Kotagede festival opens

Kotagede festival opens

YOGYAKARTA: A two-week festival featuring traditional arts,
performances and cuisine began on Thursday in Kotagede,
about five kilometers southeast of Yogyakarta.

"We plan to hold Festival Kotagede every August," said the
chairman of the festival's organizing committee, M. Natsier.

The event ends on Sept. 2.

According to Natsier, one reason people in Kotagede are
participating in the festival is to change the image of the town
as merely a town of silversmiths. The organizers are all Kotagede
residents.

"In fact, we have more than just silver. We are rich in
various kinds of traditional and cultural inheritance. And not
all of them are well exposed," said Natsier, adding that the town
has great tourism potential.

Several plays and traditional folk performances will be staged
during the festival. They include the Egrang (stilts) race,
Bathok (coconut shell) race, palm tree climbing and arm
wrestling.

The folk performances include Jathilan, traditional music
keroncong, traditional drama ketoprak, traditional song mocopatan
and shadow puppet shows.

"Hopefully, this festival will be more than just fun. Kotagede
people wish to get something good for the city," Natsier said.
(swa)