Spice Warriors Explore Sumatran Waters

Director of Development and Utilization Culture of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology, Irini Dewi Wanti, said that these shipping points were historical trade and cultural routes. The 2024 Spice Route Cultural Goodwill (MBJR) is a vehicle for reactivating the spice route, connecting spice trade points, and strengthening cultural ties between regions.

"The role of the younger generation in developing cultural heritage includes activities such as spice-based and maritime cultural festivals, seminars, workshops, rituals, residencies, and so on," said Irini on Tuesday (7/5/2024).

Before setting sail, all participants will be equipped with knowledge of history, archaeology, anthropology, oceanography, social studies, arts, and culture as well as relevant cultural heritage and cultural advancement objects. The Spice Fleet is also expected to broaden their insight in order to actualize themselves during and after the activity.

All 150 participants will be divided into three sailing groups with three participant exchange points, namely Jakarta, Dumai, and Tanjung Uban. Each group consists of 50 individuals from both open selection and invitation participants.

This long spice route goodwill voyage is Indonesia's effort to apply for the spice route as a UNESCO world cultural heritage.

According to Irini, MBJR is a platform that not only develops cultural resilience but also strengthens cultural diplomacy both domestically and internationally. Spices are historical evidence that make Indonesia a hub of world trade through maritime routes.

The Cultural Harmony of the Spice Route has been held since 2020 as part of the government's national priority program. Together with KRI Dewaruci, MBJR has traversed the spice route in Surabaya, Makassar, Baubau and Buton, Ternate and Tidore, Banda Naira, Kupang, and returned to Surabaya in 2020, as well as the spice route in Surabaya and the Selayar Islands in 2023.

"This voyage is expected to put Indonesia back in the global spotlight and promote the richness of our cultural sector as the main attraction," he said.

Also read: Introducing the Spice Route to the Next Generation

The long voyage of Muhibah Spice Route is Indonesia's effort to propose the spice route as a world cultural heritage to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), aimed to be obtained in 2024.

Meanwhile, the Regent of East Belitung, Burhanudin, is enthusiastic about the plan for the legendary KRI Dewaruci to anchor in East Belitung. In addition to the potential increase in tourism, this spice route friendship also serves as a reminder to the residents of East Belitung that their land is rich in cultural values.

"This activity is designed to utilize cultural advancement and heritage objects. Of course, we support and will facilitate at every point visited in Beltim," said Burhanudin.

Also read: Spice become an inseparable identity from Indonesian stories and culinary delights

East Belitung is an archipelago with a variety of biological riches. Some spices that still survive and are easy to find are pepper or sahang in local language, secang (sepang), and candlenut (kumbek).

The government of East Belitung Regency will also prepare a number of local knowledge that can be used to enrich knowledge in the Muhibah Budaya Jalur Rempah program. In East Belitung, the group of participants will visit a number of tourist destinations, such as marine tourism, agriculture, plantations, and locations of sunken shipwrecks.