Okokan Tradition Clears Bali Review, Awaits National Heritage Decision

Tabanan — — Tabanan’s Okokan tradition has cleared the provincial review stage in Bali’s intangible cultural heritage process and is now registered with Indonesia’s Ministry of Culture, with local officials still awaiting a formal national designation certificate, according to statements from the Tabanan Culture Agency on 16 and 18 September 2026.

Okokan is a traditional musical practice rooted in agrarian communities in Kediri, Tabanan, inspired by the bells historically attached to cattle. The instrument is typically made of wood in a form resembling a slit drum or kentongan, with an internal striker known locally as a palit, and is sounded by swinging the instrument.

According to Tabanan Culture Agency head I Dewa Putu Mahendra, Okokan performances often involve ensembles with gongs and ceng-ceng (cymbals) and function both as artistic entertainment and as part of ritual life and local beliefs. Research on Tektekan Okokan in Kediri also describes the practice as a ritual sound tradition used to repel disease outbreaks and neutralize negative forces, especially during ceremonies such as Pengerupukan on the eve of Nyepi.

Provincial review completed

Mahendra said the community-led proposal to list Okokan as an element of Indonesia’s intangible cultural heritage began in 2025, starting from local community initiatives and continuing with a study by the Bali Cultural Heritage Preservation Office (Balai Pelestarian Kebudayaan/BPK Bali). Because the practice is concentrated in Tabanan, the results of that study were forwarded through the Tabanan Culture Agency to participate in the 2026 Warisan Budaya Takbenda (WBTb) selection process at provincial level.

The proposal then went before a provincial hearing convened by BPK Bali on Wednesday, 2 September 2026. Mahendra said the hearing concluded that the Okokan tradition met the requirements to be submitted to the central government as a candidate for national intangible cultural heritage status.

Following the hearing, the proposal was formally registered with the Ministry of Culture, and as of mid-September 2026 the local government reports that the ministry has not yet issued a final decision or certificate. National heritage databases accessed in mid-September 2026 list existing Tabanan entries but do not yet show Okokan among the registered WBTb elements, indicating the application remains in process.

Key dates in the Okokan application

• 2025: Community initiative to propose Okokan for intangible cultural heritage status, followed by BPK Bali research.
• 2 September 2026: Provincial hearing in Bali found the Okokan proposal eligible for submission to the central government.
• 16–18 September 2026: Tabanan Culture Agency stated that Okokan had been registered with the Ministry of Culture and was awaiting the national decision and certificate.

Potential impact of national recognition

Mahendra said national recognition would provide formal protection and acknowledgement for Okokan as part of Tabanan’s agrarian cultural heritage, helping to secure the tradition’s transmission to younger generations. He also noted that WBTb status could open opportunities to seek support for facilities and infrastructure through central-government budget mechanisms, including special allocation funding (Dana Alokasi Khusus/DAK), although any funding would still need to be proposed and approved through the relevant agencies.

Coverage of Okokan in local cultural reporting and academic work portrays it as both a ritual and performance practice that has increasingly appeared in public events such as the Tanah Lot Art & Food Festival, where Okokan ensembles and dances have been used to open recent editions of the festival. Local officials and researchers frame these appearances as part of efforts to preserve the tradition while integrating it into sustainable cultural tourism.

The current application therefore represents a further step in a multi-stage process that combines community initiative, expert study by BPK Bali, field verification, provincial review and national registration. The next formal milestone will be the Ministry of Culture’s decision on the Okokan proposal and, if approved, the issuance of a national intangible cultural heritage certificate.

Sources

• IDN Times Bali - "Selangkah Lagi, Kesenian Okokan Tabanan Ditetapkan Sebagai WBTb"
• NusaBali.com - "Tradisi Okokan Tabanan Selangkah Lagi Jadi Warisan Budaya Tak Benda (WBTB)"
• Journal of Ecumenical Studies and Cultural Sound (JESCS) - "Echoes of Devotion: Tektekan Okokan in Kediri, Tabanan"
• Tatkala.co - "Okokan Menggema, Tanah Lot Art & Food Festival VII Resmi Dibuka"
• Star-News.id - "Tari Okokan Tandai Pembukaan Tanah Lot Art & Food Festival 2025"
• Balipost.com - "Okokan, Tradisi Khas Kediri yang Bukan Sekadar Lonceng"