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The Yahukimo Regency Government has closed the 2024 Twelve Yahukimo Tribes Cultural Festival at the Yahukimo Regent's office in Dekai District, Yahukimo Regency, Highland Papua Province on Aug. 14, 2024. The festival included artistic performances, parades, competitions, and and cultural art performances that led to the occasion being featured in the Karisma Event Nusantara (KEN) program.
Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry Creative Industry Music, Film, and Animation Director Muhamed Amin, who was accompanied by Regional Secretary Redison Manurung, closed the festival and the accompanying school-level cultural carnival by planting a traditional stone axe on a tree stump.
The festival's closing was also witnessed by the its Organizing Committee Chairman, the local Family Welfare Movement (PKK) Chairwoman, the local Dharma Wanita Chairwoman, the Yahukimo Military District Commander, the Yahukimo Police Department Chief, and others.
Amin conveyed that Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno felt it was about time the 12 Yahukimo Tribes Cultural Festival got listed as part of KEN in 2024
The Yahukimo Regency is inhabited by 12 large indigenous Papuan tribes, with each tribe having a unique culture, language, and tradition. The 12 tribes presented cultural showcases in the form of dances, rituals, folklore performances, to unique traditional clothing from ethnic groups both inside and outside Papua.
"We hope that the local government will continue to support them, so that next year's [festival] could be even better and more interesting for Indonesia and the rest of the world," Amen added.
The ministry has seen for themselves that the Papuan people and showcases like the festival that they have need to be shown to the world. Therefore, Yahukimo's people should continue to be preserve and improve the cultures of the 12 tribes.
"Indeed, Papua Highlands hides away several unique elements of the Papuan people. If a culture like it is not fostered, then its languages, arts, culture, and other customs could go extinct," he explained.
Meanwhile, Yahukimo Regency Regional Secretary Redison Manurung said Twelve Yahukimo Tribes Cultural Festival 2024 provides an important momentum for efforts to preserve, introduce, and develop the ancestral heritage and rich culture the 12 large Yahukimo tribes.
This festival must be both celebrated and used as a forum to strengthen the bonds between tribes and strengthen the Yahukimo populace's cultural identity.
"For three days we have seen the 12 Yahukimo [tribes'] artistic and cultural performances, have witnessed various arts and cultural performances by 22 large Yahukimo tribes ranging from traditional dances, traditional music, to handicrafts that are all made and owned by [us since the time of] our ancestors," he stated.
Redison is sure that the festival's participants and attendants would gain valuable experience and inspiration to continue preserving and developing Yahukimo Regency culture.
"On behalf of the Yahukimo Regency Government, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry of Indonesia, represented by the ministry's Creative Industry of Music, Film and Animation Director, as well as to the heads of Yahukimo Regency Offices and their staff whose efforts led to this achievement," the Regional Secretary said.
Redison hopes that activities like the festival could be carried out annually to attract the attention of foreigners and encourage them to visit Yahukimo.
"Today, Aug. 14, 2024, we officially close all series of events [in the festival] ahead of Indonesia's 79th anniversary," he concluded.
The Yahukimo Cultural Festival 2024 has 'My Culture is My Pride, Preserving Yahukimo Culture from Extinction' as its theme. In addition to cultural showcases, the Yahukimo Culture and Tourism Office also provides a creative economy booth that sold Yahukimo crafts like traditional clothing, noken, sali koteka, bracelets, and other accessories.
Prior to the closing ceremony, prizes were distributed to teams who won competitions at the festival, such as fashion show and wisisi competitions, as well as cultural showcase participants.
The Yahukimo Regency has 12 large tribes participating in the festival, namely the Yali Ninia, Yali Anggruk, Hubla, Kimyal, Mek, Ngalik, Una, Ukam, Momuna, Duwe, Kopkaka, and Bese tribes.
Yahukimo Culture and Tourism Office Head Mega Joordens Pakan expressed gratitude to all parties involved in the festival.
"We are very grateful because all elements [of the festival] have given their support so that the festival could be carried out well," Mega said while handing over financial assistance to representatives of each Yahukimo tribe.
"Let's preserve our culture, and let's continue to preserve it. Don't let minor things break us, let's build Yahukimo Regency together instead," Mega concluded.
The Yahukimo Twelve Tribes Cultural Festival was attended by the local community, VIP guests from Jakarta, Highland Papua Province Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda), Indonesian Youth National Committee (KNPI) Yahukimo Regency, PKK Organizing Team Chairwoman, Dharma Wanita Chairwoman, religious figures, Highland Papua Regional Secretariat, State Attorney's Office of Yahukimo, as well as their entourage.
