Indonesians' appreciation on internationally-recognized traditional art and culture remains low although their solidarity is very high in responding claim on their traditional customs by other country, the Kompas daily quoted a minister as saying on Friday.

The Minister For Culture and Tourism Jero Wacik took example of Indonesians' high solidarity when Pendet dance from Bali province, Reog Ponorogo dance of East Java province and Rasa Sayange song from the Mollucas Island claimed by Malaysia for its tourism campaign.

"However, their appreciation on traditional art and culture that are recognized by international body of the United Nations for Education, Science and Culture (UNESCO), like traditional puppet show of wayang and traditional weapon of keris, is not in line with our expectation," Wacik said here on Thursday.

The UNESCO determined wayang and keris as "non material culture heritages" in 2003 and 2005, respectively.

However, he said that the wayang show is rarely performed and if it is shown, it gains few young spectators.

"It is responsibility of government, people, and artists to embrace all people to love and appreciate our nation's art and culture," he said.

According to Wacik, UNESCO is expected to set traditional clothes of batik and traditional music instrument of angklung as non material culture heritages in September 2009 and 2010, respectively.

He also said that the government's attention to traditional art and culture is also small. He took example of only three local governments that had registered their traditional art and culture to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, namely Bali, West Nusa Tenggara and Yogyakarta provinces since the ministry asked them to register their art and culture two years ago.

Malaysia's tourism campaign in the Discovery Channel that used Pendet dance had draw critics from Indonesians, forcing Minister Wacik to summon Malaysian ambassador to explain the move. Malaysia promised to recall the advertisement.

Source: Xinhua