TRENGGALEK – Longkangan tradition has officially received intangible cultural heritage status from Indonesia’s Ministry of Culture. The recognition marks a major milestone for the coastal community in Munjungan, Trenggalek. The process took nearly three years.
Officials announced the designation during the 177th Pahargyan Adat Longkangan celebration in 2026. The tradition is now the eighth recognized heritage (WBTB) from Trenggalek. It joins other local rituals such as Lodo Ayam and Larung Sembonyo.
Event committee chairman Agus Setiawan said the proposal went through strict national verification. Cultural experts observed the ritual directly over the past two years before reaching a decision.
“The process took nearly two to three years. Ministry teams even attended the ceremony to study it,” Agus said on Wednesday.
He further described the certificate, issued in February 2026, as a long-awaited gift for the Munjungan community. Looking ahead, he hopes the recognition will raise the tradition’s profile beyond Indonesia and attract global attention.
“This is the only ritual featuring ceremonial gun salutes. Tonight, we will hold the Onang-Onang Bedil Muni ritual,” he added.
Local authorities believe the recognition will strengthen preservation efforts and boost tourism. The community also plans to present the tradition in a more engaging and educational way, especially for younger generations.
Trenggalek cultural official Heru Dwi Susanto said the tradition carries deep symbolic meaning. The community has preserved it for nearly two centuries. The ritual includes a sequence of ceremonies passed down through generations.
The procession begins in the morning with a community parade. It continues with offerings of ritual items and cone-shaped rice to the sea. Activities then extend into the night with the sacred Onang-Onang Bedil Muni ritual, which blends spiritual and cultural elements.
“In this ritual, people not only invite physical guests. They also symbolically welcome unseen entities believed to come from the southern region,” Heru said.
In addition, he noted that the ceremony features traditional food, drinks, and music performed using inherited compositions. Altogether, each element reflects the community’s cultural identity and long-standing traditions.
The recognition process began with cultural data registration in late 2024. It continued with provincial curation in East Java. After revisions and evaluation, the tradition advanced to a national cultural hearing in mid-2025. Officials approved it for WBTB status soon after.
As part of the recognition, the Trenggalek government will hand over the certificate to the community. The regent will present it symbolically to the Munjungan subdistrict head during the evening ritual. Village leaders and traditional elders will witness the ceremony.
“This recognition confirms that Longkangan is not just a ritual. It is a collective identity preserved across generations,” Heru said.