Reog Ponorogo Is Proposed To UNESCO, Coordinating Minister For Human Development And Culture: Immediately Prepare The Files, Malaysia Also Submits

Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir and Regent of Ponorogo during a meeting (doc. Public Relations of Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture)

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture (Menko PMK) Muhadjir Effendy supports the Reog Ponorogo art to become a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage (WBTB) or UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Reog Ponorogo was previously registered as an Indonesian Intangible Cultural Heritage at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Kemendikbud, Research, and Technology in 2013.

“I fully support Reog being proposed as an intangible culture at UNESCO. I will try to be successful and become a source of pride, not only for the people of Ponorogo but also for the whole of Indonesia," said Muhadjir during a dialogue with the Regent of Ponorogo Sugiri Sancok, quoted from his written statement, Tuesday, April 5.

On that occasion, Muhadjir asked the Ponorogo Regency Government to immediately prepare the necessary data related to the proposal to UNESCO. Moreover, Malaysia is currently planning to submit the same art to the institution.

"For Reog, the Malaysian state is also planning to propose, therefore we must go first. Because this has become our culture and heritage," he said.

Meanwhile, Deputy for Coordination of Mental Revolution, Promotion of Culture and Sports Achievement Didik Suhardi said that the Reog proposal file and completeness had been received by the Directorate General of Culture of the Ministry of Education and Culture through the Directorate of Cultural Protection. Submissions to the UNESCO ICH Secretariat were also made on March 31, along with other nominations, namely tempeh, herbal medicine, Indonesian weaving, and Kolintang.

"The Ponorogo Regency has prepared the video, photos, and documents. Previously it was also received by the Ministry of Education and Culture, but to this day there has been no announcement," said Didik.

Meanwhile, the Regent of Ponorogo Sugiri Sancoko in a selection interview with UNESCO has provided an explanation regarding the use of peacock feathers and tiger skin in this art. The peacock feathers, he said, were not removed but indeed within a certain time, the peacock feathers separated from the peacock's body.

Then a dozen years ago using tiger skin has now been replaced with goatskin which is formatted like tiger skin. If these two things have been answered and convinced UNESCO, said Giri, Reog Ponorogo will qualify as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Sugiri added that his party will continue to try and work hard so that the world will recognize Reog Ponorogo. He also expressed his gratitude for the support of the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture to Reog Ponorogo.

"We will continue to work hard so that this can pass. Please pray for all the people of Ponorogo," he said.

For information, every year the Ministry of Education and Culture always has a selection process for intangible cultural heritage in Indonesia. Then, this intangible cultural heritage of Indonesia which is the flagship will be continued to Unesco.

The Ponorogo Regency Government itself has previously proposed Reog Ponorogo to the UNESCO ICH list in 2018, but has not succeeded. In that year, it was the Indonesian Gamelan that passed and was successfully recognized by UNESCO on December 15, 2021.

Reog Ponorogo is a traditional performing art of the Ponorogo people in which there are elements of warok, jatil, bujangganong, kelanasewandana, and barongan dancers. The dance is accompanied by a set of typical Ponoragan Reog accompaniment instruments consisting of drums, kempul (gong), kethuk-kenong, slompret, tipung, and angklung.