Mataram - West Nusa Tenggara Museum inaugurated a special vitrine for the Sumbawa Sultanate Collection in the permanent exhibition room, on Wednesday (18/12/24).
The collections on display in this vitrine include various valuable artefacts depicting the glory of the Sumbawa Sultanate, such as Keris Baruwayat, Pakebas (Fan) Salepa (Pekinangan), and Cilo Sultan Sumbawa.
Each artefact is equipped with in-depth information about its history and significance, so that visitors can understand the cultural heritage inherited by the Sumbawa Sultanate.
Head of the West Nusa Tenggara Museum, Ahmad Nuralam, said that the inauguration of this vitrine was a celebration of his party as gratitude for being given the trust by the Sumbawa Sultanate to exhibit historical objects to future generations.
"This is also a means to prove to the public that we are trusted to store objects of historical and cultural value. Because after all, these objects do not belong to us today but to future generations," he said.
He said that the museum is a place of storage and preservation of cultural heritage objects. In addition, he added, museums are meeting places to deliver historical and cultural heritage to the future.
"That is why we are inaugurating this so that it becomes a record that the objects entrusted have been well documented," he said.
He also said that the inauguration of this collection vitrine was an effort to preserve and promote local culture to be better known by the younger generation and foreign tourists.
By doing so, he hopes the West Nusa Tenggara museum can become a cultural learning centre that not only enriches insights, but also inspires future generations to preserve the rich culture of West Nusa Tenggara.
"We hope this trust will lead us to a better civilisation. We hope that people can enjoy the historical records displayed in this exhibition," he concluded.
The inauguration ceremony was lively and attended by government officials, cultural figures, and Sumbawa's indigenous people who enthusiastically witnessed the cultural heritage of one of West Nusa Tenggara's historical sultanates.
In his written speech, the Sultan of Sumbawa XVIII as the Chairman of the LATS Customary Council gave a written speech which was read out by the Secretary of the LATS Customary Council, Yuli Andari Merdikaningtyas, M.A. in the inauguration of the Sumbawa Sultanate Viltrin. There are three important points of Sultan Muhammad Kaharuddin IV's message, namely:
Sultan Muhammad Kaharuddin IV expressed his deepest gratitude to the West Nusa Tenggara State Museum for its initiative in making a vitrine or special exhibition place for the Sumbawa Sultanate regalia collection at the West Nusa Tenggara Museum.
"We congratulate and send encouragement to the Head of the West Nusa Tenggara Museum who has made efforts so that the collections of historical objects of the Sumbawa Sultanate can be collected in a special vitrine and can be used as a window to the public to see Sumbawa Culture, especially the Sumbawa Sultanate."
Sultan Muhammad Kaharuddin IV strongly supports and appreciates the development of museums in West Nusa Tenggara as a cultural institution that is important for the promotion of culture. In this regard, he will continue to be committed to supporting positive activities held by the museum, especially the study of historical data and studies related to collection data.
Finally, he called for close collaboration between cultural institutions such as museums, Tana Samawa Customary Institution (LATS), cultural activist communities with the government, private sector, and academics so that there is positive collaboration in the promotion of culture.
On the same day, Sultan Muhammad Kaharuddin IV attended a meeting with Minister of Culture Fadli Zon at the National Archives of the Republic of Indonesia in Jakarta to discuss the importance of Sultanate Cultural data in Indonesia.