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Relgious Ceremonies
Gerebeg
Syawal Ceremony
Held yearly on the 1st day of the 10th month of the Javanese calendar
(Syawal) at the end of Ramadhan, (see schedule) the Muslim holy
month of fasting, Gerebeg Syawal is the celebration held to commenorate
the completion of the Muslim faithful's fasting duties. The ceremony
is similar to the Gerebeg Mulud ceremony with its colourful Gunungan
procession from the Kraton to the Grand Mosque (see below).
Gerebeg
Besar
Held yearly at the Sultan's Palace on the 10th day of the last month
of the Javanese calendar (Besar) to commenorate Abraham's test of
faith when challenged to sacrifice his one and only son. The celebration
is held on Idul As'ha (an Indonesian National Holiday) with Muslim's
slaughtering goats and cows and then distributing the meat and giving
alms to their poorer brethern.
Sekaten
Ceremony
Held yearly beginning on the 5th day of the 3rd month of
the Javanese calender (Mulud),
and extending for one week and culminating with the Gerebeg Maulud
Ceremony (below). Sekaten commenorates
the birth of the Prophet Muhammad. Beginning at midnight a procession
of royal servants, Abdi Dalem,
leaves from the Kraton Ponconiti Hall
and marches two abreast carrying two sets of gamelan
named Kyai Nogowilogo and
Kyai Gunturmadu down Jl. Malioboro to the Grand Mosque. The
two sets of gamelan are played simultaneously until the 11th day
of Mulud when they are returned to the Kraton at midnight. Yogyanese
believe that by celebrating Sekaten and in particular listening
to gamelan they will be rewarded with good health and prosperity.
Gerebeg
Mulud Ceremony
Gerebeg Maulud is the climax of Sekaten.
Held yearly on the 12th day of the 3rd month of the Javanese calender,
the Grebeg Maulud ceremony commences in the morning with the Palace
Guards in traditional uniforms parading a Gunungan
(a mountain shaped cone of rice surrounded by fruits, vegetables,
eggs, peanuts and so on symbolising the prosperity of the Mataram
Kingdom) from the Kraton to the Great Mosque on Jl. Malioboro After
prayers at the Mosque are finished, the rice cone is cut and the
food distributed to those in attendance.
Labuhan
Ceremony
Held yearly in April to celebrate the birth of Sri Sultan Hamenkubuwono
as well as to secure the welfare of the Sultan and hence the people
of Yogyakarta. The word Labuh means
to throw something into a river or sea. As such offerings from the
Sultan include food, hair and nail clippings and so on are thrown
into the South Sea at Parangkusumo Beach in honour of Kanjeng
Ratu Kidul (Goddess of the South Sea). Similar ceremonies
are held atop Mt. Merapi and Mt. Lawu in Central Java. Start times
for the festivities will be announced in the local papers.
Tanggap
Warsa Suro
Held each year during the first month of the Javanese
calendar (Suro) this ceremony celebrates
the Javanese New Year with extravagent wayang
kulit (leather puppet) and other dance performances.
Pitcher
Filling Ceremony
Another ceremony held each year in the first month of the
Javanese calender (Suro) is the
Pitcher Filling ceremony at Imogiri (the Royal Cementary). The people
of Imogiri believe that water brings good fortune and fill 4 large,
bronze vessels with water then place them at the entrance to the
cemetary. The pitchers are from Myanmar (Nyai
Siem); Rome (Kyai Mendong);
Aceh (Kyai Danumoyo) and Palembang
(Nyai Danumurti).
Saparan
Ceremony
An offering ceremony held yearly in the second month of
the Javanese calender (Sapar) by the the people in Ambarketawang,
Gamping (approximately 7km to the west of Yogyakarta). At one time,
locals of Ambarketawang made their living digging limestone that
is believed to be some 50 million years old. Nowadays the limestone
is mostly gone (or too hard to find) but the people still believe
that they must make offerings to the area to advoid calamity. So
early on offering day the residents make a procession of offerings
to the area culminating when a Bekakak (bride and groom dolls made
of sticky rice filled with red sugar syrup) are beheaded.
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Please be advised that this page is
updated monthly for the succeeding two months ie. for events in August
please check back in July.
Yogyakarta Festivals
May &
June 2008
May
May, 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 2008
At 11.00am
Javanese Court Dance will be staged on Sunday from 11.00 am - noon
at Sri Manganti Hall & Thursday fom 10.00 am - noon, Performing
classical Court Dance.
May, 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 26, 27,
2008
At 10.00am
Javanese Gamelan Music held Monday and Tuesday from 10.00 - noon
at Sri Manganti Hall.
May, 3, 10, 17, 24, 31, 2008
At 09.30am
Leather puppet show will be staged at Sri Manganti hall every Saturday
from 09.30 am - 12.00 am.
May 20, 2008
VESAK DAY
Indonesians celebrate the Waisak Festival, remembering the birth,
enlightenment and death of Buddha, at Borobudur, the world's largest
Buddhist monument.
June
Jun 07 - Aug 07, 2008
YOGYAKARTA ARTS FESTIVAL
At 11.00am
Yogyakarta Arts Festival is annual program every year in Yogyakarta
Province. The Yogyakarta Arts Festival is a full month of daily
performances, handicraft exhibitions and other related cultural
and commercial activities during which literally the whole of Yogyakarta
comes to the city to present its offerings of dance, music and beauty.
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