Lakban Beach Festival, Buyat Gulf

Every end of the year, exactly in November, Ratatotok and Buyat people always waits for the coming of Lakban Beach Festival. Bakudapa meeting of the residence of Ratatotok subdistrict South East Minahasa, held in a full day at Lakban beach.

At the day, thousands of ratatotok people and other regions from Mitra and Bolaang Mongondow regencies are coming to enter for the festival. There are fishing race, sport game, boat parade, decorated pedicab, drumband parade, and a lot of recreative art and entertainment programs.

Visitors are also allowed to go to swim and make a tour at Lakban beach, or climb up Hill of Hope. At the peak of the hill, there is a sign of a cross and star and crescent as a symbol of religious reconciliation. The beauty of both places have been oustanding at North Sulawesi.

All of the games are open for all. For fishing game, the winner is every one who can catch major fishes. the fishes then will be collected, roasted and consumed together. A year ago, the race could catch 2000 fishes from 40 kinds of fishes. The winner made a success of catching rayfish.

"We invite every people to come and enjoy the beauty of the beach and sea of Buyat gulf," said Robert Sasuwuhe, said Robert Sasuwuhe, chief of guardmen VI of East Ratatotok village located at Buyat gulf.

Other games that will be held at the festival are sport game such as volley ball, soccer, areca nut climbing (called in Indonesia: Panjat Pinang), and boat race. At night the people will be entertained by musical party and comedian program from Manado.

"Lakban beach Festival will be started by Fishing race. The festival is held by residence initiative and it is open for all people. Since it is held for the first time at 2004, the participants always increase. The games offered are also added. We also do not forget with entertainments." said Johny Pitol, the commitee chief of the festival of Lakban beach 2008.

The regency government of South-East Minahasa gives full support of the people festival.

We are very glad with the initiative of Ratatotok Buyat Foundation to perform the festival. Because the event will gradually increase the volume of tourism visit in this area," said the chief of Tourism Department of SouthEast Minahasa, Drs. O.W. Tumundo.

Lakban Beach Festival 2008 is carried out by the Ongoing Development of Ratatotok and Buyat Foundation and Government Tourism Department of SouthEast Minahasa, and it is supported by Newmont Minahasa Raya Company.

Lakban Beach Festival will be held at 29 November 2008.


Translated from Kompas