Grebeg Sudiro Cultural Parade Showcases Javanese-Chinese Harmony
Participants joined the Grebeg Sudiro cultural parade (kirab budaya) in the Pasar Gede area, Solo, Central Java, on Sunday (15/2/2026). The event, held every year ahead of Chinese New Year (Imlek), serves as a symbol of the acculturation of Javanese and Chinese cultures among the residents of Sudiroprajan Village.
The parade also functions as a tourism draw for Lunar New Year visitors to the city of Solo.
The Grebeg Sudiro showcases the harmonious relationship between the Chinese and Javanese communities who live within one district, respecting each other’s traditions and way of life. Chinese-Javanese communities in the royal city of Solo (Surakarta) celebrate Chinese New Year with the Grebeg Sudiro carnival, which highlights the acculturation between Chinese and Javanese cultures.
Grebeg Sudiro is the fusion of Chinese and Javanese traditions, symbolising the essence of tolerance. This unique cultural blend emerged in 2007, taking inspiration from the pre-existing Buk Teko tradition.
The Grebeg Sudiro mountain-shaped offerings, known as gunungan, are constructed of thousands of Chinese sweet cakes known as kue keranjang, made especially for the Lunar New Year. The gunungan is paraded around the Sudiroprajan area, followed by Chinese and Javanese musicians and dancers in traditional costumes.
The crowds are encouraged to obtain the offerings as they embody the Javanese philosophy of “ora babah ora mamah,” meaning “you have to earn what you eat.”
The gunungan jaler (male) and gunungan estri (female) are very clearly nuanced in Javanese culture, and the event symbolises the acculturation of Javanese culture with Chinese culture.
With the theme “Harmony in Diversity,” the festival highlights the cultural fusion of the Javanese and Chinese communities, a tradition passed down through generations in Sudiroprajan.
Grebeg Sudiro and Chinese New Year celebrations provide momentum for the unity of the Javanese and Chinese ethnic groups. Every time the celebration is held, it receives a warm welcome from the people of Surakarta City. The celebration demonstrates that the fabric of harmony and unity in society is not limited to the Indonesian motto “Bhinneka Tunggal Ika” but can truly live and take real form in a pluralistic society.