Costumes and dance enrich cultural exhibition

Costumes and dance enrich cultural exhibition

Sri Wahyuni, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta

For Javanese people, especially people from Yogyakarta, the
cultures of the royal family and the common people were extremely
different in the past, a result of Dutch colonization which was
marked by a divide-and-rule policy.

With the passing of time though, the cultures of both groups
have blended, enriching the existence of contemporary culture.

Even Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, who is also Yogyakarta's
governor, said that cultural dynamics have always involved
interaction, dialog and mobility, resulting in cultural synthesis
with a more qualified gradation.

"The existence of a dichotomy between the palace's culture and
the people's is actually rooted in the Dutch's divide-and-rule
policy during colonization. I don't agree with that.

"There is even a form of culture that both the palace and the
people, together, comprehend fully. Therefore, I do hope that
this event will be able to touch our deeper concerns and love for
our own culture," he said in a written statement at the opening
of the Gelar Seni Istana dan Rakyat (The Palace and People's Art
Exhibition), held at the Yogyakarta Palace on Sept. 29 to
commemorate the palace's 254th anniversary.

The event featured the royal family's traditional costumes and
dances.

Busana Pinjung Padintenan (Sultan's teenage daughter's daily
costumes) and Busana Grebegan Kakung or Busana Kanigaran
(Prince's official costumes for attending Grebeg religous
ceremonies at the palace) were displayed in conjunction with
farmers' or village chiefs' costumes worn in the past.

Other royal costumes included the Busana Malem Selikur
(Prince's costume to be worn on the 21st night of Ramadhan),
Busana Semekan Sutra Bleg-blegan (Sultan's married daughter's
costumes for attending a ceremony at the palace), Busana Resepsi
Agung (Sultan's married daughter's costumes for hosting noble
guests) and Busana Kampuhan Remaja (Sultan's teenage daughter's
costumes for attending Grebeg ceremonies).

The event, which was fully organized and presented by
Paguyuban Trah Hamengkubuwono I (The Association of
Hamengkubuwono I's Ancestry), also presented two dance
performances, Dwi Naga Rasa Tunggal and Tameng Tumbak Pamungkas.

Sunaryadi, who was also vice chairman of the event's
organizing body, choreographed both dances.

Dwi Naga Rasa Tunggal was inspired by the history of the
establishment of the Yogyakarta Palace. The piece was named after
the candra sengkala, a Javanese phrase containing four words used
to describe a particular year. Dwi Naga Rasa Tunggal, in this
case, is the candra sengkala of the year when the palace was
established, which is read as 1682.

Performed by nine female dancers, wearing makeup applied in
Yogyakarta's unique royal style and costumes with a dragon scale
design dominated by green, black, and white, the 52-minute dance
portrayed how Prince Mangkubumi established Yogyakarta Palace and
was crowned as Sultan Hamengkubuwono I.

Tameng Tunggak Pamungkas, which was performed by four male
dancers, on the other hand, described the strength and bravery of
Prince Mangkubumi's soldiers during the war.

The name of the dance, according to Sunaryadi, commemorates an
event in the Tidar area, where Prince Mangkubumi succeeded in
escaping from his enemy after hiding behind a log.

The prince later took the log and made it into a small kendang
(a traditional drum). The kendang, which was later named Kanjeng
Kyai Meyek, is held as sacred property of the Yogyakarta Palace.