CULTURAL PERFORMANCES IN YOGYAKARTA

With a still functioning royal palace in the center of town, the surrounding hillsides and plains scattered with awe-inspiring stone temples, and a thriving artistic community, Yogyakarta is the undisputed cultural capital of Java. Home of Gadjah Mada University and the country's premier Fine Arts Academy, Yogyakarta is a center of dance, music, painting and batik.

As the cradle of Javanese culture, Yogyakarta shows its importance as a cultural and art center especially in the art of performing and dancing. The following art forms can all be found in and around Yogyakarta: Karawitan, Langen Mandra Wanara, Ketoprak, Wayang Kulit, Wayang Golek, Jathilan, Angguk and many others.

Important Royal Ceremonies

The ceremony is held on the 12th of Maulud - the third month in Javanese calendar - to commemorate the birth of Mohammed the Holy Prophet. For about a week, the people of Yogyakarta celebrate this event with a festival called Sekaten. At the end of this festival the Kraton's soldiers in their traditional and colorful uniforms will be on marching-squad escort the Gunungan (mountain-shaped cones, containing rice and ornamented with vegetables, fruit, and other foodstuffs) carried from a quarter of the Sultan's Palace to the Great Mosque. After the praying ceremony in the mosque, some of the Gunungan will be distributed among those attending the ceremony called Gerebeg. The interesting and attractive pageantry of those Royal soldiers with the Gunungan procession is also held on two other Gerebeg occasions namely :

  • Gerebeg Syawal
    Held on the 1st of the tenth Javanese month of Syawal, after the end of the fasting month of Ramadhan.

  • Gerebeg Besar
    Held on the 10th of the last month of Javanese calendar to celebrate the religious festival based on the Abraham's faith-test whether he intended to sacrifice one of his sons as a token absolute loyalty to God or not.

  • Labuhan
    Labuhan ceremony is held to celebrate the birth of Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono. "Labuh" in Javanese means throw something to the river or to the sea. The offering from the Yogyakarta's Sultanate Palace consist of food, and cuttings of fingernails and hair of Sultan that will be thrown to the South Sea (Indian Ocean). The offering is intends to be presented to the Goddess of the South Sea, Kanjeng Ratu Kidul. It is believed that by performing the ceremony, the King and the people of Yogyakarta will get their welfare. The same ceremony is also held on the top of mount Merapi and Lawu.

Leather Puppet Plays (Wayang Kulit)

The Javanese are very fond of wayang stories, which reveal many aspect of Javanese culture. Wayang contains lessons on virtue which can guide people to live properly and in harmony with their neighbours. The puppets of the shadow play are made of polished and gilded buffalo's leather and the wayang performance [Click to see photo of Yogyakarta's Wayang Kulit] is accompanied by a gamelan orchestra.

Regular Wayang Kulit Performance:

  • Sasana Hinggil
    South Palace Square (Alun-alun Selatan)
    9.00 pm - 5.30 am
    performed every Second Saturday of the month

Related Link: www.yogyes.com/wayang-kulit-show

Dances Performances

As the center of cultural city, Yogyakarta is famous for its richness in classical, traditional and contemporary dances. As well, folk dances can still be found in the villages and are usually presented by local performers. They are held on specific occasions such as harvest celebrations, wedding parties or "bersih desa".

Royal Classical Dance

The Sultan's Palace (Kraton) has for centuries been considered as the center of Javanese art and culture in particularly the art of dancing and traditional music (karawitan) and in fact many of the Royal Dances are choreographed by the Sultans over the generations. These royal dances are performed within the court on special events or ritual ceremonies, such as to commemorate the Anniversary of Sultan (tinggalan dalem), the Crowning of Sultan (jumenengan dalem), Wedding Party of Sultan's Family, official of formal ceremonies and others [Click to see photo of Yogyakarta's Royal Classical Dance].

Regular Classical Dance Rehearsals:

  • Sultan Palace
    10.30 am - 12.00 pm
    performed every Sunday

Ramayana Ballet

Ramayana Ballet, based on the Hindu epic the Ramayana, is at present the most popular type of cultural performance in Yogyakarta. There are many classical stories performed, and none is more spectacular then watching a large company perform outdoors at the Prambanan theatre during the dry season (May-Oct).

Consisting of wonderful costumes, masks of four episodes performed over consecutive evenings on weekends: The Abduction of Sinta, The Burning of Hanuman, The Death of Kumbokarno and The Holy Fire of Sinta.

Related Link: www.yogyes.com/ramayana-ballet

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