The Acting Governor of Bali, Sang Made Mahendra Jaya, has held an audience meeting with the Dutch ambassadors to Indonesia, Timor Leste, and ASEAN. The meeting saw the Dutch government follow up on commitments to repatriate a series of cultural artifacts to Bali.
As part of a repatriation agreement created earlier this year, the Dutch government has returned a series of Indonesia’s most precious cultural heirlooms.
The artifacts made up the first part of their journey home, from the Netherlands to Jakarta. The items include a Keris from Puputan Badung and Puputan Tabanan, as well as a series of other important Balinese historical objects that are currently stored at the National Museum of Indonesia in Jakarta.
The Acting Governor of Bali, Sang Made Mahendra Jaya, told reporters that the items would soon be moved home to Bali and that more support was needed to complete renovations to the Bali Museum.
He explained, “We have the Bali Museum, which was built when the Dutch were still here, and it stores thousands of Balinese artifacts. We are currently renovating the storage space. For that, please visit there, and maybe you [the Dutch government] can help develop our storage space.”
The Dutch Ambassador to Indonesia, Timor Leste, and ASEAN, Marc Gerritsen, met with the Acting Governor at the Bali Governor’s Official Residence, Jayasabha, in Denpasar on Monday, 28 October. His visit was only in part to confirm the repatriation of items removed from Indonesia during colonial rule but to discuss in detail ways to strengthen the relationship between Bali and the Netherlands.
The Acting Governor called for support in developing skills within the Balinese population to help boost the economy as well as support for the agricultural sector and sustainable tourism development.
The Acting Governor also discussed the need to develop more sustainable energy systems in Bali, another area that he hopes the Dutch government will support.
The Acting Governor shared, “Our population is only 4.3 million, but every year, Bali receives around 20 million people. Here, we see agriculture as a vital sector that must be developed, especially with the increasing trend of organic economy, which is very popular with most tourists.”
The Dutch Ambassador Marc Gerritsen expressed his appreciation to the Bali Provincial Government. Gerritsen acknowledged the complex historical relationship between Indonesia, especially Bali, and the Netherlands, noting that positive futures can be built from where the relationships stand at present.
Gerritsen also shared his appreciation for the steps taken by the Bali Provincial Government in developing the agricultural, cultural, and craft sectors to improve Bali’s economy.
The return of key Balinese artifacts to Indonesia, and soon into the province, is timely and something that will be well received by the local community.
Leaders in Bali want to see more culture tourism promoted to international tourists, and areas like Denpasar City, often overlooked by tourists, will benefit from having more historical and cultural gems for tourists to explore.
Walking tours are proving increasingly popular with tourists as a way of truly connecting with the destination.
Walking tours of Denpasar show tourists a hidden side of the island, including the Old City and Gajah Mada. Moving forward, Denpasar is set to become a destination for inspiring cultural travel, as discussed by the Head of the Denpasar Tourism Office, Ni Luh Putu Riyastiti, earlier this week.
At a press conference, she shared, “In efforts to develop tourism, we believe that maintaining a balance between modernity and cultural preservation is the key to the success of sustainable tourism.”
“Cultural heritage tourism provides an opportunity for us to introduce the richness of Denpasar’s culture to tourists, both domestic and international, while ensuring that our ancestral heritage is maintained and preserved.”