Submitted As Indonesian Cultural Heritage To UNESCO, Sandi Uno Assisted By Rhoma Irama: Dangdut Is The Music Of My Country

Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Uno. (Photo: Instagram @sandiuno)

JAKARTA - The Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Sandiaga Uno, said that the diversity of customs possessed by the Indonesian nation, including dangdut music, is the main asset in developing tourism and the national creative economy (parekraf).

Therefore, Sandi proposed to UNESCO to designate dangdut music, which has long been the entertainment of various groups of people, as Indonesia's cultural heritage. He wants to revive dangdut as original Indonesian music.

"Dangdut is the music of my country. Now we are relaunching to include dangdut as part of heritage music in UNESCO," he said in a written statement, quoted on Thursday, February 18.

According to Sandi, the proposal received a positive response from the Directorate General of Multilateral Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemenlu) of the Republic of Indonesia. In fact, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is very eager to revive dangdut opportunities as Indonesia's cultural heritage.

"I immediately connected with professor KH Rhoma Irama who is known as the King of Dangdut to request endorsement from him, and he strongly supports this progress plan which had stalled before," he said.

Along with the blessing of Rhoma Irama, Sandi said, the Kemenparekraf also invited Prof. Winthrop from Pittsburgh University as a professor who is known to be very deep in dangdut.

Through the program, which will be led by Deputy 7, Sandiaga Uno hopes to raise enthusiasm to accelerate the recovery of the national parekraf sector.

"So if America has Hollywood, Korea has K-Pop, it's time for Indonesia to have dangdut as the music of my country," he explained.

Therefore, Sandi said, collaboration must be established with all parties, not only limited to the Ministry of Education or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but the role of all music business actors and related parties.

"This is certainly a colossal collaboration. Our hope is that batik, dangdut will receive recognition from UNESCO as a distinctive music and Indonesian heritage," he explained.

Business opportunities

Sandi revealed that the reason he re-promoted dangdut as Indonesian heritage music was because of the large potential of dangdut in absorbing employment opportunities.

It is known, dangdut is a music that opens job opportunities and business opportunities for so many musicians and art workers in Indonesia. There are as many as 18 million Indonesians who depend on the creative economy sector for their livelihoods, including dangdut.

"If we look at the significant number of dangdut fans, it is an opportunity, not only a market, but also a very potential opportunity to create business activities that open up the widest possible job opportunities for the creative economy at the time of this pandemic, as well as at a time of slowing down. economy, "he said.

Sandi said, the large business opportunity was proven by the explosion of admirers of mixed dangdut made popular by Didi Kempot. Indonesians who were previously complacent about foreign music have now turned to dangdut without hesitation.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Sandiaga said dangdut had been effective in raising enthusiasm for those who heard it. This includes increasing the immunity of the community.

"So dangdut is widely used for gymnastics as well as for other activities, bringing one concept to being a mood booster, namely increasing the mood or increasing enthusiasm for the listeners and also for the musicians," he said.