CCN, CILEGON — Amidst the massive influx of gadgets and digital games that increasingly captivate the younger generation, the Asiatul Jannah Al Bantani Foundation has taken a tangible step in preserving local wisdom. The foundation successfully organized an educational and recreational event titled “Babad Cilegon,” a creative space for children to rediscover regional history while celebrating the joy of traditional games.
Adopting a culture-based educational concept, the event combined children’s artistic creativity through a folklore toponomy coloring competition with the agility of playing daku (congkak) and giant snakes and ladders.
The Chairman of the Asiatul Jannah Al Bantani Foundation, H. Ahdi Zukhruf Amri, emphasized that the naming and content of this event were chosen with deliberate intent. According to him, understanding toponomy—the historical origins of place names through folklore—is crucial to fostering children’s identity and sense of pride in their hometown.
“Children today are often more familiar with foreign animation characters than their own local legends and history. Through the folklore toponomy coloring competition and traditional games like daku and the giant snakes and ladders, we want children in Cilegon to get acquainted with local wisdom values while strengthening direct social interaction,” Ahdi said.
He added that face-to-face interaction in traditional games serves as an essential bulwark to train emotional intelligence and social skills, which are frequently eroded by the dominance of online gaming.
Not stopping there, Ahdi revealed the foundation’s long-term plan to integrate cultural preservation within educational environments. “God willing, moving forward, we will collaborate with relevant cultural offices, agencies, and departments to introduce the ‘Babad Cilegon Goes to School’ program,” he added.
The “Babad Cilegon” event featured three main competitions designed to be child-friendly and highly educational:
1.Folklore Toponomy Coloring Competition: Children were invited to express their imagination and color on visuals of local historical stories, allowing cultural narratives to be absorbed intuitively.
2.Daku (Congkak) Competition: Reviving a traditional board game rich in values such as honesty, concentration, strategy, and simple mathematical calculation.
3. Giant Snakes and Ladders Competition: Transforming a classic tabletop game into a giant outdoor board that demands physical agility, active participation, and teamwork.
The lively event took place on Sunday, October 25, 2026, from 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM WIB, at the AJB Foundation Learning Center, Tegal Wangi Neighborhood, Rawa Arum Sub-district, Grogol District, Cilegon City, Banten.
The festivity was further heightened by a special performance from storyteller Pakde Wowo, who narrated the local folklore of “Kebo Gerem.” The children and their accompanying parents listened enthusiastically to the historically rich tale.
The event was also attended by the Head of RT 01/RW 06, Kang Deden, a representative of the Al Bantani Tutoring Center, Sultoniyah, as well as dozens of parents who loyally accompanied their sons and daughters throughout the activities.
The Chief Executive of “Babad Cilegon,” Eri Firmansyah, expressed his gratitude for the smooth execution of the event and appreciation to all parties involved.
“We designed the concept of this event to be as warm and interactive as possible. We are not just chasing after who wins or loses, but rather ensuring that the children go home with happiness, new friends, and fresh insights into the cultural richness of where they live,” Eri stated. (Azri)
