Denpasar, In the City

The 58th Independence Anniversary Celebration in Denpasar:
Women’s Gong Kebyar Competition

Just as in previous years before, this 58th Independence Anniversary celebration in Denpasar will be merrier thanks to several competitions. For this year celebration, the competition that involve the entire citizens who center at district yard. Denpasar is belongs to three district-towns, which is District of East Denpasar, District of West Denpasar, and District of South Denpasar.

The competition contest will be arranged by each of districts. However, for this year competition ensured almost the same as the previous year. Marbles-sprint competition, sack sprint, and metajog for the children, while jogging and tug-of-war game for adult and older. Two of arts competition of dance-drama Arja and Bondres will enliven the celebration. “Those competition varieties were preceding totally to the agreement and decision of district committee,” said one of Public Relation staff of Denpasar City.
It said, to make the competitions be successful, the Denpasar City Administrative will hand an over to each districts. The fund of Rp. 10.500.000 from Denpasar City Administrative will submit Rp. 3.500.000 for each district.
One special event of this year annual independence celebration calendar is Women’s Gong Kebyar Competition. The planning competition will perform at Puputan Badung Park. It is as the inspiration of the Leader of Woman Welfare Program of Denpasar, Madame Bintang Puspayoga. It aimed at increasing the creativity and woman’s role whereas actively in defending, conserving, and improving the culture arts of Bali.
Previously, Woman’s Gong Kebyar was exhibited each year recount with Bali Arts Festival. Lately, this art is getting rare and almost unheard. For that condition, Bintang Puspayoga is interesting to enliven it again. “The gong kebyar players commonly dominated by man, however in this competition it wholly presenting the women who daily act as a housewife,” said Bintang.
Gong Kebyar is one of the popular Balinese traditional instruments that develop rapidly. With its dynamic, flexible, and interesting musical, this instrument able to breed the artist’s motivation, not only for man but woman as well. “This year competition will serve total price Rp. 20.000.000, plus trophy and certificate,” she said while asserted, the women are able to participate in sorts of skills, including instrumental arts that always dominated by man, as long as they had a chance to do that.
The remark points category in women gong kebyar competition including lelambatan and tabuh category with 12-15 minutes duration. While, for tabuh kreasi, the participant are free to choose tabuh (music instrument playing) and song according to their pleasure. They only limited between 10-12 minutes duration. The other criteria are compulsory dance, where the tabuh group should accompany the Gabor dance and the dancer is of a woman from participant’s sub village.
This kind of competition is performs for the first time by Denpasar City Administration. For that, the participants allowed to adopt ‘outsider’ instrumentalist, maximum of five persons. The registration had carried out since 15 April 2003 at the committee secretariat, Gedung Wanita Shanti Graha, PB Sudirman Street. Woman Welfare Program in each sub village expected to participate on that competition. “Do not feel shy, because many participants who also as the beginner,” explained Bintang Puspayoga who also as the women gong kebyar instrumentalist, while asserted that establishment endowment available for the participants.
Beside trophy and certificate, the champion will receive the money prize. The first champion amount of Rp. 6.500.000, second champion of Rp. 5.000.000, and third champion amount of Rp. 4.000.000. While the first runner-up, amount for Rp. 2.000.000, second runner-up for Rp. 1.5000.000, and third runner-up Rp. 1.000.000. (BTN/015)