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Published on April 21, 2014

The seventh Lake Sentani Festival will again take place on from 19 – 23 June 2014 in the regency of Jayapura, Papua. Carrying the theme: “My Culture, My Life “ the Festival will be held in the Tourist area of Kalkote, in East Sentani.

19 participating subdistricts will offer a wide range of cultural performances, exhibitions and culinary feasts. This time the Festival will also attempt to break the record on bark painting in the Indonesian Record Book of MURI. A cultural parade from the various ethnic groups in Papua and from around Indonesia at Jayapura will enliven the Festival on 17 June 2014. People will also perform the Isilo, a traditional dance on boats, using folk music and folktales. While the “Resounding Sounds of the Tifa” will be brought by 500 people wearing traditional costumes.

Moreover, fierce competitions will take place to win boat-racing for men, boat-racing for women, musical competitions on drums and pipes, with songs from various parts of the region. A tour will also be offered to the Islands of Asei and Ajun to watch special local rituals.

A multimedia show will be displayed continuously on the many fantastic attractions that the region offers, as well as preparations for the National Sports Meet, PON 2020, which was won by the province of Papua.

Lake Sentani is one of the largest lakes on the island of Papua, – Indonesia’s most easterly province – located near the provincial capital city, Jayapura, on the north eastern coast of the Indonesian side of New Guinea. On the lake are houses on stilts equipped with nets to haul in the daily fish catch. There are more than 33 species of fish found in Lake Sentani with half of these endemic. Tourists to Sentani enjoy swimming in the lake, chat with the friendly locals, watch the process of making sago, try the local delicacies or taste the matoa fruit that is found in abundance sold along the roads or in the local market.

To reach Lake Sentani, take a flight from Jakarta, Surabaya, Bali, Makassar or any large city in Indonesia to the city of Jayapura. Garuda Indonesia, Lion Air, and Sriwijaya Air fly to Jayapura. From the city take a small bus west to Lake Sentani which is reached in about half an hour.

The Sentani Lake Festival is one of three impressive Festivals on Papua besides the Baliem Valley Festival (held in August), and the Asmat Festival (held in October), that together offer the best and most comprehensive presentations of this huge and beguiling island of Papua.