Barongsai Dance Forbidden in Aceh
Monday, 21 December, 2009 | 14:19 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Banda Aceh:Several Aceh inhabitants of Chinese descent are disappointed that they cannot perform the Barongsai lion dance at joint prayers to commemorate five years since the tsunami in Aceh yesterday. The Aceh Religious Affair Department still forbids this dance.

“We are disappointed by this restriction, because the Barongsai is just a cultural attraction, not a religious one,” said Yuswar, a member of the commemoration committee.

According to him, in the initial plan the barongsai attraction was to be performed by touring Banda Aceh and end at the mass grave in Ulee Lheu, where Buddha adherents pray together.

Yuswar admitted that he took care of the permit at the Religious Affair Department and at the police, but they do not issue it until now.

” The reason was that the situation is not yet advisable, but we do not know what kind of situation they were talking about,” he said.

Because of the restriction, Yuswar went on to say that the Barongsai troupe, ordered from Medan, North Sumatra, will not perform at the commemoration.

Chinese descendants believe that a Barongsai performance can calm tsunami victims’ spirits. The Aceh tsunami occurred on December 26, 2004.

Responding to the restriction, Head of Aceh Religious Affairs Rahman T.B., said that they need time to socialize the Barongsai dance to the Muslim majority Aceh people.”All this time there has never been any open Barongsai performance at events in Aceh,” said Rahman.

For public peace, according to Rachman, the permit for a Barongsai attraction has not yet issued.”The reason behind it is the concern that Aceh people would not be able to accept it,” said Rahman.

ADI WARSIDI