Thousands of Reog Ponorogo artists staged an art demonstration in front of the Paseban Aloon-Aloon Ponorogo building, Saturday (09/04/2023) evening.
This solidarity action by thousands of artists featuring hundreds of Reog Ponorogo is to claim the promise of the government of the Republic of Indonesia through the Ministry of Education, Culture and Technology Research (Kemendikbudristek), to commit to propel Reog Ponorogo art in the Unesco Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) proposal in 2024.
Previously, the Ministry of Education and Culture, through a reply letter to the objection note from Ponorogo Regent Sugiri Sancoko in March 2022, had committed to propose Reog Ponorogo to become ICH Unesco, after proposing Jamu Healthy Culture to Unesco in 2022, but finally overtaken by Kebaya in 2023 proposed by the joint government 4 countries to Unesco.
The Reog Ponorogo artists also performed the Reog Ponorogo dance en masse in front of Paseban Aloon-Aloon, Ponorogo City, while shouting Reog Ponorogo For ICH Unesco.
This show was also attended by Reog artists from outside the region such as Ngawi, Madiun, Magetan, Pacitan who also took part in the world-recognized art show supporting Reog.
Ponorogo Regent Sugiri Sancoko said, this cultural demonstration was a spontaneous action by artists who wanted Reog Ponorogo to be immediately recognized by Unesco.
“Thousands of Reog artists are demanding the Ministry of Education and Culture’s promise to remain committed according to their written promise, whereby Reog will be proposed to become the Unesco ICH in 2024, and will be tried in 2025 after Jamu,” he said, Saturday (08/04/2023) evening.
The Regent of Giri revealed that this cultural demonstration by thousands of Reog Ponorogo artists was the second time after in 2022, a similar action was carried out after Reog was overtaken by Jamu which was proposed to Unesco.
“In order for this to come to the attention of the minister, Nadiem Makarim. Reog’s regeneration is progressing. You see thousands of people without a command hearing the name Reog Ponorogo come and carry out joint solidarity actions, so we really ask that Reog be prioritized,” he hoped.
Meanwhile, one of the Reog Ponorogo art activists from Ngawi Regency, Agus Black Hoe Budianto admitted, to support Reog Ponorogo being recognized by the world, in this solidarity action he sent 5 Reog Ponorogo groups. He admitted that the original art of Ponorogo Regency should be recognized by the world as the original art of Ponorogo Indonesia. “We support that Reog is recognized by the world as ICH Unesco. This is original Indonesian art that must be preserved. We urge the Government to propose Reog to Unesco in 2024,” he concluded. adv/man
