Kenduri Swarnabhumi 2024: Promoting Community Independence in the Batanghari River Basin by Elevating Local Wisdom

Jambi - Kenduri Swarnabhumi, a series of cultural activities along the Batanghari River Basin (DAS), officially launched its third year on Wednesday, June 5, 2024. This event further solidifies its position as an important part of efforts to advance culture and preserve the environment along the Batanghari River Basin that passes through districts/cities in Jambi Province and Dharmasraya Regency in West Sumatra Province.

Kenduri Swarnabhumi 2024 takes a further step by emphasizing the strengthening of local Human Resources (HR). With the theme "Reconnecting Communities with River Civilization", this year Kenduri Swarnabhumi involves more local community leaders in its organization by forming local curators who design and ensure that the event concepts in each region remain strongly rooted in cultural traditions.

The Director General of Culture at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Kemendikbudristek), Hilmar Farid, stated that Kenduri Swarnabhumi is not just an annual festival, but a way for the community to honor the Batanghari River by continuously preserving its ecosystem.

Hilmar also added that the success of Kenduri Swarnabhumi will restore the past glory of the Jambi civilization and the communities in the Batanghari River Basin. "Kenduri Swarnabhumi is like a ship that will lead us to happiness in the future and guide us to the glory of Jambi," said Hilmar on Wednesday (6/5).

Meanwhile, the Director of Film, Music, and Media at Kemendikbudristek, Ahmad Mahendra, explained that Kenduri Swarnabhumi serves as a means to raise awareness among the wider community that in the past, Jambi had an extraordinarily advanced civilization and some of its local wisdom is still used today.

Mahendra continued that the implementation of Kenduri Swarnabhumi, which has been held since 2022, has succeeded in uniting various networks of cultural actors and environmental communities in Jambi Province to jointly advance cultural potential in harmony with environmental preservation.

"The spirit of collaboration that has been established between Kemendikbudristek and the local government in successfully organizing Kenduri Swarnabhumi must continue to be strengthened, so that the spirit of cultural advancement, especially in the Batanghari River Basin, has benefits felt by the wider community," said Mahendra.

The Governor of Jambi, Al Haris, echoed that Kenduri Swarnabhumi has raised awareness among communities around the Batanghari River Basin about environmental preservation, one of which is no longer throwing waste into the river.
"I would like to thank and appreciate the hard work of all of us who consistently organize Kenduri Swarnabhumi, because through this event, many people have been educated to preserve the cultural and environmental heritage around the Batanghari River Basin," concluded Al Haris.

Milestones of Kenduri Swarnabhumi

Kenduri Swarnabhumi was first held in 2022 with the theme "The Civilization of the Batanghari River: Past, Present, and Future", organized together with 14 local governments (Pemda) in the Batanghari River Basin. Kenduri Swarnabhumi 2022 was successfully held with the high spirit of all parties who cooperated to advance culture, especially Malay culture.

In 2023, the focus of this event shifted to environmental activation and mapping cultural actors. This initiative involved various communities and individuals actively engaged in local arts and culture, as well as raising awareness of the importance of environmental conservation. With the theme "Love Our Culture, Preserve the River; Love Our River, Preserve Our Culture", Kenduri Swarnabhumi 2023 conducted a series of activities such as expeditions on the Batanghari River, tree planting, fish stocking, involving youth and communities in cleaning the river, and discussions addressing follow-up actions for the preservation of the Batanghari River Basin.

For this year, Kenduri Swarnabhumi is launched with a focus on local wisdom. As part of the Kenduri Swarnabhumi 2024 activities, various events will feature performing arts, cultural exhibitions, local traditions, and various workshops led by local practitioners. The community can enjoy and revisit the rich cultural heritage of Jambi and learn more about the importance of environmental preservation.

Kenduri Swarnabhumi 2024 is a tangible proof that cultural and environmental preservation can go hand in hand. Through sustainable initiatives involving local communities, this event is expected to continue to grow and inspire other regions in Indonesia.[*]