Balangan Revives Traditional Bagagap Iwak River Festival

RRI.CO.ID, Paringin - The traditional practice of Bagagap Iwak (hand-fishing and net-casting) was revived with great fanfare along the Maraup River in Panggung Village, South Paringin Subdistrict, on Thursday, June 25, 2026, bringing together hundreds of local residents in a vibrant display of communal solidarity.

The annual festival, deeply embedded in the cultural fabric of Balangan Regency, South Kalimantan, sees a massive turnout of residents wading into the river channels to gather freshwater fish. Beyond being a seasonal harvest ritual, the event serves as a living monument to Javanese and Banjar heritage, utilizing ancestral fishing techniques to promote grassroots cooperation and ecosystem preservation.

Balangan Regent Abdul Hadi, who participated in the event by symbolically casting a traditional jala (fishing net) into the river, lauded the local community for maintaining their commitment to this regional legacy.

"In Balangan, the Bagagap Iwak tradition has become a routine annual activity. We express our highest appreciation and gratitude to the committee, village head, and the entire community who are committed to preserving this tradition so that it can continue to be enjoyed by current and future generations," Abdul said on Thursday, June 25, 2026, as quoted by Infopublik.id.

He further noted that the cultural event acts as an invaluable social anchor, building neighborly bridges while subtly raising public awareness about the necessity of keeping local river ecosystems clean and free from destructive, modern industrial pollution.

Echoing this pride, Event Committee Chairman Hafiz Anshari expressed gratitude for the multi-stakeholder support that allowed the ancestral custom to return in full scale this year.

"Alhamdulillah, we can once again carry out the Bagagap Iwak tradition in Panggung Village. This tradition has existed since the time of our ancestors, and we continue to preserve it to this day. We also thank the local administration, Bank Kalimantan Selatan, People's Economic Bank (BPR), and PT Sanggam Drinking Water for supporting this activity," Hafiz remarked, highlighting the institutional backing from regional banks and utility companies.

To add a friendly, competitive edge to the day's festivities, the organizers held a weighing competition, awarding special prizes to participants who hauled in the single heaviest catches across three distinct podium categories. The celebration wrapped up with the distribution of various door prizes to ensure that the spirit of shared prosperity was felt by all participating families. ***