Asahan.Ilintaskasus.site-n an effort to preserve cultural traditions inherited from previous generations, the Asahan Regency Education Office held the Asahan Sinandong Festival for junior high school students from both public and private schools across the regency.
The festival was held over two days, from Thursday, October 1, to Friday, October 2, 2026, at the Juang 45 Museum in Kisaran. It carried the theme, **“Through the Asahan Sinandong Festival, Let Us Preserve Intangible Cultural Heritage.”**
The event served as a strategic platform to introduce local traditional arts to younger generations and foster their appreciation for regional culture.
The festival focused on the competition and preservation of *sinandong*, a traditional vocal art in the form of melodies and verses characterized by the distinctive rhythms of the Malay community, particularly the Malay people of Asahan, North Sumatra.
Representing Asahan Education Office Head Musa Al Bakre, who was unable to attend due to another official assignment, Secretary of the Asahan Education Office H. Mursaid, M.Si., together with Head of the Cultural Affairs Division and Festival Committee Chair Ahmad Atan Ansari, S.E., M.M., officially opened the event by striking a gong three times.
The ceremony marked the official opening of the 2026 Sinandong Festival at the Juang 45 Museum in Kisaran.
The festival reflected the Asahan government’s commitment to preserving, promoting, and introducing *sinandong* to younger generations, particularly junior high school students. Through such efforts, students are encouraged to continue protecting this cultural heritage, which is a source of collective pride and an important representation of Malay culture.
In his speech, Secretary of the Asahan Education Office H. Mursaid expressed his full appreciation for the event. He emphasized that local traditions must continue to be promoted among students so that the noble cultural values of Asahan remain preserved and are not eroded by changing times.
Meanwhile, Head of the Cultural Affairs Division Ahmad Atan Ansari said the festival had received a positive response from junior high schools throughout Asahan Regency, especially from schools that sent representatives to participate in the event organized by the regional government through the Asahan Education Office.
Atan explained that 17 junior high schools and Islamic junior high schools, both public and private, took part in the festival by sending representatives.
He added that the competition was divided into two main categories: the boys’ category and the girls’ category.
Atan expressed hope that all participants would demonstrate their best abilities in performing this traditional vocal art while strengthening the region’s cultural identity within the education system.
**Writer:DR (Ade Zass)
