Beksan dancers

Beksan dancers, circa 1870.
See also: Sultanate of Mataram

After Sultan Agung, the Sultanate of Mataram was declining due to power struggle within the sultanate. To make things worse, VOC (Dutch East India Company) exploited the power struggle to increase its control. At the peak of the conflict, the Mataram Sultanate was split in two based on the Treaty of Giyanti of February 13, 1755: Yogyakarta Sultanate and Surakarta Sultanate.
The Giyanti Treaty mentioned Pangeran Mangkubumi as Sultan of Yogyakarta with the title of Sampeyan Dalem Ingkang Sinuwun Kanjeng Sultan Hamengkubuwono Senopati Ingalaga Abdul Rakhman Sayidin Khalifatullah Panatagama(His Majesty, The Sultan-Carrier of the Universe, Chief Warrior, Servant of the Most Gracious, Cleric and Caliph that Safeguards the Religion).
During the era of Dutch occupation there were two principalities, the Yogyakarta Sultanate (Kasultanan Yogyakarta) and the smaller Pakualaman Duchy / Principality (Kadipaten Pakualaman).
The Dutch Colonial Government arranged for the carrying out autonomous self government, arranged under a political contract. When the Indonesian independence was proclaimed, the rulers, the Sultan of Yogyakarta and Prince of Pakualaman made a declaration they would become part of the Republic of Indonesia. Those two regions were unified to form the Yogyakarta Special Region and the sultan became the Governor of Yogyakarta and the Prince of Pakualaman as the vice-governor; both were responsible to the President of Indonesia. The Special Region of Yogyakarta was created after the independence war ended and legalized on August 3, 1950.
In carrying out the local government administration it considers three principles: decentralization, deconcentration and assistance. The provincial government carries out the responsibilities and authorities of the central government, while on other hand carrying out its autonomous responsibilities and authorities. The Regional Government consists of the Head of the Region and the Legislative Assembly of the Region. Such construction guarantees good cooperation between the Head of Region and the Legislative Assembly of Region in order to achieve a sound regional government administration. The Head of the Special Region of Yogyakarta has got responsibility as the Head of the Territory and titled as a Governor.
The first Governor was the late Hamengkubuwono IX, Sultan of Yogyakarta and continued by HRH. Paku Alam VIII as acting governor until Hamengkubuwono X ascended in 1998. Unlike the other heads of regions in Indonesia, the governor of the Special Region of Yogyakarta has the privilege or special status of not being bound to the period of position nor the requirements and way of appointment. However, in carrying out their duties, they have the same authorizations and responsibilities.

The principal residence of the sultan is the kraton (palace), sometimes called the Yogyakarta Kraton but otherwise known in formal terms Kraton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat

Batik

Batik is a cloth which traditionally uses a manual wax-resist dyeing technique. Due to modern advances in the textile industry, the term has been extended to include fabrics which incorporate traditional batik patterns even if they are not produced using the wax-resist dyeing techniques. Silk batik is especially popular.^{[citation needed]}
Javanese traditional batik, especially from Yogyakarta and Surakarta, has special meanings rooted to the Javanese conceptualization of the universe. Traditional colours include indigo, dark brown, and white which represent the three major Hindu Gods (Brahmā, Visnu, and Śiva). This is related to the fact that natural dyes are only available in indigo and brown. Certain patterns can only be worn by nobility; traditionally, wider stripes or wavy lines of greater width indicated higher rank. Consequently, during Javanese ceremonies, one could determine the royal lineage of a person by the cloth he or she was wearing.
Other regions of Indonesia have their own unique patterns which normally take themes from everyday lives, incorporating patterns such as flowers, nature, animals, folklore or people. The colours of pesisir batik, from the coastal cities of northern Java, is especially vibrant, and it absorbs influence from the Javanese, Arab, Chinese and Dutch culture. In the colonial times pesisir batik was a favorite of the Peranakan Chinese, Dutch and Eurasians
UNESCO designated Indonesian batik as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity on October 2, 2009. As part of the acknowledgment, UNESCO insisted that Indonesia preserve their heritage.
Batik or fabrics with the traditional batik patterns are also found in several countries such as Malaysia, Japan, China, Azerbaijan, India, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Nigeria, Senegal, and Singapore. Malaysian batik often displays plants and flowers, as Islam forbid pictures of other living beings

Angkringan

Angkringan (derived from the Javanese language 'Angkring', which means sit back) is a push cart that sells a variety of common foods and beverages available at each of the side streets in Central Java and Yogyakarta. In Sala known as the stalls wisdom ("special meals A la village"). Ordinary angkringan cart covered with cloth and plastic sheeting can carry about 8 people a buyer. Operates from late afternoon, he relies on the traditional lighting of senthir, and also aided by the bright lights of the road. Meals consist of rice sold cats, fried intestines satay (chicken), sate quail egg, chips and others. Dijualpun wide variety of beverages such as tea, citrus, coffee, tape, wedang of ginger and milk. All sold at a very affordable price. Although the price is cheap, but consumers are highly varied stalls. Starting from pedicab drivers, construction workers, office employees, students, artists, even to the officials and executives. Between buyers and sellers are often seen chatting with the relaxed atmosphere of a family. Angkringan also renowned as an egalitarian place because of the variation of buyers who come without distinguishing between the social strata or racial. They enjoy free food while chatting late into the night - although it did not know each other - about things or sometimes discussing serious topics. The price is cheap and relaxing place that makes angkringan very popular in the middle of the city as a stopover to repel hungry or just unwind. Susana familiar in angkringan make a name not only refers angkringan into place but the atmosphere, several events menadopsi angkringan words to describe the intimate atmosphere of sharing and bridging the differences, such as a JTF Angkringan diadakanLitbang kmtf and also Angkringan Ramadan which are often held on college campuses before buka puasa

Bekakak

Ambarketawang Village, has a distinctive tradition of slaughtering bekakak, a pair of young temanten dolls made of sticky rice flour. This tradition is carried out once a year in the month in Javanese calendar Sapar. This tradition is associated with Ki Wirosuto figures, one of three brothers with Wirojombo Ki, and Ki Wirodono servants in the palace, which is very dear to HB first.When construction of the Kraton is underway, the servants in the palace lived in inns Ambarketawang except Ki Wirosuto who choose to live in a cave on Mount Gamping. At full moon, between the 10th and 15th, on Friday, catastrophe, Mount Gamping landslide. Ki Wirosuto and his family falling avalanche and are listed as missing since his body was not found. The loss of Ki Wirosuto and families in Mt Gamping This raises confidence in the local community that the soul and spirit Ki Wirosuto remains on Mount Gamping.The ceremony aims to honor the original Saparan Ki and Nyi Wirosuto loyalty to King HB I. But then change and intended to earn salvation for the people who took the limestone in order to avoid a disaster. For limestone-making difficult and dangerous enough

Tugu Yogyakarta

Tugu Yogyakarta as a pointer toward the direction of the palace to the top of Mount MerapiCoordinates: 7 ° 46'58 "S 110 ° 22'01" E7.782911 ° 110.367021 ° BT LSTugu Yogyakarta is an obelisk or tower, which is often used as a symbol of the city of Yogyakarta. This monument was built by Hamengkubuwono I, founder of the Yogyakarta palace. The monument is located at the intersection of Jl Jenderal Sudirman and Jl. This Mangkubumi Prince, has a symbolic value and is a magical line that connects the southern ocean, and Mount Merapi Yogyakarta palace. At the time of meditation, it is said the Sultan of Yogyakarta at the time to use this monument as a benchmark the direction facing the top of Mount Merapi.This monument is now one of tourism object of Yogya, and commonly known as "the pillar of white pal" (pal also means the monument), because of the color paint used since the first is white. The monument is an elliptical plate with a small ball and the pointed tip at the top. From the palace of Yogyakarta when we saw toward the north, then we will find that Jalan Malioboro, Jl Mangkubumi, this monument, and Monument Yogya Back Road will form a straight line exactly the way to the top of Mount Merapi

Jalan Malioboro (Malioboro Street) is a major shopping street in Yogyakarta, Indonesia; the name is also used more generally for the neighborhood around the street. It lies north in the line between Yogyakarta Kraton and Mount Merapi. This is in itself is significant to many of the local population, the north south orientation between the palace and the volcano being of importance.
The street is the centre of Yogyakarta's largest tourist district; many hotels and restaurants are located nearby. Sidewalks on both sides of the street are crowded with small stalls selling a variety of goods. In the evening several open-air streetside restaurants, called lesehan, operate along the street.
Less obvious to the tourist, but more for the local population, side streets, lanes and structures that lead on to Malioboro are as important as the street itself.
The street was for many years two-way, but by the 1980s had become one way only, from the railway line (where it starts) to the south - to Beringharjo markets, where it ends. The largest, oldest Dutch era hotel, Hotel Garuda, is located on the street's northern end, on the eastern side adjacent to the railway line. It has the former Dutch era Prime Minister's complex, the kepatihan, on the eastern side.
For many years in the 1980s and later, a cigarette advertisement was placed on the first building south of the railway line - or effectively the last building on Malioboro, which advertised Marlboro cigarettes, no doubt appealing to locals and foreigners who would see a pun with name of the street with a foreign product being advertised.
It does not reach the walls or grounds of the Yogyakarta palace, as Malioboro ceases in name adjacent to the very large market Beringharjo (on the eastern side as well). From this point the street changes name to Jalan Ahmad Yani (Ahmad Yani Street) and has the former Governors residence on the western side, and the old Dutch Fort Vredeburg on the eastern side

Typical food Jogja

A typical serving of gudeg.

A street stall of a woman selling gudeg.

A street stall of a woman selling gudeg.

Gudeg is a traditional food from Central Java and Yogyakarta, Indonesia which is made from young Nangka (jack fruit) boiled for several hours with palm sugar, and coconut milk. Additional spices include garlic, shallot, candlenut, coriander seed, galangal, bay leaves, and teak leaves, the latter giving a brown color to the dish. It is also called Green Jack Fruit Sweet Stew. Gudeg is served with white rice, chicken, hard-boiled egg, tofu and/or tempeh, and a stew made of crispy beef skins (sambal goreng krecek).
There are three types of gudeg; dry, wet and East-Javanese style. Dry gudeg has only a bit of coconut milk and thus has little sauce. Wet gudeg includes more coconut milk. The East-Javanese style gudeg employs a spicier and hotter taste, compared to the Yogyakarta-style gudeg, which is sweeter.

About Jogja

Jogjakarta City is a city in the Yogyakarta Special Region, Indonesia. It is renowned as a center of classical Javanese fine art and culture such as batik, ballet, drama, music, poetry, and puppet shows. It is also famous as a center for Indonesian higher education. Yogyakarta was the Indonesian capital during the Indonesian National Revolution from 1945 to 1949.