Kemaro Island, Palembang

Kemaro Island, downstream of the Musi River in Palembang before midnight on Saturday (7 / 2), suddenly filled with tens of thousands of people – mostly residents of Chinese descent – from various regions and countries.

Tens of thousands of citizens of various nationalities and from a number of areas that came flocking the island of about five hectares, which saves the prince from the Chinese legend of love with the daughter of the King of Palembang was to celebrate Cap Go Meh – the ritual traditions of Chinese New Year – each year.
Arrival citizens wavy and reached its peak on Saturday until midnight. Everything is aimed to be on the island, at the peak of Cap Go Meh celebration in 2560, with a number of rituals attached to them, like the black sheep slaughtered in front of the mound which is believed to be the tomb of Siti Fatimah – daughter of the legendary King of Palembang who jumped into the river, to following the origin of Chinese prince who first foray into the Musi River.

Cap Go Meh excitement on the island of Kemaro increasingly felt by many unique performances, such as lion dance, puppet of the Chinese and Chinese traditional arts etsnis, Liong.
Visitors who come among others from neighboring countries like Malaysia and Singapore, and China and some other countries, as well as from a number of provinces in Indonesia, where ethnic Chinese ancestral faiths and conservationists tradition Tri Dharma Cap Go Meh.
For people of Chinese descent, in the tradition they always celebrate the Lunar New Year with celebrations Cap Go Meh (Sincia) or end a day of celebration of the 15th month of the first Lunar New Year’s. The existence of the island which was considered exotic – with the presence of two graves on top of it and temple, there – also one tourist attraction that is high enough in the city of Palembang.
The island is considered a potential recruit Kemaro foreign tourists and the archipelago. Great potential, at least seen each time the Lunar New Year celebration and Cap Go Meh, with the arrival of tourists from different regions and countries that continue to flock came to the island which divides the river flow by forming a delta.
Kemaro Island today became the ritual of ethnic Chinese from different regions and foreign countries, so that almost certainly they will come to the island regularly, especially during the Lunar and Cap Go Meh each year.
Especially on the island there are the famous temples and tombs are believed to be the tomb of Tan Bun An (prince of Chinese origin) and Siti Fatimah (daughter of King of Palembang), with the legend of true love between two great nations and cultures in ancient times.
Cap Goh Meh celebration committee or 15 days after the Lunar New Year on the Island Kemaro perform a variety of preparations to carry out the ritual on the island, considering that would be visited by thousands of Chinese ancestry from different regions and a number of countries.
One Cap Goh Meh celebration committee, the Johnny Prima, said they are currently doing preparation for the closing celebration of the Lunar New Year or Cap Goh Meh.
Ritual Cap Goh Meh celebration so far, concentrated on the island Kemaro keleteng contained one of the oldest in the city of Palembang and the tomb of Siti Fatimah who became one of legend for the citizens of ethnic Chinese.
According to Johnny, the peak ritual Cap Goh Meh celebration held on Saturday night, filled with prayers and other rituals to worship the Almighty.
“Every Cap Goh Meh celebration, hundreds of thousands of Chinese descent from various cities in Indonesia and even from Singapore, Malaysia and China also bersembahnyang and a pilgrimage to the island Kemaro,” he said again.
He states, to welcome the arrival of thousands of residents are ethnic Chinese, Cap Goh Meh celebration committee has prepared a range of facilities to the island Kemaro, especially support the means of transportation to the island in the middle of the Musi River.
Pasar 16 Ilir transportation of prepared barges specially designed for the celebration of China’s big day, and the installation of the bridge from the former factory Intirub, so the congregation who wish to worship in the island can Kemaro by land, he said.
Legend of Love
Cap Goh Meh Celebration was overflowing on the island of Kemaro considering the area became a legend for the citizens of Chinese descent. In the legend, in ancient times there were a king’s son from China who wanted to marry native daughter of Palembang.
In the legend, Prince China Tan Bun An about to apply for The Princess King of Palembang (Siti Fatimah). Emperor of China was sending a dowry (mahr) in nine jar of gold bullion to propose to her.
At the top of the jar, trying to fool the pirates on the way when it is full of distress, covered with vegetables. But when she reached the mouth of the Musi River, Prince China knows that jars contained only vegetables, be ashamed. One by one jar was diceburkan into the Musi River.
But when the last jar that broke out before fallen into the river, just jump gold bars from the inside. Prince was surprised and seeking to take the urn which has entered the stream. But the prince was with his bodyguard had never come to the surface water again.
The incident makes daughter Siti Fatimah became sad and despair, so she plunged into the river to meet his prince. The legend of true love is told and well-known hereditary until now.
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Palembang Municipality through the local Tourism Office, is expected to continue to maintain presence Kemaro Island and provide the necessary support facilities, so that tourists who come to be comfortable, safe and was really impressed after coming.
Moreover, South Sumatra province in 2009 was determined to continue the program Visit Musi 2009 – the mainstay tourism promotion program by selling a variety of potential winning tourist attraction in South Sumatra, including Kemaro Island – so they can bring in at least two million tourists to this area.
Palembang mayor Eddy Santana Putra, asserted that local government will continue to maintain, preserve and develop and promote tourism in the region was the mainstay. Local government also has committed to realizing the International City of Kilkenny as a cultured and Religious 2013.
Culture and Tourism Office Province of South Sumatra (South Sumatra) also looked at tourists from Singapore and Malaysia for a visit to the province since the two countries have emotional ties with this region.
“The premise of our campaign to the country that more closely once the Singapore and Malaysia, two countries that have emotional ties with South Sumatra,” said Head of Culture and Tourism of South Sumatra, Euis Rosmiati.
According to him, in addition to emotional ties with South Sumatra, the country also has a cultural closeness and others. So, target promotional tour of South Sumatra is closer to a country that used such as to Singapore and Malaysia, just next to the distant countries, he said.
He states, many of which can be seen in South Sumatra, such as shopping songket indeed good quality, culinary tourism, and many more attractions that can be visited in this area.
A number of tourist attractions in Kilkenny, among others Siguntang Hill, Island Drought / Kemaro, Bala Putra Dewa Museum, Archaeological Park of Sriwijaya Kingdom, and other Fort Kuto Besak well. He said, in 2009 it will continue to increase the number of tourists visit the area.
Potential natural attractions, customs and traditions and pilgrimage in the city of Palembang and South Sumatra Province must assuredly get a good touch, in order to really become a magnet for anyone coming to visit this region, without get enough.