Traditional Culture from YOGYAKARTA

Hello guys. Now, I’m gonna tell you about an annual event of yogyakarta which is held in the Keraton of Yogyakarta. What is it? It is Sekaten.

Sekaten is a traditional culture from Yogyakarta which starts on 5^th day of Javanese month Mauled to commemorate Prophet Mohammed. People from Yogyakarta still believe that by celebrating Sekaten, they will get rewards from the God. They believe God will give them healthy and good future.

The first day of the ceremony starts at midnight with a procession of the royal servants, called Abdi Dalem, who walk in two rows bringing two sets of Gamelan named Kyai Nogowilogo and Kyai Gunturmadu. They play this Gamelan simultaneously until the 11^thday Mauled. On the 12^th of the Javanese month is the climax of the Sekaten ceremony, Grebeg Maulud. This festival starts by a parade of the Palace guard consisting in ten units. They are Wirobrojo, Daeng, Patangpuluh, Jogokaryo, Prawirotomo, Nyutro, Ketanggung, Mantrijero, Surokarso, and Bugis. These guards will wear their specific uniforms. The parade starts from the yard of northern Kemandungan of the palace. The Gunungan, an offering looks like a mountain made from foods like peanuts, vegetables, red peppers, and eggs. This Gunungan is a symbol of the wealth of Mataram land.

People especially young kid like to come to the  Sekaten because there were so many entertaining media. They was there enjoying the Bianglala, Boom-boom car and many more, there’s also a rumah hantu. It was very crowded that make us hard to breath and hard to move. But overall it was entertaining very well.