Drawing on Past Values: Dedi Mulyadi's Rationale for the Sundanese Cultural Celebration
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BANDUNG – West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi revealed several reasons for holding a series of events celebrating Sundanese culture, culminating in a grand musical performance titled ‘Pajajaran Gugat’ on Sunday evening (17th May 2026) at the Gedung Sate area. He affirmed that the activities are intended to draw upon positive aspects of the past to enrich life in the future.
“Supporting Sundanese values is not just about staging artistic performances as a symbol; more importantly, the entire series aims to present and revive the energy of the past for the future,” he said during his speech on Sunday (17th May 2026).
He explained that the ‘Napak Tilas Pajajaran’ event involves retracing cultural routes through nine regencies and cities in Sunda. The Binokasih crown is also part of the effort to restore the atmosphere of the past in the present.
“The purpose of retracing these steps is to tap into the energy of the past for the future,” he said.
Dedi highlighted that current government policies tend to rely on external opinions. However, he argued that history can provide valuable lessons for progress.
He added that Sunda is not merely an ethnic or geographical identity but encompasses ideological, philosophical, historical, and sociological aspects.
“From the beginning, and even when I was vice-regent at the age of 30 in 2003, Sunda has been an ideological concept because it involves three elements: ‘alam birahi,’ ‘alam kiwari,’ and ‘alam poe isuk’,” he said.
In addition to its theological aspects, he added that Sunda is always related to ecological issues. Furthermore, Sunda promotes equality and communal ownership rather than personal possession.
During the event, a team led by Bagus Muljadi presented an encyclopedia titled ‘Ki Sunda’ to the Governor of West Java. The book contains information about Sundanese values.
A number of ministers, former ministers, and other officials attended the event, including Minister of Housing and Settlement Maruarar Sirait, Attorney General ST Burhanuddin, Minister of Cooperatives Maman Abdurahman, former minister Susi Pudjiastuti, member of the Indonesian House of Representatives TB Hasanuddin, former Chief of West Java Police Mochamad Iriawan, Dede Yusuf, Dadang Naser Bey Machmudin, and regents and vice-regents from across West Java.