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National gapura competition spurs creativity, collaboration among communities
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A car passes under a 'gapura' (gateway) in Panombean Huta Urung village in Jorlang district, Simalungun regency, North Sumatra, on Aug 15. (JP/Apriadi Gunawan)
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s part of the celebration of Indonesia’s 74th Independence Day, various communities around the country have taken part in a nationwide gapura (gateway) decorating competition.
The Festival Gapura Cinta Negeri (National Love the Gapura Festival) was jointly held by the Home Ministry, State Secretariat and the Creative Economy Agency (Bekraf).
In Penombean Huta Urung village, Simalungun regency in North Sumatra, a 4-meter banner saying “Republic of Indonesia’s 74th anniversary” was placed between the two pillars of a gapura.
Dominated by Batak Toba Simalungun cultural elements, including traditional houses and Simalungun gorga wood carvings on the pillars, the gapura was built by local residents participating in the competition.
The village is around 30 kilometers from the regency capital Simalungun and represents 386 villages in the regency.
Kristianus Naibaho a community figure in the village expressed the hope that the gapura would be judged as one of the best out of all the festival participants.
“Hopefully we will win, that way we can go to the State Palace and meet with President Joko Widodo,” Kristianus said recently.
