The wedding is a very important event in Javansese culture. It is lavish, expensive and many many guests are invited. Guests include most of the people the the Bride, Groom and their parents know even if casually. Needless to say is is so expensive that some families take years to pay for the wedding expenses. It is considered a obligsation to attend if invited. The guests do not bring gifts but an envelope with money which is left when they sign the guestbook, which helps defray expenses. I've heard that most families have a seperate budget just for going to weddings due to their frequency and expense.
I accompanied Bernie & Farsiana to the wedding reception which was held in the hall of the main building of Gadjah Mada University. The reception invitation specified an hour long event but there was a long line when we arrived and an even longer one when we left more than an hour later. After signing the guestbook we snaked our way through a recieving line of couples for about 15 minutes and shook hands with a least 40 people. All were dressed in Traditional Javanese costumes (all made or rented for the occasion). Eventually we made our way into the reception hall to greet the parents and the Bride and Groom who were colorfully attired in traditional costumes and surrounded but ornate decorations and flowers.
The band was an interesting mix of traditional Javanese instruments with an electronic keyboard playing what seem to me to be more traditonal music, but I am no expert on that subject. As we got some food (nothing western here) and mixed with the guests I noticed that the men's costumes included the kris or Indonesian dagger.
One of the most colorful weddings I have ever attended
the Wedding Couple
man with "Kris" or Indonesian dagger
Return to Tales from a Road Warrior Contents
© 2001-2010 Telchar Systems, Inc. • all rights reserved