Culture Ministry Supports Pokémon and Wayang Collaboration

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia’s Ministry of Culture supports a collaboration between Indonesian culture and Pokémon as a form of cultural acculturation that brings Indonesia’s cultural heritage together with global popular culture. The collaboration is part of The Pokémon Company’s development plans in Indonesia, presented at the “Pokémon Press Conference: Future Plans for Indonesia 2026-2027” in Jakarta on Monday September 14, 2026.

One of the collaborations being developed combines Pokémon with wayang, a traditional Indonesian puppet art recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage. The development of the collaboration has involved discussions and coordination with the Indonesian government, including several ministries.

Minister of Culture Fadli Zon expressed his appreciation for the collaboration between wayang as part of Indonesia’s cultural heritage and Pokémon as a globally recognized intellectual property. He said the strategic collaboration could accelerate the introduction of wayang to international audiences while creating new opportunities for the development of Indonesian culture.

Fadli explained that Indonesia has various forms of wayang reflecting the country’s cultural diversity, including Wayang Jawa, Wayang Sunda, and Wayang Sasak. He also highlighted earlier examples of cultural acculturation, such as Wacinwa and Wayang Potehi, as well as the modern form of acculturation represented by the Pokémon-wayang collaboration, known as Pokewayang.

According to Fadli, wayang serves not only as entertainment but also as a means of education and guidance, with values that can continue to evolve with the times. The Ministry of Culture views the collaboration as part of efforts to build a cultural ecosystem that goes beyond preservation to include the development and utilization of culture.

Deputy Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Irene Umar said the creative economy can serve as a means of preserving culture while providing opportunities to bring Indonesian cultural products and heritage to the global stage. Meanwhile, The Pokémon Company Corporate Officer Susumu Fukunaga said Pokémon Indonesia had previously collaborated with batik, which has also been recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The Pokémon and wayang collaboration will be introduced at the World Conference of Creative Economy (WCCE), scheduled for October 21–23, 2026. At the event, Pokémon will present the Pokewayang stage for the first time, showcasing an encounter between Indonesia’s traditional culture and global popular culture.

The Ministry of Culture said it supports the development of the collaboration as part of efforts to bring culture into the evolving lives of communities. Through Pokewayang, the meeting between cultural heritage and popular culture is expected to introduce Indonesia’s cultural richness to younger generations while expanding the global promotion of Indonesian culture.