Saving Our Heritage | Ullen Sentalu

A place that has been recommended by a friend of mine to visit, and finally on my last trip to Jogjakarta I decided to spare times to pay this place a visit. Located in Kaliurang, Yogyakarta, this museum shouldn't be hard to find. Just ask your tour guide or the locals they will show you the way to this pretty exotic museum. Ullen Sentalu itself is actually an acronym of "ULating bLENcong SEjatiNe TAtaraning LUmaku" which means that the light of blencong *a lamp that is used in wayang kulit performance* is a guide for humans to run their life. By now you can tell, that yes.. this museum is preserving the Javanese cultural heritage.

Run by a private foundation, you will find this museum very well taken care of. You can't go inside the museum freely and have to wait for the guides to go in there. It is no wonder, because I assume you might get lost if you decided to roam around by yourself as it has mazelike architecture. The Museum is built in accordance with the Kaliurang landscape. That's why you'll find the building antique, exotic, and jungle like at the same time. Well I couldn't explain it any better, and I have no pictures to show you either since it is forbidden to take pictures inside the Museum *we could take pictures in the garden though, and it is just as beautiful*. By the way I think this is a nice place to do a pre-wed photo shoot.
Speaking of the collection, you could actually learn ancient Javanese tradition and way of life. This is shown through series of potraits, sculptures and paintings of the Kraton *Kasultanan, Mangkunegaran, Pakualaman, and Kasunanan* family members. Along with the visit you'll find some detail facts like why the Kraton family members don't wear ring on their middle fingers, or which batik design is used by who and in which occassion, or the symbolic meanings in a bride's makeup *you know like the west culture believe in wearing something old something blue stuff on their wedding day*. At the end of the tour you will be taken to try a traditional jamu recipe*a drink made from spices* that is believed will make you stay young.
For only 25.000 IDR (15.000 IDR for local students) this is the place that worth your visit. Especially with this nationalism sentiment to preserve the Indonesian culture, why not start by visiting this cultural sites and learn more about it. For more information you could visit the Ullen Sentalu official website.

Let's start with something small, and start learning today. If not us, then who else? If not now, then when? ^^
Note: you'll never know what you have until you lose it.