The Meaning Behind the Bau Nyale Festival in Mandalika, Lombok

Various regions with a wealth of charm can truly only be found #DiIndonesiaAja, right? It's not just the stunning landscapes and mouth-watering culinary delights, but also the unique customs and cultures that leave a lasting impression. One such example can be found in Lombok, specifically at the Bau Nyale Festival. This traditional ritual has successfully boosted the interest of both local and international tourists. Curious about what the Bau Nyale Festival is?

Let’s find out more below!

Becoming an Effort to Preserve Cultural Traditions in Lombok

This legendary festival on Lombok Island is deeply rooted in the history and culture of the local people of Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara. Bau Nyale is an annual event that is always celebrated enthusiastically by the local community. Due to the excitement of the locals, tourists have become increasingly curious and flock to witness it. The cultural values and beliefs of the local people, passed down through generations, certainly need to be preserved and maintained. This is truly worth emulating!

Let’s get to know the legend of Princess Mandalika and Bau Nyale!

To delve further, Bau Nyale is a cultural event that stems from the legend of Putri Mandalika. Putri Mandalika was the daughter of a prominent king in Lombok, known for her beauty and renowned kindness. Because of her grace, many princes sought to marry her. However, this sparked intense competition and conflict among the suitors, which posed a threat to the harmony of the Lombok community. 

In an effort to preserve harmony, Putri Mandalika went into meditation and received a divine revelation. She invited all of her suitors to Bukit Seger (Seger Hill) and, instead of choosing one prince, she declared that she could not pick any of them. Instead, she expressed her love for all the people of Lombok and, in a heartbreaking decision, threw herself into the sea.  Witnessing this, everyone who was present at the hill immediately jumped into the sea to save her, but none succeeded in finding her. After her disappearance, colorful worms appeared in great numbers along the shore where Putri Mandalika had vanished. These worms were later named nyale—symbolizing the princess’s selfless love for her people and her ultimate sacrifice.

Since then, the local community has believed that the nyale are the reincarnation of Princess Mandalika's hair. To honor her, a traditional ritual is held every 20th day of the 10th month (according to the Sasak Calendar), which coincides with the time when Princess Mandalika disappeared. Just for information, in the Sasak language, bau means "to catch," and nyale refers to a type of sea worm that lives in holes and coral reefs beneath the ocean’s surface. Therefore, this tradition literally means "catching sea worms," a symbolic act to remember the princess’s sacrifice and her enduring love for the people of Lombok.

Here are the events of the 2021 Bau Nyale Festival

During the Bau Nyale Festival, locals who are going to catch the nyale gather on the beach in the afternoon and set up a peresean (camp), then fill the evening with traditional arts such as betandak (exchanging rhymes), bejambik (giving souvenirs to lovers) and belancaran (boat cruise). The process of catching these sea worms begins at night until dawn. The captured Nyale are later cooked and eaten by the local community as a form of love for Putri Mandalika.

However, in the midst of a pandemic situation, the Bau Nyale Festival is celebrated in a slightly different way, which is hybrid. The catching of nyale is carried out by following strict health protocols on 3-4 March 2021 and other entertainment such as a series of entertainment events and traditional arts are carried out virtually, broadcast through the NTB Tourism Office's website and social media, such as Facebook and YouTube.

This year, the Bau Nyale Festival was also organised in conjunction with Gernas BBI, which was specifically created for the NTB Creative Shopping Month held in conjunction with Bank Indonesia. The event included a creative economy dialogue held on Friday (5/3) afternoon at Novotel Hotel, Kuta Mandalika, Central Lombok. 

Enjoying the Stunning Natural Beauty of Mandalika

Apart from the appeal of the Bau Nyale Festival, there are many interesting destinations that can be enjoyed when visiting Lombok, one of which is Mandalika. The Special Economic Zone that will host the 2021 MotoGP at the Mandalika Circuit is included in the Super Priority Destinations and has promising tourism potential, such as Tanjung Aan Beach, Kuta Beach, and Serenting Beach. Eits! The sensation of sports tourism with the choice of triathlon in Mandalika is also very worth trying, you know!