Try opens week-long second 'Kraton' Festival<\/p>\n
By K. Basrie<\/p>\n
CIREBON, West Java (JP): Vice President Try Sutrisno opened
\nthe second Kraton (royal court) Festival in a colorful regal
\nceremony that drew thousands of spectators yesterday.<\/p>\n
Tourists, locals and festival participants thronged the
\nfootball field-size Sangkakala Square, opposite the 468-year-old
\nKasepuhan Palace, and adjacent streets for a glimpse of princes,
\nprincesses and the traditions of Indonesia's few surviving royal
\ncourts.<\/p>\n
West Java Governor R. Nuriana, who is hosting the week-long
\nfestival, said that about 3,000 people from 23 royal courts in 13
\nprovinces were taking part.<\/p>\n
In his speech, Try thanked organizers for holding the festival
\nwhich aimed to preserve the country's wide array of traditions
\nand ethnic culture.<\/p>\n
\"We are grateful that the royal courts, which are scattered
\nacross our beloved archipelago, still command the people's
\nrespect, particularly in their role as centers for preserving and
\ndeveloping our culture,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Besides boosting the nation's tourist industry, the festival
\npresented an opportunity to discuss royal court traditions and
\nvalues and promote their role as cultural centers, he said.<\/p>\n
The guests at the opening ceremony included Coordinating
\nMinister for People's Welfare Azwar Anas, Minister of Tourism,
\nPost and Telecommunications Joop Ave, Minister of Education and
\nCulture Wardiman Djojonegoro and Minister of Home Affairs Moch.
\nYogie S.M.<\/p>\n
After opening the festival, Try and Joop Ave signed first-day
\ncommemorative stamps to mark the event.<\/p>\n
The guests and spectators were then entertained by a 15-minute
\nperformance by a 200-strong dance troupe. The number, Abyoring
\nDwaja Salaksa, depicted the role of royal courts before and after
\nIndonesia's independence in 1945.<\/p>\n
After the performance, soldiers paraded in the colorful garb
\nof the participating royal courts. The procession was about three
\nkilometers long.<\/p>\n
The spectators lined the streets and greeted them
\nenthusiastically.<\/p>\n
But chaos reigned after the ceremony as people headed home.
\nCars, many bearing Jakarta license plates, were bumper-to-bumper
\nas they headed out of Cirebon.<\/p>\n
Designed to help preserve the royal courts, including their
\nattributes and traditions, the festival was estimated to cost Rp
\n2.7 billion (US$1.1 million), said Sri Kuncoro, the head of
\nCirebon's tourist office and the organizing committee secretary.<\/p>\n
The first Kraton Festival was held in 1995 in Surakarta, also
\nknown as Solo, in Central Java.<\/p>\n
Scores of kraton rulers, princes, princesses and their
\ncourtiers are here for the week-long festival to participate in
\nheirloom displays, ritual dances and other regal ceremonies.<\/p>\n
The events, which are open to the public, are being held at
\nCirebon's three palaces -- Kasepuhan, Kacirebonan and Kanoman --
\nand three public squares.<\/p>\n
All but one of Indonesia's sultanates have been stripped of
\ntheir remaining power and privileges since independence in 1945.<\/p>\n
The Yogyakarta sultanate has special status in recognition of
\nits contribution to the nation's independence struggle.
\nYogyakarta was once the administrative center of the young
\nrepublic at the height of its conflict with the returning Dutch
\ncolonial forces after World War II.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/try-opens-week-long-second-kraton-festival-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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