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South Sulawesi receives UNESCO recognition for 'phinisi'
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Traditional wooden two-masted "phinisi" boat, built by the local ethnic people of South Sulawesi, at Port Paotere, Makassar. (Shutterstock.com/Ye Choh Wah)
F
ollowing the recognition of phinisi as an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in December, the Education and Culture Ministry on Tuesday handed over the certificate to the South Sulawesi province, its regional place of origin.
The culture director general at the Culture and Education Ministry, Hilmar Farid, said phinisi refers to a particular Sulawesi rope system and sailing screen. The phinisi is not only known as a sturdy traditional ship for traveling around an archipelagic nation like Indonesia, he said, but also exceptional in international sailing and stands as a symbol of traditional island nation shipping technique.
It also succeeded in sailing great distances, from Vancouver in Canada, across the Pacific Ocean, to Japan and Madagascar.
"Phinisi is part of the history and customs of the people of South Sulawesi in particular, and the archipelago in general. Knowledge on shipbuilding technology with formulas and patterns in making the hull have been known for at least 1,500 years," Hilmar said.
Read also: 'Phinisi' nominated for world cultural heritage
The traditional ship was mainly built by the Bugis-Makassar ethnic group in South Sulawesi, who mostly resided in Bira village, Bonto Bahari district, Bulukumba regency, where the handover of the certificate was held.
Hilmar pointed out that the handover was not merely ceremonial. The certificate, he said, signified a commitment that must be carried out by the community to safeguard the tradition.
"Phinisi must be sustained and also developed and utilized as part of sustainable development," he said.
The government had submitted South Sulawesi's art of boat-making onto UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, and now has become Indonesia's eighth cultural element on the list.
The previous include wayang (shadow puppets) (2008), keris (dagger) (2008), batik (2009), angklung (traditional musical instrument) (2010), Saman Dance (2011), Noken Papua (2012), three genres of traditional Balinese dances (2015), as well as a program of education and training on batik at Museum Batik Pekalongan (2009). (liz/kes)
