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Nov. 7 is National Wayang Day, declares Jokowi
The declaration was made on Dec. 11 during a meeting with Indonesian artists and culture experts at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta.
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'Wayang' means shadow or imagination in Javanese. (JP/Stefanus Ajie)
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has declared Nov. 7 as National Wayang Day.
The declaration was made on Dec. 11 during a meeting with Indonesian artists and culture experts at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta. Among the attendees were poet M. Aan Mansyur, historian Bonie Triyana and musician Jaya Suprana.
The Education and Culture Ministry’s culture director general, Hilmar Farid, was also present at the meeting. He said Jokowi signed a presidential decree regarding the matter in front of the guests, tempo.co reported.
Read also: ‘Wayang suket’, an almost extinct children's toy
Hilmar explained that the decision to declare Nov. 7 as National Wayang Day originated from community proposals. He said this decision would help the community to celebrate and develop wayang.
Wayang is one of Indonesia’s most prized cultural heritages, and has several forms including wayang kulit (leather puppets) and wayang golek (wooden puppets). UNESCO designated wayang kulit as one of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity on Nov. 7, 2003. (iru/kes)
