Hot air balloons an Idul Fitri fixture in Central Java's Kertek
By Simon Sudarman
WONOSOBO, Central Java (JP): The sky above Kertek, a small town near Wonosobo, Central Java, was bright in the crisp morning air.
Dozens of residents of the town, located at the foot of Sumbing and Sindoro mountains, gathered in groups. In the cramped alleys between their homes, each group eagerly prepared to launch giant, gaily decorated balloons into the sky. The balloons, with an average height of 12 meters and a diameter of 20 meters, were released to enliven the postfasting month celebration of Idul Fitri.
The launch of the balloons was signaled with the igniting of deafeningly loud firecrackers, as the residents shook hands with each other and cheered.
The hot air balloon tradition was begun by local resident Mbah Sastro Pawiro in the 1930s, and has continued almost uninterrupted ever since. Although making a balloon costs at least Rp 500,000 today, the people do not seem to consider it a burden. Each of them contributes to the cause, giving from Rp 5,000 up to Rp 150,000.
An unspoken rivalry exists between the groups to produce the biggest and most colorful balloon.
"At Kertek there are 57 neighborhoods, with each producing at least two balloons. To them, the more balloons they can make the prouder they are. During this economic crisis such an activity may seem a waste of money, but it doesn't matter at all because the tradition has been maintained since the 1930s," said Fitroni, 58.
The balloon festival, held from the second day of Idul Fitri to the seventh day, is put on in the morning in the town of 6,200 because the weather is cooler. The balloons, made of a special nonflammable paper, are held over small ovens fueled by wood and rice huskings until they are full of air and ready to take off.
Requirements are that each balloon must be decorated with an Idul Fitri greeting, which is attached to a big baby doll and four bottles of soft drinks. Dozens of firecrackers dangle from the lowest part of the balloons.
"A note is also attached to the balloon, reading: Whoever finds this balloon is expected to give us news," Fitroni added.
The balloons can fly for up to a full day and night; they have been found in Batang, Pekalongan and even as far as Cimahi, West Java.
"That's the function of the note ... They will reply and inform us where the balloons reached," Fitroni said.
Small, thumbnail-sized fireworks have been replaced by some groups with bigger firecrackers. It gives the event more of a bang, but also carries risks.
Reverberations from the blasts often damage tiles and window panes of local homes. Losses have ranged from Rp 200,000 to Rp 300,000.
In 1999, catastrophe struck. A balloon laden with large firecrackers exploded only a few meters above a home, destroying the building.
"Nevertheless, we remain undaunted, and the fact is that this year's festival is merrier," Fitroni said. "Although the festival is a tradition, we are concerned about the oversized firecrackers made by the residents.
"We are now technically improving the method of launching the balloons so that the firecrackers will only explode when the balloon is already high in the sky. This is a way to overcome the risk."
Festivals
The attraction for the balloons has spread, and events have been held in Wonosobo, Temanggung, Magelang and Semarang, the capital of the province.
But Kertek residents have already gained a reputation for their skills in balloon making. Orders have come in from Surabaya, Semarang, Bandung and Jakarta for them to produce balloons at a price of Rp 500,000 each.
Detailed arrangements cover all aspects of the event, even extending to what to do if a balloon falls too soon to the ground. In 1985 the understanding that the balloon would be returned to its owner was put in writing.
People are also developing new ways of making the balloons -- and experimenting with new decorations.
The balloon festival in the town was halted during the Independence War in the late 1940s, but subsequently resumed and has continued ever since.
There have been efforts by the local administration to stop the event out of concern the balloons might disturb the flight paths of planes, or even cause accidents.
The residents' reaction was to see the ruling as a challenge as they devised new balloons.
They argue the concerns are unfounded. "Here there has never been an incident of a balloon festival disturbing the flight of a plane. The prohibition was too far-fetched. It's of no relevance. This is a tradition, and we would be better off directing it toward the development of tourism," said Fitroni.
Fitroni, who is a technical adviser in the making of balloons, said that the residents hoped the local government would support and participate in the maintenance of the tradition.
A balloon festival for the area was organized in 1999 in the city of Wonosobo on the initiative of locals, with Kertek residents, bolstered by years of experience, emerging as the winners.
But the win was not enough to satisfy them because there were only 10 participating teams. Fitroni blamed it on a lack of support and publicity from the local government, something that needs to be corrected if hot air ballooning is to rise and put the area on the tourist map.