Lapau

The Lapau, also known as the Royal Ceremonial Hall, is a ceremonial hall in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei. It is where the royal ceremonies, state investiture and some state events are traditionally held. It was the place where the present Sultan of Brunei, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, was crowned in 1968.

Name

is historically the type of a Bruneian traditional hall where royal ceremonies and audiences were held. It is believed to have existed since the first Sultan of Brunei, Sultan Muhammad Shah, and since then various buildings had been built over the course of time. Lapau Kajang was the which held the silver jubilee celebration of the ascension to the throne of Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin as the 28th Sultan on 22 September 1949.

Location

The building is located in Pusat Bandar, the city centre of Bandar Seri Begawan. It is part of the complex which also houses the , the former building of the Legislative Council. Some notable landmarks in its vicinity include the Royal Regalia Museum, the Youth Centre and the Main Post Office () building.

History

Prior to the existence of the present building, the function of was housed in another building which was also known as Lapau. It was built during the reign of Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III and still exists today, whereby it is now commonly known as the Old Lapau () to distinguish from the current Lapau. It is now part of the Brunei History Centre building. Since 2018 it has been repurposed into a historical gallery pertaining to the Constitution of Brunei.

The plan to build a new building was first proposed in 1963. The plan as well as the design of the new building was first proposed by Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III himself, and later refined by the commissioned architect firm Booty Edwards & Partners. It was built at a site which was then in Kampong Kianggeh. The construction began in August 1965 and completed in 1968.

The present was where Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah was crowned and bestowed with the title in a coronation ceremony known as or on 1 August 1968, nearly 10 months after he was officially declared as the 29th Sultan of Brunei upon the abdication of Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III. It was also the place where the agreement was signed between Brunei and the Great Britain on 23 November 1971, which gave Brunei full internal independence except defence and foreign affairs.

Ceremonies

The Lapau is the traditional place for the 'opening' ceremonies of the '' Gendang Jaga-Jaga'', a Bruneian traditional ceremony to mark the start of a royal event or festivity such as coronations and royal weddings. The itself is a Bruneian traditional musical ensemble which is only played every day during seasons of royal ceremonies and festivities.

The Lapau is also where the 'opening' ceremony of the is held. This is a traditional ceremony, carried out to mark the end of the mourning period upon the demise of the Sultan or a royal family member. The has the same musical instruments as the , with the exception of the gongs and canang, which are only used in the Gendang Jaga-Jaga ensemble. Today, the is performed daily throughout the life of a reigning Sultan before the dawn, sunset and evening prayers.

Royal ceremonies have been traditionally held in the Lapau. However, nowadays and due to capacity constraint they are held in Istana Nurul Iman. Only ceremonies like the openings of the and the , and bestowal of traditional titles are still held in the Lapau.

References

External links

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Lapau in the State Adat Istiadat Department website
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Buildings and structures in Bandar Seri Begawan