Sutiyoso moves to new house in grand rite
JAKARTA (JP): Governor Sutiyoso and his family moved into a new house yesterday with the help of 15 horse-drawn buggies (andong) and thousands of guests in a traditional Betawi (native Jakartans) ceremony.
The governor moved to Jl. Taman Suropati No. 7 in Menteng, Central Jakarta, about 300 meters away from his previous residence -- Jl. Teuku Umar No. 60.
A three-kilometer procession -- which started at the old house at 9:30 a.m. -- included Sutiyoso and his family in the first buggy and close relatives, neighbors and Abang and None (Mr. and Miss Jakarta) and some household goods loaded into the remaining buggies.
Three oplets (old-style minivans) were used to transport the family's personal belongings.
The new colonial-style house, built on a 2,000 square meter plot of land, overlooks a large garden. There are huge bird cages and four perkutut (turtledove) poles.
In the hallway, there is a photo of Sutiyoso and his family dressed in leather and posing with a Harley Davidson motorbike.
"It is one of his favorites," one of his officials told The Jakarta Post during the ceremony rehearsal Saturday.
There are also two big aquariums, one filled with colorful sea fish and the other with golden arwana.
Yesterday's moving ceremony was highlighted by tanjidor, a traditional Betawi musical performance; lenong, a Betawi comedy and the presence of Indonesian starlets including Rano Karno and Maudy Kusnaedy, the stars of a popular television series Si Doel Anak Sekolahan.
During the ceremony, Sutiyoso's wife, Setyo Rini, was called Mpok (a friendly title for Betawi women) while the chairwoman of the Betawi Culture Foundation, Emma Agus Bisrie, placed a scarf on Rini's head.
The title Abang (Betawi for brother) was bestowed on Sutiyoso at Taman Mini in East Jakarta on Oct. 12.
Some 4,000 guests were formally invited to join the ceremony, including foreign ambassadors, celebrities and high-ranking officials in the city. Another 2,000 people lined the streets to watch the procession.
"The ceremony is open for every Jakartan, especially Betawi people. This is their party too," Fauzi Bowo, head of the city's tourism agency, who led the event, said.
Prayers and offerings were made as hundreds of people walked through the new house, which was blessed by noted preacher Zainuddin M.Z.
"May the new governor and his family live safe from harm and the new house bring them luck in the future," Satiman, a trashman, who has been working in the Menteng area for 30 years, said.
Sutiyoso said that he was touched by the ceremony.
"I will make sure this kind of traditional occasion is repeated by high-ranking officials, so we can preserve not only Betawi but all kinds of cultures," he said.
When the ceremony ended, Sutiyoso and his wife danced to traditional Betawi music and dangdut with their guests in Suropati Park, which is in front of their new house. (07/ind)