Achieving Beyond Expectation, Indonesia Bids Farewell to Zaragoza Public

PR Log (Press Release) – Sep 12, 2008 – The dances –unlike previous Indonesian cultural performances- are fresh, manifesting a modern interpretation of traditional dancing of Java Island.  The expo will only be closed in 2 days, but the number of visitors to the Indonesia pavilion has exceeded the percentage of the total, which reached 5 million as announced by the Organizing Committee on 9 September.  “We are satisfied”, said Eddy Djayadiredja, Chairman of the National Committee of Indonesian pavilion to the Expo Zaragoza, “not only quantitatively but also in many more things.  We managed to develop friendship with the city of Teruel, opening the opportunity of developing “twin city” programs with an Indonesian city similar in characteristics.  We also are in serious discussion with the Confederacion Hydrografica del Ebro for a scientific and technical collaboration.  Museums of Teruel and Zaragoza have expressed their wish to receive artifacts from the Indonesian Pavilion for their permanent show in their respected cities.  Tourism may represent the field which attracted most.  Our efforts are not in vain,” added he.
The dancers presented Ondel-ondel, a fun and dynamic three couples show in several western rhythms, and Tartar, a new choreography from East Java where each dancer play with long whip, scaring watchers.  The traditional percussion music group played by Indonesian embassy staff completed the show during a cloudy Zaragoza day.  The ‘gamelan’ or Indonesian traditional music instruments consist of 4 main percussions namely “gendang” or drums, “gong”, “kenong” or brass round instruments and “gambang” or brass blades on a boat-like vessel.  The dance and music troupe was off to the city of Teruel, in Aragon Province, on 11 September and perform there during the city’s festival which is celebrated on the day.