RRI.CO.ID, Ternate - In a major step toward safeguarding regional heritage, the Indonesian government has officially granted legal protection to Soya-soya music, a traditional art form deeply rooted in the cultural fabric of Ternate, North Maluku.

Characterized by its fast, high-energy, and spirited beats, the music serves as the vital rhythmic backbone for the iconic Soya-soya dance. Traditionally performed using regional instruments such as the tifa (drum) and saragai (gong), the music is widely showcased during formal welcoming ceremonies, traditional rituals, and historical commemorations honoring the heroic struggles of local freedom fighters.

According to data from the Directorate General of Intellectual Property (DJKI) under the Ministry of Law, the cultural expression has been formally registered and secured under certificate number EBT822026000223.

Head of the Ministry of Law's North Maluku regional office, Budi Argap Situngkir, said that extending legal safety nets to traditional cultural expressions like Soya-soya music demonstrates the state’s unwavering commitment to shielding communal intellectual property that has thrived across generations.

The move, Argap noted, is designed to preserve national identity and dignity while ensuring that future generations remain connected to their ancestry. Furthermore, formalizing these cultural assets is expected to inject economic vitality into local communities by fostering sustainable, culture-based tourism.

"The protection of traditional cultural expressions, including the Sula Rabana music, is an effort to preserve community culture that holds significant socio-cultural value. Additionally, it can enhance the community's economic value through regional tourism," Argap said in a statement on Sunday, July 12, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

Echoing this sentiment, regional office's Head of Legal Services, Rian Arvin, urged closer collaboration among local administration, cultural communities, mass media, academia, and the public to actively register other untapped communal wealth. This includes various forms of traditional knowledge, potential geographical indications, and indications of origin scattered across the province.

"The people of North Maluku possess cultural traditions that have existed for a long time and have been passed down through generations by their successors. It is our duty to keep preserving that culture by registering communal intellectual property with the Ministry of Law," Arvin concluded. ***