West Sumatra Hosts Multiethnic Festival to Revitalize Indonesia’s Tourism Sector

Padang, The Gulf Observer: The 2024 Multiethnic Festival, a vibrant celebration of cultural arts from various ethnicities, was held at the Adityawarman Museum in Padang with the aim of reviving tourism in West Sumatra.

Luhur Budianda, Head of the West Sumatra Tourism Office, stated on Saturday that the festival is part of a broader strategy to attract tourists back to the province, which has faced challenges from the pandemic and natural disasters.

“We are implementing various strategies to revitalize the province’s tourism industry,” Budianda remarked. “High-quality events like this festival are part of the solution.”

Hidayat, a member of the West Sumatra Regional Legislative Council (DPRD) and the festival organizer, expressed his belief that the event fosters cultural understanding among the province’s diverse ethnicities.

“This understanding can lead to unity, transcending ethnic differences,” he added.

The festival featured an array of performances, including traditional Minang arts such as Tari Piring (plate dance), Randai theater, and Talempong music. It also showcased a Mentawai dance depicting the tribe’s daily life and rituals.

The event extended beyond West Sumatra, presenting the Javanese Campur Sari, a musical ensemble featuring gongs, sarons, and drums. Other highlights included the Sundanese Sisingaan parade, the Batak Toba’s Si Gale Gale statues, the energetic Malay Zapin Dance, an Indian dance, and a Chinese Gambang Tionghoa instrumental performance.

This diverse array of cultural performances not only highlighted the rich cultural heritage of the region but also aimed to strengthen bonds between different ethnic communities and attract a wide range of tourists to West Sumatra.