West Kalimantan Provincial Government Supports Preservation of Sahur-Sahur Cultural Tourism
Pontianak – The West Kalimantan Provincial Government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting cultural tourism preservation through the 23rd Sahur-Sahur Festival in 2026, held in Mempawah Regency.
“The Sahur-Sahur Festival is a cultural identity that we must preserve together. This is not only a source of pride for Mempawah, but also for West Kalimantan,” said West Kalimantan Governor Ria Norsan in Mempawah on Monday.
He stated that the Sahur-Sahur Festival is not merely a tradition of awakening people for dawn meals, but a cultural heritage possessing strategic value in developing the regional tourism sector and creative economy.
As concrete support, the Provincial Government of West Kalimantan allocated 50 million rupiah in grant funding for the festival’s implementation this year. Additionally, the Governor personally contributed a further 50 million rupiah, bringing total assistance to 100 million rupiah.
Norsan also encouraged increased budgetary support for the coming years and requested the committee prepare a proposal to increase assistance in 2027 to 200 million rupiah, commensurate with the growing scale and impact of the event.
The Sahur-Sahur Festival has now been included in the Karisma Event Nusantara (KEN) and is featured in the West Kalimantan 2026 Calendar of Events. Furthermore, this tradition has been designated as Intangible Cultural Heritage (WBTB) by the Ministry of Culture.
According to the Governor, this recognition presents a significant opportunity to increase tourist visits whilst stimulating the local economy, particularly micro, small and medium enterprises engaged in the Ramadan Fair.
“With the elevated status of this festival, we hope the economic impact will be increasingly felt by the local community,” he said.
Mempawah Regent Hj. Erlina expressed appreciation for the Provincial Government’s support in preserving Sahur-Sahur culture, which underwent a lengthy nomination process before gaining national recognition.
She hoped young people would continue to be engaged in festival development to ensure local wisdom remains preserved amid the tide of modernisation.
“The Sahur-Sahur Festival, which showcases traditional percussion music performances using simple materials, annually serves as an attraction for religious and cultural tourism whilst strengthening West Kalimantan’s image as a region rich in tradition and harmony in diversity,” said Erlina.