One super hot Sunday morning, we attended our friend, Art's, traditional Javanese engagement party. We met the Guffy clan at their home, jumped in the car with them, and headed to our friend's house about five kilometers away. Once we got there we followed two bemos (short, narrow vans with bench seating around the perimeter) to the destination - our friend's fiance's house, about 20 kilometers away. It was a neat little ceremony and we're certain that our friend really appreciated us being there. It's rare that anyone other than family attend these events. It was time well spent.
Photos: (Note: the stuff the folks (and I) are wearing is as formal as a tuxedo in the States.)
1 (satu). When you're done eating, your plate goes di bawah meja.
2 (dua). Dessert. Enjoying cinnamon flavored water with ice cubes, fruit bits, and jello cubes in my best batik shirt.
3 (tiga). Betty listening carefully to the MC.
4 (empat). Key dudes. Left to right: Family spokeman, Art, Art's dad.
5. (lima). The food brigade. (Soto Ayam - kind of like chicken and rice soup.)
6. (enam). Art's mother presents the fiance's mother with one basket of several containing gifts of who knows what.
7 (tujuh). Three Muslim ladies; three different jilbab models.
8 (delapan). The spokesman for Art's family addresses the party. Don't ask me what he said.
9 (sembilan). Art gives a necklace and ring to his bride-to-be via his mother. The engaged couple are not supposed to touch one another per tradition.
