Thousand Hills Stadium

Epicenter of Saman Dance: World's Intangible Cultural Heritage

One of the most fundamental roles of Thousand Hills Stadium is as the "home" for the Saman Dance. The Saman Dance has been recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding. It is in this stadium that colossal cultural events often take place, such as mass Saman performances involving thousands of dancers (from Saman 10,001 to Saman 12,000 dancers).

The activities in this stadium are not merely entertainment, but rather rituals of identity reinforcement. In every Saman performance, the stadium becomes a silent witness to how moral, religious, and educational messages are conveyed through the verses chanted by the Syekh. This stadium facilitates inter-village gatherings (bejamu saman) that strengthen the bonds of kinship among the people of Gayo Lues. Regular training programs at this stadium ensure that the intricate hand claps, body movements, and synchronization remain original.

Preservation of Gayo Traditional Performing Arts

Besides Saman, Thousand Hills Stadium is the main stage for various other traditional performing arts that are becoming rare. One of them is Tari Bines, a dance characteristic of Gayo Lues women performed in groups. This stadium regularly holds Bines festivals to ensure that the younger generation of Gayo women continue to master the movements that symbolize grace and hard work.

Didong performances also often echo in this area. Didong is an oral literature art that combines vocals and hand claps on small cushions. At Thousand Hills Stadium, Didong Jalu competitions (literary skill contests between groups) are often held, where artists exchange rhymes and social critiques in a very artistic manner. This makes the stadium a public space for cultural dialectics and healthy social criticism for the local community.

Center for Education and Cultural Regeneration

The Gayo Lues Regency Government, through the Department of Tourism and Culture, utilizes Thousand Hills Stadium as a non-formal education center. Programs like "Saman Go to School" and art training often center their major activities here. This stadium serves as a living laboratory for students to learn the philosophy behind every Gayo carving motif (Kerawang) and the meanings behind traditional customs.

The education provided is not limited to movement arts, but also to understanding local wisdom values such as Keramat Mupakat, Genap Mupakat (the importance of deliberation). Young communities in Gayo Lues use this stadium as a meeting point to discuss cultural innovations, such as how to package traditional performances to attract international tourists without losing their sacred essence.

Cultural Festivals and Iconic Events

Thousand Hills Stadium is a permanent venue for the Gayo Lues Cultural Festival. This annual festival features cultural parades showcasing the richness of customs from all sub-districts in Gayo Lues. During this event, visitors can directly witness traditional ceremonies such as Melengkan (traditional speech art) performed in important ceremonies.

Furthermore, this stadium is the center for the Gayo Lues Regency's Anniversary celebration, which is always filled with handicraft exhibitions. Here, Kerawang Gayo artisans display their works. Motifs such as Embun Berangkat, Pucuk Rebung, and Ulen-ulen, which are embroidered on black, red, yellow, and green fabric (typical Gayo colors), have their meanings studied by visitors through workshops held in the stadium area.

Role in Local Cultural Development

As a cultural center, Thousand Hills Stadium functions as a catalyst for the character development of the community. The existence of this stadium encourages the establishment of new art studios at the village level, which then compete and express themselves at the regency level. This creates a healthy cultural ecosystem, where artists receive appreciation and a proper stage.

This stadium also serves as a bridge for cultural diplomacy. Many cultural researchers from abroad and international photographers come to this stadium specifically to capture Gayo cultural moments. Indirectly, this stadium has elevated Gayo Lues' position on the world's cultural tourism map, impacting the local creative economy through the sale of handicraft products and tourism services.

Conservation of Heritage and Future Challenges

Cultural conservation efforts at Thousand Hills Stadium continue through the digitalization of documentation for every performance that takes place. Every Saman verse performed at major events in the stadium is recorded and archived as material for cultural literacy studies for future generations. The stadium management and local adat leaders collaborate to ensure that every activity held respects the norms of Islamic Sharia, which is the foundation of Acehnese life, while still providing ample room for creativity for the artists.

The future challenge is how to keep Thousand Hills Stadium relevant for Generation Z and Alpha. Therefore, this cultural center continues to improve by integrating technology into every event, such as using modern lighting in night Saman performances that create a magical atmosphere without damaging the traditional framework.

Conclusion: Symbol of Gayo Lues Pride

Thousand Hills Stadium is more than just a concrete structure; it is the soul of Gayo Lues. Under the shadow of the Leuser mountains, this stadium stands as a symbol of Gayo's cultural resilience that has endured through the ages. By continuing to be a center for art, education, and festival activities, Thousand Hills Stadium ensures that the identity of the "Land of a Thousand Hills" will continue to shine, becoming a source of pride not only for Aceh but also for Indonesia's cultural richness in the eyes of the world. The preservation of Saman and the glory of Gayo traditions will always find their home here, on the grass and stands of Thousand Hills Stadium.