Dug Der Festival

Dugderan

Annual festival, one week before fasting month, or puasa. The name is derived from the sound of bedug ("Dug" - the sound of a gigantic drum often associated with Islam), and meriam bambu ("Der" - the sound of the traditional bamboo cannon). At the end of the festival, there's "Ngarak Warak", meaning a procession to bring Warak across the city's main street (normally from the Mayor's office to the Johar Market). The Warak is a mythical animal, with the body of an Arab buraq, the head of a Chinese dragon, and the legs of a Javanese goat. It's the icon of the festival and symbolizes the three cultures, Arab, Chinese, and Javanese in Semarang. You can buy toys at the festival, normally a warak laying an egg, thus the name "Warak Ngendog".

• market

Address

Johar, Kota Lama, Polder Tawang