Wamena, Jubi – The Baliem Valley Cultural Festival (FBLB), scheduled for August 2023, will be moved from Welesi District to Usilimo District, in Jayawijaya Regency, Mountainous Papua Province. The decision to change the venue was made due to extensive damage to facilities at the previous location.
Engelbert Sorabut, the head of the Department of Culture and Tourism in Jayawijaya Regency, confirmed the relocation, stating that the move was necessary as many facilities at the old site, including wooden stands, honai (traditional houses), and toilets, were either destroyed or missing. Rebuilding the site would incur substantial costs, leading to the government’s decision to host the event in Usilimo instead.
Preparations for the festival are in progress, with the authorities focusing on organizing it in Usilimo, which offers better supporting facilities for the festivities. The exact dates for the event will be scheduled for either the beginning or second week of August.
To attract both local and foreign tourists to Wamena, the organizers plan to promote the festival and showcase the cultural values and tourist attractions of the Jayawijaya region. This promotion is scheduled to take place in Bali at the end of the month or in the following August, through an exhibition.
The Baliem Valley Cultural Festival is an annual event in Jayawijaya Regency, but it was suspended in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, smaller-scale versions of the festival, called mini FBLB, were independently organized by community groups in Usilimo District. However, in 2023, the Jayawijaya Regency government has committed to reviving the traditional event to its former glory, albeit with a change of venue to Usilimo District.
