A Century After Rarud Batur: Village Festival Revives History and Culture
Exactly a century after the Batur community was relocated due to the 1926 Mount Batur eruption, the Batur Traditional Village will host the Batur Village Festival #1 from 2 to 8 August 2026. The commemoration of the 100th anniversary of Rarud Batur is not only a moment to remember the struggles of the ancestors but also to highlight the challenges faced by the community amidst rapid tourism growth.
Festival committee chairman I Made Santika stated that preparations for the centenary of Rarud Batur began in 2025. He explained that the festival was designed not merely as a ceremony, but as an effort to revive the collective memory of the community regarding Batur’s history. "We started preparing for this event in July 2025 with an activation at Pura Jati Batur. From the outset, we wanted the 100th anniversary of Rarud Batur to be more than just a ceremonial event; it should be a collective movement to revive the history, culture, and spirit of our ancestors," Santika said in Denpasar on Wednesday. He explained that the history of Rarud Batur is presented through various sports, arts, cultural, educational, and entertainment activities to make it more accessible to the public, especially the younger generation.
The festival will open with the Batur Caldera Run and a National Seminar on the Centenary of the Batur Relocation. This will be followed by the official opening, a theatrical performance of Rarud Batur, and a historical walk retracing the community’s migration route from Batur Let to Bayung Gede Village and finally to Batur Traditional Village.
Jero Penyarikan Duuran Batur, representing Palinggih Dane Jero Gede Batur, said the centenary serves as a reminder of the community’s struggle to rebuild their lives after the disaster. "This is a momentum for us to remember how our ancestors, after facing the catastrophe, had to move and rebuild their lives. It was not an easy feat," he said. He noted that the community inherited not only customs and culture but also a spirit of togetherness.
Jero Penyarikan stressed that understanding history is crucial for facing current changes, particularly the rapid expansion of tourism in the Batur area. "Now we face many changes, especially because of tourism. Tourism certainly brings opportunities, but we must also be critical. We have to see where this development is heading and what its impact is on the community," he said. He warned that tourism development should not come at the expense of the community’s living space. "We must not let tourism development narrow the living space of the community. The challenge is not only how to develop tourism but also how to preserve the community’s living space," he asserted.
He emphasised that the centennial commemoration was the result of collaboration between various parties, including the traditional village, government, academics, communities, and tourism stakeholders. "Understanding history makes us wiser in facing every development. We know this place was built through struggle. Therefore, when there is development, we must also think about how that development respects the existing community, culture, and living space," he added. The festival will feature a variety of activities, including a colouring competition, a bamboo preservation workshop, a youth tourism guide training, a book launch and discussion, a youth talk show, a cultural film screening, a cultural literacy competition, a Balinese gamelan competition, traditional games, a painting exhibition, a cultural parade, and performances by local and national musicians. Through the Batur Village Festival #1, the 100th anniversary of Rarud Batur is expected to become a momentum to strengthen cultural identity while maintaining a balance between historical preservation, community life, and tourism development.