The Center for Manuscript Research, Literature, and Oral Tradition, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) in collaboration with the Indonesian Literature Scholars Association (Hiski) held a Horror Literature Book Review Seminar with the theme “Horror Literature & the Ecranization Industry” on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, at 10:00 am – finish. This seminar was held in a mix at the Widya Graha Building Hall, 2nd floor, National Research and Innovation Agency, Jl. Gatot Subroto No. 10. Jakarta and through the Zoom Meeting application. In this seminar, the participants consisted of students, lecturers, academicians, literacy communities, and the general public who have an interest in horror literature and the field of ekranisasi.
In this seminar, the title of the material presented was “Examining Horror Events in Babad and Hikayat”. According to Cuddon, horror literature is a narrative-fictional story that scares the reader and causes feelings of disgust or hatred. Good horror literature is able to explore the capacity of fear, hysteria, madness, and everything that is on the dark side of the mind. The horror events in the chronicles and hikayat discussed consist of the episode of Dursasana’s death in Kakawin Bharatayuddha (1540); the depiction of Calon Arang’s magic ritual, supernatural beings as intermediaries, and victims of magic in Calon Arang (1647); the murder of Truna Jaya, Raden Ayu Lembah, and Raden Sukra in Babad Tanah Jawi (1647); the murder of Tun Beraim Bapa in Hikayat Raja Pasai (XV century AD); and the murder of Hang Jebat in Hikayat Hang Tuah (XVII century AD).
The Horror Literature Book Review Seminar with the material “Examining Horror Events in Babad and Hikayat” is in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) program, the fourth goal of quality education, which includes achieving quality education by ensuring the quality of education that is inclusive and equitable and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all people. In addition, with the industry subtheme, this seminar is also in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) eighth goal, decent work and economic growth, which includes efforts to support inclusive and sustainable economic growth, a productive full workforce, and decent work for all. Then, this seminar is also in accordance with SDG’s goal nine, industry, innovation and infrastructure, which includes building resilient infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and encouraging innovation.
This seminar has been reported in various media, both online and offline, such as “Dar-Der-Dor Horror Novels” and “Terror of Horror Literature” in Koran Tempo, and “Horror that Revives Literature and Creative Industries” in Media Indonesia.
