Artists, Cultural Practitioners in Yogyakarta Receive COVID-19 Vaccines

President Jokowi, on Wednesday (10/3), inspects mass vaccination held in the Bagong Kussudiardja Arts Center, Bantul Regency, the Special Region of Yogyakarta. (Photo by: BPMI/Lukas)

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, on Wednesday (10/3), inspected mass vaccination for artists and cultural practitioners held in the Bagong Kussudiardja Arts Center, Bantul Regency, Special Region of Yogyakarta.

On the occasion, President Jokowi watched a teathrical performance aimed to illustrate the people’s joy in the implementation of free mass vaccination policy. The performance featured traditional Javanese puppetry characters Petruk, one of the four Punakawans and Gatotkaca, the strongest of the Pandava.

In the current pandemic, Petruk is illustrated as a character who is always optimistic and strives in togetherness and mutual cooperation to free the nation from the pandemic. Petruk symbolizes values of meaning in life, a symbol of the common people.

Meanwhile, Gatotkaca, played by Anter Asmorotejo, although it is told that he is muscular, iron-reinforced, and copper-skinned, the story depicted that he still needs an injection of a vaccination dose to provide initial protection like other vaccine recipients.

“In today’s context, Petruk gets vaccinated. Gatotkaca, a knight with copper-skin and iron bones still gets vaccinated. So, even the knight is vaccinated, let alone Petruk,” Butet Kartaredjasa, the owner of the arts center, said. (BPMI/UN) (FI/MUR)