Vice Mayor of Payakumbuh targeted "Pacu Itiak" to improve economy

Payakumbuh (ANTARA) - Deputy Mayor of Payakumbuh, West Sumatra, Erwin Yunaz targeted the Flying Duck Race or “Pacu Itiak” activity which has been designated as an intangible cultural heritage of Indonesia to continue to be developed and to improve the economy.

"As an intangible cultural heritage of Indonesia, making the Flying Duck Race activity is one of the means of leveraging the economy of the people of Payakumbuh City. That means it has been nationally recognized as a cultural heritage," said Erwin Yunaz in Payakumbuh, Monday.

He said that in the future the task of the Payakumbuh Government is to further intensify conservation activities for the Flying Duck Race because it can still be developed.

"So that it can improve the economy of the people in Payakumbuh City in general. This activity can be a symbol of the success of the harvest and livestock so that this activity can reflect the culture and economy of the people of Payakumbuh City," he said.

Meanwhile, the Head of Culture, Youth, Sports and Tourism Office of Payakumbuh City, Riswandi said the process that was passed to make ducks as one of the icons of Payakumbuh City, also has important and historical significance that must be maintained and developed.

"In the future, ‘Pacu Itiak’ will not only serve as entertainment, it will also be developed to create new jobs," he said.

One of them is the formation of MSMEs in the community towards economical income such as selling clothes, selling duck rendang and other business processes.

He said the Flying Duck Race is one of the children's games in Payakumbuh City which has been designated as an Indonesian Intangible Cultural Heritage at the session which was held virtually at the Office of Culture of West Sumatra Province, October 6 to 9, 2020.

"At that time West Sumatra presented 8 cultural works that were on trial and one of them was ‘Pacu Itiak’," he said.

Transleted by: Mutiara Ramadhani