Keeping Cianjur’s Cultural Heritage Alive: Turning Local Values into Effective Public Policy

“

For local government and policymakers: Having a regulation is not enough. Cultural policy needs clear operational guidance, responsible institutions, measurable targets, dedicated funding, and monitoring. The study recommends stronger budget tagging and operational instruments such as a Regional Action Plan or implementing regulation. For schools and religious institutions: Education can play a major role in transferring cultural values to younger generations. Ngaos, Mamaos, and Maenpo can be strengthened through local curricula, school activities, cultural festivals, and pesantren-based learning rather than relying only on informal cultural transmission. For cultural communities and younger generations: Cultural traditions need to remain meaningful in contemporary life. Preservation should therefore involve not only maintaining traditional practices but also creating opportunities for young people to learn, participate, develop skills, and reinterpret local values without losing their cultural foundations. For local businesses and tourism actors: Cultural preservation can also generate economic value. The study proposes connecting cultural traditions with tourism experiences, cultural events, local crafts, training activities, and culture-based MSMEs, allowing preservation and local economic development to reinforce each other. For public administration researchers and practitioners: The broader lesson is that cultural preservation is also a governance issue. Effective cultural policy requires institutional capacity, resources, coordination, community participation, and mechanisms that translate cultural values into practical and measurable government action. The study therefore shifts attention from simply asking “Is there a cultural policy?” to the more important question: “Does the governance system make that policy work?”

”