Heddy: Need Strategic Programmes to Preserve Nation`s Culture

Palembang, MelayuOnline.com- The inexorable wave of globalization has eradicated nation‘s indigenous culture from the origin now. Consequently, all people need to carry out strategic efforts to save and preserve the nation‘s tradition and culture for a better future.

Such opinion appeared amongst the participants of a cultural dialogue “Art and Cultural Diversities of Adat Community,” on Wednesday (6/08/08) in Duta Hotel, Palembang. The dialogue was organized upon the cooperation of Culture and Tourism Development Board of Republic of Indonesia and Culture and Tourism Development Board of Palembang City.

Came to the dialogue was Sulistyo Tirtokusumo – the representative of Culture and Tourism Development Board of Republic of Indonesia – who was appointed as the keynote speaker. Likewise, several famous figures on cultural studies and the crews of MelayuOnline.com consisting of Mayudin Al Mudra, Hadi Kurniawan, and Yuhastina Sinaro, also participated in the dialogue.

The first session presented Prof. Dr. Sri Hartanto, Tengku Mira Rozana Sinar, S.Sos, and Dr. Miranda Risang Ayu. The dialogue was driven to discuss an interesting topic “Art and Cultural Preservation of Adat Community.”

Rozana, the daughter of Sultan Serdang, told that safeguarding cultural heritage is the right of every single person. “Cultural preservation demands greatly the involvements of both public and government. Therefore, the government should actively encourage such efforts by establishing an authorized institution concerning on this case,” Rozana said.

Rozana argues that there is no good coordination between the government and the public. For instance, the government does not give any supports to the Serdang Sultanate in preserving Manjunjung Duli dance. Consequently, this dance is only performed when an inauguration of the new sultan of Serdang takes place. “Too many traditionally cultural heritages in Serdang are gradually ignored by surrounding societies now,” she added.

The second session talked about “Adat Community‘s Culture in the Globalization” by presenting Prof. Dr. Heddy Shri Ahimsa-Putra, Ir. Sultan Iskandar Mahmud Badarudin, and Mirza Indah Dewi, S.Pd as the speakers.

In-line with Rozana, Heddy Shri Ahimsa-Putra also emphasizes the urgency of government‘s involvement in cultural preservation. In that occasion, Heddy conveyed his idea through a paper entitled “Adat Societies‘ Culture in the Era of Global Culture: based on the perspective of creative economy,”

“To respond the globalization in the form of creative economy, the government should actively encourage the continuation of adat community through strategic programmes,” Heddy said.

In a question-answer session, Mahyudin threw a question dealing with the government‘s policies on cultural preservation. One of the examples is the high cost for registering copyright of cultural tourism which can be difficult for most of adat communities.

In that occasion, the Center for Research and Development of Malay Culture – an umbrella institution of MelayuOnline.com, MalayTourism.com, and RajaAliHaji.com – displayed some Malay cultural collections to the participants attending the dialogue. In the end of the dialogue, Mahyudin representing MelayuOnline.com gave two books entitled Masyarakat Melayu dan Budaya Melayu dalam Perubahan and Tunjuk Ajar Melayu.

(HD/brt/01/08-08)

(NI/ter/30/08-08)

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