RRI.CO.ID, Lumajang - The waters of Ranu Klakah in Lumajang Regency, East Java, came alive on Sunday, August 2, 2026, as local villagers participated in the newly rebranded Pacu Bithek Festival. The event transforms a long-standing local practice, using traditional bamboo rafts (bithek or gethek) to navigate floating net cages (KJA) and fish, into a structured cultural festival.

Located at the foot of Mount Lamongan, Ranu or Klakah or Klakah Lake is a volcanic crater lake (maar) that forms part of Lumajang's Trilogy of Ranu alongside Ranu Pakis and Ranu Bedali. The festival was paired with an ecological restocking initiative, releasing fish seed into the lake to help restore aquatic populations following a recent natural upwelling phenomenon locally known as koyo.

Beyond preserving ancestral traditions and environmental health, local authorities highlight that the festival serves as a major driver for the local economy, attracting tourists to boost micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), regional culinary vendors, and local craft industries.

Regency officials emphasized that combining cultural events with environmental conservation creates a sustainable model for regional tourism and community development. Lumajang Regent Indah Amperawati praised the festival as a reflection of community unity and cultural pride.

"The Pacu Bithek Festival is not merely a competition, but a symbol of unity, togetherness, and mutual cooperation (gotong royong) among the people of Ranu Klakah, traditions like this must continue to be preserved as they represent our regional identity and a source of pride for Lumajang Regency," she said in Lumajang, as quoted by Infopublik.id.

Head of the Lumajang Regency Fisheries Agency, Yuli Harismawati, detailed the rationale behind formalizing the event name and pairing it with lake conservation.

"The name Pacu Bithek was newly adopted this year after coordination with various stakeholders so that this tradition possesses a stronger identity and becomes easily recognized by the public, similar to how Pacu Jalur has achieved global fame," she said.

Yuli addes that the administration also carry out fish restocking to aid in population recovery and support ecological balance post-koyo. Educational and awareness values become much stronger when integrated with the native traditions surrounding Ranu Klakah. ***