Culture Minister Fadli Zon stated that the exhibition is a collaborative effort among provincial museums to showcase the archipelago's rich cultural heritage through heirloom collections, including keris, kujang, tombak (spears), rencong (Acehnese knife), and other artifacts.
"This exhibition at the Sri Baduga Museum is a very important event to educate the public about the richness of Nusantara’s heirlooms," Zon remarked here on Tuesday.
He also suggested that future exhibitions could feature other aspects of cultural advancement, such as local foods, traditional games, and traditional sports like the pacu jalur boat race from Riau Province.
This year’s exhibition is hosted by West Java Province. The West Java Tourism and Culture Office is presenting 64 types of collections, including traditional daggers and swords.
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In total, 21 provincial museums, four city/district museums, and one university museum are participating in the event.
"Museums hold a wealth of information, literacy, and artifacts. With engaging displays, I hope more visitors will come to museums," Zon remarked.
In addition to the exhibition, he highlighted the importance of verifying and re-curating museum collections to ensure each heirloom is supported by a strong story.
"We must avoid having only records without the objects, or items that are missing or destroyed. We must ensure the item’s authenticity, from which era, and its meaning," he explained.
He also expressed hope that the records or background stories of heirloom items could be further developed into intellectual property, such as souvenirs, replicas, and design elements, such as ornaments, in creative products like games, films, and fashion.
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Translator: Rubby, Kenzu
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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