Water Fight Festival
We read this advertisement somehow on the street. Hmm.. water fight festival in the middle of hot summer sounds a good event to join in, isn't it?
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| Water Fight Festival Advertisement |
In South East Asia, the water fight festival is quite common. It is not a stand alone activity but as part of the traditional ceremony. In Thailand for example the festival known as Songkran, a new year and Buddhist festival celebrations. Songkran is a symbol of cleaning and renewal. People wash the image of Buddha and use the water to pour each other. The similar ceremony is also held in Cambodia known as Chaul Chnam Thmey, and Thingyan festival in Myanmar.
In Indonesia, people do water fight as part of Erau traditional ceremony in Tenggarong, Kutai Kartanegara, East Kalimantan. In Kutai local language, Erau means crowded, noisy, joyful. The ceremony held on every September. It is to commemorate a title granted to a person/persons for their outstanding service to the kingdom of Kutai. The act of throwing water on each other in the Erau ceremony called Belimbur.
We don't really know the meaning behind the water fight festival in Sulaymani but for sure everyone seemed looking forward to joining the event. When we arrived in Azadi Park around 2.10 PM, it was already full of people. Some of them were carrying colorful plastic water gun or small plastic bucket.
There were water tank cars too in different side of the park. Several men standing on top of the car holding a big hose and sprayed water to the crowd. It was really full of fun !
My hubby and I got wet a little but we got dry very quickly. We stayed at the Azadi Park for one hour and then walked to Zara Supermarket & Restaurant. This was how we ended up, having a salad for two..yummy!
