Padang: The 2024 Multiethnic Festival, showcasing cultural arts from various ethnicities, was held at the Adityawarman Museum in Padang to revive tourism in West Sumatra.
West Sumatra Tourism Office Head Luhur Budianda said on Saturday that the festival aims to attract tourists back to the province after the pandemic and natural disasters impacted the industry.
“We are implementing various strategies to revitalize the province’s tourism industry,” Budianda said. “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 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 a variety of performances, including Minang arts like Tari Piring (plate dance), Randai theater, and Talempong music. A Mentawai dance depicting the tribe’s daily life and rituals was also showcased.
The event extended beyond West Sumatra, presenting 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.
