Efforts to preserve ancestral cultural heritage continue through educational and conservation activities involving the community and cultural stakeholders.
One such effort was seen in the documentation of ancient Balinese script manuscripts written on lontar leaves by language instructors during the 2026 Lontar Conservation Festival.
The event took place in Denpasar, Bali, as part of a series of activities aimed at raising public awareness about the importance of safeguarding ancient manuscripts as sources of historical, literary, and spiritual knowledge for Balinese society.
Balinese language instructors recorded the number of lontar manuscripts while also assessing their physical condition for further conservation needs.
The festival, organized by the Bali Provincial Department of Culture, is expected to promote sustainable care and preservation of these manuscripts, ensuring that this cultural heritage can be passed down to future generations as a valuable part of Balinese identity.
During the festival, the Bali Provincial Department of Culture identified 12 cakep lontar manuscripts as part of the Lontar Conservation Utsawa (Festival) under the VIII Bali Language Month 2026 series, held in Suwug Village, Sawan District, Buleleng Regency, on Saturday, February 14, 2026.
This initiative is part of ongoing efforts to preserve ancient manuscripts owned by the Balinese community. The festival was held at the residence of Kadek Wijadana, involving Balinese Language Instructors. During the event, the team successfully conserved and documented 12 cakep lontar from the local family’s private collection.
Putu Pertamayasa, Coordinator of Operational Services (Balinese Language Instructor) for Buleleng Regency, stated that all the lontar found are categorized as common types. He confirmed that none of the manuscripts fall into rare or specialized categories.
“The identified lontar include Aji Sumedang, Dharma Usadha, Gaguritan Gagar Mayang, and Kanda Pat Rare. In addition, we found Krakah Modre, Panerang Pangujanan, Pawacakan, Pawistren, Piwelas, Pralingga Bhatara Ring Sarira, Ramayana Maarti, and Jaran Guyang,” Putu explained.
Although classified as common, the Jaran Guyang lontar is noted to spark curiosity among the public due to its unique content and symbolic value.
All 12 lontar manuscripts were inherited from Kadek Wijadana’s grandfather, who requested that the collection be carefully preserved. Examination revealed that most of the lontar remain intact, although some leaves have been lost due to aging.
“So far, care has been limited, and the lontar are usually only handled during Saraswati Day ceremonies. Moving forward, Balinese Language Instructors plan to transcribe the manuscripts to strengthen conservation and preservation efforts of Balinese literary heritage,” he added.
Sources : BisnisBali, RRI
Feat Image : via AntaraNews/Nyoman Hendra Wibowo