Identity in Javanese Characters: The Rise of Local Culture

SOLO-Sooner or later Solo will be the host of its own home. On its 263th anniversary, the municipality government of Solo officially announces the use of Javanese Characters for the names of all buildings and advertisement boards.

This new regulation is obligatory. The Javanese characters should be bigger and placed above the Roman characters. According to Joko Widodo, the mayor of Solo, this new regulation will be carried out immediately. He even dares to target all the government and private offices will be using Javanese characters in June 2008. For the beginning, Bank of Indonesia branch office, Tax Office, Diamond restaurant and Solo Grand Mall will be availed as the model. In fact the use of Javanese characters can create an exotic look towards certain buildings.

Although this new regulation seems to be just physically applied, it is actually a good beginning. It will slowly compel the going-modern people of Solo to be accustomed to Javanese culture, which is their origin, wherever they go. Above it all, it must nurture the love towards the city and its culture.

Kiddie Puppet Master: Conquering Modern World Domination

SOLO-Playing puppets, dancing, telling jokes, and performing a story seem just a piece of cake for the children of “Sanggar Sarotama” (Sarotama cultural art club). It can be seen when they perform a collaboration between “wayang kulit” or Javanese shadow puppet and “wayang orang” (a wayang performance in which the characters are played by people) under the title of "Gathotkaca Jedhi" in front of Sriwedari Art and Cultural Park Solo, Saturday (16/2). Those elementary school kids make hundreds of audience sit still on their chairs the whole evening.

Besides that, they are able to naturally perform the jokes of the popular duo-comical-characters in wayang story, Gareng and Petruk. Not only their natural jokes but also their dancing and fighting performance can turn out big applause from the audience.

Amidst the attack of play station gaming, game zone, and cable TV station, some parents, however, are still proud of their children to be “truly Indonesia”.
This kind of performance is planned to be held every Saturday Kliwon (name of day in Javanese almanac) in some different public places in Solo. Moreover, the event must be entertaining, professionally arranged, and the most important is no ticket fee needed. Nowadays, these requirements are needed in order to make the traditional art and culture survive amidst the growth of foreign culture.

Chinese New Year 2559: Red and Religious New Year’s Eve

SOLO. Approaching midnight, the smoke is getting thicker and flying all over a temple at the south of Pasar Gede Solo. Tien Kok Sie temple which is located in Jl. Ketandan Solo, Central Java is one of the locations used for worshipping and praying by Chinese people of Solo to welcome the Chinese New Year 2559.

It is very different from the celebration of the common New Year which is full of noise from trumpets, fireworks, reckless bikers, and lot of parties. Chinese New Year is celebrated solemnly, no cheers in the New Year’s Eve that is on February 7, 2008.

Inside the temple, many Chinese say prayer on the altar in front of some god statues. Hundreds of incenses and candles are lit so that the 7 x 10 m2 room is full of sweet-smelling smoke. As a result, some people who are praying blink and rub their eyes due to the choking smoke.

At 12:00 midnight, two temple’s men toll a drum and a bell at the same time. Beforehand, they do a certain ritual by taking a one-meter incense to the temple’s verandah. They stand in line facing outside, get on their knees, and perform a worshipping movement 9 times. Up to early dawn, Chinese people of Solo who celebrate the New Year keep coming to the temple.

This solemnity reminds us to the Javanese tradition in welcoming the Javanese or Islamic New Year which is celebrated on the first of Suro month. Here, in Solo, the Kasunanan palace, which is the leading sector, invites all people to retrospect in silence and get closer to God and the nature. It can be seen during the tradition of cleaning up and bringing the weapons in a parade throughout the city. All is done in silence.

Hundreds of Lanterns Redden Pasar Gede Solo

Pasar Gede Solo redden by hundreds of lampion to celebrate Imlek 2007

SOLO. For the last 2 weeks, Pasar Gede, Solo, Central Java, Indonesia has been looking brighter and “reddish” in the evening. Hundreds of lanterns are hung around the outer roof edge of Pasar Gede, which is 10,421 square acres wide. A big lantern that is put at the very centre of the main gate seems to greet every visitor and enlighten them.

These lanterns have been installed since January 30th to celebrate the Chinese New Year 2559 that will come on February 7th, 2008. The committee of “Cahaya Lampion” have prepared many events to greet the coming Chinese New Year. The sequence of events which is titled “Gerebeg Sudiro in Lampion Light” come in various activities as follow:

January 30 – February 2 : Balong in the bright light of the lanterns
January 31 – February 5 : Acupuncture mass medication
February 2 : Koes Plus Music Concert
February 3 : The peak event of Gerebeg Sudiro. There are carnival of lanterns and moon cake, barongsai and liong performance, Jathilan dance and also Pat Im music performance.
February 6 : Blood Donation
February 9 : Keroncong Music Concert

People who live in Surodiprajan kampong was the one who get the idea of holding this event at Pasar Gede. The market that was built on January 12, 1930 is considered as the most appropriate one due to its history. Moreover, it is located near the Chinatown of Solo that is Surodiprajan kampong itself.

The relationship between Pasar Gede and Chinese people had existed since the beginning of the establishment of Pasar Gede, formerly called Hardjonagoro Market. Once it was taken care by Tjan Sie Ing, a Lieutenant de Chinezen, a Chinese leader who was legitimated by the Dutch colonial at that time. He was given an agreement from Kasunanan Surakarta Palace to run the market with a profit division.