Mandau Kolosal Dance Pulang Pisau Breaks MURI Record

Central Kalimantan Governor Agustiar Sabran and Pulang Pisau Regent Ahmad Rifa'i together with the colossal Mandau Dancer at the HM Sanusi Pulang Pisau Stadium, Wednesday (2/7/2025). (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The traditional Indonesian dance has again stolen the attention. This time, the Mandau Dance from Central Kalimantan managed to make proud achievements by breaking the record of the Indonesian Record Museum (MURI) through a colossal performance involving thousands of dancers.

This extraordinary activity was held in commemoration of the 23rd Anniversary of Pulang Pisau Regency and is proof that local cultural wealth is able to penetrate national boundaries and inspire the world.

The Mandau Dance performance, which was held at the HM Sanusi Stadium, Pulang Pisau Regency, was not only recorded in MURI.

MURI Senior Manager Representative Triyono, who was present at the event, said that after the thorough verification process, the show was declared worthy of holding a world record due to the extraordinary scale, cultural value, and mass involvement.

"After verification, this dance is not only worth entering MURI, but deserves to be categorized as a world record. This is not just an art show, but an expression of Dayak culture that is rich in meaning," Triyono said, as quoted by ANTARA.

He revealed that the process towards recording took a long time and coordination since May 2025. MURI and the regional committee work together to ensure that all requirements are met, ranging from the number of dancers, the uniformity of movement, to the cultural values displayed.

High appreciation is given to the Pulang Pisau Regency Government, the Dayak Customary Council (DAD), and the people who have united together to make this event a success. Triyono added that this achievement was a gift from the Indonesian people to the world, showing how great the potential of the nation's arts and culture is.

The Regent of Pulang Pisau, Ahmad Rifa'i, expressed his pride for this achievement. He said that this success was the result of a joint commitment to appoint and preserve regional cultural wealth.

"Culture is an identity. We are determined to make Pulang Pisau a district that upholds cultural values. This dance is one of the real efforts to preserve ancestral heritage," he said.

Furthermore, Rifa'i emphasized that apart from being a form of respect for tradition, this record recording is also a means of inspiring the younger generation to love and maintain the rich culture of the region.

"This is not just a matter of records, but a matter of the spirit of maintaining cultural heritage so that time does not disappear," he said.

This record was also witnessed directly by the Governor of Central Kalimantan, Agustiar Sabran, who is also the General Chair of the Dayak Customary Council, together with Deputy Governor Edy Pratowo. The two figures were also present to provide moral support to thousands of dancers who appeared.

The chairman of DAD Pulang Pisau, Tony Harisinta, expressed his emotion and gratitude for the achievement that was initially only targeted for national records. "We really didn't expect this to set a world record. This is an extraordinary gift for the people of Central Kalimantan," he said.

Tony explained that the selection of Mandau Dance was carried out selectively because apart from being culturally representative, this dance has also become a strong regional identity icon. This spectacular appearance involved more than 1,000 dancers from various circles.

The chairman of the Pulang Pisau DPRD, Tandean Indra Bela, also appreciated the performance. He said that although regional birthdays are celebrated in a simple way, the meaning and impact is very deep.

"This is a momentum to unite society, and hopefully this will be a new spirit to make Pulang Pisau more advanced and cultured," concluded Tandean.