Songket Silungkang Carnival to Promote Sawahlunto Culture

KBRN, Jakarta: More than just a festival, the Sawahlunto International Songket Silungkang Carnival (SISSCa), held in Sawahlunto, West Sumatra, on Saturday, September 6, 2025, is a strategic initiative to promote Indonesian culture globally.

According to Deputy Assistant of Nusantara Tourism Marketing at Ministry of Tourism, Erwita Dianti, the event is a deliberate effort to share the nation's heritage with both domestic and international audiences.

"The implementation of SISSCa is not merely a celebration but an effort to preserve and introduce our cultural heritage to domestic and international communities," she said, as reported by antaranews.com.

SISSCa was born from the local culture of the Kenagarian Silungkang community, particularly the art of songket weaving. This tradition has been recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage since October 8, 2019, making it the oldest songket in Indonesia.

The unique 5M weaving process, Mancolok, Manuriang, Mahani, Maharok, and Mananun can only be found in this specific region.

As one of the 110 Charisma of the Nusantara Events (KEN), SISSCa is expected to raise Sawahlunto's profile on the world stage. The city, rich in history, nature, and culture, is already recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2019.

"This SISSCa event is also an effort to drive the community's creative economy," Erwita added.

Sawahlunto Mayor, Riyanda Putra, noted that the 2025 SISSCa is the 11th iteration of the event. He explained that the carnival is a tribute to the invaluable cultural heritage of the ancestors, the songket cloth.

"With every woven thread, the songket is a reflection of historical identity and beauty; each motif has a deep philosophical meaning," he concluded. ***