Hot air balloons an Idul Fitri fixture in Central Java's Kertek
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.