The winner of The Most Popular Festival in 2016, Erau International Folk and Art Festival was back for the 5th time this year. Held from 22nd - 30th of July, the festival consisted of lots of activities, traditional ceremonies, and performances. This year, eight countries took part in the festival, among them were from Chinese Taipei, Bulgaria, India, Slovakia, South Korea, Thailand, Japan, and Poland. And also lots of groups from Indonesia were taking parts, among them were from Gubang, North Sulawesi, Malang, Paguyuban Minang, Paguyuban Bali, Paguyuban South Sulawesi, and also around 93 groups from Kutai Kertanegara.

EIFAF 2017 started with Opening Parade started from Timbau Skatepark to Kedaton of Kutai Kertanegara and finished at Pancasila Monument, where every group had to do a short performance. That night, the Welcoming Dinner was held at Kutai Kertanegara Regent’s Office, welcomed by the Regent herself, Mrs. Rita Widyasari. The event was attended by a long-list of special guests, among them were, Special Envoy of Seychelles for ASEAN, Mr. Nico Barito, ASEAN Secretary-General, Mr. Lê Lương Minh, and 18 Ambassadors from United States of America, Turkey, Srilanka, Singapore, Serbia, Panama, Myanmar, Morocco, Libya, South Korea, Iraq, Egypt, Cuba, Chile, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Austria, and Afghanistan.

There were many traditional ceremony done during EIFAF. Surely, for our foreign delegates, it was a very interesting experience for them to see. They also participate in some of the traditional ceremony, some of them were Bepelas and Beseprah Ceremony. Bepelas Ceremony, meant to worship the Sultan’s spirit and body from head to toe, so that the Sultan gain strength in performing duties and customs. The Bepelas Ceremony was done in the Kedaton of Kutai Kertanegara. Beseprah Ceremony, in Bahasa Kutai means eating together while sitting cross-legged on a mat, held at Timur Monument Street up until Mulawarman. All of the participants began the ceremony as breakfast, and the food was served on a very long mat to accommodate all of the participants and committees.

All the delegates participated in Green Tenggarong Ceremony, held at Kumala Island, where they planted trees as part of an effort to lower Indonesia’s gas emission. Other than that, the delegates were also introduced to Dayak’s traditional Games called Menyumpit and also Dagongan. Menyumpit has similar concept as darts but you have to blow the sumpit to reach the target instead of throwing it. Meanwhile, Dagongan is a game with a long bamboo tree as the instrument and played like tug of war but, instead of pulling, the players have to push to their opponents. The winners for the traditional games got prizes and both of the winning and losing sides had one thing in common which was shared fun and happiness.

The Closing Ceremony of the festival was filled with performances from the delegates. Then, the ceremony was topped off with Jepen dance flashmob performed by all of the delegates and all committees involved. It was such a wonderful evening, and a way to close the wonderful Erau International Folk and Art Festival 2017. Hope to be back again soon next year!