The UNESCO named phinisi boat-building an intangible cultural heritage of humanity on Thursday.
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Kompas/Lucky Pransiska
Phinisi boat makers in Tana Beru, Bulukumba regency, South Sulawesi, Monday (16/11) take an afternoon break. Bulukumba is one of the world’s most renowned phinisi boat-making centers. European and African countries, as well as the United States, have ordered boats from Bulukumba.
JAKARTA, KOMPAS – The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization named phinisi boat-building an intangible cultural heritage of humanity on Jeju Island, South Korea, on Thursday (7/12/2017). The decision signifies global recognition of the well-preserved Indonesian ancestral tradition of boat-building.
The decision was announced by UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage during its 12th session on Jeju Island. The session began on December 4 and will end on December 9.
“All Indonesians should be grateful and proud that the phinisi art of boat-building has been named a world intangible cultural heritage by the UNESCO. We hope that this will instill a sense of pride among our youth and encourage them to explore and develop our traditional values and cultures,” Education and Culture Ministry director general of culture Hilmar Farid said in Jakarta on Thursday.
The decision requires Indonesia to ensure the sustainable availability of the raw materials of phinisi boats. UNESCO says that the traditional values on the boat-building techniques and art must be taught to the younger generations.
Indonesian Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, Hotmangaradja Pandjaitan, said local communities were an important part in the proposal of including phinisi boat-building on UNESCO’s list of world intangible cultural heritages. This must serve as momentum to give more attention to the management of intangible cultural heritages across regions.
Eight cultural heritages
With the inclusion of South Sulawesi’s phinisi boat-building, Indonesia now has eight cultural heritages on UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritages. These cultural heritages are wayang or shadow puppet (2008), kris (2008), batik (2009), angklung musical instrument (2010), the saman dance (2011), Papuan noken woven bag (2012), three genres of Balinese traditional dance (2015) and Pekalongan Batik Museum’s batik training program (2009).
Bulukumba deputy regent Tomy Satria Yulianto said the regency had requested the central government’s help in using phinisi boats in the maritime highway program and sea transportation. This will be an effective way to preserve the craft. “Thus far, people usually make phinisi for cruise ships. It can be enjoyed only by certain people,” Tomy said.
The durability of phinisi boats has been proven in cruises to Canada, Japan and several other countries. History shows that phinisi was a mainstay vehicle in inter-island sea transportation in Indonesia.
Phinisi is a traditional Buginese-Makassar boat that has been part of the archipelago’s sea transportation for hundreds of years. The boat-building art, with traditional techniques and system, is preserved by phinisi craftspeople in Bulukumba regency, South Sulawesi.
“As long as we still make boats, we will safeguard all that is attached to it, including local wisdom, cultural and tradition. We prohibit ourselves from making boats without going through several processes and rituals that have been passed through generations. This is not just about rituals. This is about helping and praying for one another,” phinisi builder Rusli said in Tana Beru, Bulukumba.
