Upholding local values may take royal effort<\/p>\n
Slamet Susanto, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta<\/p>\n
The royal families of Indonesia have pledged to make their
\npalaces culture centers, after the recent Indonesia Palace
\nFestival -- or Festival Keraton Nusantara (FKN) IV, as it is
\npopularly called -- united the representatives of 42 palaces
\nhere, from Sept. 26 through Sept. 29.<\/p>\n
The pledge was made during a two-day dialog on Sept.27 and
\nSept. 28 at the festival, which was also attended by academics,
\nhistorians and the tourism community.<\/p>\n
Held at the Inna Garuda Yogyakarta Hotel on Jl. Malioboro, the
\ndialog addressed the festival's central theme Merajut Kearifan
\nBudaya Lokal, Merekat Persatuan dan Kesatuan Bangsa (Integrating
\nLocal Cultural Wisdom and Consolidating National Unity).<\/p>\n
Historian Djoko Suryo of the Yogyakarta-based Gadjah Mada
\nUniversity (UGM), who chaired the team that organized the dialog,
\nsaid the establishment of a so-termed dewan adat (customs board)
\nhad also been agreed upon, whereby representatives of the palaces
\nwould take an advisory role in local politics.<\/p>\n
\"It is hoped that the board can help resolve conflicts in the
\ncommunity,\" said Djoko, who is also chairman of the Yogyakarta
\nArts Board.<\/p>\n
As centers of culture, Djoko said, the palaces would maintain
\nlocal values in order to encourage development.<\/p>\n
The lack of such values in the community, he said, led to
\nprimitive, chauvinistic and superior attitudes which, in turn,
\nled to conflict.<\/p>\n
Speaking at the dialog, Gray Koes Murtiyah of Surakarta Palace
\nhighlighted the vital role of the palaces today, given the
\ntraditional values they stood for, which many locals appreciated
\nand abided by.<\/p>\n
That's why, she said, maintaining local values and traditions
\nis a must for a palace.<\/p>\n
\"There are many in society who are not afraid to break the
\nlaw, but are afraid to violate traditions and local values for
\nfear of the consequences,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Another participant, Bone Regent Andi Muhammad Idris
\nGaligo, who is a descendant of the sultan of Bone Palace, said
\nthat, if the royal family maintained traditions and local values,
\nthe tourist industry would benefit. Bone is in South Sulawesi
\nprovince.<\/p>\n
In Bone, for example, the palace had been turned into a museum
\nwith the cooperation of the local administration and customary
\npractices were established to maintain traditions.<\/p>\n
\"Although there is no longer a ruler, he is still a prominent
\nsymbol of the community. Hopefully the palace will draw tourists
\nto Bone and generate income for the region,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Speaking in the same dialog, GBPH Joyokusumo of Yogyakarta
\nPalace, however, said that place representatives needed to
\ninteract with the outside world for palaces to become cultural
\ncenters.<\/p>\n
\"We have to be creative in dealing with change,<\/p>\n
\"If a palace simply vanished from our collective memory, it
\nwould be because the royal family had failed to make it relevant
\nto the community,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/upholding-local-values-may-take-royal-effort-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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