October 15, 2025 | 05:15 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Four cultural traditions from Badung, Bali, have been officially designated as National Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH), part of the 2025 Indonesian Intangible Cultural Heritage Determination.
The four newly recognized cultural items from Badung are:
1. The Nglampad tradition from Sekarmukti-Banjar Pundung in Pangsan Traditional Village (Desa Adat).
2. The Klemat Baris Dance from Pura Segara, Seseh Traditional Village, in Cemagi.
3. The Kekuwung Baris Dance from Sandakan Traditional Village, Sulangai Village, Petang District.
4. Kwanji Gambang from Kwanji Traditional Village, Sempidi Sub-District, Mengwi District.
I Gde Eka Sudarwitha, Head of the Badung Cultural Office, confirmed that the four proposals successfully passed verification and initial assessment by the national ICH expert team.
"The designation of Intangible Cultural Heritage is a strategic step in protecting local culture," Sudarwitha stated in Mangupura, Badung, Bali, on Tuesday, October 14, 2025.
Stages of the Designation of Intangible Cultural Heritage
According to Sudarwitha, the process of proposing cultural works for ICH status involves several rigorous stages. It begins with inventorying, followed by in-depth academic studies and comprehensive documentation in the form of videos or films. The research team comprises academics from Udayana University, the Cultural Values Preservation Center (BPNB), and local cultural experts.
This team is responsible for compiling academic studies that cover anthropological, historical, cultural value, and preservation method aspects of the culture, resulting in scientific studies or theses.
"From the outset, there is national registration for the ICH proposal, which is then deliberated and completed at the provincial level before submission to the central level. The submission must meet specific requirements and criteria," he explained.
Sudarwitha noted that one of the main challenges is conducting re-documentation in the field, especially for traditions performed on specific schedules. "The re-documentation process must be carried out while waiting for the tradition to be held. The most difficult cases are those held only once a year, once every two years, or even once every five years," he said.
Intangible Cultural Heritage from Buleleng
In addition to Badung, Buleleng Regency also contributed two ICH listings this year: the Baris Bedug Dance originating from Banyuning Village and Karya Alilitan from the Catur Desa (Four Villages) community: Gobleg, Munduk, Gesing, and Umejero.
Head of the Buleleng Cultural Office, Nyoman Wisandika, highlighted the unique local characteristics of these two traditions as the primary reason for their designation. For example, the Buleleng-style Baris Bedug Dance features a distinct curvature of the cloth or back support worn by the dancers, which depicts specific symbols used in cremation ceremonies. The dance is typically performed by four dancers during the tedun sawe and rope-releasing procession.
Meanwhile, Karya Alilitan is a long-standing and unique tradition specific to the Catur Desa area, which has been sustainably passed down through generations.
Antara contributed to the report
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