Indonesians slam US$13,000 wedding for dogs clad in Javanese attire
- Two Alaskan Malamutes donned traditional Javanese outfits at a fake ceremony in Jakarta, sparking an uproar about the owners ‘wasting money and defying God’
- Ostentatious displays of wealth are frowned upon and often criticised because of Indonesia’s widening income gap
Two Indonesian women have apologised after a lavish “wedding” for their dogs sparked a backlash in the middle-income country, where wealth distribution is one of the most unequal in the world.
Two Alaskan Malamutes were wedded at a mall in the capital, Jakarta, donning traditional Javanese outfits alongside their owners and relatives at a fake ceremony that reportedly cost 200 million rupiah (US$13,300).
A social media uproar followed after images emerged of the wolf-like dogs taking each other’s paws in marriage at the extravagant ceremony, forcing the owners into a contrite news conference.
“We regret it very much and we would like to apologise for the Javanese culture enthusiasts and all Indonesians who were uncomfortable and hurt by the event,” said Indira Ratnasari, owner of female dog Luna.
“We had no intention to insult the Indonesian and the Javanese culture,” she said, according to footage posted on her makeup artist’s Instagram account.
Ostentatious displays of wealth in the world’s fourth-most populous country are frowned upon and often criticised because of its widening income gap.