Ahmad Syafii Maarif’s Ideas Brought to Life Through Art
Continuing the ‘Bulan Buya’ cultural relay, MAARIF Institute hosted a collaborative cultural performance titled ‘Telling the Story of the National Teacher: Minangkabau National Kaba’. The event, held at the Hoerijah Adam Performance Hall of the Indonesian Institute of Arts (ISI) Padang Panjang on 31 May 2026, provided a significant opportunity to revisit the noble teachings of the late Ahmad Syafii Maarif.
This event is the second leg of a three-city commemoration series in Yogyakarta, Padang Panjang, and Jakarta. MAARIF Institute previously launched the series with the ‘Suluh Bangsa’ art exhibition in Yogyakarta. Choosing Padang Panjang as the second venue carries deep meaning, given the late National Teacher’s emotional and intellectual ties to the Minangkabau region.
Executive Director of MAARIF Institute, Andar Nubowo, emphasised in his speech that commemorating the late Buya Syafii Maarif’s birthday and fourth anniversary of his passing is a consistent effort to preserve his ideas amidst the nation’s diversity. ‘This is an invitation to reflect amidst the dynamics of the times, urging us to return to noble civilisational values,’ he stated in a press release on 1 June 2026.
The event, attended by around 700 spectators, was officially opened by ISI Padang Panjang’s Rector, Febri Yulika. A particularly reflective moment was the re-reading of Buya Syafii Maarif’s public lecture delivered at the campus on 16 March 2015, which Dr. Dede Pramayoza recited to revive the collective memory of younger generations regarding the late figure’s clear-thinking.
The climax of the event featured a performance directed by Artistic Director Edy Utama, blending theatrical narrative, music, and visuals harmoniously. The collaboration involved Music Directors Muhammad Halim and Susandra Jaya, alongside a stunning performance by the Talago Buni Community.
Edy Utama explained that the multimedia approach was deliberately chosen to make Buya Syafii’s complex ideas more accessible and fluid across generations. Through art, the messages of humanity and nationalism are hoped to weave together the fraying social fabric.
After the successful Padang Panjang event, the ‘Bulan Buya’ series is set to conclude in Jakarta in mid-June. MAARIF Institute hopes the flame of national consciousness left by Buya Syafii remains lit through such creative and intellectual mediums.
Deputy Minister of Basic and Secondary Education, Fajar Riza Ul Haq, delivered six of Buya Syafii Maarif’s messages as a moral manifesto for Mu’allimin graduates facing the AI era.
The May-June period is crucial for rejuvenation.
In his speech, Fajar highlighted Buya Syafii as a highly influential figure for the nation and community in his personal journey.