The Madiun Regency Government continues its efforts to bring public services closer to the community while preserving local cultural values. This was reflected in the Bakti Harmoni Madiun Bersahaja (Bahana Bersahaja) event held in Dempelan Village, Madiun District, on Tuesday (7/21/2026). In addition to distributing social assistance, this routine agenda featured a campaign to repopularize the traditional sport of gobak sodor.
The series of events began with the Kampung Pesilat Command Gymnastics, attended by local residents, officials from the Regional Device Organizations (OPD), and the Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda). The presence of the Deputy Regent of Madiun, Dr. Purnomo Hadi, heightened public enthusiasm as he joined residents in playing gobak sodor, demonstrating a barrier-free closeness between the government and the people.
On that occasion, the Deputy Regent, affectionately known as Dokter Pur, explained that Bahana Bersahaja is not merely an administrative service tool, but a platform to strengthen communal bonds. Unlike previous iterations that often featured volleyball matches, the choice of gobak sodor this time was intentional to revive the rich heritage of traditional sports.
Furthermore, the Madiun Regency Government is partnering with the Indonesian Community Recreational Sports Committee (KORMI) to design a structured introduction program for gobak sodor. The main target is the younger generation, with plans to include this traditional game in official competition agendas at the elementary (SD) and junior high school (SMP) levels across Madiun Regency.
According to Dokter Pur, this traditional game holds high philosophical value, teaching the importance of collaboration, strategy formulation, and solid teamwork to achieve common goals. He hopes this revitalization step will inspire other regions to help preserve gobak sodor as a healthy national cultural heritage.
