TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Hundreds of dancers cheered the annual event Banyuwangi Ethno Carnival (BEC) which was held by local government in Blambangan open field, Banyuwangi, East Java. The carnival was opened by Tourism Minister Arief Yaya together with Social Affair Minister Khofifah Indar Parawansa and United States Ambassador Robert O Blake. This year it carries the theme of ‘The Mystic Dance of Seblang’.
Seblang is a tradition of village-cleaning ritual. The carnival started by defile marching band accompanying four dancers dressed in traditional seblang attire. The attire consisted of jarik, selendang, and crown made of seven kinds of flower bouquets. The crown was decorated with banana leaves down to the shoulder.
Following the performance, it was 100 Gandrung dancers performed in colossal style in batik costumes designed by Irma Lumiga. The colorful costumes wrapped the model in an elegance style that they were called ‘The Queen of Seblang’. The teenage dancers following the parade while expanding 50 pieces of Banyuwangi distinctive batik.
There are two types of seblang rituals namely Olehsari and Bakungan. The interesting part is the fact that Seblang dancers in Olehsari village must be a virgin women while in Bakungan, it has to be aged women.
Modern pop songs were played along with the beat of traditional instrument gamelan. Both Olehsari and Bakungan defile were presenting captivating colors on their costumes. THe costumes were designed by around 200 Banyuwangi school students.
IKA NINGTYAS