Jember's Ancak Agung Parade Breaks MURI Record
The Jember Regency Government has once again achieved national recognition. During the Ancak Agung Parade held on Saturday afternoon (22/8), the regency successfully broke the Indonesian World Records Museum (MURI) record for the largest number of ancak ever paraded.
A total of 867 ancak were paraded festively from Jalan Gajahmada to the Jember Regency Square in East Java. This achievement surpassed the previous record, which was also held by Jember.
MURI Senior Representative Ari Andriani confirmed that this year’s number increased significantly compared to the previous record. “This number once again breaks the record previously set by Jember with 449 ancak agung. This year it reached 867 ancak, making it the largest ever,” she said in Jember.
In addition to the ancak parade, Jember also set another record through its signature snack, suwar-suwir. A giant cone consisting of 1,600 packets of suwar-suwir was arranged to a height of 3.7 metres, which also received appreciation from MURI.
This year’s Ancak Agung Parade carried the theme “Preserving Tradition, Strengthening Brotherhood, Elevating Jember’s Dignity”. The event was held to commemorate the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday and to enliven the 81st anniversary of the Republic of Indonesia’s independence.
Jember Regent Muhammad Fawait emphasised that this moment was not merely a celebration, but a means of nurturing mutual cooperation. “The commemoration of the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday and the anniversary of Indonesia’s independence both carry important messages about brotherhood, love for the homeland, and care for others,” said Fawait.
On the occasion, Regent Fawait also demonstrated international solidarity by wearing a scarf featuring Indonesian and Palestinian patterns. He asserted that support for humanitarian causes in Palestine is in line with the mandate of the Preamble to the 1945 Constitution, which states that independence is the right of all nations.
The success in breaking this record was the result of collaboration among various parties. Parade participants came from across sectors, ranging from Regional Apparatus Organisations (OPD), community health centres, sub-districts, villages, schools, to various community institutions.
The event concluded with great enthusiasm as hundreds of agricultural produce displays were contested by residents. The community, which had filled Jember Square since midday, appeared joyful as they brought home parts of the ancak that had been documented by the MURI team.