Mamuju, August 26, 2025
Deputy Minister of Tourism Ni Luh Puspa visited Tommo Village, Mamuju, West Sulawesi, to engage in direct dialogue with the community and gather their opinions regarding the village’s development into a tourist destination.
Tommo Village, established in 1983, was formed through the transmigration of Balinese residents from various regencies/cities in Bali to West Sulawesi. Consequently, the majority of the population is Hindu. However, today, Tommo Village is not only home to Balinese but also to Bugis, Mandar, Javanese, Sundanese, and Torajans.
This village, whose primary commodity is corn plantations, celebrates two important religious events: Nyepi (Nyepi) and Ngaben (Nagaben). During Nyepi, the Pengerupukan (the ritual of cleansing the body of a deceased person) ceremony, a tradition that takes place the day before Nyepi, marked by the Ogoh-ogoh parade, has become a village attraction and attracts many visitors. The mass Ngaben procession, which takes place every three years, is also a major draw.
In the meeting held on August 26, 2025, the community submitted several proposals, ranging from the need for facilities to support religious activities, village incentives, and tourism human resource training.
In response, Deputy Minister of Tourism Ni Luh Puspa stated that the Ministry of Tourism would coordinate and hold further discussions with the Mamuju Regional Government to take concrete steps to advance Tommo Village.
“The main goal is, of course, to ensure this can benefit the community in a religious context, including ceremonies and rituals. Hopefully, in the future, it can become a tourist attraction for people outside of Tomo Village,” said Deputy Minister Ni Luh Puspa.
“Many people come to Bali just to witness the Ngaben (Ngaben ceremony). So I think this could be an attraction. And that attraction needs the support mentioned earlier. Hopefully, people from West Sulawesi and the surrounding areas won’t have to travel all the way to Bali to see the Ngaben; people from West Sulawesi and the surrounding areas can simply come to this village,” said Deputy Minister Ni Luh Puspa.
According to Deputy Minister Ni Luh Puspa, this attraction can be packaged into tourism packages. Therefore, it is time for Tommo Village to transform into a tourist village. Deputy Minister of Tourism Ni Luh Puspa also hopes that the local government will assist in the development and preparation of the process, while also encouraging the establishment of village institutions through the Tourism Awareness Group (Pokdarwis).
The development of community-based tourist villages is part of the Ministry of Tourism’s main program. The Ministry continues to encourage the development of tourist villages, targeting both the quality and quantity of tourist villages and striving to accelerate the economic growth of village communities and enhance their competitiveness on the global stage.
The Ministry of Tourism’s tourist village development program also aligns with the Merah Putih Village/Sub-district Cooperative, one of the Fastest Best Results (PHTC) Programs of President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka.
The Merah Putih Village/Sub-district Cooperative can provide a platform to support village governance, thereby strengthening the village economy, equalizing prosperity, and freeing communities from poverty. This includes local economic empowerment, infrastructure and facility development, cultural and environmental preservation, job creation, and community-based tourism promotion.
“Of course, we must do this together. No region can progress alone. All regions progress through mutual cooperation. The community is willing, the local government is willing, and the central government is also willing. So, if we all work together, I am very confident that we can make Tomo Village a thriving tourist village, which will then become a new icon in Mamuju, West Sulawesi,” said Deputy Minister of Tourism Ni Luh Puspa.
Mamuju Regent Sitti Sutinah Suhardi expressed her appreciation for the first Deputy Minister of Tourism’s visit to Tommo Village. She hoped the Deputy Minister’s visit would support the progress of Tomo Village, which is very unique and rich in tourism potential.
“We ask for assistance and support from the Ministry of Tourism. Because if Tomo Village is declared a tourist village, God willing, the community’s economy will grow even more, especially thanks to the tourism sector,” said Siti.
Accompanying the Deputy Minister was the Assistant Deputy for Event Strategy at the Ministry of Tourism, Fransiskus Handoko.
