Cultural Parade Brings Jakarta To A Halt

Jakarta - Central Jakarta was shut down on Tuesday as performers from the country`s 33 provinces took part in a parade to celebrate Independence Day.

The Indonesian Cultural Parade was kicked off by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono from in front of the State Palace, and involved 3,315 people performing traditional dances and music from every province in the country.

The parade, sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, had as its theme, “Indonesia Kreatif Menuju Bangsa Mandiri” (“Creative Indonesia Heading Toward National Independence.” Performers left the State Palace and proceeded down Jalan Medan Merdeka Barat, prompting police to close the street to vehicles, leading to massive traffic jams north and east of the thoroughfare.

The event also forced the partial closure of the TransJakarta busway in the area.

Led by a group of dancers performing the Garuda Mahardika, a traditional dance that pays homage to the mythical bird that is the symbol of the country, the parade featured performers dressed in the traditional clothes of their respective provinces.

Thirty-three teams of performers took part in a separate competition, with teams representing Bali, East Java and West Sulawesi honored for their outstanding performances.

The teams were judged by Didi Petet and Nungky Kusuma based on their uniqueness, creativity and aesthetic quality of their performance.

Thousands of people, including schoolchildren, braved the sun to line the parade route and cheer on the performers.

The parade transformed Jalan Medan Merdeka Barat into a microcosm of the country`s cultural diversity.

Alfieri Valgo, 34, an Italian national who is in Indonesia on vacation, said, “It is impressive to see how multicultural Indonesia is, and seeing all this is a culture shock when compared to how things are at home.”

Tjetjep Suparman, the director general of culture, art and film at the Culture and Tourism Ministry, said that “the parade shows that the cultural heritage of our extremely diverse country is an opportunity for economic growth based on Indonesia`s cultural sector.”

Suparman added that he hoped “events such as this one, which showcase cultural diversity, will promote a mutual understanding and appreciation of the heritage from various parts of Indonesia, so that the existence and role of culture becomes increasingly predominant within Indonesian society.” Reporter`s name

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.com

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