Palace festival mascot unveiled

Palace festival mascot unveiled

YOGYAKARTA: Sultan Hamengkubuwono X officially unveiled on
Wednesday evening the mascot for the Festival Kraton Nusantara
IV. The mascot is a manggoloyudo (royal warlord) riding a horse
and holding a weapon in his right hand.

Speaking during the unveiling, the Sultan, who is also the
governor of Yogyakarta, said the festival, which will be held
from Sep. 19 to Sep. 23 at the Yogyakarta Palace, was part of
efforts to conserve traditional culture.

Yogyakarta Palace was chosen as the festival's venue, he said,
because of its historical status as the center of development of
local culture.

The chairman of the festival's organizing committee, GBPH
Hadiwinoto, said the mascot was meant as a description and a
challenge to the country's palaces.

The palaces, he said, should be optimistic in facing future
developments and should model themselves on war commanders of the
past.

"In the future, the palaces have to be able to integrate
themselves with the people and the changes going on around them.
It is not the time to glorify the greatness of the past,"
Hadiwinoto said, adding that over 30 palaces throughout the
country were expected to take part in the festival. --JP