Taman Mini to celebrate its 23rd anniversary

JAKARTA (JP): Taman Mini Indonesia Indah is holding a series of traditional arts attractions, which will begin on April 11, to commemorate its 23rd anniversary.

The nine-day festival will be inaugurated Saturday morning by Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Abdul Latief.

Taman Mini was built under the guidance of the late first lady Ibu Tien Soeharto and was opened on April 20, 1975.

This year's anniversary will be presided over by President Soeharto.

Festivities will begin at 10 a.m. with a traditional dance- drama based on a chapter from the Hindu epic Ramayana.

Rama Tambak tells of a war which begins with Rama, crown prince of the Ayodhya Kingdom, declaring war on King Rahwana, of Alengka, who succeeds in kidnapping Rama's wife Shinta and flying her to Alengka.

Performed by 25 Pelangi Nusantara dancers of Taman Mini, Rama Tambak will be accompanied by 15 gamelan players and three sinden (singers) at the Sasono Langen Budoyo building.

It will be followed by the opening of a food bazaar by the Family Welfare Movement head, Rini Sutiyoso, at the Sasono Adiguno building.

A highlight of the festival will be a wayang orang drama, a traditional Javanese drama, performed in Bahasa Indonesia on the evening of April 13 by seven arts' high schools and seven arts' institutes.

The drama, Api Dendam Aswatama, is based on a chapter of the Mahabharata, the longest epic in the world. It tells of an episode during the Bharata Yudha War between princely cousins Kauravas and Pandawas.

On April 12, the Ministry of Tourism's director general, Andi Mappisameng, will open a book and comic exhibition at Istana Anak-Anak Indonesia by drawing lines on a piece of paper before famous cartoonist Jan Mintaraga takes over and finishes the drawing.

The exhibition, running through April 20, will include talks by cartoonists Rahayu S. Hidayat and Jan on comics and books in Indonesia.

It will also feature drawing and coloring competitions, folktale reading contests and the sale of books and comics.

Other activities organized by Taman Mini include a photo exhibition on the recent General Session of the People's Consultative Assembly, wayang kulit (leather puppet show), traditional and pop singing contests, a street singers' jamboree, a folk art festival and traditional games. (02)