The Baliem Valley Cultural Festival is recognized as an important form of intellectual property that must be protected, as it holds both cultural value and significant economic potential for the people of the Papuan Highlands.
The Head of the Papua Regional Office of the Ministry of Law, Anthonius M. Ayorbaba, visited Wamena with an intellectual property team to promote the protection of local cultural potential at the event.
This annual festival, held in Jayawijaya Regency, is known as one of the largest cultural events in Papua.
The event is also listed among the Top 10 Karisma Events of the Archipelago.
The festival features various regional attractions such as traditional dances, noken weaving, carvings, local cuisine, and promotions of tourist destinations around the Baliem Valley.
According to Ayorbaba, the presence of tourists at this festival has a positive impact on MSMEs, local entrepreneurs, accommodation owners, restaurants, and the transportation sector.
Therefore, the community is encouraged to register their cultural works to obtain legal protection through intellectual property registration.
The 33rd festival in 2025 will also introduce new innovations, including a performance by 1,500 traditional pikon musicians aimed at setting a MURI record.
Previously, in 2019, the festival set a record for a 30-meter-long noken.
Overall, the Baliem Valley Cultural Festival serves not only as a platform for cultural preservation and tourism promotion, but also as an opportunity to improve the well-being of the community through the protection of their rights to their cultural heritage.