Bali urged to register cultural assets

The Jakarta Post

DENPASAR: Culture and Tourism Minister Jero Wacik has asked the Balinese to protect their cultural assets by registering them as intellectual property.

Indonesia recently became embroiled in a spat with Malaysia over that country's use of the folk song Rasa Sayange, which Indonesia claims as its own.

Malaysia was also reported to have registered batik products as its own cultural assets.

The minister urged each province in Indonesia to register all of their intellectual property.

Bali is famous for its art and culture, including textiles, statues, paintings, architectural pieces, songs and dances.

I Nyoman Nikanaya, head of Bali's cultural agency, said a Japanese agency was attempting to register penjor as its own.

Penjor is a long bamboo pole elaborately ornamented with young coconut leaves and fruits. It is erected in front of a house to mark the commencement of a religious festival.

I Gde Parimarta, a professor of culture at the Udayana University in Denpasar, said Indonesia had to be more proactive in registering its cultural heritage.

"We have to learn the international mechanisms for registering our intellectual property, otherwise it will be easy for other countries to claim them," he said.

Bali is now going through the process of registering penjor dand Gringsing traditional textile patterns. (JP)