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Traditional Music Festival brings hope for cultural preservation
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Komang Dika Sanjaya (left) from Bali performs during the Traditional Music Festival 2016 in Parigi Moutong in Central Sulawesi on Saturday. (thejakartapost.com/Ruslan Sangadji)
T
he Traditional Music Festival 2016, held in Parigi Moutong regency in Central Sulawesi last weekend, may have helped to ignite a love for traditional music in children and preserve Indonesia's culture.
The festival involved 400 children from 34 provinces across the archipelago. They joined in various competitions, in categories such as Best Music Arrangement, Best Musical Player and Best Performer.
The judges scored participants on overall performance, originality, ideas and creativity.
The festival may have been a "once in a lifetime" experience for the children and encouraged them to participate more in preserving Indonesia's traditional music and culture, said Hilmar Farid, director general of culture at the Education and Cultural Ministry.
Hilmar also encouraged the appointment of a traditional music ambassador at next year's festival, to help promote Indonesia's vast cultures, especially traditional music. The young ambassador, he said, could help to raise awareness around the preservation of culture.
"An introduction to art at school for children, especially traditional art, is very important because nowadays children are not familiar [with traditional art]," Hilmar added.
Music observer and festival judge Embi C. Noer said he noted that some participants lacked preparation. He urged them to enjoy playing and performing music, not only for the sake of competing at the festival. (rin)
