JAKARTA – Organizers hosted the Festival Budaya Nasional (National Culture Festival) 2026 of Indonesia at Reinwardt Park inside the Bogor Botanical Gardens. The Yayasan Mawar Budaya foundation created this exciting event on Saturday, October 17. Specifically, they chose the theme Budaya Yang Terus Hidup (Living Culture) to honor National Culture Day. In addition, the foundation worked together with Pakuan University to plan a special National Culture Dialogue. The Ministry of Culture fully supports this creative project. Therefore, the festival gives artists, students, and local people a great space to meet. Consequently, everyone can learn about and celebrate the rich traditions of Indonesia together. Furthermore, the Minister of Culture, Fadli Zon, attended the grand gathering. He encouraged all visitors to see the deep values behind every beautiful performance.
Grand Performances and Interactive Art
During the main event, 200 artists performed a massive show called Mari Bersama Merawat Akan Budaya (Let’s Care for Our Cultural Roots Together.) These talented performers presented a wonderful artistic journey from Sabang to Merauke. Moreover, the festival offered an interactive exhibition featuring ten distinct cultural objects. For example, local groups taught visitors how to write on traditional lontar leaves. Next, people explored Javanese life rituals and played classic folk games. Visitors also listened to Acehnese stories, tried making batik, and enjoyed Sape Dayak music. Similarly, martial artists demonstrated pencak silat, while metal workers showed traditional forging skills. Finally, guests experienced the Malam Bainai custom from West Sumatra. Therefore, the event allowed the public to interact directly with real cultural experts.
Exploring Local Food and Fresh Ideas
Besides the art shows, the festival introduced important intangible heritage through fun wayang and angklung activities. Additionally, a special food area displayed traditional Indonesian meals and local farming knowledge. The organizers also ran drawing contests and short video competitions to boost creativity. Furthermore, a lively market let small businesses sell their unique cultural products. Meanwhile, the National Culture Dialogue sparked interesting conversations among the guests. The hosts invited four smart speakers to share their valuable thoughts. These experts included Restu Gunawan from the Ministry of Culture and Didik Notosudjono, the head of Pakuan University. Ultimately, artist Nungki Kusumastuti and historian Asep Kambali helped everyone understand the true importance of our history.
Photo doc. CNN Indonesia
