The Mayor of West Jakarta, Iin Mutmainnah, officially sent off the city’s contingent for the 2026 Jakarta Provincial Traditional Sports Week on Wednesday, June 24. She emphasized that traditional sports and games carry important cultural values that should be introduced and passed on to younger generations. According to Iin, these activities help foster friendship, togetherness, family spirit, and unity. She also noted that traditional games create a joyful atmosphere and encourage positive social interaction among participants.
Iin expressed appreciation to officials from the Traditional Sports Association, teachers, coaches, and athletes who have consistently worked to preserve Indonesia’s traditional sporting heritage. She encouraged the athletes to compete with enthusiasm while maintaining good sportsmanship throughout the tournament. The mayor also voiced her hope that West Jakarta would once again emerge as the overall champion, repeating its success from the 2024 competition. She reminded the contingent to represent West Jakarta with pride and uphold its good name.
Acting Head of the West Jakarta Youth and Sports Office, Gunawan, said the contingent consists of 55 athletes, 10 coaches, and 10 assistants. The team will compete against representatives from the other four administrative cities and the Thousand Islands Regency at the event, which will be held at Ciracas Sports Hall in East Jakarta. The athletes were selected from elementary, junior high, and senior high schools and have already undergone training in preparation for the competition. Their participation reflects ongoing efforts to encourage youth involvement in traditional sports.
Several traditional sports will be contested across different age categories. Elementary school participants will compete in events such as block running and short wooden clog races, while junior high students will take part in long-clog and stilt competitions. Senior high school athletes will compete in a wider range of events, including stilts, adang, long-clog races, and mixed blowpipe contests. Organizers hope the competition will help preserve traditional sports and prevent them from being overshadowed by rapid technological and social changes.
Alexander Jason – Redaksi
