Minangkabau Festival 2026 Opens, Mahyeldi: Culture is West Sumatra's Future Strength
The Governor of West Sumatra, Mahyeldi Ansharullah, has emphasised that culture is not merely a legacy of the past, but a future strength capable of driving tourism, the creative economy, and community welfare. This was stated by Mahyeldi during the official opening of the Minangkabau Festival 2026 at Istano Basa Pagaruyung and Cindua Mato Field, Tanah Datar Regency, on Thursday (25/6).
The Minangkabau Festival 2026 has once again been included in the national Kharisma Event Nusantara 2026 agenda. The event is considered strategic for strengthening cultural preservation while simultaneously encouraging the growth of the regional tourism sector.
In his speech, Mahyelly described the Minangkabau Festival as a meeting point between the past, present, and future. According to him, the festival is not merely a ceremonial agenda, but a means to maintain identity, strengthen self-worth, and foster pride in the Minangkabau cultural heritage.
“Today we are in Tanah Datar, Luhak Nan Tuo, a place that holds a special position in the history and culture of Minangkabau. The Minangkabau Festival is not just a cultural celebration, but also a means to preserve identity, strengthen self-worth, and foster pride in our ancestral heritage,” said Mahyeldi.
Mahyeldi explained that the Minangkabau Festival 2026 showcases the diverse richness of Minangkabau culture. The series of activities includes cultural parades, traditional dances, ‘jamba’ processions, ‘makan bajamba’ (communal dining), traditional village games, exhibitions of heirloom objects, tourism villages, MSME products, the creative economy, and various cultural art performances.
In his view, these various attractions demonstrate that Minangkabau culture is a living, evolving culture that remains relevant in addressing modern challenges. Therefore, cultural preservation must go hand-in-hand with efforts to improve community welfare.
Mahyeldi also expressed his appreciation to the Tanah Datar Regency Government, the traditional leaders (niniak mamak), the women leaders (bundo kanduang), artists, MSME players, tourism practitioners, and the entire community who worked together to ensure the success of the festival. He also extended his gratitude to the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism for its support in developing cultural events in West Sumatra through the Kharisma Event Nusantara programme.
Mahyeldi noted that the success of the Minangkabau Festival being included in the Kharisma Event Nusantara for the sixth time proves that professionally managed local culture can serve as a powerful regional promotional tool and an economic driver for the community.
“Cultural tourism must provide real benefits to the community. MSMEs must move, culinary businesses must sell, lodgings must be occupied, transportation must thrive, and the local people must have space to create. This is what we continue to encourage: tourism that is rooted in culture and sides with community welfare,” he said.
Mahyeldi added that the tourism sector contributes significantly to West Sumatra’s economic growth. In the first quarter of 2026, the regional economy grew by 5.02 per cent, an increase compared to the same period the previous year.
He mentioned that the increase in visits from both domestic and international tourists was one of the factors driving this growth. In addition to strengthening cultural event implementation, the West Sumatra Provincial Government also continues to optimise digital promotion through collaborations with influencers to introduce regional destinations and cultural agendas to national and international levels.
The Head of the Bureau of Data and Information Systems of the Ministry of Tourism, Nova Arisne, representing the Indonesian Minister of Tourism, appreciated the implementation of the Minangkabising Festival 2026. According to Nova, the festival serves as an important momentum to strengthen the resurgence of tourism in West Sumatra. The activity also serves as a means to promote the richness of Minangkabau culture as a globally competitive tourism and creative economy attraction.
On the same occasion, the Regent of Tanah Datar, Eka Putra, emphasised that the Minangkabau Festival is a means to reintroduce cultural values and local wisdom to the world. He invited all elements of society to work together to revive the tourism and cultural sectors of Tanah Datar in the post-disaster era. Eka also emphasised the importance of using the philosophy of ‘Adat Basandi Syarak, Syarak Basandi Kitabullah’ as a foundation for maintaining and developing the Minangkabau cultural heritage.
“Under the auspices of Istano Basa Pagaruyung, we show Indonesia and the world that Minangkabau possesses extraordinary cultural wealth by adhering to the philosophy of Adat Basandi Syarak, Syarak Basandi Kitabullah as a guide for the community’s life,” he said.
Through the Minangkabau Festival 2026, West Sumatra reaffirms the position of culture as a primary strength for regional development. Not only to preserve ancestral heritage, this festival is also expected to open economic opportunities for the community, expand tourism promotion, and strengthen the Minangkabau identity at both national and international levels.