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A TRIP TO DISNEYLAND+HOLLYWOOD
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tex t+ ima ges des : ca tina mp tion bel : ind l br one idge sia
Cam pbe ll Br idge dod ges festi way val h war eld b d sp y tra ears ditio at P nal w aso arrio la, a rs on rit the i slan ual war d of Sum ba in Indo nesi a.
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get in the know! The island of Sumba was once noted for its sandalwood, slave trading and headhunting.
IT’S RAINING SPEARS
T
HE ISLAND OF SUMBA IS VERY DIFFERENT, even for Indonesia. Wandering around Tambolaka Airport are Muslim families in their traditional finest returning from the Haji in Mecca; Javanese and Chinese businessmen; Bugis and Makassan descendants of the pirates who pillaged the island; and the traditional Sumbanese who resemble the people of New Guinea more than Asia. My guide Iwan hustles me off to report to the local chief of police, then we are off to Waikabubak in West Sumba, where the island’s ancient festival of Pasola originates. The festival itself is preceded by several rituals including a fasting month (Wula Nyale or Wula Podu) for self-purification, Pajura (traditional boxing) and the welcoming of strange, multi-headed, wormlike nyale fish. get in the know! In 1992 the Pasola ritual became a real village war when several people were killed and a large number of homes burned down.
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Any bloodshed of sacrificial animalsor of the men participating in the game is considered a symbol of prosperity. Without blood, Pasola means nothing to the people of this land.
While I sleep through my first night to the sound of driving monsoon rain, the village elders and shaman are engaging in a series of rituals as they search the pounding surf by the light of the moon. When they discover nyale invading the beaches, usually several days after a full moon in February and March, the shaman deems that the ritual war of Pasola can begin. A two hour drive early next morning takes us to a goat track on the windswept coastline. As the trees and scrub open out, people emerge in numbers from all directions. Surf crashes over coral reef nearby as the village shamans stage their opening rituals. Villagers, many armed with spears, machetes and other weapons, are dressed in their finest ikat weavings. The buffalo and pigs all look as if they suspect their fate in the name of sacrifice. I’m introduced to Martinus, the village headman. He feigns an attack on me and then goes about his official duties, nonchalantly taking up his spear and dispatching numerous tethered pigs. Amid the chanting of the shaman and buzz of the crowd a pig is speared but somehow manages to escape. To the crowd’s amusement it does a brisk runner as dozens of village boys set out in howling pursuit of their wounded prey. The tethered buffalo isn’t #14 get lost! ISSUE #04
afforded the same opportunity to flee and is slaughtered with a single machete blow. Several thousand people have gathered around an open area the size of a rugby field. Suddenly the crowd stirs and parts as horsemen wearing traditional ikat dress – and the occasional designer shirt – clutch their spears atop decorated horses. No saddles, no stirrups and rudimentary rope bridles. This is definitely not Flemington. Two teams of thirty or more riders, usually representing a particular village, gather at opposite ends of the field. After the shaman’s final incantations the Pasola begins. Horsemen rush from behind their ‘goal line’ feining, threatening and cajoling the enemy. Insults are hurled energetically at opposition riders by the crowd, their equestrian and masculine deficiencies the subject of ridicule. A solitary rider gallops towards the opposition, taunts them, and turns for home while only just out of spear throwing range. Timing is critical. The law – which has only been enacted in relatively recent times – ensures that spears are not sharpened, but they remain lethal weapons. Suddenly, a number of horsemen gallop at full speed towards an intended victim, letting fly with a volley of spears. Many miss; some find their
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mark, sending the target crashing from his horse to the ground. The crowd erupts. A good Pasola, from both religious and crowd pleasing perspectives, requires bloodshed. The ritual is believed to have a close relation to the village crops. Any bloodshed of sacrificial animals or of the men participating in the game is considered a symbol of prosperity. Without blood, Pasola means nothing to the people of this land. As I watch, lying in my dirt bunker within feet of thundering hooves, both sides charge simultaneously. Horses shower earth on me. I dodge a wayward spear. A local comments, “Last year a German was speared in the neck.” This festival is dangerous, even for spectators. Miraculously, many horsemen not only evade assailants’ spears, but are able to catch them at full gallop and hurl them back at the thrower.
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Alarmingly, riders dismount and begin fighting on foot. Several hundred spectators rush onto the arena and join in. It is no longer a ritual war. It’s a real one.
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One rider isn’t so lucky (or skillful) and is smashed in the chest and arm by a spear. He staggers but remains mounted. Blood runs down his shirt. The crowd surges and cheers. This is what they have hoped for. Their crops need it. As the Pasola continues into the afternoon, the action becomes more frenetic. Riders and horses are covered in sweat. Adrenaline levels rise, as do the risks being taken. Riders with a death wish act as bait, straying ever closer to the enemy lines before turning. When attacked by the ‘enemy’ their own team mounts a furious counter offensive. Suddenly the crowd howls; something has happened on-field. Alarmingly, riders dismount and begin fighting on foot. Several hundred spectators rush onto the arena and join in. It is no longer a ritual war. It’s a real one. Weapons are everywhere. Rocks, spears and many machetes. Some of the mauling spectators chase competitors off the Pasola arena and away over the nearby hills. We evacuate the area immediately. Such skirmishes have in the past quickly escalated into a full blown war between villages. The outbreak of violence eventually settles. Those that fled and their pursuing crowd return and a somewhat more subdued Pasola comes to a conclusion by mid-afternoon. One side is declared the winner, passions subside and the ritual war of Pasola is over until the arrival of next year’s nyale. As we leave the battlefield, my guide tells me that word “amok” has Indonesian origins. I now know why. #16 get lost! ISSUE #04
Getting There
By air. Sumba has two airports, Tambolaka (West Sumba) and Waingapu (East Sumba). Singapore Airlines, Qantas and Garuda Indonesia all have regular flights from Australian cities to Jakarta and Denpasar. There are then several weekly flights connecting to Sumba. By sea. It’s possible to reach Sumba by ferry from Flores and Timor. Pelni Lines has passenger ship services.
Visas
Tourists to Indonesia can get a 30 day visa on arrival for AUD$35.
When To Go
Two Pasolas take place in February in the Kodi area and the Lamboya area and two take place in March in Wanokaka area and at Goura. The precise date (usually several days after the full moon) is determined by the local shaman and is dependant upon the arrival of the nyale on the beaches. The dates are somewhat flexible and are never known until a few weeks before each event (January at the earliest). Unless you have a lot of time and luck, it is strongly advisable to obtain the services of a local Indonesian travel agent to inform you of the precise dates and arrange transport to the remote venues. Nell Tours based in Makassar (www.nelltours.com) is an established reputable agent and can arrange your trip. Contact Pak Halim.
Rules – What Rules?! There is no referee. Riders must remain on horseback. Riders also seem to attack each other only when charging head on. Generally, riders are never speared in the back. No allowance or concession is made for tourists. The event I saw was witnessed by five bule (Indonesian slang for white folk) in a crowd of perhaps 10,000 locals. It is a wonderful spectacle. Despite the negative nature of government travel warnings, the people of Indonesia and Sumba are most welcoming and inviting to tourists. Be respectful and you will find Sumba undoubtedly far safer than virtually any large city in the west.
Read
Lonely Planet’s Indonesia guide, Rough Guide’s Indonesia, Periplus’ East of Bali from Lombok to Timor and Ring of Fire (An Indonesian Odyssey) by Lawrence and Lorne Blair.
Sumba
Sumba is renowned for its strong traditional culture, spectacular villages, megalithic grave sites and ikat weavings. The island was largely ignored by Asian and European colonial powers for centuries. As a result, its remarkable culture is still largely intact including very traditional social structures, strong animist beliefs and spectacular festivals – the most famous of which is Pasola.
Pasola
Pasola is a religious festival designed to ensure a bountiful harvest. It takes the form of a ritual war fought by warriors on horseback dressed in traditional clothing, armed with spears but riding without saddles or stirrups. A successful Pasola involves bloodshed to ensure a good harvest. Death of participants is not unknown. get in the know! The Europeans first discovered Sumba and its nearby islands in 1512, when the Portuguese arrived in Flores via the Moluccas.
get going! text + images: justin jamieson destination: india
THE SEARCH FOR EIGHT
FINGER EDDIE SIXDAYSONANENFIELDBULLET IN NORTH GOA Our adventurous publisher, Justin Jamieson, counts his blessings on both hands as he goes in search of the dexterously challenged founder of hippie heaven.
J
ERRY AND I ARE NOT JUST IN SEARCH of pristine beaches, the rave party scene and chilled days lazing the time away. What we’re really after is a meeting with one of the founders of the Goan way of life, Eight Finger Eddie. Anjuna, to those in the know, represents the epicentre of the late 60’s hippy trail when dropping out, free love and freedom were the norm and society’s conventions were flouted to the extreme. Since 1971, Jerry’s uncle Bobby had spent over 15 years in India drifting between hippy hang-outs down south and spiritual enlightenment up north. Upon hearing of our trip, he crooned, “You can’t go to Goa and not meet up with Eight Finger Eddie! He’s the reason Anjuna’s on the map, man! He was the first, the very first, and the rest followed.” Our first night in Anjuna is both exciting and somewhat disappointing. Like all “hot spots” Anjuna seemed to have burnt itself out long ago and whilst there were still no “package” resorts,
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the abundance of bungalows, restaurants and shops selling everything from Kingfisher Beer t-shirts to Manali Cream had spread like a fungus from their peaceful origins. Uncle Bob had told us that to find Eight Finger Eddie and his mate Goa Gill we needed to find Joe Bananas Restaurant. “Eddie’s been going there since 1967. Breakfast at midday, an afternoon sleep and back for dinner every day, like clockwork.” Unfortunately, finding Joe Bananas was not an easy task. So after a day acclimatising on Anjuna beach we pick up a couple of Royal Enfield motorcycles and head north in search of the legend. The beach road, north towards Chapora and Vagator, is an awesome ride. Riding out of Anjuna you have to go inland through yellow fields with local kids playing cricket on makeshift pitches, all hoping to be the next Tendulkar. Turning north on the main road it’s up over lush green hills, back into the trees protecting the beach and through little villages,
arambool beach vagator beach asvem beach
mandovi river
anjuna
GOA, INDIA arabian sea
get in the know! Royal Enfield launched its first motorcycle in 1909, a small 21/4 horsepower V twin-engine machine built in the Swiss tradition.
MOTORBIKE SPECIAL
where beer barns seem to outnumber houses. With warnings of the dangers on India’s roads ringing loudly in my ears we’re pleasantly surprised by the roads in Goa. Sure, there is the inevitable semitrailer taking up the entire road with a bus overtaking every few kilometres, thus testing the brakes of the Enfields regularly, but so long as you don’t ride like Evil Knievel things should go smoothly. The guidebooks are right in that Chapora and Vagator have both suffered from the spread of the tourist trail from Anjuna. We pull our bikes up at the top of Vagator Beach and look north at the stunning coastline weaving it’s way through rocky enclaves and unspoilt beaches and contemplate forging ahead. The lure of a famous “rave party” keeps us in Vagator for the night however, and we delay our search for Joe Bananas and its infamous patron. We woke early after a monster evening at Club Merc, where I met the happiest man in India: “I am so happy! You must buy this pill! I am taking
denser as the river disappears. A sign promoting a bar restaurant called Silent again interrupts our once precious mission and for the next three nights we experience the true Goa. Delicious Goan curries for breakfast, lunch and dinner; each costing less than a pack of jelly snakes back home. We’ve our own stilted bungalows, ten steps from the sea. Made from bamboo with a small balcony, they were simply furnished with a mini ceiling fan, double bed with mosquito net and single bulb light. Yet, with a view straight out the door from the bed to the peaceful, near empty beach, we felt like we were blessed with life’s riches. We had spent a couple of nights in Mumbai before heading to Goa at the much vaunted Taj Mahal Hotel, a stunning 5 star beauty, the pride of Indian architecture, each room with its own butler. In all honesty though, when it comes to serenity, the Taj could not compare to my $5 bungalow on Asvem Beach.
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I am so happy! You must buy this pill! I am taking one at nine o’clock! It is twelve o’clock and still happy!
one at nine o’clock! It is twelve o’clock and still happy!” We declined, but still managed a great night. We now headed north again, looking forward not only to meeting Eight Fingers but also to a couple of evenings of really chilling out and enjoying the surroundings. The main beauty of motorcycle travel is that you are free to explore. The sites, sounds and smells surround you and not being enclosed in a vehicle seems to stimulate the senses, inspiring the adventurous spirit. We cruise over the bridge crossing the Mandovi River. Looking left the river mouth opens up to the Arabian Sea with fishermen cleaning nets and children swimming along the shores. Inland, the river snakes into the hills with women washing on the riverbanks and the green foliage growing
get in the know! India has no rabbits in the wild – only hares!
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Our days consisted of morning explorations into the towns further north including Arambool Beach, where the hippies have supposedly migrated to, and inland up into the hills through small agricultural villages, inhabited by apparently content locals, waving as we pass. The afternoons are lounged away; stomachs full of chicken makhani and aloo gobi, washed down with ice cold Kingfisher beers brought out by our new friend Sachin. A snooze in the evening sun is disturbed by the locals setting up a cricket oval on the beach and to chants of “Glenn McGrath, Glenn McGrath” I storm in off a long run almost dislocating my shoulder in an attempt to live up to their expectations. Two sixes and two fours off my first over from a kid who looks about seven and I’m spelled to long off never to return. Proving handier with the bat they start to
chant “Hayden’s a wanker!” I’m clean bowled soon after by an old guy who I’m sure was chucking. On the third day we realise that time is running out to track down Eight Fingers. Sachin, who seems to know everyone and everything, tells us that Joe Bananas is actually back in the trees behind the famous Anjuna Wednesday Flea Market so we leap onto our metal steeds and gallop back down to Anjuna. It’s Wednesday and the flea market is teething with hippies, drop outs, package tourists, backpackers, locals and the like. We wade through to the back streets and there amongst a group of local houses, a dilapidated old sign out front, is Joe Bananas. A courtyard covered in overgrown vines shelters a few tables with an eclectic group sitting randomly amongst them. Whilst Jerry wanders inside to order some food I spot an elderly man, old and rake thin (picture Mick Jagger in another 50 years after being crossed with Keith Richards). “It couldn’t be,” I think aloud. Then, as I check my watch to see if we’re on time, sure enough he reaches for his orange juice with his right hand, which is missing both ring and pinky. “It’s Eight Finger Eddie, it’s Eight Finger Eddie!” I tell Jerry. “Are you sure?” A quick mental sum of ten minus two and I’m positive (would be embarrassing if he was Seven Finger Stephen). After a quick introduction Eddie proves to be a thorough gentleman, kindly enquiring if Uncle Bob is still alive (I imagine that is a common query from Eddie about his old friends). Eddie dropped out nearly forty years ago. He has seen Anjuna back when it was nothing but nudity and naughtiness through to the ever developing package tours swarming over the famous flea market. He ventured up to Vagator then further again to Arambool, but inevitably he found his way back to Anjuna and Joe Bananas. It is now his home and it is hard to imagine a man more content.
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text + images: steve davey destination: worldwide
Steve Davey looks at the tricks of the trade of night photography.
I
t’s been a long day of photographing and you’re looking forward to mulling over the images you’ve captured while sipping on a relaxing drink. But hold off reaching for that sundowner, because while the sun may disappear each evening, great photo-opportunities don’t. In fact, if you can master its tricks, night time photography will have you viewing – and capturing – the world in a whole new light. We live in an age of light pollution where sunlight is often superfluous. As dusk falls, buildings light up like Christmas trees and cities from New York to Novokuznetsk come alive with an incandescent electrical glow that presents travel snappers with both challenges and rewards. But many night photographers are often disappointed with the results of their efforts. Images turn out too dark, or blurred, and often both. But if you follow our simple rules, you too can find the light in the dark.
Don’t Wait Too Long
The single most important thing that you can do to improve your night photography is to shoot before the sky gets too dark. A dusk sky – that hour after the sun dips below the horizon – will render in the final picture as an atmospheric dark blue or even dark purple – rather than an inky blackness. Your images will look more balanced and you will capture detail in parts of your subject that aren’t particularly illuminated to the naked eye.
Fill The Frame
If you do take pictures after the sky has become black, then you should crop in close to the subject, filling the frame with as much light as possible. This will make the picture more interesting. A creative way of doing this is to use reflections to add to the image, whether by using water such as with this palace in Budapest (right), or even lights on wet roads or pavements. Filling the frame will also help the camera to better select the correct exposure. #88 get lost! ISSUE #04
Beware Contrast
If you have a light source and a lit subject in the same picture, the contrast will be too great for them to both render correctly, and generally speaking the camera will set exposure for the brightest point. To approximate this effect you should try squinting. You will be able to see the highlights, but no detail in the darker areas. To correct for this, take your light reading from an average lit part of the scene. For instance in a street scene, crop out the street lights and take a light reading from the road or a floodlit building. If you are photographing a group of people round a bonfire, take the light reading from the people. In both cases, light parts in the picture will bleach out completely when you take the final picture, but this will make the image more dramatic. You should also try taking a few pictures at different exposures to make sure that you get one with a good exposure. This is called bracketing.
Get More Legs
To get good night shots you will need a tripod. Carrying one is a pain when you are travelling but is always worth the trouble, although if you have a compact camera you can get away with a very small ‘table-top’ tripod. Without one, your pictures will show camera shake – when the camera moves during exposure. You should also use a cable release if your camera has the ability to plug one in, as this will stop you vibrating the camera when you press the shutter release. Cheaper cameras don’t tend to take a cable release, but they often have self-timers which do a similar thing – just as good albeit a slower process! If you don’t have a tripod, prop your camera on any flat surface – such as a wall or a table. Some people advocate bean-bags, but you need quite a heavy camera to make them work. right: The reflections from this palace in Budapest have helped balance the image, filling the frame with light and colour, despite the fact that the sky is completely black.
get in the know! Hungarian-born photographer Brassai photographed Paris by night in the 1930s. None of his pictures had people in them.
NIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY
above left: A classic shot of the Eiffel Tower, with the floodlights balanced by the colour left in the sky. above right: Mixing fill-in flash with a long exposure and movement gives a dynamic shot of a London bus passing neon lights.
get in the know! Diopter correction lens on a camera viewfinder allows people to focus without wearing glasses.
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Many cameras – even some quite simple ones – have a featurewhereby you can mix flash and available light.
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background image: Overlooking the city of Malaga. Taking the picture when there is still light in the sky means that there is much more detail in the final image. far left: Flash gives a fairly unattractive and harsh light source, but it is good for freezing movement such as this bull run at the Feria de Nimes. above: Ultimate night photography – a 15 minute exposure of Uluru by moonlight. The exposure was so long that the stars have moved: hence the trails in the sky.
Get Blurred
There are times when you want to have blur and movement in the shot. Having people and especially cars moving during the exposure can make for a more dynamic image, the blur immediately indicating ‘action’. It can often be difficult to set longer exposures on a simple, point and shoot camera, where you don’t have manual control. One way to get the longest speeds possible is to manually switch the flash off, forcing the camera to rely on available light.
Get Flash
In general, flash guns are pretty useless to light a scene. They give horribly harsh light and only work on a single plane: anything in front will be too light, everything in behind will be too dark. In-built flashes are also pathetically weak, and only effective for a few feet in front of the camera. That being said, sometimes flash can be useful, for instance when freezing movement such as this bull run in France (above), and to provide secondary ‘fill’ light.
In The Mix
Many cameras – even some quite simple ones – have a feature whereby you can mix flash
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WINNER: CONGRATULATIONS MATT MACKAY FOR HIS WINNING PHOTO OF WILASA GETTING A HAIRCUT, SRI LANKA. www.crumpler.com.au #90 get lost! ISSUE #04
and available light. This will still freeze any motion, but will also allow the ambient light to register. This is a good setting for parties and clubs, as it will make your pictures much more exciting.
Interiors
Just because there is a lot of ambient light outside at night, this doesn’t mean that you should avoid interiors. For many people, bars, cafes and clubs are more synonymous with the nightlife of many cities than old floodlit buildings. Again, try to avoid using flash. A tripod or stable setting for your camera – to facilitate longer exposures – is almost mandatory in these situations.
Ultimate Night Photography
It is possible to take night shots even if there are no artificial lights. The moon gives out a surprising amount of light – especially when it is full. You will need to give an exposure of at least ten minutes, but you should ‘bracket’ widely just to make sure you get a correct exposure. With exposures this long, the stars will move in your picture giving interesting light trails.
How to shoot anything that moves, from camel racing in India to Thai boxing.
get in the know! The Hubble Space Telescope has been taking night photographs since 1990. See them on www.hubblesite.org