JAYAWIJAYA, PAPUA PEGUNUNGAN – Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno closed the series of “Baliem Valley Cultural Festival 2024” which took place in Jayawijaya Regency, Papua Mountain Province.
The presence of the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga was greeted enthusiastically by the community as well as tourists who had packed the three days of the 2024 Baliem Valley Cultural Festival on August 7 to 9, 2024. Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga also became the first tourism minister to directly attend the Baliem Valley Cultural Festival in 32 years of organizing the festival, “on behalf of the President, I am very enthusiastic about greeting the community directly and seeing the existing culture. So with gratitude, I declare the 32nd Baliem Valley Cultural Festival officially closed,” said Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga when closing the “Baliem Valley Cultural Festival” in Wosi, Wamena, Jayawijaya Regency, Papua Mountain Province.
The Baliem Valley Cultural Festival is a festival that presents a variety of customs and culture of the people of the five major tribes in the Baliem Valley, namely:
- Hubula tribe (known as the Dani tribe),
- Lanny tribe,
- Yali tribe,
- Hubla tribe,
- Ngalik tribe “Nduga tribe”.
The festival, which has been held since 1989, aims to preserve the various customs and cultures that exist in the region.
One of the most interesting is the tribal war attraction where people from 40 districts in Jayawijaya Regency present war attractions with their respective narratives, choreography, as well as displays. In the past, tribal wars in the community often occurred which were triggered by a number of problems, such as land boundary disputes, infidelity issues, and problems with pig pets which in the local language are called wam, but with the approach of the local government, wars no longer occur and the Baliem Valley Cultural Festival is a forum for the community to present their respective war attractions and also a forum to introduce indigenous culture to the younger generation.
In addition to war attractions, the Baliem Valley Cultural Festival is also filled with cultural treats such as dances, handicrafts such as noken, wood carvings, koteka, spears, sali (wooden tassel skirt), and others. This is an attraction for tourists and not only domestic tourists, but also foreign tourists.
Based on temporary data, the day of the 2024 Baliem Valley Cultural Festival has been packed with more than 15 thousand visitors and this number is expected to increase even more than the number of visitors last year which reached 50 thousand, “I thank you and I congratulate you for the selection of the Baliem Valley Cultural Festival to be the top 10 best events in Indonesia in the Karisma Event Nusantara, I hope that in the future there will be more benefits for the community in preserving culture, nature, and moving the economy because there are many domestic and foreign tourists. We are ready to support to improve the quality of the event in the future,” Sandiaga said.
Sandiaga, Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, said that Sandiaga will also fully support the development of the creative economy in Jayawijaya and the Papua Mountains Province in general. Sandiaga has various programs to strengthen the creative economy ecosystem so that later Jayawijaya can be submitted as a creative city recognized by UNESCO, “because I saw a series of events ranging from warfare, food offerings (stone burning), to the ritual of walking on hot stones (Apen Bayeren) which was extraordinary,” said Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga.
The Acting Governor of Papua Mountains, Velix Wanggai, greatly appreciated the support and direct presence of the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga at the Baliem Valley Cultural Festival 2024, “We will develop the tourism sector and creative economy of Papua Mountains by focusing on community-based tourism and culture,” Velix said.
Also present on the occasion was the Acting Regent of Jayawijaya, Thony M. Mayor and accompanying Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga:
- Expert Staff of the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy for Crisis Management Fadjar Hutomo
- Special Staff to the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy for Security and Strategic Issues Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy or Tourism and Creative Economy Agency Brigadier General Ario Prawiseso
- Regional Event Director of the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy or Tourism and Creative Economy Agency Reza Fahlevi.
