Solo to host the first Royal Palace Festival next month

JAKARTA (JP): Make a date for a rare gathering of kings, queens, princes and princesses with their troupe of guards and dancers from Indonesia's remaining few royal palaces, next month in Surakarta, Central Java.

Surakarta, popularly known as Solo, will host the first Indonesian Royal Palace Festival on July 1-7.

The festival serves as a reminder that the republic, which celebrates its 50th Independence anniversary this year, still has a few remaining royal palaces, regarded as the guardians of the nation's heritage, traditions and cultures.

The organizers said 15 sultanates and kingdoms will take part in this event, an expansion of the annual Royal Palace Festival which limits participation to royal palaces in Java.

The 15 palaces taking part in the royal gala are: Keraton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat and Puro Paku Alaman of Yogyakarta, Keraton Kasunanan Sukukarto Hadiningrat and Pura Mangkunegaran of Central Java, Keraton Kasepuhan, Keraton Kanoman and Keraton Kacirebonan of West Java, Kasultanan Sumenep of East Java, Istana Kadariah, Istana Alwagtubillah and Istana Amantubillah of West Kalimantan, Kerajaan Gowa of South Sulawesi, Kerajaan Buton of South East Sulawesi, Kasultanan Bima of West Nusa Tenggara, and the Memorial Museum of Kesultanan Ternate of Maluku.

Pura Agung Ubud of Bali will send its representatives as well as observers and a delegation from Jakarta will also take part in the festival's folk culture performances.

The festival is organized by the Directorate General of Tourism of the Ministry of Tourism, Post and Telecommunication.

It will feature various activities including a procession of royal palace soldiers or Kirab Prajurit Keraton, dances, traditional ceremonies, parades of traditional apparel of the various palaces, an exhibition of articles from the palaces and folklore parties.

There will also be supporting events such as Dalang (Javanese puppet show animator) Festival, handicraft exhibition and Dakon (a traditional children's game) championship.

"We hope the festival will draw not only foreign tourists but also domestic ones because it can help us understand more about our own cultures," Andi Mappi Sammeng, Director General of Tourism, said in a press conference on Monday.

As part of the festival, and fund raising campaign, the organizers are holding the Indonesian Royal Palaces' Traditional Wedding Garbs show at the Shangri-La Hotel in Jakarta on June 21.

This event will be held in cooperation with PT Mustika Ratu, a herbal cosmetic and medicine company. PT Arjuna Impresindo Perkasa has been appointed as the promoter of the festival, Mappi Sammeng said. (als)