BANYUWANGI – Gandrung Sewu Festival titled “Pepe Flower” took place spectacularly at Marina Boom Beach, Banyuwangi, yesterday afternoon (8/10). Colossal dances full of meaning are performed 1.286 students from all over Banyuwangi succeeded in 'bewitching’ thousands of spectators gathered in the performance arena.
Monitoring by journalists from Jawa Pos Radar Banyuwangi, The influx of spectators began to flow to the Marina Boom Beach area from around 12:00 p.m 12.00. By o'clock 14.00, The performance location began to be filled with thousands of spectators.
Really solid. There were so many spectators present, thousands of people have to worry. When the show starts at approx 14.30, they couldn't see the dancers' performances at all because they were blocked by other spectators.
Meanwhile, Colossal dance combined with gending “Pepe Flower” as well as a narrative about the struggle of the Banyuwangi people against the Dutch colonialists, succeeded in bringing the audience as if they were in colonial times. at that time, Banyuwangi fighters guerilla and killed the Dutch with deception.
They held the appointment of Barong and Gandrung. Then, The crowd invited the invaders to drink liquor. After getting drunk, they then took the Dutch troops to the sea and to the mountains to be executed.
Regent Abdullah Azwar Anas said, Organizing the Gandrung Sewu Festival is one of the district government's ways of building people's consolidation. The community is involved in preserving regional arts and culture.
“Banyuwangi can progress. Flight activity at Blimbingsari Airport continues to increase. Now there are six flights to/from Banyuwangi a day. But our culture cannot be eliminated in the middle of the progress,” he said.
Thanks to Gandrung Sewu and various festivals rooted in regional arts and culture, Community involvement in preserving arts and culture is increasing. “As we will see. 1280-Students will perform the Gandrung dance. Why do we continue to strive to preserve culture, because for us, culture becomes the glue so that disdain for the region grows,” Anas said.
It turned out that Regent Anas' statement was not just lip service. At least that is proven by the statement of one of the Gandrung Sewu dancers, namely Aicar Maudina. Class students 11 Public High School 1 Banyuwangi admitted that he was very happy to be part of the Gandrung Sewu event.
Not only did he feel happy because his appearance was witnessed by thousands of pairs of eyes, Aicar Jaga admitted that he was proud to have been involved in preserving Banyuwangi's local arts and culture. “I am proud to help preserve the Gandrung dance,” he said.
Meanwhile, Yesterday's Gandrung Sewu Festival started with the release of hundreds of baby turtles, aka hatchlings, into the wild. The release of protected and endangered animals was carried out by Regent Abdullah Azwar Anas, vice-regent (Vice Regent) Yusuf Widyatmoko, along with a number of honored guests and representatives of gandung dancers.
Releasing hatchlings into the wild is a contribution from an organization that has always been concerned about turtle conservation, namely the Banyuwangi Turtle Foundation aka the Banyuwangi Sea Turtle Foundation (BSTF). (radar)
Here's the video : [embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Vjxa_jAl4s[/embedyt]
