Culture Minister Encourages Lengger Banyumas to Go Global
Purwokerto (ANTARA) - Minister of Culture Fadli Zon has stated that the traditional art of Lengger Banyumas must be preserved and developed so that it becomes increasingly recognised at both national and international levels as part of efforts to advance Indonesian culture. “Lengger Banyumas is an extraordinary cultural heritage and we hope it will become better known throughout the world. Culture is not only to be inherited, but also must be given space to be practised, developed, and celebrated together by its community,” he said at the Menara Teratai area in Purwokerto, Banyumas Regency, Central Java, on Friday evening.
Speaking at the ‘Banyumas Lengger Bicara 2026’ performance with the theme ‘Gemah Ripah Loh Jinawi’, he said Lengger Banyumas is not merely a performing art, but a cultural heritage containing a long history, life values, aesthetics, and the identity of a community passed down from generation to generation. According to him, the Banyumas Lengger Bicara event serves as a space for preservation and regeneration through the involvement of the younger generation, artists, cultural practitioners, and the wider community.
Fadli emphasised that the state has a constitutional mandate under Article 32 Paragraph (1) of the 1945 Constitution to advance national culture by guaranteeing the freedom of the community to maintain and develop their cultural values. “Therefore, the Ministry of Culture is committed to strengthening cultural communities, supporting festivals, documenting cultural heritage, encouraging regeneration, utilising digitalisation, and promoting local culture to the international stage,” he said.
He noted that Banyumas possesses a wealth of culture with great potential for development, ranging from Calung Banyumasan, Ebeg, and Lengger Banyumas to Begalan art, Ronggeng Banyumasan, and the Banyumasan language. He added that this cultural richness can also be introduced to the younger generation through theatre, film, literacy, podcasts, and digital creative content to support the development of a sustainable cultural economy and industry.
Speaking after the event, Fadli assessed that Banyumas Lengger Bicara 2026 was a high-quality cultural performance that combined the traditional Lengger dance performed by Maestro Rianto with dance, musical drama, colossal drama, and performances by various dancers and singers in a single show. “In my opinion, this is not only entertaining but also fosters self-confidence and pride in our national culture, especially Banyumas culture. Everything presented was of high quality. Hopefully, in the coming years, it can continue to be held as an event that the public eagerly anticipates,” he said.
Regarding the possibility of Banyumas Lengger Bicara being included in the Karisma Event Nusantara (KEN) agenda, Fadli said that matter falls under the purview of the Ministry of Tourism. Nevertheless, he believes that holding such a cultural festival will have a multiplier effect on the tourism sector, micro, small, and medium enterprises (UMKM), and the regional economy. “This is also part of downstream tourism and the UMKM economy. Hopefully, it can create a multiplier effect for Banyumas and Purwokerto so that more people from outside the region will come here to watch the Lengger Bicara performance,” he said.
The Banyumas Lengger Bicara 2026 featured a dance performance titled ‘Sastra Jiwangga’ by Maestro Rianto, performed by the maestro himself, while the main event was a performance titled ‘Senandung Tanah Makmur’ featuring dances accompanied by a Javanese orchestra. The event also included the presentation of an award to Peang Penjol, a legendary comedy group from Banyumas. Minister of Culture Fadli Zon presented an award to Suliyah, Deputy Speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) Lestari Moerdijat presented an award to the family of the late Rusmadi (Peang), and Banyumas Regent Sadewo Tri Lastiono presented an award to the family of the late Sadikun (Penjol).