CORE EVENT "  BAU NYALE " WILL BE HELD ON FEBRUARY, 12 -13. 2012

Every February the sasak people have a very interesting event. Thousands of them go to beaches to catch very special worms called nyale. It is very special because these nyale are found in only one location. They appear on only one day in the year during February. After midday and before the nyale appear at around 3.30 pm people gather on a special spot at the beach to join in some special traditional art performance such as Betandak ( a recitation by two or more persons singing quatrains), Bejambik (the giving of gifts to lovers), and in the morning after catching nyale, people join in Belancaran, a trip to sea for fun.Actual the whole event celebrates a legend where many years ago in the Tonjang Beru Kingdom, in the south of the island there lived a beatiful princess called Putri Mandalika. So beatiful she was that many princes from many kingdoms all over the island were interested in her. On one particular day, and at the same time six princes came to propose marriage. This led to much confusion. Her father did not know howto choose, because who ever the choice was , it would lead to jealously and war among the kingdoms.Greatly perturbed, he decided to leave the decision to his daughter. She was also very confused as any choice would sacrifice her people. She therefore decided to end her life by jumping into the ocean from the Mandalika hill. It is said that the nyale sea worms actually the hair from princesses head-with her people forever.