“TALE OF A THOUSAND TEMPLES: The Untold Story of a Javanese Princess”

Dean Acheson Auditorium
Department of State
Thursday, September 26
At 10:30 AM

The Associates of the American Foreign Service Worldwide (AAFSW), in collaboration with the Indonesian Embassy, cordially invites you to join us on Thursday, September 26, at 10:30 AM for a beautiful and romantic program, “Tale of a Thousand Temples: The Untold Story of a Javanese Princess” in the Dean Acheson Auditorium of the State Department.

The legend of Roro Jonggrang is a Javanese folktale about love and betrayal between a prince and warrior, Bandung Bondowoso, and a princess, Roro Jonggrang. Roro Jonggrang agreed to marry Bandung Bondowoso on one condition: the prince must build a thousand temples in only one night.

With the help from spirits from earth, the prince finished 999 temples before dawn and started the final one. The princess and her maids tried to trick the prince by lighting the fire in the east and pounding rice to make it look like dawn. The spirits fled, leaving the temples unfinished. When he learned he was being fooled, the prince was furious and cursed the princess turning her into a stone statue that completed the thousandth temple.

In short about IKPA: Indonesian Kids Performing Arts (IKPA) is an independent non-profit organization established in January 2010 by a group of Indonesians with special interest in the education of Indonesian community children residing in the Washington, D.C. area, especially in the field of music, art, and culture of Indonesia. IKPA’s vision is to spread love and peace through the arts.

Our country is rich in history and culture and our mission is to share them while building the character of our children, who were born in the United States, as well as those who moved to the United States. These children serve as ambassadors for Indonesian culture. IKPA’s activities include choir, dance, musical instruments, and theater, which all fall under the trademark of “The Color of Indonesia”.

All attendees without a State Department badge will need to submit a driver’s license or passport number, and date of birth to our AAFSW email office@aafsw.org no later than Monday, Sept. 23 plus a check (made out to AAFSW) for $10 for non-members and $5 for members to defray coffee and tea costs to our headquarters at 4001 Ninth Street North, Suite 214, Arlington VA, 22203.

Please come to the 23rd Street entrance of the Department of State (between “C” and “D” Streets NW) by 10:20 a.m. We will have an informal coffee and tea social time beginning at 10:30 a.m., followed by the presentation beginning at 11:00 a.m. ending approximately by noon.

We look forward to seeing you.

Warm regards,
Sheila Switzer
AAFSW Program Chair