RRI.CO.ID, East Lombok - The Indonesian Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Indonesia has officially designated Bubus Mangkung, a traditional healing ritual originating from Jerowaru Village in East Lombok Regency, West Nusa Tenggara, as an Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The recognition comes after an extensive proposal process involving system submissions, document verification, field verification by a central government assessment team, and documentary tracking of the tradition.

Grounded in both belief systems and local cultural practices, Bubus Mangkung has long been relied upon by the local community as a traditional method for treating illnesses.

The East Lombok Regency Administration has also proposed several other Sasak cultural heritages to the central government for official recognition, including Blanjakan Masbagik, Temerodok Sakra, and Tenun Sapit, all of which have recently undergone factual verification.

Regional officials emphasized that official cultural heritage status is vital to prevent unauthorized ownership claims and to preserve the cultural identity of the Sasak people.

Local administration officials and tradition custodians underscored that national recognition must be accompanied by sustainable budget support and active collaboration between community guardians and regional authorities.

Head of the East Lombok Education and Culture Agency, Nurul Wathoni, expressed appreciation to the tradition's custodians and called for collective responsibility in preserving Sasak heritage.

"Today we witness the results together in the form of official recognition from the central government, moving forward, it certainly becomes a shared responsibility to continuously care for and preserve it," Nurul said in East Lombok on Sunday, Aigust 2, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

Nurul also advocated for increased local and provincial budget allocations to support cultural preservation programs and the grassroots practitioners sustaining ancestral heritage.

Meanwhile, Abdul Kholiq, a representative heir of the Bubus Mangkung tradition, expressed gratitude for the local administration's assistance while urging continued institutional backing.

"I hope there will be greater attention given to us as heirs, activists, and guardians of cultural traditions, this will ensure that our cultural traditions are not eroded or lost due to a lack of government attention," Abdul Kholiq said. ***