The Irau Festival is a regular cultural arts celebration organized by the Malinau Regency Government, North Kalimantan.
Unfortunately, once the festival ends, cultural activities also cease. Therefore, efforts are needed to develop the Malinau Cultural Park Festival, which is expected to become a cultural symbol by creating spaces for cultural activities.
These include two main indoor theater halls, each with a capacity of 500 people, and a cultural plaza as an outdoor performance space with a capacity of approximately 1000 people.
This idea surfaced during the Focus Group Discussion (FGD) on the Final Report for the Planning of the Malinau Cultural Park Development, a collaboration between the Malinau Regency Government and the UGM Center for Tourism Studies (Puspar UGM), held at the Malinau Regency Office Complex on Wednesday (Nov. 6).
Puspar UGM researcher and planning team member Dr. Destha Titi Raharjana emphasized that from a tourism perspective, the envisioned cultural park could serve as a culturally identifiable product.
Malinau, with the largest area in North Kalimantan, is home to 11 Dayak tribes that live harmoniously.
“This is a long-term project development moment, not just a concept. It is necessary to seek support from ministries, including the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Creative Economy, and the Ministry of Tourism,” she said.
Malinau Regency Secretary Dr. Ernes Silvanus stated that facilitating the potential of the diverse Dayak tribes and other community groups living in Bumi Intulun by providing a representative space for artists to express their creativity is essential.
Dr. Silvanus highlighted that many cultural activities, such as finding rehearsal spaces, still face obstacles.
“Many young people have to practice in office rooms, yards, or other available spaces,” he explained.
He hopes that the concept of the Malinau Cultural Park will provide a shared space for practicing and showcasing the uniqueness of the eleven tribes of Malinau along with other community groups.
The goal is to create a space to preserve, nurture, and develop Malinau’s culture. Some of the buildings to be constructed include traditional houses representing the eleven tribes of Malinau.
These buildings will later serve as alternative accommodation for tourists seeking a unique cultural experience in Malinau.
Kelik Sugiarto Atmaja, an architect on the project team, explained that the Malinau Cultural Park would cover an area of 3.8 hectares and be located on government-owned land near the Kuala Lapang Village Office and Malinau Museum.
“The proposed location for the Malinau Cultural Park is strategically accessible,” he said.
The area, characterized by contours, includes many trees and some wetlands, reflecting the topographic characteristics of Malinau, which will be optimized as part of the park’s landscape.
Further, Atmaja explained that the park will be designed with a “Cultural Knot,” symbolizing the unity of cultural diversity.
The Malinau Cultural Park will serve as a binding force for the cultural richness of the eleven Dayak tribes, preserved performing arts, carving arts, and more.
Atmaja hopes that the Malinau Cultural Park will become a cultural symbol for the Malinau Regency in the future.
The design implementation includes activity spaces for cultural events, such as the two main indoor theater halls and the outdoor cultural plaza.
“There will also be eleven traditional houses as historical landscapes placed near the wetlands, following the original conditions, allowing visitors to track the area,” he said.
Several cultural leaders present, including representatives from the Dayak Lundayeh, Dayak Kenyah, Dayak Abay, Dayak Tidung, and other groups, positively received the proposal to establish the Malinau Cultural Park.
Some related government departments also provided their views.
The cultural leaders suggested that Ulin wood be used as the primary material for construction and local plants such as Meranti wood, Kapur wood, Gaharu wood, and others be utilized. They also recommended using local fruit-bearing plants easily found in the Malinau area.
Author: Agung Nugroho
Post-editor: Afifudin Baliya
Photo: Ministry of Tourism