Prabowo: A Great Nation Takes Pride in Its Culture and Respects Its Ancestors
President Prabowo Subianto highlighted the phenomenon of society still harbouring feelings of inferiority or an inferior mentality towards foreign cultures. Prabowo urged the Indonesian nation to take pride in its culture and respect its ancestors.
This was conveyed by Prabowo during his speech at the 16th National Conference (Munas) of the Executive Board of the Indonesian Pencak Silat Association (PB IPSI). Initially, Prabowo emphasised the importance of preserving and maintaining pencak silat as part of the nation’s identity.
“At one point, we experienced a time when the educated groups among our people were mesmerised by everything originating from abroad. Everything from foreign sources mesmerised us,” said Prabowo at the Jakarta Convention Centre (JCC) on Saturday (11/4/2026).
Prabowo assessed that this condition has affected the soul’s strength and the nation’s spirit. He even used a Dutch term to describe this sense of inferiority.
“According to my view, there occurred a sense of inferiority that is called in Dutch ‘minderwaardigheidscomplex’. Inferiority complex, in English,” he stated.
“Subconsciously, most educated people in Indonesia are prouder of things originating from outside Indonesia,” Prabowo continued.
Therefore, in his view, PB IPSI has an important role as a pillar of national cultural defence. He invited the entire society to take pride in using original Indonesian attire, such as blangkon, kopiah, and sarong.
Proud of Our Own Nation’s Culture
Prabowo also exemplified how national leaders, including Indonesia’s 7th President Joko Widodo and himself, always wear traditional attire from various regions during state events.
“We respect all countries, respect all nations, but we must not forget our own nation,” said Prabowo.
“A great nation is one that takes pride in and respects its own culture, respects its parents, and its ancestors,” he asserted.
Furthermore, Prabowo explained that pencak silat is not merely a sport or martial art, but also a reflection of the Indonesian nation’s personality. He then reminded the silat practitioners to hold firmly to the ancestors’ teachings on humility.
“The fuller it is, the more it bows down. Our knowledge is like that. Humility, not inferiority. We respect, polite manners, that is our culture,” said Prabowo.
He advised the silat warriors to always stay on the straight path and defend the truth. According to him, the strength possessed by a silat practitioner must be used to protect fellow beings.
“A knight, a warrior, always defends the truth, always defends the weak, always defends the oppressed, always defends justice. A warrior always stays on the good path, the straight path. A warrior is brave, but a warrior must not be arrogant,” he concluded.
On that occasion, Prabowo also bid farewell from his position as General Chairman of PB IPSI after serving the organisation for three decades.