Blora Cultural Carnival
City Anniversary is always celebrated with many interesting events, one of them is the Cultural Carnival. Like the Blora Regency which commemorates their Anniversary every December. The Cultural Carnival was attended by other Regional Apparatus Organizations and art groups from outside the region. Start in the morning, the area of the Regent's official residence looks crowded. Decorative cars have packed the streets around the square. Participants wear traditional Javanese clothes, such as brightly colored kebaya and beskap. Some people also wear warrior costumes complete with replicas of shields and spears or swords.
The event started with a presentation of local arts in the form of a soldier's dance. Then, the Regent and Deputy Regent followed by his staff came out from the hall, marking the start of the Carnival. The carnival starts from the Regent's Office House towards the Blora DPRD Office. Along the route, the participants demonstrated various creations, such as Barongan and other traditional dancing. One of them is a dance about Patih Gajah Mada. Participants perform a little choreography at one of the intersections. The players carry the bow and arrow property. Some use swords. Then they move agilely to each other following the music from the sound system that is carried on a decorative car. They jump right, left, somersault, then adjust position. The dancers looked enthusiastic and energetic so that they attracted the attention of the people. Those who were originally lined up along the sidewalk, suddenly moved closer to the center, trying to capture the moment with their cell phone camera. Although the sun was quite hot, it did not dampen the enthusiasm of the residents to watch the carnival which is only once a year.
The day before the Cultural Carnival, the Blora Regency government held an heirlooms carnival. In the morning, heirlooms, such as kris and spears have been bathed. At night, the hall area or pendhopo of the Blora district is thick with Javanese nuances. The gamelan plays, the people around it wear traditional clothes complete with headpiece named blangkon and cloth called jarik. The singer (Sinden in Java) with a melodious voice combined with Javanese rhythmic twists that broke the silence of the middle of the night.
Around 23.00, the heirlooms have been arranged. Carnival preparations begin. The host of the event gave directions for the rehearsal, as well as made announcements so that participants and residents who attended the event did not speak.
"Later, the cellphones must be silent" he said.
Carnival participants get ready. Meanwhile, in front of the Blora district's hall, participants were ready to carry torches. The group started walking towards the gate, then down Jalan RA. Kartini, then Jalan Sutomo, Gunung Sumbing, Pemuda. Keep going. Passing another protocol road. Silence. The rhythm of the street comes from the clatter of the shoes of the carnival participants. After passing through the protocol streets, the participants returned to the Regent's official residence.
So, that was the picture of the Blora Anniversary Cultural Carnival. How is the Cultural Carnival held in your City?
