Selasar Complex of the Afterlife (Balai Adat Sesat Agung)

Architecture and Spatial Philosophy

The uniqueness of Selasar Kompleks Dunia Akhirat begins with its deeply meaningful architectural design. The Sesat Agung building is designed without walls, symbolizing the openness and transparency of the Tubaba government and community towards the outside world. Its grand roof shelters 11 small wooden houses, representing the 11 original villages (tiyuh) in the Tulang Bawang region.

This selasar serves as a transitional area connecting people from various backgrounds. It is here that local wisdom values are disseminated through measured programs involving artists, cultural figures, and the general public.

Traditional Arts and Culture Preservation Programs

Sesat Agung is the primary venue for the preservation of increasingly rare Lampung arts. Through regular programs, this cultural center offers specific art training and performances:

1. Traditional Dance Arts: The main focus is on the revitalization of the Nenemo Dance and Cangget Dance. The Cangget Dance, the highest traditional dance in Lampung Pepadun society, is taught periodically to the younger generation to ensure its movement patterns and meanings are not lost to time.

2. Lampung Classical Music: In this selasar, the sounds of Talo Balak (Lampung gamelan ensemble) are often heard. Traditional music classes include training on percussion and string instruments such as the Gambus Luna.

3. Oral Literature: This selasar often serves as a place for adat elders to pass down Padiangan knowledge, or Lampung oral literature, to the youth. This is crucial for preserving the tradition of rhyming couplets and adat speeches in wedding ceremonies or title conferrals (Cakak Pepadun).

Tubaba Crafts and Art Workshops

This cultural center not only focuses on performing arts but also on strengthening culture-based creative economies. Craft workshops are held periodically in the selasar area, including:

• Tapis Embroidery: Training in Tapis embroidery techniques with contemporary motifs that still adhere to traditional patterns. This selasar is a place for artisans to innovate and create motifs that tell the history of Tubaba.
• Tubaba Batik Making: Development of distinctive batik motifs inspired by regional icons such as Megalithic statues and the relief of Sesat Agung itself.
• Wood Carving Art: As the Sesat Agung building is filled with intricate carving details, there are apprenticeship programs for local youth to learn the art of carving Pucuk Rebung and Siger motifs.

Cultural Education and Community Engagement

Selasar Kompleks Dunia Akhirat carries out an educational function through the "Sekolah Seni Tubaba" (Tubaba Art School) program. This is a non-formal educational initiative that uses the spaces in Sesat Agung as open classrooms. Children from various tiyuh come to learn about ethics (adat etiquette), local history, and digital literacy based on cultural content.

Community involvement is realized through the concept of "Gotong Royong Kebudayaan" (Cultural Mutual Cooperation). The community is not just an audience but also an active participant in maintaining the building's physical integrity and enlivening the atmosphere of the selasar. Every weekend, this space transforms into an open stage for local art communities to express their work under the guidance of professional curators.

Cultural Events and Iconic Festivals

As a cultural hub, Sesat Agung is the main venue for various national and international festivals. The most prominent is the Tubaba Art Festival (TAF). During this festival, Selasar Kompleks Dunia Akhirat becomes the center for art installations, contemporary theater performances, and visual art exhibitions.

In addition to TAF, the Gawi Adat (grand adat celebration) is also often held here. On these occasions, all elements of the Lampung Pepadun adat community gather, wear their ceremonial attire, and perform age-old rituals. The presence of these events makes Sesat Agung a meeting point between the sacred past and a creative future.

Role in Local Cultural Development

The existence of Selasar Kompleks Dunia Akhirat has transformed the development paradigm in Tulang Bawang Barat. Culture is no longer just a supplement but the driving force of regional development. This cultural center serves as:

1. Creativity Laboratory: A place where local artists collaborate with national and international artists to create new works rooted in Tubaba's identity.

2. Collective Identity: A symbol of pride for Tubaba residents, fostering a sense of belonging to ancestral heritage amidst globalization.

3. Educational Tourism Destination: Attracting tourists not only for its architectural beauty but for the cultural experiences offered through direct interaction with activities at the selasar.

Efforts in Cultural Heritage Conservation

The management of Kompleks Dunia Akhirat collaborates with adat leaders (Masyarakat Adat Empat Marga) to digitize cultural archives. This selasar is often used for focus group discussions (FGD) to formulate policies for the preservation of cultural heritage objects and intangible traditions in Lampung.

Physical conservation is also carried out on the building materials of Sesat Agung, which are dominated by select woods. Building maintenance is performed using traditional techniques to ensure structural integrity without losing its original aesthetic value. This teaches the community the importance of preserving natural materials as part of cultural sustainability.

Conclusion: The Future of Selasar Sesat Agung

Selasar Kompleks Dunia Akhirat (Balai Adat Sesat Agung) is tangible proof that a physical space can breathe life into a nation's cultural existence. Under its vast roof, old values are preserved in new ways. This cultural center successfully demonstrates that traditionalism does not have to be rigid, and modernity does not have to lose its identity.

Through ongoing programs, active community involvement, and full support for artistic expression, Selasar Kompleks Dunia Akhirat will continue to stand as a beacon of civilization in Tulang Bawang Barat, ensuring that the light of Lampung's culture shines brightly towards a more harmonious future.