Ponorogo hosts 'reog' festival

Ponorogo hosts 'reog' festival

PONOROGO, East Java: The eighth reog festival was held this
weekend at the birthplace of the traditional dance, featuring 29
groups from provinces across the country.

On Saturday, State Minister of Culture and Tourism I Gde
Ardika opened the annual festival, which precedes the Islamic New
Year celebration this Friday.

"Through these festivities, we inform the Indonesian people
that our culture is available for them to enjoy as well -- that
it is not only for foreign tourists," Ardika said in the opening
ceremony at the town's square.

Indonesian cultures, he added, should be promoted to the
Indonesian people first, before foreigners, in the interest of
preservation.

The main attraction of reog, which incorporates dance, music
and mysticism, is a man shouldering a giant mask of a lion moving
to the rhythm of traditional music. -- Antara