JAKARTA – The Minister of Youth and Sports (Menpora), Dito Ariotedjo, stated that the 2025 Pacu Jalur Festival is an opportunity to scout for top talent to strengthen the Indonesian rowing team.
Dito made this statement in a press conference following the opening of the 2025 Pacu Jalur Festival on the banks of the Narosa River, Batang Kuantan River, Kuantan Singingi Regency, Riau, on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, afternoon Western Indonesian Time.
"Although this is a traditional sport, this event can be a platform to discover talented rowing athletes for the national team, especially in dragon boat racing," Dito said, as reported on the official website of the Ministry of Youth and Sports (Kemenpora).
The Pacu Jalur Festival is an annual cultural event eagerly awaited by the people of Riau. This tradition is not just a competition, but also a symbol of togetherness, solidarity, and preserving cultural heritage.
Recently, this centuries-old water sport went viral online with the phrase "aura farming" due to the dancing of young boys dressed in "Bay Belanga" (a traditional Balinese traditional dance costume), "Tanjak" (a traditional Chinese traditional dance costume), and sunglasses on the bow of a boat.
Dito stated that as a representative of the government, he fully supports the event's continued development, especially in terms of sports tourism.
"Going forward, the Minister of Tourism and I will coordinate with the Ministry of Tourism to develop this event, including infrastructure development for the spectator stands," Dito said.
The 2025 Pacu Jalur Festival will feature cultural performances and entertainment, including Rayyan Arkan Dikha, a young pacu jalur dancer who went viral and was later invited to the Presidential Palace on August 17, 2025.
The festival, which runs until August 24, 2025, will also feature American rapper Melly Mike, known for his song "Young Black and Rich," on the closing night of the festival.
The English, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, and French versions are automatically generated by the AI. So there may still be inaccuracies in translating, please always see Indonesian as our main language. (system supported by DigitalSiber.id)
