Cultural School of Ponoragan CSoP An Inclusive Cultural School at the Ponorogo Reog Monument Area

UMPO.AC.ID – Reog Ponorogo, as the cultural identity of East Java society, once again received special attention after UNESCO designated it as Intangible Cultural Heritage with the status of In Need of Urgent Safeguarding in 2024. This recognition serves as a reminder that Reog is not only the heritage of Ponorogo but also of the world, and its continuity must be preserved. One strategic step currently being taken is connecting cultural preservation with education through the idea of the Cultural School of Ponoragan (CSoP), developed by lecturers from Universitas Muhammadiyah Ponorogo (UMPO) and Yogyakarta State University (UNY), funded by DPPM Kemenristekdikti in 2025. The team consists of Dr. Sulton, M.Si, Dr. Ardhana Januar Mahardhani, M.KP, Dr. Yudan Hermawan, M.Pd, and Nurtina Irsad M.Pd.

CSoP is designed as an inclusive cultural school model located in the development area of the 126-meter-high Reog Monument in Sampung District. The monument, which reached 70 percent completion by the end of 2024, is projected to become a cultural hub as well as a new tourism icon of Ponorogo. In this setting, CSoP emerges as a bridge linking education, tourism, and cultural ecosystems.

This idea was born through a series of discussion forums involving researchers, academics, government, and local artists. On Wednesday (August 20), a focus group discussion on the needs of a cultural school was held at Red Go, Ponorogo, featuring Reog artist Dedy Satya Amijaya, M.Sn, cultural scholars, and representatives from the Education Office. The discussion highlighted the vast potential of Sampung District, which has dozens of educational institutions from early childhood to high school that could be developed into culture-based schools.

On the same day, the forum continued at Sampung Village Hall, right at the Reog Monument construction site. The FGD on the CSoP model concept brought together national cultural expert Prof. Suwarno Dwijonagoro, M.Pd, along with local experts, to formulate the conceptual framework of the cultural school. The discussions gave rise to the idea of an inclusive school that not only teaches Reog as an art but also integrates history, philosophy, and cultural values into the curriculum.

The next stage, on Tuesday (August 26), was the socialization of the Cultural School of Ponoragan book at Hotel Amaris Ponorogo. This book serves as a guide for governments, schools, and communities in developing CSoP within the Reog Monument area. The socialization also marked a shared commitment that cultural preservation must go beyond ceremonies, realized through concrete and sustainable educational design.

Research findings by the team indicate that CSoP will internalize the Javanese philosophy “Sura Dira Jayaningrat Dening Pangastuti” into daily learning. Values such as self-control, wisdom, humility, compassion, peace, responsibility, and inner strength will be instilled in students as character foundations. The cultural school is also expected to align 75 percent of educational activities with culture-based tourism development in the Reog Monument area.

With this concept, CSoP is not only present to preserve Reog as an art but also to shape the identity of Ponorogo’s young generation, strengthen tourism appeal, and create a sustainable cultural education ecosystem. Its presence is an answer to the challenge of the times: how a world heritage like Reog Ponorogo can continue to live, remain relevant, and bring meaning to both today’s society and future generations.

(Contributor: Betty Yulia Wulansari/FKIP UMPO)