223 Participants Enthusiastically Preserve Folklore Through ‘Suara Nusantara’ Storytelling Festival

Indonesia is rich in oral heritage filled with moral values and local wisdom. However, modernization threatens the tradition of storytelling in family rooms and schools. The “Suara Nusantara” Folklore Storytelling Festival emerges as a crucial effort to counteract this.

Initiated by Navaswara and the Pelita Bangsa Inclusion Foundation (YIPB), the festival aims to preserve folklore through storytelling. The main event was held on November 15–16, 2025, at the Ministry of Education and Culture Complex in Central Jakarta.

Over 200 participants, including students and teachers, showed high enthusiasm. They competed to revive ancestral stories, marking an important step for the next generation.

The Importance of Preserving Folklore for the Younger Generation
The preservation of folklore is not just about safeguarding cultural heritage; it is also about maintaining wisdom and noble values that shape a better society in the future. Folklore serves as a cultural bridge, connecting the current generation with the historical roots and identity of their nation.

Through narrated stories, various traditions, customs, beliefs, and worldviews can remain alive for the young generation to learn from. Values such as honesty, courage, hard work, and respect for parents can be instilled in an easily understandable way.

Fairy tales and folklore are also effective ways to teach history and traditional knowledge to children, keeping the cultural heritage vibrant and relevant in the modern era. Tales like Batu Belah Batu Betangkup or Malin Kundang are not just bedtime stories but a means of conveying moral values.

“Suara Nusantara”: A Platform for Folklore Preservation
Navaswara, in collaboration with the Pelita Bangsa Inclusion Foundation (YIPB), presented the “Suara Nusantara” 2025 Folklore Storytelling Festival. This grand event is a storytelling competition aimed at preserving national folk tales.

The festival garnered immense enthusiasm, with 223 participants registering, comprising both students and teachers. Following a strict curation and selection process, 131 participants qualified. They competed by telling legendary stories such as Purbasari, Timun Mas, and Malin Kundang.

The series of “Suara Nusantara” Festival activities included:

• Registration and Video Upload: October 11 – November 7, 2025.
• Preliminary Rounds: November 8 – 11, 2025.
• Semifinal Announcement: November 12, 2025.
• Semifinal Performance: November 15, 2025.
• Final Performance: November 16, 2025.

In addition to the competition, the festival featured a workshop titled “Everyone Can Tell Stories” with Kak Onie from Ayo Dongeng Indonesia. During the final night, the Junior Attorney General for Intelligence, Prof. Reda Manthovani, also performed, narrating the legendary Betawi tale, “Si Pitung.” Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung and Presidential Special Envoy Raffi Ahmad were also present, commending the efforts to preserve folklore through this storytelling festival.

Key Figures Support Oral Heritage Preservation
Various parties welcomed and gave positive feedback to the storytelling festival as a means of preserving folklore. Cahaya Manthovani, Head of the Suara Nusantara Committee, explained that the festival serves as a golden bridge to nurture Indonesia’s oral cultural heritage. “Through storytelling, children are invited to immerse themselves in the nation’s stories. From there, a love for our precious cultural heritage grows,” Cahaya said.

Jakarta Governor, Pramono Anung, stressed that “our DNA is the DNA of storytelling, not just reading.” He affirmed that children absorb messages far more easily through stories and tales, especially folklore passed down through generations. Pramono believes that amid the rapid digital current, folklore remains a moral anchor for the youth, instilling values of courage, honesty, friendship, and love for the homeland.

Raffi Ahmad, Presidential Special Envoy for Youth Development and Arts Workers, praised the “Suara Nusantara” Festival as an important means of strengthening the bond between children, parents, and teachers. According to him, storytelling is not just entertainment but a communication foundation that reinforces family relationships and builds good chemistry.

Maya Miranda Ambarsari, Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Pelita Bangsa Inclusion Foundation, stated that the Suara Nusantara Festival is more than just a storytelling stage. It is a space for children to rediscover their national identity through folklore. “We at the Pelita Bangsa Inclusion Foundation believe that cultural literacy is a vital foundation for fostering a generation that is characterized, confident, and deeply rooted in values of goodness,” said Maya Miranda Ambarsari. The Suara Nusantara Festival is concrete proof that the tradition of storytelling can be revived amidst the onslaught of modernization.