[ISAFIS Newsletter #11] “Aura Farming” Goes Global: Indonesia’s Government Turns Viral Kid Into PR Mascot While Ignoring Real Issues

Written by: Fatimah Azzahra Staff of Research and Development

What happens when an 11-year-old dancing on a racing boat becomes more famous than his country’s leaders? This happened to Rayyan Arkan Dikha, also known as “the aura farming boy”, whose effortless moves atop a pacu jalur canoe went viral. Suddenly, Indonesia’s long-ignored cultural heritage and rural poverty got the exposures they deserved, albeit not always for the right reasons.

Rayyan went from schoolboy to internet star practically overnight. In a TikTok video filmed during pacu jalur – an age-old boat race from Riau – the boy danced atop the prow with uncanny presence and calm, attracting millions of views and imitations. The quiet boy, already a “tukang tari” (lead dancer who dances on the pacu jalur boat) since age nine, became the perfect embodiment of “aura farming”, a slang phrase well-known among the young generation meaning the cultivation of effortless coolness or charisma.

Celebrities such as Travis Kelce, DJ Steve Aoki, and BTS’ Jungkook and V have even imitated Rayyan’s moves. To make it even more surreal, global athletes like MotoGP’s Marc Márquez, F1’s Alex Albon, and players from AC Milan and PSG (Paris Saint-Germaine) have also joined the trend.

Government Response or Opportunism?
While the rest of us laughed and shared videos featuring Rayyan’s dance, Indonesian officials also leapt into the frame. The Governor of Riau promptly named Rayyan the “Youth Tourism Ambassador” and handed out a scholarship. Meanwhile, the Minister of Culture praised the tradition of dancing on a speeding canoe as it required tremendous balance, nerve, and charm.

Rayyan was invited to Jakarta to meet ministers and star on national television, all before school resumed. Rayyan also made the headlines once more when he performed his pacu jalur dance in the Presidential Palace during the 80th year commemoration ceremony of Indonesia’s independence Sunday (17/8/25). Clad in his green traditional garb, the boy even went forward to shake President Prabowo Subianto’s hand.

A few hundred dollars and a handshake later, the spotlight was on him, and conveniently, off the government’s failure to invest in rural areas and youth development.

What They’re Not Telling You
The memeification of Indonesia isn’t new. Stereotypically, and comically, Indonesian netizens have constantly created memes and idolized charismatic figures – even those who don’t have any real, inspiring achievements – making the whole “aura farming” jargon feel disturbingly on-brand. Now, the government seems content to capitalise on viral distraction, celebrating charm instead of substance.

There’s neither any announcement of improved local schools or infrastructure in Riau, nor any renewed funding for cultural promotion programs. Just a viral kid turned carnival poster. Indonesia’s notion of sovereignty, which was supposed to emphasize that the “people are sovereign”, has been twisted into the view that “the people must entertain the sovereign”, or in other words, its government officials.

In the first place, cultural traditions such as pacu jalur should be preserved without waiting for it to go viral first. However, now that it has become a global fever, pacu jalur can be used to appeal to tourists as a form of soft diplomacy, especially considering its origins in Riau, a province not many people know. Yet, government officials are busy recreating the pacu jalur trend without realizing its great potential. 

Rayyan Arkan Dikha’s charm and spontaneity deserve celebration because his dance has turned centuries-old tradition into a global moment. Yet, the real question remains: why is the state only paying attention when a child goes viral? If celebrating culture means leaning on the populace as a PR gimmick, it’s worth asking who the real king is, and whether the government is merely inviting its citizens to dance for the crown.

References
Bagchi, N. (2025, July 19). What is Aura Farming? Viral Indonesian boat kid trend has everyone hooked — from Travis Kelce to BTS’ Jungkoo. Indiatimes. https://www.indiatimes.com/trending/what-is-aura-farming-viral-indonesian

Cost, B. (2025, July 15). Boat racing kid’s smooth moves inspired the “aura framing” trend — here’s why Travis Kelce and other celebs are taking part in it. New York Post. https://nypost.com/2025/07/15/lifestyle/behind-the-viral-aura-farming-trend-imitated-by-travis-kelce-and-other-celebs/

Singh, R. (2025, July 16). Meet Rayyan Arkan Dhika, Indonesia's Young 'Aura Farmer' Taking The Internet By Storm. www.ndtv.com. https://www.ndtv.com/offbeat/meet-rayyan-arkan-dhika-indonesias-young-aura-farmer-taking-the-internet-by-storm-8884291

Woo, S., & Wsj, M. F. F. (2025, August 18). How an 11-Year-Old boy on a boat became a source of national pride—and envy. WSJ. https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/indonesian-boat-kid-dance-ac0447f3

DivHumasPolri. (n.d.). Cultural richness creates positive image in global stage: tourism MInister says | INP | Indonesian National Police. https://inp.polri.go.id/artikel/cultural-richness-creates-positive-image-in-global-stage-tourism-minister-says