Come back again with the story of Indonesian art. Indonesia has a long history of life that ultimately makes Indonesia has a lot of cultural heritage of ancestors. Indonesia's history starting from the number of royal which is successful of master some parts of Indonesia. Some royal ever to prevail at that time are Majapahit, Sriwijaya, Mataram, Samudra Pasai, Demak, etc. Leadership of kingdom at that time left a lot of historic buildings such as temples, which is why Indonesia has a lot of building temples and even several new temple discovered in 20 century. The kingdom also make Indonesia a lot have the mythical stories, inherited the culture and customs.
One of the interesting customs and still continue to be preserved until now, that is an art of Reog Ponorogo show. Reog Ponorogo is a contemporary dance performance with an unique costume. Storyline of Reog Ponorogo show is about Ponorogo King who want to ask Dewi Ragil Kuning (a woman from Kediri, Kediri is the name of an area near Ponorogo) as his wife. On the way to Kediri, the entourage of Ponorogo king intercepted by the entourage of Singabarong king. King Singabarong bring peacocks and lions as his troops, while Ponorogo king bring Warok (in the show scene is described as a man with black clothes) as troops. Warok known to have tremendous power of black magic. The core of this show is the battle scene between the entourage of Ponorogo and Singobarang. The final scene of the show is shown mask with a very big, unique and a little bit creepy. This mask is named Barongan, its weighs about 50 to 60 kg. This mask shaped head of a lion with a crown made of peacock feathers.
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Reog Ponorogo
image source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/71/Reog_Ponorogo.jpg/120px-Reog_Ponorogo.jpg |
Performances of Reog often done when "grebegsuro" is an annual event every 1st of Muharram or 1st of Suro (according to the calendar of months revolution). As usual dating system called the Javanese calendar system, a calendar system that is similar to the Islamic calendar system. 1st Suro often regarded as the date misitis for most residents of Java, there are noone allowed to travel so far in 1st Suro. If the mystical story was violated, the person will experience a disaster. That is one of the mythical story that developed in the Java citizen. The truth of them is also not entirely true. Many believe but not a few who ignore the mythical story because there is no reason that could prove it.
Parade tradition of Reog Ponorogo show has existed since 1987. In beginning, this parade is made because the habits of the people on every 1st Suro, they like to surround the Ponorogo town and ended to staying up one night full in Ponorogo town square. Regent of Soebarkah Poetro Hadiwirjo were the leaders of the Ponorogo area has idea to held a parade of Reog Ponorogo to further enliven the event. Until now, this annual event is still routinely performed by Ponorogo residents. Art is what became one of the tourist attraction in Ponorogo, East Java, Indonesia. Do you like to see parade? Come to Ponorogo.
