Minister Fadli Zon Encourages Promotion of Banyumas Culture to Drive Regional Economy
The Indonesian Minister of Culture, Fadli Zon, held a dialogue with several Banyumas cultural figures under the theme ‘Community Space as Part of Cultural Advancement’. The dialogue served as a collective forum to listen to and develop ideas from the Banyumas cultural community.
During the discussion, Fadli Zon explained that Banyumas possesses vast cultural heritage, including both physical cultural sites and Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH). He noted that Banyumas is the birthplace of many national figures, artists, and intellectuals, which serves as significant capital for regional cultural advancement.
“There are many cultural expressions from Banyumas, such as Calung Banyumasan, Ebeg Banyumasan, Lengger, and even the Ronggeng tradition depicted in Ahmad Tohari’s novel, Ronggeng Dukuh Paruk, which was adapted into the film series Sang Penari. This proves that Banyumas has the potential to become a cultural enclave,” Fadli Zon stated in a release on Tuesday.
The dialogue, held at Taman Ismail Marzuki (TIM) in Jakarta, highlighted the historical richness of the Banyumas region. Leveraging this potential, Fadli Zon encouraged cultural promotion so that Banyumas can serve as a showcase for Indonesian history. He suggested highlighting figures such as General Soedirman, R.A.A. Soemitro Kolopaking Poerbonegoro, and R.M. Margono Djojohadikusumo.
Furthermore, Fadli Zon emphasised the importance of advancing local Banyumas culture to showcase mega-diversity and strengthen national identity. Through a strategy of ‘cultural downstreaming’, he expressed optimism that these assets could act as economic drivers and strengthen the Cultural and Creative Industry (CCI) for the surrounding region.
Concluding the discussion, the Minister reaffirmed the Ministry of Culture’s commitment to preserving Nusantara’s local wisdom. He stated that cultural advancement will be supported through strategic programmes, such as knowledge transfer from maestros to the next generation, to strengthen the nation’s soft power.
Responding to the Minister, Hikmat Darmawan of the Dewan Madani International Film Festival noted that film can serve as a medium to promote Banyumas culture, stating that cultural transformation is linked to culture-based economic development. Similarly, contemporary artist Irawan Karseno suggested that long-duration film festivals could create a multiplier effect for both the local economy and cultural advancement.