PORTALJABAR, DISTRICT. GARUT - The 2024 Priangan Open Traditional Pencak Silat Art Competition was officially held in Garut Regency. This activity was opened by the Regent's Expert Staff for Government, Law and Politics, Dedy Mulyadi, at the SOR RAA Adiwidjaja Martial Arts Building, Garut Regency, Friday (24/5/2024).

Dedy said that the traditional art of pencak silat is an ancestral traditional art that must be maintained by all levels of society together with the government.

He believes that the traditional art of pencak silat should become one of the characteristics of the Garut Regency area. So according to him, this pencak silat must be developed, maintained and preserved together.

"Here we see the enthusiasm of the community, where the young generation who are part of the generation that will become the golden generation in the future, are so enthusiastic and so active in taking part in this traditional art competition," he said.

In response to this, continued Dedy, of course the government must be present and pay attention to this pencak silat tradition. So, this pencak silat can continue to develop and be sustainable, in line with the high level of public enthusiasm for the traditional art of pencak silat.

"Of course we suggest that if there were complaints about the lack of support for cultural arts or the traditional art of pencak silat, of course it should be our joint task between the community and the government," he said.

According to Dedy, this support can be carried out and supervised together, especially by actors in the arts and culture movement through the Development Planning Conference (Musrenbang), starting from the village, sub-district, up to district levels, of course it must be supervised together,

He hopes that in the future the younger generation in Garut Regency will carry out more positive activities and encourage cultural progress, so that he appreciates the holding of this traditional pencak silat arts competition.

Chief organizer Erwin Mohamad Dahlan said that the 2024 Priangan Open Pencak Silat Tradition Competition will be held for 3 days until May 26 2024, with 402 displays.

Several categories are contested, starting from the early age category 1, early age, pre-teen, teenager and adult, where this traditional art competition displays traditional art movements from each paguron, with their unique characteristics.

"The display for early ages and pre-adolescents is a 2 minute display, for teenagers and adults the display is 3 minutes," he said.

Erwin explained that this competition aims to develop the traditional art of pencak silat as an ancestral cultural heritage, with the hope that this traditional art of pencak silat can continue to be sustainable.

"The hope is that traditional arts will help the relevant agencies, the relevant bureaucracies, to preserve this cultural arts to jointly support the implementation of this activity," he said.