'Sekaten' night market gets new look

'Sekaten' night market gets new look

Sri Wahyuni, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta

If you were to visit Yogyakarta's Alun-Alun Utara (northern
square) in search of the night market you might be surprised by
the venue's new look.

Thanks to private Surabaya-based event-organizer PT Citra
Pamerindo, the once traditional market or sekaten has been
transformed into an entertainment and trade expo. The market,
which was previously run by the Yogyakarta administration, has
also been renamed Jogja Expo Sekaten (JES) '04.

"We were invited by the city administration to make the event,
not just nationally recognized, but internationally, if
possible," the company's president director Taufik Ismail told
The Jakarta Post recently.

The company arrived at the concept for the event after careful
consideration.

"The main objective was to make the expo not just
a cultural and religious event but also a business venture that
would attract more people to the city. We are confident that we
will achieve our objectives in say three or four years,"
executive of the company Siswo Prayitno said.

The market has also been surrounded by two-meter plywood
walls, which have been colorfully decorated. The entrance to the
market is on the north side and the exit on the west side.

Visitors are asked to pay a small entrance fee, although the
ticket price is twice that of the old night market -- at Rp 2,500
per person on weekdays; and Rp 3,500 on weekends, holidays or for
special events.

Exhibitors must also pay nearly 20 times the previous rental
fee for a space at the expo. Thus, the rental rate of Rp 20,000
to Rp 35,000 per square meter is now Rp 600,000 per square meter.
The smallest space available is five square meters.

"The rate includes air conditioning and a booth. Exhibitors
only need to bring the merchandise," Siswo said.

For exhibitors who can't afford the air-conditioned booths,
non-air conditioned booths are available and also a special area
for street vendors.

"The 1,500-square-meter area is located in front of the Masjid
Gedhe grand mosque, west of the square. It will be free for
traditional vendors in the last 10 days of JES. We hope that
traders of pecut (whips) and kinang (betel leaves), for example,
will participate, as has traditionally been the case," Siswo
said.

Street vendors and traditional small-scale traders had
initially been worried that they would not be able to afford to
the rental fee for JES.

Besides attractions such as the Gelanggang Samudra show from
Dunia Fantasi Taman Impian Jaya Ancol, Jakarta, and an acrobatic
performance group from China, Citra Pamerindo also provides
traditional entertainment and playgrounds for children.

Sekaten itself is an event held every Mulud according to the
Javanese calendar to celebrate Prophet Muhammad's birthday, which
will fall on May 2 this year.

It was originally held for seven days, opening with the
Gamelan Sekaten (special Indonesian orchestral event) and closing
with the ritual locally known as Garebeg.

The night market, held ahead of the main celebration also
functions as a means for communications between the government
and the people.

JES '04 was officially opened by the Yogyakarta Governor,
Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, on March 26 -- or 38 days ahead of the
Prophet's birthday.

This year, according to Taufik Ismail, the company has focused
on marketing the event internationally, while leaving traditional
rituals and religious elements untouched.

"We will modernize the event, but step by step, little by
little so that the meaning is maintained," Taufik said.

He said that although the company had invested some Rp 3
billion in JES '04, Citra Pamerindo did not expect to make a
profit straightaway. Rather, its participation was a long-term
investment.

Taufik claimed that changing the image of the event was more
important than profitability. Besides, he confided, the company
had only had two months to prepare for JES '04.

A number of famous artists and entertainers are scheduled to
perform at this year's event, including Element Band, Tamara
Blezinsky, Dessy Ratnasari, Mayangsari, Sarah Azhari, Denada, Ira
Swara, Chintya Sari, and Didi Kempot.

"We expect a total of over 500,000 visitors," said Siswo,
adding that 15 percent of the ticket price would directly go to
the city administration.

Some, including local councilors of the municipal legislative
council, however, have expressed concern that JES will change the
meaning of the sekaten celebration. They say that it could become
too commercial and will lack character.

However, Yogyakarta Mayor Herry Zudianto expressed hope that
changing the sekaten night market into JES would benefit local
industries and bring more investors to the city.

"I hope that it will also attract international investors,"
Herry said.

The Sultan, said that the increased economic activity of JES
would be a reflection of the city's community spirit.

"This is because is not orientated toward profit accumulation
but toward a local collective energy," he said.