Protecting Intangible Cultural Heritage in Bali

Protecting Intangible Cultural Heritage in Bali

The viral regarding joged bumbung dance performances containing porn elements is a violation of the intangible cultural heritage law. Cultural practitioners expressed their worries that the joged bumbung dance’ status is revoked as intangible cultural heritage, as a consequence of the way it is performed that is not reflecting the ethics of society. This is certainly ironic, considering that Indonesia has ratified the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003) through Presidential Regulation No. 78 of 2007.

The government has taken some action. In 2016, the Governor of Bali issued Circular No. 6393 of 2016 concerning the Joged Bumbung Tradition Dance addressed to the Regional Police Chief, Regent / Mayor, Bendesa Agung Pakraman Village Assembly and Chairman of the PHDI Bali in order to take steps according to their respective authorities. Partial protection of intangible cultural heritage has indeed been carried out by the Bali Provincial Government. This is reflected in the issuance of the Bali Governor Regulation No. 80 of 2018 which mandates local governments in Bali to selectively struggle for Balinese script and literature as Indonesian intangible cultural heritage and world cultural heritage.

The imposition of sanctions derived from customary law is also one alternative that is seen to be effective in reducing or even eliminating the performance of joged bumbung dance that contains porn elements. The creating of written customary law (e.g. perarem) at the customary village level, for example, can be a customary law instrument that supports national law enforcement.