Kampung Atas Air Bontang Kuala

The Existence of Coastal Performing Arts and Rituals

One of the main pillars of Kampung Atas Air Bontang Kuala as a cultural center is the preservation of traditional performing arts. Here, arts are not merely tourist attractions but integral parts of life rituals. Tari Jepen is the star attraction, continuously taught to the younger generation. This dance, with strong influences from Malay and Islamic culture, is performed accompanied by rebana and gambus music. The uniqueness of Jepen in Bontang Kuala lies in its choreography, which often incorporates gestures of a fisherman's life, such as rowing or casting a net.

Furthermore, the Bebersih Kampung ritual is a highly sacred annual cultural agenda. This program is a form of gratitude and a plea for protection to the Creator, so that fishermen are granted safety and abundant seafood. In this event, all elements of the community are involved in traditional ceremonies that combine communal prayers with the symbolic offering of sacrifices to the sea, reinforcing Bontang Kuala's position as a guardian of coastal ecosystem balance through spiritual means.

Traditional Crafts and Gastronomy as Identity

As a cultural center, Bontang Kuala manages craft and culinary development programs that serve as creative economic attractions. Bontang Kuala's terasi (shrimp paste) is a cultural product inseparable from local identity. Its production process still adheres to traditional methods: drying rebon shrimp on wooden racks under direct sunlight, then pounding them using a wooden mortar. Tourists and researchers can participate in terasi-making educational programs to understand how local knowledge of fermentation has been passed down through generations without chemical preservatives.

In the craft sector, the making of traditional fishing nets and miniature wooden boats are activities that continue to be encouraged. Local artisans often hold demonstrations for visitors, explaining the differences between various types of net knots tailored to the fish being hunted. Additionally, signature culinary dishes like Gami Bawis—bawis fish cooked with chili sauce on a hot clay mortar—have been designated as intangible cultural heritage, becoming an icon of Bontang Kuala's cultural diplomacy on a national scale.

Educational Programs and Community Involvement

Kampung Atas Air Bontang Kuala fulfills an educational function through community-based art studios. Children in this village are required to learn traditional musical instruments from an early age. There are informal classes where village elders teach the Kutai language and the star navigation techniques used by fishermen in the past.

The city government, along with local adat leaders, has also integrated the concept of "Cultural Tourism Village" into the local curriculum for nearby schools. Students are invited to conduct direct observations of the ulin wood stilt house architecture, which can withstand saltwater immersion for decades. This community involvement program ensures that knowledge transfer is uninterrupted, so that the identity of being "sea people" remains firmly ingrained in the hearts of millennials and Gen Z.

Bontang Kuala Cultural Festival

The culmination of all cultural activities here is the Bontang Kuala Festival. This event is not just an ordinary art festival but a grand celebration that unites various ethnic groups in Bontang. During the festival, there are dragon boat races, traditional fishing competitions, and exhibitions of Kutai traditional attire.

One of the most anticipated moments is the coastal music performance on a floating stage. This festival provides a space for local artists to explore their creativity, for example, by combining contemporary music with traditional wooden percussion. Its impact on local cultural development is significant, as the festival attracts cultural researchers from outside the region and abroad to document the rich coastal traditions of East Kalimantan.

Preservation of Cultural Heritage and Architecture

As a cultural center, the aspect of physical building preservation is a priority. Kampung Atas Air Bontang Kuala has unwritten but adhered-to adat regulations, which is to maintain the use of ulin wood as the primary building material. Ulin wood, or "ironwood," symbolizes the resilience of coastal communities. Preservation efforts include the maintenance of the wooden bridges connecting one house to another, which collectively span kilometers.

The houses in Bontang Kuala do not have land yards, so social interaction occurs on house verandas and bridges. These public spaces function as "cultural spaces" where discussions about village issues, the distribution of seafood catches, and the planning of traditional ceremonies take place. This unique spatial structure reflects the philosophy of openness and togetherness that is at the core of coastal culture.

Role in Local Cultural Development

Kampung Atas Air Bontang Kuala plays a crucial role as a barometer for cultural development in East Kalimantan. Amidst the onslaught of industrialization in Bontang City, known as a gas and fertilizer industrial city, Bontang Kuala stands as an antithesis, reminding the community of their historical roots. This cultural center proves that modernity does not have to erase tradition.

Its strategic role is evident in how this center serves as a social laboratory for the development of community-based tourism. Revenue from cultural tourism is reinvested to fund the renovation of historical sites in the village and support the operations of art studios. Furthermore, Bontang Kuala has become a reference center for other regions in Kalimantan in managing overwater settlements into dignified and sustainable cultural destinations.

Conclusion: The Future of Tradition on the Water

Looking to the future, Kampung Atas Air Bontang Kuala continues to adapt to technology without losing its identity. Digitalization of cultural promotion is now being undertaken by local youth to introduce the uniqueness of their village to the international world. However, the essence of life on the water—the sound of waves hitting the ulin pillars, the aroma of drying terasi, and the melodies of Jepen music—will remain the spirit that animates this cultural center.

Kampung Atas Air Bontang Kuala is tangible proof that culture is not something static in a museum, but an energy that flows and breathes with its community. Through commitment to the preservation of arts, the education of the younger generation, and the safeguarding of traditional architecture, this cultural center will continue to be a timeless beacon of East Kalimantan's coastal traditions.