Gunungkidul has broken nine MURI records since 2007

Yogyakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Museum of Records (MURI) has recorded that Gunungkidul Regency in the Special Region of Yogyakarta has set nine records between 2007 and 2026, covering various aspects ranging from local speciality foods to culture and local wisdom.

MURI Senior Representative Ari Andriani, speaking in Gunungkidul on Friday, said the latest record adds to the regency’s list of achievements, as for almost two decades it has consistently produced various works based on culture, tradition and local potential.

“Gunungkidul has broken nine records, the first of which was in 2007,” said Ari.

She explained that the first record set by Gunungkidul was the presentation of 55 types of food and beverages made from cassava, initiated by a local community group.

“If I remember correctly, there were 55 kinds of food, and indeed there was one community that initiated it,” she said.

The next record was the making of the largest tampah (winnowing tray), measuring eight metres in diameter, constructed from 227 bamboo stalks over 20 days in 2007.

“The second record was the making of the largest tampah in Gunungkidul,” she said.

In addition, Gunungkidul once set a record for building the largest number of rainwater harvesting tanks — 1,062 units — built through communal cooperation (gotong royong) to meet the water needs of communities in drought-prone areas.

“Then there was the construction of the most rainwater storage tanks, carried out through gotong royong,” she said.

Ari said the other six records include the largest serving of bakmi Jawa, Gunungkidul’s signature dish; the longest campursari musical performance; batik-making across generations; a fashion show held in a forest area; a kenduri rice dish served in a nest; and the latest record, the Penthul Tembem creative gymnastics event with the largest number of female participants.

“The newest one — today Gunungkidul set an MURI record, even a world record, through the Penthul Tembem creative gymnastics event with the most female participants,” she said.

She revealed that the Gunungkidul Regency Government had submitted a consultation to MURI since early May 2026 regarding plans to register the Penthul Tembem creative gymnastics event as a new record.

“Since early May, we have received word that there are various categories of gymnastics, but this particular category did not yet exist,” she said.

In the process, MURI set a minimum requirement of 1,000 female participants, and the Gunungkidul Regency Government declared itself capable of presenting at least 1,500 participants, supported by the large membership of the Indonesian Women’s Sports Association (Perwosi).

“We set a minimum requirement of 1,000 participants, but they committed to bringing 1,500 female participants,” she said.

Ari added that although Gunungkidul Regency’s MURI record achievements have not occurred every year, the area remains one of the regencies that consistently presents innovations based on local potential to be recognised as national records.

“There are nine records, and the intervals between them have indeed been quite long, but that is certainly a matter for each regional government’s policy,” she said.