JAKARTA - Cultural heritage is an important part of a community's identity that reflects values, history, and local wisdom that are passed down from generation to generation.
The existence of customary traditions not only serves as a symbol of togetherness, but also becomes a social glue that maintains cultural continuity from generation to generation.
In North Maluku, one of the traditions that is still maintained is Sarobadaka, a typical marriage custom of the Ternate people.
The North Maluku (Malut) Regional Office of the Ministry of Law (Kemenkum) stated that the Sarobadaka tradition is a series of customary processions carried out before the marriage contract by the Ternate people and is an expression of protected culture.
"This tradition is also a space for introducing prospective brides, which is marked by the application of powder on the face and hands, holding the bride's head by the groom, carrying the bride by both sides of the family, and then taking a foothold on the ground," said Kakanwil Kemenkum Malut, Budi Argap Situngkir, as quoted by ANTARA.
Along with efforts to preserve culture, Sarobadaka has now received official recognition from the state. This tradition is recorded as a Communal Intellectual Property (KIK) category of traditional cultural expression at the Directorate General of Intellectual Property (DJKI) of the Ministry of Law.
Budi Argap Situngkir emphasized the importance of protecting various potential traditional cultural expressions owned by the people of North Maluku, including Sarobadaka. According to him, this protection is a strategic step in maintaining the sustainability of regional culture.
Kakanwil Argap, who is familiarly called BAS, said that the protection of communal intellectual property, including traditional cultural expressions, aims to maintain the identity and dignity of the nation, preserve cultural heritage for future generations, and prevent commercial misuse by other parties.
"Protection of this traditional cultural expression can preserve community culture until it encourages creative economy through the protection of communal intellectual property," he said.
Furthermore, he explained that traditional cultural expressions include all forms of creative works, whether tangible or intangible, or a combination of the two, which reflect the existence of traditional culture and are passed down from generation to generation by a community.
Reported from DJKI, Sarobadaka has strong social and cultural values and functions, especially in strengthening the relationship between the community and the two prospective brides and their families.
"Cultural expressions need to be preserved and protected. The Malut Regional Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights encourages local governments and community groups to immediately record their cultural traditions to the DJKI of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights. To maintain the legacy of the ancestors so that they remain alive, and useful for future generations," said Argap.
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