Pasaman Equator Festival

About The Event

Culmination or transit, known locally as istiwa’, is a phenomenon where the sun is positioned at its highest point in the sky. When the sun’s declination equals the observer's latitude, this phenomenon is called the Major Culmination. At this moment, the sun is directly overhead, or at the zenith, making the shadow of any upright object “disappear” as it aligns perfectly with the object itself. Because of this, the day of major culmination is also known as “shadowless day.”

Given the unique appeal of this natural phenomenon, it has become part of the West Sumatra Calendar of Events, observed annually in Bonjol District, Pasaman Regency. This event takes place from March 21 to 23 and September 21 to 23 each year in the birthplace of the National Hero, Tuanku Imam Bonjol. The celebration is held at the Bonjol Equator Park (equator line), which features a prominent statue and museum dedicated to Tuanku Imam Bonjol. This event, which has been celebrated for more than 20 years, has also been trusted by Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) as the official location for the 74th World Meteorological Day commemoration.