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Semarang students obliged to watch traditional Javanese performances
Starting the new school year, all Semarang students, from elementary to senior high schools, will be required to watch Javanese drama kethoprak and dance drama wayang orang performances as part of their cultural education
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tarting the new school year, all Semarang students, from elementary to senior high schools, will be required to watch Javanese drama kethoprak and dance drama wayang orang performances as part of their cultural education.
The idea, initiated by Semarang Mayor Sukawi Sutarip, will be a challenge for the Central Java capital because it is has 600 elementary schools, 140 junior high schools and 80 senior high schools.
“Every school will have its turn to watch the performance,” said the mayor, whose office term ends
this year.
“This is a way of preserving Javanese culture.” he said.
The students will be obliged to watch the performances staged by the traditional group Wayang Orang Ngesti Pandowo at Ki Nartosabdo Hall at the Raden Saleh cultural center.
Stories for the wayang orang performance, he said, would be taken either from the epic Ramayana or Bharatayudha, while the kethoprak show would present stories from the Chronicle of Semarang.
“Through the performances, all students will learn about the history of Semarang,” said Sukawi, adding that each student would also be required to write a report of the performances they watched.
Due to the limited capacity of the hall, each student may only have the opportunity to watch the show once, or twice at most.
Sukawi estimated that it would take around three years for all of students to be able watch the performances.
“We are preparing the schedule for each of the schools,” he said.
Each of the students, he added, would have to pay for entrance ticket that cost Rp 10,000 (US$1.11) each.
If they could not afford the ticket, he said, the administration would assist them.
Leader of the Wayang Orang Ngesti Pandowo troupe, Cicuk Sastro Sudirdjo welcomed the plan.
“The students may only watch the show once, but who knows, from there, they might be interested in helping preserve the culture,” he told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
Principal of SMPN 8 junior high school, Djoko Suprayitno, and principal of SD Don Bosko elementary school, Yohanes Agus Jumani, welcomed the program.
“Requiring students to watch traditional shows is good way to preserve culture, but with students having to pay, problems will emerge. Not every parent will be able to afford it,” Yohanes said.
“What happened to the free education program for Semarang’s elementary and junior high schools?” they asked.
Student Alun Samodra of the SMP Dominico Savio junior high, said he had never watched kethoprak or wayang orang live.
“I want to see the performances, but the tickets are expensive for students,” he said.
The plan was criticized by cultural observer Tjahjono Rahardjo, who manages a cultural art association and takes care of the Sobokarti cultural center building in Semarang.
“The plan is just a waste of time. By obligating the students to watch means they will not enjoy or be interested in the performance. I don’t see this as the right way to preserve culture,” he told the Post.
His association and the Sobokarti center, he said, planned to launch a program to introduce leather
puppet shows to students to help preserve the tradition and pass it to younger generations.
“We will start on Jan. 18 and will conduct it for four months,” said Tjahjono, adding the program would be held every Friday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Sobokarti.
He said the participants would be tutored by puppeteer Rudjito, who would train them in the ancient art.
