Hiri Island Festival Ternate Become an Annual Event

INDUSTRY.co.id - Hiri Island festival that was held in Hiri Island, Ternate City, North Maluku (Malut) on 16-23 September 2017, will be made an annual agenda, to attract tourists to visit this area.

Mayor of Ternate, Burhan Abdurrahman when opening Hiri Island Festival in Faudu Village, Hiri Island, Saturday (16/09/2017) said Ternate Municipal Government will allocate budget through APBD to support the festival's implementation every year.

The tourism sector is one of the priority sectors in Ternate City, therefore Ternate Municipal Government will always give support to every activity that can give contribution for the progress of tourism sector of this region, such as the organizing of Hiri Island Festival.

"Ternate local government appreciate the people of Hiri Island who initiated this Hiri Island Festival and in the future is expected to contribute to improving the welfare of local people, especially from tourism business activities," he said.

Ternate Municipal Government will fix various infrastructure in Hiri Island, including infrastructure related to tourism to provide comfort to the community and tourists visiting the island which is located about 2 miles from the island of Ternate.

Meanwhile, one of Hiri Island community figures, Ahmad Rakib said that the Hiri Island Festival is also a momentum to revive the local wisdom that has been abandoned in the area.

Local wisdom is among the tradition of babari or gotong royong (Work Together), catching fish by using kites, giving the opportunity beristrahat or abstinence fishing at a certain time and clean the sea.

"All local wisdom will be displayed at the Hiri Island Festival in 2017, so it is expected to be a boost for local people to preserve it," he said.

At the Festival of Hiri Island, there are also various other activities, such as the appearance of soya - soya mass dance, traditional boat parade and various kebarihan competitions, such as traditional boat rowing competitions.