Istanbul, 30 October 2026 — Ana Syafitri Daulay never imagined that her first steps in learning traditional dance at a children’s reading center in South Tapanuli, North Sumatra, would one day lead her to perform on an international stage in Türkiye. Now pursuing a degree in Dance Education at a public university in Medan, she was one of six dancers from Sanggar Seni Sopo Daganak (Sanipoda) who showcased Indonesia’s rich cultural heritage at two international cultural festivals in Türkiye in October 2026.
Ana’s journey began more than 10 years ago, when she was still in elementary school and took part in activities at the Children’s Reading Center established by PT Agincourt Resources (PTAR), the operator of the Martabe Gold Mine. Today, together with Sanipoda, which has grown out of the company’s community-based arts development program, she performs before an audience of approximately 5,000 people from various countries.
“At first, I simply enjoyed learning traditional dance with my friends. I never imagined that an activity I had been involved in since elementary school would one day take me to perform overseas,” Ana said.
On 25 October 2026, Sanipoda performed at Pesta Rakyat Budaya (PERAYA), organized by the Indonesian Students Association in Istanbul at Istanbul University. Dressed in fabrics crafted by PTAR-supported small and medium-sized enterprises (UMKM), the dancers performed The Majesty of Nusantara, Tortor Hata Sopisik, and the traditional South Tapanuli Batik Dance. The performance also served as an opportunity to introduce South Tapanuli’s traditional dance and textile artistry to an international audience.
Sanipoda’s activities continued at the International Festival of Arts “Kuşadası 26,” held from 25 to 29 October 2026. The group performed at the festival’s gala dinner on 26 October, took part in a carnival along the Kuşadası Coast the following day, and showcased its dances at the festival’s grand finale.
Soneryucel Celik, a representative of the International Festival of Arts “Kuşadası 26,” said that Sanipoda’s participation enriched the cultural diversity of the festival, which brought together approximately 200 dancers from various countries. “Art is a universal language. Despite our different backgrounds, participants and audiences have the opportunity to connect with one another. We hope these relationships will continue to grow long after the festival ends,” Celik said.
A Lifelong Journey of Learning
Behind these performances lies a long journey of dedication and hard work. Established 14 years ago, Sanipoda has nurtured more than 1,000 young people from communities surrounding the Martabe Gold Mine. All of them started from scratch, with no formal background in the arts.
Sanipoda dance instructor Putri Norma Sari Hasibuan emphasized that the opportunity to perform in Türkiye was part of an ongoing learning journey.
“In group dance, every dancer needs to master their own movements while remaining mindful of their fellow performers. The experience in Türkiye provided a valuable opportunity to reflect on how far their skills have developed and to identify areas that still require improvement,” Putri said.
Prior to this, Sanipoda had won numerous dance competitions at the regency and municipal levels, including a second-place finish at the Nusantara Cultural Heritage Festival in Jakarta. The group also performed at Indonesia Menari 2025.
Rohani Simbolon, Community Manager of PT Agincourt Resources, said that Agincourt Resources is committed to preserving the cultural heritage of South Tapanuli through its support for Sanipoda, including facilitating the group’s performances in Türkiye. This initiative reflects the Company’s commitment to safeguarding South Tapanuli’s cultural heritage while empowering the next generation to develop their talents.
“We hope Sanipoda will continue to be a platform that young people can actively contribute to and benefit from, enabling them to connect with their cultural heritage while developing their talents and abilities,” Rohani said. Sanipoda’s journey from South Tapanuli to Türkiye demonstrates how consistent support from various stakeholders and sustained talent development initiatives can create opportunities for young people to nurture their talents while showcasing their local cultural heritage on the international stage.
