Minister of Culture Promotes Keroncong Lebaran, Aims for Regeneration and Music Ecosystem

Minister of Culture Fadli Zon (Photo: Humas)

JAKARTA - Minister of Culture Fadli Zon encourages the strengthening of the keroncong music ecosystem through collaboration between communities and the government. One of the ideas that emerged was the plan to hold Lebaran Keroncong, an event to consolidate the keroncong community across generations that will be held in Jakarta.

The encouragement was conveyed by Fadli Zon when he received an audience with the Tugu Keroncong Association at the Ministry of Culture's office, Jakarta, Friday, January 9. According to Fadli, keroncong is not just music, but part of the identity of Indonesian culture that needs a strong and sustainable ecosystem.

"We are very supportive of keroncong. This is Indonesian music. The challenge now is how to build the ecosystem and reach the younger generation," said Fadli.

The Tugu Keroncong Association explains the Keroncong Lebaran plan as a space for community-to-community interaction. This event is designed to feature 10 keroncong groups from Jabodetabek, with Keroncong Tugu as a representation of the roots of the history of keroncong in Indonesia.

"We designed this as the first keroncong Eid, a meeting and consolidation space for the community," said Keroncong Tugu's Head, Daud Yahya.

Responding to the plan, Fadli considered the concept to be strategic. He emphasized the importance of location planning, budget efficiency, and quality orientation so that activities have a real impact.

Fadli also emphasized the role of the government as a facilitator, while the community is the main driver. He mentioned a number of support that has been running, ranging from the Learning Together with Maestro program involving Sundari Soekotjo, awards to keroncong maestros such as Waldjinah, to the utilization of the Indonesian Fund and public-private partnership schemes.

In addition, the Ministry of Culture also opened the opportunity to register keroncong as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage through an extension-list scheme with other countries.

"The message is strong. It's just a matter of community mobilization, we facilitate," said Fadli.

In the future, the Ministry of Culture will encourage focused discussion forums to formulate policy directions and concrete steps for the preservation of keroncong music.