About Wabul Sawi Festival

Meaning of Wabul Sawi

Wabul Sawi is an acronym for "Wani Baidabul, Sanggup Manggawi," a Banjarese (South Kalimantan) expression meaning: "If you dare to say something, you must be able to do it." Saying here means conveying a desire, idea, or ideal—and what is said must be able to be implemented in the form of action and have an impact.

The phrase "Wabul Sawi" was coined by Zafry Zamzam in February 1964 when formulating the accelerated relocation of the capital city of South Kalimantan. Zafry Zamzam was one of the founding fathers of Banjarbaru City. He and several other figures worked together to establish Banjarbaru as the capital of Kalimantan Province—after more than two decades as an administrative city within Banjar Regency, it was transformed into a municipality, and then designated a city (madya) in 1999.

Taking the spirit of the phrase "Wabul Sawi," this literary festival in Banjarbaru City was named the "Wabul Sawi Festival." It is hoped that, with the same spirit of these predecessors, the Wabul Sawi Festival can also realize this aspiration. The Wabul Sawi Festival itself was initiated by the Bangku Panjang Mingguraraya Academy Institute—a cultural community encompassing advocacy for virtue, mass arts movements, and literary service. It has been operating since 2012.

Vision

Making the Wabul Sawi Festival a center for literature (in general art) in South Kalimantan, with a concentration on environmental and urban issues.

Mission

The Wabul Sawi Festival encourages the literacy process by opening up space for ideas and creativity, empowering volunteer synergy to be sensitive to civil issues or problems, especially various problems in South Kalimantan through literature, especially those related to nature or the environment—after all, South Kalimantan's nature continues to experience massive exploitation; after the end of the timber era, now coal and underground mining threaten the aquifers that support life. And the closest "threat" is currently being faced by the Meratus Mountains that stretch from South Kalimantan to East Kalimantan. In addition, it also addresses the challenges faced by Banjarbaru as the capital of South Kalimantan, an urban area, which continues to develop and grow, with diverse diversity as a city of pluralism.