Jakarta: The harmony of the beauty and diversity of Indonesian culture, from dances, music, and songs to Indonesian literature, will be summarized at the Pagelaran Sabang Merauke' Pahlawan Nusantara,' which held on 19 and 20 August 2023 at the JIExpo Theatre, Jakarta. More than 300 artists across generations from various professions will grace this colossal and magnificent show initiated by iForte and BCA. Coinciding with the momentum of celebrating the 78th Independence Day of the Republic of Indonesia, this performance is expected to be able to commemorate the services of the Indonesian heroes while at the same time fostering the young generation's nationalism and love for Indonesian culture. 

CEO & President Director of iForte and Protelindo Group, Ferdinandus Aming Santoso, said the Pagelaran Sabang Merauke this time will be presented more spectacularly and grande than the previous three events. Held for two days with four performances, the show that promotes connectivity of cultural diversity and the beauty of Indonesian art driven by hundreds of proud Indonesian artists is expected to inspire the values of unity and diversity from the West to the East of Indonesia.

"The Pagelaran Sabang Merauke' Pahlawan Nusantara' is our tribute to the heroes who have fought and given us a better life as a nation. For this reason, we hope that this show can inspire the audience, especially the younger generation, to love the cultural heritage left by the nation's ancestors more so that it will not be timeless with the times," he said after the Press Screening of the Pagelaran Sabang Merauke 'Pahlawan Nusantara' at the JIExpo Theatre, Jakarta, Friday (18/18).

Senior Vice President of BCA, Norisa Saifuddin, said the Pagelaran Sabang Merauke ' Pahlawan Nusantara' was a form of respect for the services of the past heroes who had played an important role in Indonesia's independence. Through this performance, the independence that the heroes fought in the past can be continued in the relay by today's heroes from various professions.

"We see the Merauke Sabang Show as a positive art performance activity, especially in showing Indonesian culture in a modern format. Through this performance, we want people to be able to explore the richness of the archipelago and to love the nation's cultural heritage even more. Besides that, the Pagelaran Sabang Merauke' Pahlawan Nusantara' reminds us to be able to become heroes who fight in our own respective fields and contribute to the nation and state for a better Indonesia," said Norisa.

The Pagelaran Sabang Merauke ' Pahlawan Nusantara' repertoire was opened with the song Kuthidieng which resonates beautifully with harmony from orchestral music. In between the 31 national and folk songs that are presented, there is a dialogue between a grandfather, played by Butet Kataredjasa, and his granddaughter, played by a young musician, Zie, who tells a bit of the history of the songs and the heroes that are shown.

The director of the Pagelaran Sabang Merauke ' Pahlawan Nusantara,' Rusmedie Agus, explained that the dialogue between his grandfather and granddaughter reflected two generations with different perspectives on the national spirit, and the stories behind the heroes from Aceh to Papua with the traditions, ethnic and cultural backgrounds of each region. As a director who was also involved in the three previous shows, Rusmedie emphasized that this year's event wants to introduce the history of Indonesian heroes through theatrical performances that combine local and contemporary dances, folk, and national music series wrapped in spectacular performances on stage, to a parade of Indonesian traditional clothing.

"This time, the Pagelaran Sabang Merauke performance will feel even more special and bring us to know more about the services of the past heroes, who are hoped to be an inspiration for us as the next generation to continue their fought as heroes for ourselves. By designing the concept for six months and preparing for routine training for three months in Yogyakarta and Jakarta, we are optimistic that we can present an enjoyable performance and make all pairs of eyes that witness goosebumps and feel proud to be born in this motherland," he said.

Meanwhile, the Choreographer of the Pagelaran Sabang Merauke ' Pahlawan Nusantara,' Sandidhea Cahyo Narpati, explained that from a choreographic point of view, this performance was entirely new and fresh, there was no repetition of the previous performance. He was supported by other dance artists, including Dian Bokir, Puri Senja, Rizqy Dhafin, Eka Lutfi, Safina Adriani, Pulung Jati, Mugiyono Kasido, Abib Igal, Gunk Mas, and Okvalica who have undergone workshops to explore various movements for stunning performances on stage. Not only focusing on movement and choreography.

"We present many elements here. Although all are rooted in Indonesian tradition, of course we develop them in such a way as to adapt to the achievements of each region and the heroes we carry. In my opinion, the challenge is how do we assemble and sew all these regional elements into a complete performance. So the hope is no longer just like a variety show, but the red threads about the heroes of this archipelago can be connected beautifully, dynamically and harmoniously," he said.

The Pagelaran Sabang Merauke 'Heroes of the Archipelago' will be enlivened by top Indonesian singers, including Isyana Sarasvati, Cantika Abigail, Swain Mahisa, Alsant Nababan, Taufan Purbo, Mirabeth Sonia, Christine Tambunan, Nino Prabowo, Yuyun Arfah, Gabriel Harvianto, as well as special performances from ventriloquist Kak Tony.

The Merauke-Pahlawan Nusantara Sabang also featured well-known musicians such as Dian HP, Avip Priatna, Dunung Basuki, Ammir Gita, and Meidy Ratnasari, who collaborated to present arrangements of 31 folk and national songs. The splendor of the music will be beautifully presented with the harmony of the orchestra and choir from the Jakarta Concert Orchestra and Batavia Madrigal Singers.

Not only presenting music and dance performances, there was also a fashion show at the Pagelaran Sabang Merauke 'Pahlawan Nusantara' featuring collections of Indonesian literature from 17 well-known designers who were members of the Indonesian Fashion Designers Association (IPMI) such as Ivan Gunawan, Era Soekamto, Danny Satriadi, Denny Wirawan, Ghea Panggabean, Taufik Bachtiar, as well as the involvement of designers from fashion houses including Iwan Tirta Private Collection, SubengClassic and Griya Ageman and Ivan Gunawan Cosmetics. The works of these designers will be displayed by the finalists of Miss Mega Bintang Indonesia 2023 and Miss Grand Indonesia 2023, Ritassya Wellgreat.

Besides enjoying performing arts on the main stage, visitors to the Sabang Merauke Festival will also be invited to explore the diversity of Indonesian culture through a cultural fair that takes place outside the performance area. Not only that, visitors can also visit the MSME festival, which involves 48 UMKM assisted by BCA BanggaLoca and iForte, as well as 3 Bakti BCA-assisted villages.