JAKARTA, 22 October 2021 – Festival Indonesia Hidden Heritage Week (IHHW) 2021 open on Thursday, 21 October. On the first day, The festival is enlivened by a virtual tour to the Oldest Coal Mine Site in Southeast Asia, Ombilin, which was opened by the Mayor of Sawahlunto, Deri Asta and the West Sumatra Cultural Conservation Preservation Center and guided by the Lunto Sawah Creator Content Community.
“The virtual tour takes the Ombilin Coal Mine because this site is one of the 5 another site in the world that was designated by UNESCO in 2019," said Nofa Farida Lestari, Founder and Executive Director of Indonesia Hidden Heritage (IHH).
According to Sawahlunto Mayor Deri Asta, The Ombilin Coal Mine Site is known as the Ombilin Coal Mine Heritage. "The site in Sawahlunto is listed as Indonesia's fifth World Cultural Heritage after Borobudur and Prambanan Temples in Indonesia." 2012, Sangiran site in 1996 and the Bali Subak System in 2012,” explained Sawahlunto Mayor Desta Ari in his narration while guiding the virtual tour.
See the history, Ombilin is an effect of the entry of European industrial technology in the 1800s with the invention of steam and fuel engines. Besides that, found a layer of black soil in Ombilin which after research is called coal with very large deposits and very good calories. After that, the Dutch Colonial carried out coal mining.
The positive impact of the development of the Ombilin Coal Mine, Sawahlunto had the most advanced infrastructure at that time. Year 1998, coal as a natural resource that runs out of mine closures. The population reduction occurred due to the expansion of population movement from Sawahlunto to Tanjung Enim with the closure of the Ombilin Coal Mine.
Don't want Sawahlunto to become a dead city, The Sawahlunto City Government has converted it into a cultured mining tourism city. There is 3 components designated as coal mine heritage. First, Sawahlunto as a city of facilities. Second, railway structure and third, coal storage at Teluk Bayur Port.
Ombilin is different from other cultural heritage sites because it consists of: 3 very wide area. It was very sophisticated in its time because there were power and water plants as well as an aged kitchen with a capacity of more than 6 thousand rations using German technology and hospitals.
Area A is the mining town of Sawahlunto. Area B, railway structure facilities and now there are relics of the Mak Itam Locomotive which are stored in the Sawahlunto Railway Museum. This is the second railway museum in Indonesia after Ambarawa. A special feature of the railway structure in Sawahlunto is that it is located on a ramp. Area C, coal storage facility in Teluk Bayur and this opened access to coal in central Sumatra at that time.
The Ombilin Mine's legacy is the result of a blend of industrial technology with local culture. The people in this city also uphold the existence of Bhinneka Tunggal Ika. The virtual tour begins by exploring the Info Box Museum in the Tangsi Baru area which functions as a historical information center for the Ombilin Coal Mine. Then walk through the three Ombilin Coal Mine Heritage areas.
This virtual tour to the Ombilin Coal Mine Heritage is part of the creative commitment of the Indonesia Hidden Heritage hub in promoting cultural history tourism to all traveling lovers and cultural history activists..
About Indonesia Hidden Heritage
Indonesia Hidden Heritage (IHH) is a creative hub founded by Nofa Farida Lestari and Sriwulantuty R O. Since it was founded on 10 November 2018, IHH actively carries out various activities to develop and promote heritage tourism destinations in Indonesia. Through various creative and collaborative programs, IHH aims to strengthen the professionalism of Heritage Tourism management by paying attention to tourism trends that are developing dynamically and increasing tourist interest and visits to heritage tourism destinations..
All programs and information related to Indonesia Hidden Heritage Week 2021 can be accessed through the Indonesia Hidden Heritage Facebook page and Instagram @indonesiahiddenheritage and the IHH channel at www.traveldiva.id
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