BANYUWANGI – A colossal art show full of meaning. Gandrung Sewu, will be held again in Banyuwangi. This year's annual event has the theme “Podo Nonton” This will be equipped with fragments of the heroism of the citizens of Bumi Blambangan, driven by Rempeg Rogojampi and wiwit in fighting the invaders..
Gandrung Sewu Festival 2015 will be launched on the lips of Boom Beach, Banyuwangi, Next Saturday afternoon (26/9). Banyuwangi special dance designated as heritage “intangible culture” by the Ministry of Culture, basic education, and Intermediate it will be demonstrated 1.200 dancers on the beach with a charming view of the Bali Strait.
This cultural event which is held every year strengthens the positioning of cultural tourism which is Banyuwangi's flagship in addition to natural tourism. In recent years, Banyuwangi has consistently promoted arts and culture as part of tourism development.
For example, the Kebo-keboan and Seblang Festivals are included in the Banyuwangi Festival agenda series (B-Fest). Regent Abdullah Azwar Anas said, Banyuwangi people are also proud to have a variety of very distinctive local arts and culture.
“We want this art and culture to be widely known and help strengthen Banyuwangi's cultural treasures at the national and international level,” he said. According to Anas, Gandrung Sewu also strengthens Banyuwangi's position in the competitive map of tourism in Indonesia.
Because, The event was held not far from the beach which is one of the leading natural tourist destinations in Banyuwangi, This means that we sell events as well as the Sewu Gandrung natural destination, which has proven to be a tourist attraction for Banyuwangi,” he said.
Meanwhile, Tasks executor (Plt) Head of Culture and Tourism Office (Disbudpar), M. Yanuarto Bramuda, explain the gandrung dance consists of three segments, namely the subject of love, Paju gandrung and closed with a dawn.
“Podo nonton (watch together) is one part of the appointment line gandrung.” he said. When watching, it is actually a mandatory song that becomes the accompaniment of music at the time of the gandrung lineup.
The theme was raised because the poems contain the meaning of heroism and the very heavy struggle of Bumi Blambangan's predecessors against the Dutch.. “The Podo Nonton theme will also be told in a theatrical drama full of messages,” he said.
In this event, a scene of the fertile and prosperous condition of Banyuwangi will be shown around the year 1771. Suddenly the Dutch came and destroyed the villages and agricultural products belonging to the people. “Later there will be a visual paglak that has been damaged, confiscated crops and plantations,” said Bramuda.
In such oppressed conditions, the peasants rose up and fought against this arbitrariness. Until finally the initial war broke out between the Indigenous people and the colonials.
During the war, a character appears- figures who became the driving force of resistance against the invaders, namely Rempeg Jogopati and Sayu since. What makes this year's Gandrung Sewu event even more special is that Sayu wiwit will be played by a well-known Indonesian artist., namely Denada.
“Denada will play Sayu wiwit. With Jogopati, he will play the role of the leader of the Puputan war who is very heroic to the last drop of blood,"said the man who is familiarly called Bram. (radar)
