SEUDATI FESTIVAL 2012

SEUDATI FESTIVAL 2012

Vibrant music and enchanting choreography will reverberate around the regency of Bireun in Aceh Province at the northwest end of Sumatra, as the Traditional Seudati Dance Festival 2012 gets underway from 8 to 10 October 2012.

Highlighting Aceh’s authentic traditional Seudati Dance, the event is initiated by Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy to coincide with the district’s Anniversary. The festival is also part of the Visit Aceh 2013 program and will be participated by as many as 18 districts in the Aceh province.

Seudati is a traditional Aceh Dance that originated from the initial spread of Islam in Aceh and  to Indonesia in general. The word Seudati itself is believed to be generated from the Arabic ‘Syahadat’ which means the creed or statement of embracing Islam.

The Seudati dance is performed by eight male dancers depicting heroism and valor. This enchanting dance does not involve musical instruments,  but instead, dancers clap their hands, stamp their feet and hit their chest to create rhythmic musical accompaniment. The dance  is also accompanied by songs performed by 2 singers called Aneuk Syahi who relate religious lyrics or heroic stories.

The festival was launched on 11 August 2012 at the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy in Jakarta  and attended by Deputy Minister Sapta Nirwandar, Director for Domestic Tourism Marketing M. Faried, the Regent of Bireun Ruslan M, Head of Aceh Tourism Office, and members  of Parliament in  Commission X . 

Following the acknowledgment of Aceh’s Saman Dance as part of UNESCO World Heritage, it is hoped that the festival will also introduce other equally fascinating cultural splendors of Aceh.

More information available at the event’s official website:  http://seudatifestival.com/

Photo courtesy : http://seudatifestival.com/