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.