VP Gibran Supports Indonesian Foundation Develop Asmat Museum and School

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - An Indonesian foundation is developing programs currently being implemented in Asmat Regency, South Papua. Indonesia's Vice President, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, has welcomed the initiative.

The Widya Cahaya Nusantara Foundation is currently developing the Asmat Museum as a center for preserving Asmat cultural heritage. The foundation has also launched the Sago Field School (Sekolah Lapang Sagu) program, which guides the locals in agriculture and fisheries to improve their welfare.

The foundation's treasurer, Evy Tjahyono, said that the Vice President expressed full support for efforts to preserve Asmat culture. According to her, the museum development is expected to serve as an educational facility, as well as a center for documenting and preserving the globally renowned artistic works and traditions of the Asmat people.

"(Gibran) is very supportive, and this is exactly what must be done so that the woodcarving tradition does not disappear. This is truly a treasure for the Indonesian nation. Others have taken notice of it, but the real center of this heritage is here with us," Evy said after meeting Gibran in Jakarta on Thursday, June 4, 2026, referring to the Asmat carving art.

"We will preserve it, and the Vice President has asked us to maintain it," she added, as quoted by the Indonesian Vice Presidential Secretariat recently.

Evy also noted that, in addition to supporting cultural preservation, the Vice President welcomed the implementation of the Sago Field School program, which is designed to strengthen the community’s food self-sufficiency. She said the program aligns with the government's efforts to enhance locally-based food security while increasing the capacity of locals to become more independent and productive.

"Through the Sago Field School program, we hope that people who previously relied mainly on gathering food from nature can learn how to start farming and raising fish. Now they have already begun to experience the benefits of catching fish from ponds they manage themselves," Evy said.

During the meeting, the Widya Cahaya Nusantara Foundation also conveyed various challenges still faced by the Asmat community, particularly in the health sector. In response, VP Gibran emphasized the importance of accelerating efforts to address stunting, improve sanitation, and control malaria, which remain significant issues in the region.

"As for stunting and hygiene-related issues, the Vice President very much wants these improvements to be realized there. He also wants greater attention to be given to healthcare, especially regarding malaria in the region," Evy said.