Koropak.co.id – Talking about the 2022 G20 Indonesia Presidency, this activity is not just an agenda in formulating global socio-cultural and economic issues. But it is also an agenda for the participants to experience the culture of the archipelago.
In addition, being a “Javanese” for a day is certainly an experience that the delegates of the First G20 Education Working Group (EdWG) Meeting will enjoy.
The G20 Delegates got this experience on the last day of the first EdWG G20 meeting which took place in the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY) on Friday, March 18, 2022.
Reporting from indonesia.go.id, the members of the EdWG G20 delegation from Europe, Africa and Latin America were introduced to Indonesian culture from the land of Java, namely the patehan or royal high tea ceremony and jemparingan.
There, the G20 delegates also got an authentic experience of a comprehensive procedure for the traditional tea ceremony which is usually carried out at the Sultan Palace of Yogya, namely patehan.
Not only that, they also tried firsthand the traditional sport of archery while sitting cross-legged, known as jemparingan.
The Patehan ceremony began with a procession of abdi dalem (royal servants) dressed in traditional royal attire and pouring tea as a tribute to the guests and prayers for the harmony of the earth.
It is known, the name Patehan itself comes from “tea”, which is a type of brewed drink. In accordance with its meaning, patehan is the person in charge of preparing drinks, especially tea and all the equipment for the needs of the Yogyakarta Palace.
The ritual was originally a daily habit of drinking tea that was followed by the previous sultans and there were slight adjustments during the reign of Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono IX.
Interestingly, the way to serve drinks at Patehan is also not simple. Each ingredient has its measure and there are unique ways that it is applied with a specific purpose.
Then for the next cultural agenda that is no less interesting and exciting for the G20 delegation is jemparingan, namely the sport of archery in the style of the Mataram Kingdom. Unlike conventional archery which is done while standing, jemparingan is actually done while sitting cross-legged.
Although it was difficult to do, the G20 delegates remained enthusiastic and tried to shoot arrows many times. In the event they wear traditional Javanese clothes, men wear blangkon, lurik, and surjan cloth while women wear kebaya and jarit cloth.
Read : Seeing Indonesia’s Diversity of Culture and Crafts in the Finance Track of the G20 Presidency
Notably, the jemparingan that still exists today, especially in Yogyakarta is known as the Yogyakarta style jemparingan. The style of archery is in line with the philosophy of Mataram style throwing, which is pamenthanging arch pamanthengan cipta, which means that the bow stretches along with the concentration aimed at the targeted object.
Cultural visits (cultural visits) or cultural excursions are of course always a mandatory agenda in international events that take place in Indonesia, including during the 2022 G20 Indonesia Presidency.
Even the day before, the EdWG Meeting delegation was invited to enjoy the charm of the sunrise at Borobudur Temple and visit Prambanan Temple.
The cultural agenda followed by the G20 delegates was to enjoy dinner at Prambanan Temple and watch the Roro Jonggrang drama dance performance which took place at the Prambanan Temple complex with the Prambanan Temple as a backdrop which looked beautiful at night in the light of the lights on Thursday 17 March 2022.
On the last day of EdWG on Friday 18 March 2022, the group departed for Borobudur Temple and enjoyed the sunrise.
After watching the beautiful sunrise from the top of the Borobudur Temple structure, the G20 delegates then circled the temple structure while listening to the guide’s explanation from the Borobudur Conservation Center.
The guide explained about the history of Borobudur Temple and the stories contained in the relief panels and stupas at Borobudur Temple. Overall, Borobudur Temple has 1,460 relief panels and 504 stupas.
Borobudur Temple is also an Indonesian cultural heritage which has been designated as a World Cultural Heritage site by UNESO in 1991.
Built in the 8th and 9th centuries by the Syailendra Dynasty, the temple complex represents the grandeur of the legacy of the dynasty that ruled in Java until the 10th century. Not only that, Borobudur Temple is also one of the largest Buddhist monuments in the world.
Head of the EdWG G20 Working Group Iwan Syahril said, in organizing the EdWG in DIY, the Ministry of Education and Culture seeks to introduce the rich culture and character of the Indonesian nation that was formed long ago.
“In addition to holding meetings, we also provide opportunities for delegates to see and experience firsthand the cultural elements that exist in Yogyakarta and Magelang,” said Iwan as quoted from the Ministry of Education and Culture website, Saturday, March 26, 2022.
Meanwhile, the Head of the Licensing and Investment Office of DIY, Agus Priyono, said that DIY was one of the main venues for the G20 in Indonesia and so far it has been confirmed that ten meetings will be held in DIY. Where one of them is a ministerial level meeting and the rest is a meeting at the director general level or called a working group.
“As the host, the Yogyakarta Provincial Government certainly strives to be as optimal as possible in providing support and services for the delegates and all participants of the G20 activities on Bumi Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat,” he concluded.*
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