Discoverer of Ancient Artefacts on Konga Beach Could Become Cultural Heritage Custodian
The Tourism and Culture Office (Disparbud) team of Flores Timur Regency met with Bernardus Budi, a resident who found several ancient artefacts while fishing on Konga Beach, Titehena Subdistrict, on Wednesday (6/5/2026). The visit was conducted to inventory and document the objects suspected of having historical and cultural value.
The Head of Disparbud Flores Timur, Hery Lamawuran, emphasised that the state has an obligation to protect objects suspected to be cultural heritage, rather than seizing them from the finder.
“The state has an obligation to protect, not to take. It is important because it has value and significant meaning in terms of history, knowledge, research, literacy, civilisation, and most importantly for conservation,” said Hery Lamawuran, Head of Disparbud Flores Timur, when confirmed by detikBali on Thursday (7/5/2026).
Hery explained that if the results of the study by the Cultural Heritage Expert Team state that the objects have important value, then the finder has the opportunity to be appointed as a cultural heritage custodian and receive monthly incentives. This is in accordance with the Regent’s Decree of Flores Timur Number 15.1 of 2026 regarding the appointment of cultural heritage custodians in the Flores Timur Regency area.
“In Flores Timur, there are 12 custodians who receive monthly incentives for several years. Only this year, due to efficiency, they only get it for 6 months,” he added.
Hery hopes that the found items, if valuable, are at least well maintained by the finder, and Disparbud Flores Timur has the authority to inventory, document, and ensure they are well cared for.
“These Flores Timur items are often sought after by antique collectors. They must not end up abroad. Now there is an international consensus to repatriate Indonesian collections that are abroad,” he stressed.
Previously, a video of a resident finding several ancient antique items suspected from the kingdom era on Konga Beach, Titehena Subdistrict, Flores Timur, on Monday night (4/5/2026), went viral on social media.
The Head of Konga Village, Aloysius Sinyo Kung, mentioned that the finder of the statue and ancient antique items is named Bernardus Budi, a resident of Dulipali Village. At that time, he was fishing and looking for prawns on Konga Beach, and he found the valuable objects.
“Budi went to the beach and found them while prawn fishing. He stored them in the garden, there is a kingdom statue, a cross, a small box like diamond or gemstone, a bird-headed staff, and so on,” said Aloysius when confirmed by detikBali on Wednesday (6/5/2026).
Aloysius said the ancient objects are suspected to originate from the Singosari Kingdom because some attributes like the bird-headed staff and keris resemble the kingdom era.
The circulating video shows one cross adorned with two-coloured crystal-like jewels, several keris, a dragon-headed staff, a conical crown, a jug, an arm bracelet, up to a bamboo rooster decoration, and several other antique items whose exact names are unknown.