The list of Indonesian cultural heritage is still maintained today, starting from Batik, Wayang, to Gamelan.
List of Indonesian Cultural Heritage – It's no secret that Indonesia is famous for its various traditions and culture. From Sabang to Merauke, the archipelago is home to a variety of cultures.
There are several Indonesian cultural heritages that have received international recognition and have become popular tourist destinations for foreign visitors. In fact, some of them have received official recognition from UNESCO.
Come on, learn more about some of Indonesia's cultural heritage that is recognized worldwide.
List of Indonesian Cultural Heritage
1. Batik
Who doesn't know about batik? Unique patterned cloth made by etching conventional wax or candles using the canting technique is an Indonesian cultural heritage which is now considered national clothing.
Indeed, currently a lot of batik cloth is used in modern clothing, including those worn by famous figures. The distinctive motifs and patterns of batik cloth are not only attractive and have high artistic value, but also have deep cultural and philosophical meaning.
Batik was officially recognized by UNESCO as Indonesia's Intangible Cultural Property on October 2 2009, and since then it has been celebrated every year as "National Batik Day".
2. Balinese Dance
Bali dance This is the eighth list of Indonesian cultural heritage. UNESCO's 2015 ICH list includes three forms of Balinese dance. Balinese dance is divided into three genres, religious dance, semi-sacred dance, and entertainment dance.
This Balinese dance is often identical and indistinguishable from other important ceremonies and rituals in Bali. Therefore, this dance art often becomes a special attraction for people who visit or vacation on the Island of the Gods.
Apart from that, Balinese dance is one of the basic arts that is taught to children on the island of Bali from an early age, so that the current cultural values do not fade and are still preserved.
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3. Angklung
The Angklung musical instrument is a list of famous Indonesian cultural heritage in Indonesia. Angklung is a musical instrument from West Java made from bamboo and played by shaking.
This Indonesian cultural tradition is different not only in terms of form and technique, but in terms of sound. UNESCO has recognized Indonesia's cultural wealth since 2010, and its preservation is still in very good condition.
4. Pencak Silat
Pencak Silat is a typical Indonesian martial art which is also an intangible cultural heritage of Indonesia which is recognized by the world and UNESCO, so it is on par with popular martial arts from other countries such as Karate and Taekwondo.
The popularity of Indonesia's cultural heritage is increasing after Indonesian action stars with Pencak Silat backgrounds such as Iko Uwais and Yayan Ruhian appear on the Hollywood stage.
5. Ponorogo Reog Dance
Apart from the Saman Dance, another original Indonesian dance style that has been recognized by the world and UNESCO is the Reog Ponorogo Dance which originates from East Java. This list of Indonesian cultural heritage is famous for its magical features and has long been a popular entertainment show.
The dancers wear lion-headed masks wrapped in peacock feathers weighing up to 50-60 kg, which is characteristic of the original Ponorogo Indonesian culture.
The Reog Ponorogo performance takes place in an open arena and features a number of lumping horse dancers.
6. Shadow puppets
Wayang kulit is a list of Indonesia's global cultural heritage. UNESCO has officially recognized Indonesia's cultural heritage since 2003.
This art is quite popular on mainland Java, especially in Central and East Java. Sunan Kalijaga is thought to have founded this Indonesian cultural heritage, which was then used to propagate Islam.
Shadow puppet exhibitions are often accompanied by gamelan, which is one of Indonesia's cultural heritages recognized by UNESCO.
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7. Gamelan
As previously mentioned, Gamelan is a traditional Javanese, Sundanese and Balinese musical ensemble that often accompanies shadow puppet performances.
Gamelan is also one of Indonesia's cultural heritages which was recognized by UNESCO in 2014. Apart from being an accompaniment to wayang performances, gamelan is also often used to accompany traditional dances and songs.
This list of Indonesian cultural heritage is an ensemble consisting of percussion musical instruments such as Gangsa, Gender, Bonang, Gong, Saron, and Slenthem performed by Wiyaga with Palu (beater) and Membranophone In the form of a drum played with the hands.
8. Saman Dance
Next, Saman Dance is a form of art that is part of the Gayo Community tradition in Aceh, and was officially recognized as Indonesian cultural heritage by UNESCO in 2011.
This group dance with its distinctive back and forth movements is used to convey messages or preach. Even though it is quite old and increasingly rare, this list of Indonesian cultural heritage is still often displayed en masse at national level performances, such as at the opening ceremony of the 2018 Asian Games hosted by Indonesia.
9. Noken
Furthermore, Noken is a traditional craft product from the Papuan Mountains which takes the form of a knitted bag and is carried by hanging it above the head. Noken, which is Indonesia's intangible cultural heritage, has been recognized by UNESCO since 2012.
The Mee or Ekari, Damal, Yali, Dani, Lani and Bauzi tribes in the central mountains of Papua have a strong heritage in making Noken. It is claimed that Noken can only be made by Papuan women and is a sign of their maturity.
Women who are unable to make a Noken are considered immature and not eligible for marriage.
10. Borobudur Temple
Borobudur temple in Magelang, Central Java, is an ancient Buddhist landmark recognized by UNESCO as Indonesia's cultural heritage. It is estimated that it was built in the 800s AD.
The largest Buddhist monument in the world is not only a popular tourist destination, but also serves as a place of worship and pilgrimage for Buddhists from Indonesia and around the world.
The architecture of Borobudur Temple consists of six square terraces topped by three circular courtyards.
The walls of Borobudur Temple are carved with 2.672 reliefs that tell various stories of Buddhist teachings, making it the most complete and largest collection of Buddhist reliefs in the world. Apart from that, Indonesia's cultural heritage also includes 504 Buddha statues.
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11. Pinisi boat
The latter, Phinisi boat symbolizes the list of Indonesian cultural heritage. The Pinisi boat is a sailing boat inherited from the maritime traditions of the Bugis people. They have been included in UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list since 2017 and are classified as Representative.
This pinisi boat is often transported around the world by the navy or naval cadets. Apart from that, Bugis sailors still teach the process of making pinisi boats to their generation.
These are some of Indonesia's cultural heritages that have received global recognition and are officially recognized by UNESCO.
Apart from the cultural heritage above, there are several other world heritages in Indonesia that are no less popular and global, including the Subak Rice Field Irrigation System, the Sekaten Tradition, Prambanan Temple, Sangiran, Ancient Human Sites, and many more.
Above is information regarding the list of Indonesian cultural heritage. As Indonesian citizens, we still have to protect and preserve this cultural wealth, Travela!
