The director general of WIPO recognized that sasando is the intellectual property of Indonesia, and East Nusa Tenggara after a sasando performance in Geneva (Switzerland) earlierKupang, East Nusa Tenggara (ANTARA) - The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has recognized the musical instrument sasando as the intellectual property of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) and Indonesia, East Nusa Tenggara Deputy Governor Josef Nae Soi informed.
"The director general of WIPO recognized that sasando is the intellectual property of Indonesia, and East Nusa Tenggara after a sasando performance in Geneva (Switzerland) earlier," he said on Friday.
Sasando is a harp-like, plucked string instrument made of bamboo and wood that is native to East Nusa Tenggara. The stringed bamboo is surrounded with lontar(Borassus flabellifer) leaves that serve as a resonator and lend it its distinct form.
Related news: Sasando performance enthralls delegates of 2nd G20 Sherpa Meeting
The government had earlier sought to clarify the status of sasando as Indonesia's intellectual property with the United Nations (UN) specialized agency, however, WIPO officials had said that they could not do so as they wanted to learn about the link between sasando and intellectual property as well the native traditional cultural expression, he informed.
The NTT deputy governor then took the initiative to take a team to Geneva, Switzerland, on September 9, 2022, to give a musical performance with the sasando in front of diplomats.
Related news: G20 Summit to positively impact Badung's tourism: District Head
"At that time, they finally acknowledged that sasando is an intellectual property of Indonesia," Soi said.
He added that WIPO has requested his presence in Geneva on November 9 to present the certificate recognizing sasando as the intellectual property of East Nusa Tenggara and Indonesia.
The WIPO acknowledgment will entrench the status of sasando as the intellectual property of Indonesia and make foreign efforts to claim it as their own futile, the deputy governor said.
"There is a country claiming that sasando belongs to their country, but WIPO did not recognize their claim and instead acknowledged that sasando belongs to Indonesia and East Nusa Tenggara," Soi added.
Related news: G20 IWG draws blueprints for Infratech financing, QII indicators
Related news: Global employment recovery attempts start in Bali at G20 LEMM
Translator: Aloysius L, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2022
