“Artistic values are embedded in the rupiah,” Indra Gunawan Sutarto, an advisor at the BI Representative Office in Bali province, said in Denpasar on Wednesday.
The cultural symbols featured on the rupiah include the Legong dance and the frangipani flower, which appear on the Rp50 thousand banknote from emission year 2022.
Sutarto said that the blue-colored banknote captures the central bank’s philosophy. The precision in the Legong dancers’ movements symbolizes the meticulous planning required in currency issuance.
The elegance of the dance reflects pride in the rupiah as a symbol of national sovereignty, while the discipline and harmony of the dancers represent Bank Indonesia’s commitment and teamwork in distributing quality banknotes throughout the archipelago.
Meanwhile, Balinese cultural expert Prof. Dr. I Made Bandem noted that Legong evolved from the sacred Sanghyang Dedari dance. In 2015, Tari Legong was officially recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage.
“In the context of the rupiah, Indonesia’s strength lies not only in its economy and politics but also in its living and noble cultural heritage,” he said.
The BI periodically reviews the design of banknotes to make improvements to enhance recognizability, reinforce security features using the latest technology to prevent counterfeiting, and upgrade materials for greater durability.
Beyond being a cultural symbol, the rupiah has continued to evolve with the times, particularly in the digital era.
One of Bank Indonesia’s policies to support smooth payment systems is the implementation of the Quick Response Code Indonesian Standard (QRIS), which enables easier and more practical transactions.
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Translator: Dewa, Azis Kurmala
Editor: Primayanti
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