Royal symbol of Indonesia still going strong

On the 26th of october 2009 His Royal Highness Sultan H. Aji Salehoeddin II of Kutai (officially plus Kartanegara Ing Martadipura) celebrated his 85th birthday as well as the 10th year of the installation of the sultan. That was done in the new palace;finished in 2002;and attended by many high government officials and other respected guests. In the special meetingplace of the palace for the guests;the pendoppo;the guests were entertained by special selected royal dances and delicious royal food. All is special about this sultan and his area. Although the total area of Kutai is now divided into several districts (kabupatens), the people of Kutai area still keep contact with it's dynasty. Kutai Kartanegara is also called the Brunei of Indonesia:because of it's oilwealth it is the richest area of Indonesia. Also some people calls it the Japan of Indonesia:Kutai is the oldest royal area of Indonesia;like Japan, which also has a very, very old still existing dynasty. Kutai was founded as a kingdom in ca. 400 of the Christian era. It is also the first dynasty, which is the Indonesian government allowed in the modern time to have it's dynastychief to be installed (and even coronated) as a king. That happened it 1999. Sultan H. Aji Salehoeddin II is a king, which is known for his true role as a father of his area. He is known for bringing back all difficult issues of live back to the erall needed basic. So his influence as the moral consiousnes of Kutai is still very big because of that for instance. His warm character for everybody;which his crownprince for sure has inherited;doesn't prevent, that his people have a very high respect for him and more like to see him as their king,than as their father. Although the sultan is now already 85 years,he is still amazingly vital for his age. In an interview I had with him, he told me, that he for all his life took very good care of what he eat, he has every day enough exercize, do not bring stress to life, never forget to uphold the contact with the Almighty God and never being in hatefull contacts with anybody. Sultana Aji Ratu Aida Amidjoyo is maybe of the same opinion as the sultan,because she also shows a very big energetic life despite her age;also always spreading an affectional mood to everybody. The day of celebration in the palace was opened,when a granddaughter of the sultan showe a very special royal dance for the audience. That the royal couple of Kutai may continue for long being the father and mother of their area and also the symbol of the royal revival in Indonesia. May God blesses them all.

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I. Festivana