'RCTI' drops 'Syanghyang Dedari'

'RCTI' drops 'Syanghyang Dedari'

DENPASAR, Bali (JP): The private TV station, RCTI, has dropped
the Balinese dance show, Sanghyang Dedari, from its Millennium
Day Broadcast scheduled for the New Year's Eve program following
a request from the local administration.

RCTI operations director Nenny Soemawinata told a media
conference at the Governor's office on Thursday that the sacred
dance, performed by two teenage girls in a trance on the
shoulders of two men, would possibly offend Hindu followers.

Nenny said that RCTI held a closed meeting with officials,
including the governor, the speaker of the provincial legislative
council, head of the Ministry of Religious Affairs office and the
head of the provincial information office, to discuss the issue.

"As this (show) touches on two sensitive issues, tradition and
religion, we decided to drop the dance," Nenny said.

The Millennium Day Broadcast is a joint cultural program
between RCTI and private TV stations from 44 countries.

"The problem is that the dance depicting purity and fertility
is not performed at a special ceremony or ritual, but only for
entertainment on TV. This evokes a negative response from the
Balinese," said Ngurah Gde, head of the provincial information
office.

RCTI could record Sanghyang Dedari when it is performed at a
special ritual, the officials suggested.

Cultural observer Nyoman Gde Sugiharta said, however, that the
ban was confusing. The Balinese and the provincial administration
have no clear definition of sacred and profane cultural shows.

A religious song, Kidung Wargasari, was earlier used as an
illustration of a romance scene on Nusa Penida, a film produced
by the local administration. The Saigon Kick group had jumped
down in front of a temple in its video clip. No one has
protested. (zen)