PASADENA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--On Jan 1, 2013, Tournament of Roses Parade watchers will witness the spectacle of fourteen-foot tall puppets moving to the traditional music of the Javanese Gamelan, flanked by dazzling costumed walkers from the Solo Batik Carnival Festival. This memorable float entry comes from the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy of the Republic of Indonesia and reminds all that Indonesia is a destination for young and old to enjoy.
Returning for its second year this decade, Indonesia’s float entry highlights the distinctive culture of the nation as well as the tropical splendor of its thousands of islands. The main float features three gigantic Wayang Golek, wooden puppets that have been used in traditional theatre for centuries.
A smaller float precedes the main float and showcases the city of Solo, the heart of Javanese culture. A group of Gamelan players rides this unit with floral “stupas” as their backdrop from the world’s greatest Buddhist monument at Borobudur near the City of Solo. The unique music of the Indonesian Gamelan orchestra traditionally accompanies both dance and Wayang performances.
As the two-unit float moves along the parade route, it is accompanied by 10 dancers gaily clad in astonishing costumes which originate from the annual Solo Batik Carnival. The carnival stretches throughout the City of Solo with as many as 400 dancers celebrating the design and reinterpretation of the art of Batik. Batik is a traditional art form of dyeing and wax resist drawing on fabrics.
Indonesia welcomes visitors to discover and enjoy “Wonderful Indonesia” with its intriguing history, exciting festivals, friendly people, lavish beach resorts and dense tropical rain forests --- all considered to be among the most captivating in the world.