Eyewitness – DENPASAR
The Batur Traditional Village (Desa Adat Batur) will mark the centenary of Rarud Batur through the inauguration of the Batur Village Festival #1, set to take place from August 2 to 8, 2026.
During a press conference at Kubu Kopi Denpasar on Wednesday (July 22, 2026), organizers stated that the festival serves as a milestone to commemorate the historic relocation of the Batur community following the catastrophic eruption of Mount Batur in 1926, while simultaneously reinforcing the preservation of the community’s culture, history, and identity.
The 100th-anniversary commemoration of Rarud Batur goes beyond mere ceremonial observance; it offers a moment of reflection on the ancestors’ resilience in rebuilding their lives amidst disaster. The calamity a century ago marked a pivotal turning point that continues to shape the Batur identity today. Despite the hardship post-eruption, the community steadfastly preserved their ancestral customary values, culture, traditions, and spirituality passed down through generations.
The Committee Chairman, I Made Santika, S.E., explained that the centenary was packaged into a festival format so that history is not merely remembered through storytelling, but actively understood and felt through community-wide activities.
“Preparations for this event actually began in July 2025 through preliminary activations held at Pura Jati Batur. From the outset, we envisioned this 100th-anniversary commemoration as a collective movement to revive the history, culture, and spirit of our ancestors, rather than just a ceremonial event,” said Santika.
Over the seven-day event, attendees will be presented with a diverse array of educational, cultural, athletic, artistic, and entertainment programming. The festival will kick off with the Batur Caldera Run, followed by a National Seminar on the Centenary of the Batur Relocation, the official opening of the Batur Village Festival, and a theatrical performance titled Rarud Batur, depicting the 1926 evacuation.
On subsequent days, participants will join the Rarud Batur Historical Walk (Napak Tilas), tracing the ancestral relocation route from Batur Let to Bayung Gede Village, ultimately ending at Batur Traditional Village. This activity serves as both a tribute to ancestral resilience and an educational historic journey for the younger generation. Additionally, visitors can enjoy art exhibitions, cultural gatherings with traditional elders, and artistic performances by the Indonesian Institute of the Arts (ISI) Bali.
The festival also incorporates inclusive activities for children, students, youth, academics, and local communities, including coloring contests, bamboo conservation workshops, tour guide capacity-building training, book launches and discussions, youth talk shows, and screenings of Batur cultural films.
Furthermore, the itinerary features cultural literacy and trivia competitions for students, the Mapragat Bebaturan traditional attire fashion show, a Kintamani coffee seminar, baleganjur music contests, traditional games, a gala dinner, a cultural parade, and closing performances by local and national musicians.
Dane Jero Penyarikan Duuran Batur, representing Palinggih Dane Jero Gede Batur, stated that the 100-year commemoration provides momentum to honor and appreciate the ancestors who bequeathed a legacy of resilience and unity in rebuilding life post-1926 eruption. He emphasized that the event acts as both a reflective space and a reminder for the community to stay rooted (eling) in their history while navigating modern developments.
He added that the community must remain critical in responding to continuous shifts, particularly within the expanding tourism sector and its accompanying policies. Today’s challenge extends beyond tourism development to safeguarding the community’s living space (ruang hidup).
Jero Penyarikan Duuran Batur highlighted that the festival is the result of cross-sector collaboration involving the traditional village, village administration, local government, academia, cultural communities, tourism stakeholders, and the general public.
This synergy demonstrates that cultural and historical preservation requires active involvement from all societal elements, not solely traditional institutions.
He stressed that the youth hold a strategic role in carrying forward the ancestors’ legacy, serving not merely as participants, but as primary drivers of these efforts.
Through the Batur Village Festival #1, the committee aims to strengthen cultural identity, stimulate the local economy, and deepen cross-sector collaboration in safeguarding ancestral heritage.
The 100th-anniversary commemoration of Rarud Batur stands as a poignant reminder that history is not merely a story of the past, but the foundation for building the future. The spirit of mutual cooperation (gotong royong), resilience, and cultural devotion passed down by the ancestors is expected to endure and inspire generations to come.
Reporter : Daniel Herry
