cleveland throws party to welcome Shaq

  Mon, 09/28/2009 - 11:42 AM
  Shaquille O'Neal, the big man Cleveland is counting on to deliver this championship-starved city a title, was welcomed to town Sunday with a star-studded party that included sports celebrities and...

  Comments (0)

• House to finalize Corruption Court Bill today

  Mon, 09/28/2009 - 11:32 AM
  The House of Representatives special commission will finalize the Corruption Court Bill on Monday as it plans to endorse the bill on Tuesday.

  Comments (0)

Adamant: Suspended Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) deputy chairmen Bibit Samad Rianto (right) and Chandra M. Hamzah (left) speak at a press conference Sunday in Jakarta. The two continue to deny receiving bribes, as charged by the police.

Open house: Vice President Jusuf Kalla (left) and his wife Mufidah (right) welcome Makassar residents to their home on Sunday.

Audio slide show: Idul Fitri, time to go home!

Interactive Map: 2009 Idul Fitri exodus: Click here to view your destination during the 2009 Idul Fitri exodus.