ABSTRACT
Bagansiapiapi is a small town located in Riau Province, Sumatra, which has been designated as the capital of Rokan Hilir District since 1999. Bagansiapiapi has a long history as one of the important cities in the Indonesian archipelago. Founded in the 19th century by ethnic Chinese from Fujian Province, the town flourished as the second most important fish port in the world after Norway. The colonial government of the Netherland Indies then developed the town and built many important buildings, for example, banks, hospitals, and churches, many of which are still intact and functional today. The inhabitants, mostly Chinese, have many traditions that are still valid, and the most important is the ritual of bakar tongkang, which has been regarded as one of the five icons of Riau tourism by the government of Riau Province. However, Bagansiapiapi has much richer cultural heritage than just the ritual of bakar tongkang. Due to globalization, the preservation and revitalization of these cultural heritages is challenging.
