Bireuen's 26th Anniversary Celebration with Festive Nighttime Festivities // Part 2

Thousands of Bireuen residents filled the Cot Gapu green open space (RTH) on Saturday (10/11) evening, to witness the stunning performance of Raflikan at the peak of the celebration of the 26th anniversary of Bireuen district.

Good evening, my friends, welcome back to this beloved community. I'd like to share some photos with you all. These are from the 26th anniversary celebration of Bireuen Regency, which I visited last night and which also served as the highlight of the event.

This Acehnese singer, a former member of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), captivated the audience with his signature Acehnese-inspired songs. His meaningful lyrics and distinctive voice evoked a sense of emotion and pride in the local culture. According to information I received from the committee, Rafli Kande's performance was the highlight of the entire week-long celebration of Bireuen Regency's 26th anniversary.

Previously, since October 7th, various development, arts, and cultural activities have been held to entertain the people of Bireuen. These include development and MSME exhibitions titled Jamboe Meuseunian and Jamboe Peunajoh, attended by 40 culinary and traditional food entrepreneurs.

In a previous blog, I also shared the excitement of the exhibition held to commemorate the 26th anniversary of Bireuen Regency, held at Cot Gapu Field.

Okay, friends, please continue following my blog to see some of the images I captured while I and my friends were visiting the 26th anniversary celebration of Bireuen City a few nights ago.

A variety of local cultural attractions and stories of the Bireuen people's past struggles were also featured during the evening's event. Additionally, an awards ceremony, the announcement of competition winners, and art performances enlivened the event before Rafli Kande's culminating performance.

My friends...
These are some images I captured during Rafli Kande's performance, a renowned artist in Aceh. The audience was very large, even though I was far behind the main stage. However, I wasn't the last; behind me were many more visitors.
From a distance, I noticed several children's games for those bringing their families.
These are some images I captured, as the clock struck 12:00 AM Western Indonesian Time (WIB), but the audience's enthusiasm remained unwavering, despite the chill and the evening wind.

The excitement and success of this event, themed The Historical Traces of Bumoe Jeumpa, are inseparable from the hard work of various elements of the community.

My friends...
Furthermore, the 26th anniversary celebration of Bireuen Regency also drew sharp criticism due to the practice of collecting funds from businesspeople, sponsors, and even civil servants, which was deemed to undermine the meaning of the anniversary, which should symbolize regional independence and dignity.
Hopefully, this will serve as a learning experience for the committee to improve in future celebrations.

On this 26th anniversary, Bireuen Regency is not only holding a ceremonial celebration but also a moment of reflection.
This reflection invites all elements of society to remember the importance of history, appreciate the services of their predecessors, and commit to continuing their struggle through development. This momentum also serves as an invitation to strengthen a sense of togetherness and mutual cooperation. Regional development cannot rely solely on the government but requires the active support of the community, academics, the business world, and the younger generation. With this synergy, Bireuen can face the various challenges of the times, including the rapid flow of globalization and technological development.

The most important thing in this ceremony is that it can also improve local MSMEs and these are some of the pictures that I have captured with the aim that these pictures can describe to all of you what the conditions are like there and the area used for the 26th anniversary celebration of Bireuen which is located at the Cot Gapu field.

As I said before, this event is not just entertainment but also a crucial opportunity to strengthen the identity of the Bireuen people, known for their fighting spirit and resilience in facing challenges.
And the struggle of the Bireuen people is no longer an armed struggle, but a struggle to build the people's economy and promote regional progress.

What I especially enjoyed about this event was the introduction of Bireuen's culture, food, traditions, and other unique features to the media. These tents, which I have captured in the image, represent tents from each sub-district within Bireuen Regency, showcasing their unique characteristics.

I hope Bireuen Cultural Week can become an annual event that strengthens the regency's position as a cultural city and a center of the people's economy in the North-Central region of Aceh.

Finally, after the main event, with people starting to leave the main stage, I took a moment to take a few more photos. This is what the atmosphere was like after the event ended.
There was a lot of trash visible in every corner, and this was one of my concerns. It's become a common occurrence after major events, with trash everywhere. I hope visitors are aware of this.

Okay, friends, those are some of the images and a short post from me on this blog. I hope you all enjoyed and were entertained by what I shared. Thank you very much for taking the time to read and view my blog to the end.

Greetings everyone.
See you in the next blog.

About the author

Maulizar Mawardi or better known as @antonydossantos. I am a student. Like taking pictures, but not a professional photographer, insect lover, nature lover, looking for momentum is my hobby.