Tuesday (7/7/2026) was a joyful day for the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB), Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM). Yosephin Apriastuti Rahayu, S.S., M.Hum., a lecturer in the field of Old Javanese and Middle Javanese philology, successfully earned a doctoral degree after undergoing a public doctoral defense at Universiteit Leiden.

In her dissertation entitled Learning from the Scribes: A Study of the Old Javanese Uttarakāṇḍa from the Merapi-Merbabu Tradition, Yosephin examines Uttarakāṇḍa, an Old Javanese prose literary work that constitutes the seventh book of the Rāmāyaṇa. The research focuses on four Uttarakāṇḍa manuscripts from the Merapi-Merbabu and Balinese tradition collections to understand how scribes copied, preserved, and transmitted these manuscripts.

Through this research, Mrs. Apriastuti found that the process of manuscript copying is not merely copying the text, but involves a series of activities, such as reading, remembering, reflecting, dictating, and rewriting the contents of the manuscript. The research also shows differences in orthographic systems as well as writing variations influenced by their respective traditions and cultures. These findings help identify copying errors while supporting efforts to reconstruct a textual form that is closer to the original manuscript. In addition, this research demonstrates differences in characteristics between the Merapi-Merbabu writing tradition and the Balinese tradition.

After presenting the results of her research, Mrs. Apriastuti answered various questions from the examiners. The discussion covered several topics, including the role of the Merapi-Merbabu manuscript tradition as a link between Classical Javanese culture and the Javanese and Balinese traditions, the development of writing systems from the Old Javanese period to the modern Javanese script, as well as the cultural and literary relationships among the Sanskrit, Old Javanese, and Balinese traditions.

Yosephin’s success in earning a doctoral degree also constitutes an important contribution to the development of Old Javanese philological studies. The research not only enriches the understanding of the manuscript tradition in the Indonesian archipelago, but also supports efforts to preserve written cultural heritage, particularly Old Javanese manuscripts, which serve as important sources for understanding the history, literature, and culture of Indonesia.

Author: Bahasa dan Sastra Kebudayaan Jawa

Yogyakarta – The Korean Language and Culture Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, in collaboration with Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS) and the Korea Foundation (KF), organized Korean Days (인도네시아 한국의 날) at Room Poerbatjaraka 201, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, UGM. The event featured a series of academic activities aimed at broadening students’ understanding of Korean Studies while strengthening collaboration among the participating institutions.

The program began with a public lecture delivered by Prof. Cho Young Han, who introduced the KF-HUFS Project and presented its various initiatives to support the development of Korean Studies. The session provided participants with valuable insights into the project’s objectives and its contributions to the advancement of Korean Studies.

Following the lecture, participants took part in a Writing Competition, where each contestant received a randomly assigned emotion card as the theme for their story. Through this activity, students were encouraged to demonstrate their creativity, critical thinking, and Korean writing skills by developing stories based on the assigned emotions.

Based on the judges’ evaluation, Theresia Chindyawati was awarded the Grand Prize (최우수상). Meanwhile, Adzini Nurul Fatima Juliani, Mulya Ghefira Azzahra, and Zahra Dwi Maharani received the Excellence Award (우수상) for their outstanding works, which were recognized for their creativity, language proficiency, and storytelling ability.

Through this event, the Korean Language and Culture Study Program at Universitas Gadjah Mada, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS), and the Korea Foundation (KF) reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening academic collaboration while providing meaningful learning opportunities for students.

Author: Eunike Serafia N.S

The Student Association of the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture Study Program (HMJ Kamastawa) organized a Sowan Kadang (friendly inter-campus visit) to the Javanese Language and Literature Education and Javanese Literature study programs at Semarang State University (UNNES) on Monday, (4/27/2026). The event was attended by 57 students and three lecturers from the UGM Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB) Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture Study Program, as part of an effort to strengthen relationships among students and lecturers from both universities.

The Sowan Kadang event was held to foster closer ties between the lecturers and students of the UGM Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture Study Program and their counterparts in the Javanese Language and Literature Education and Javanese Literature study programs at UNNES. Additionally, the event aimed to broaden students’ academic insights and experiences through visits and discussion forums. Participants included students from the UGM Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture Study Program (classes of 2024 and 2025) and students from the UNNES Javanese Language and Literature Education Study Program.

The event began with the participants’ departure from FIB UGM at 06:00 WIB following a brief orientation. Upon arrival at UNNES, the Sowan Kadang activities took place from 09:00 to 14:00 WIB. During the session, each student association introduced its organization and the various work programs they had implemented. The discussion was characterized by a warm atmosphere during the introductions and experience-sharing sessions, serving as a platform for mutual acquaintance and the strengthening of ties between the two institutions.

Afterwards, the UGM and UNNES groups visited the Semarang Old Town Museum area from 14:00 to 15:30 WIB. The program continued with free time to enjoy the Old Town district before the UGM participants departed for Yogyakarta at 17:00 WIB.

This comparative study visit aims to foster a closer and more productive relationship between the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture Study Program at FIB UGM and the Javanese Language and Literature Education Study Program at UNNES. In addition to broadening students’ academic horizons, the activity serves as a form of collaboration to strengthen student networks and support joint efforts to safeguard, preserve, and develop Javanese cultural heritage within the higher education environment.

Author: Admin Prodi Sastra Jawa

Universitas Gadjah Mada held the graduation ceremony for Bachelor’s and Applied Bachelor’s degree programs for the third period of the 2025/2026 academic year on Thursday (May 21, 2026). During this period, the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture Study Program at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences saw 11 students graduate; two of them, Endar Sasmito Aji and Haryo Untoro, were recipients of the Arsari Djojohadikusumo Foundation (YAD) scholarship. Both successfully completed their studies with cum laude honors in less than four years.

Endar Sasmito Aji is a graduate of the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture Study Program who was frequently active in various Javanese arts and cultural activities. Hailing from Kulon Progo, he participated in several campus-based arts communities, such as the Gamelan Mahasiswa Sastra Nusantara (Gamasutra) at the study program level and the Unit Kesenian Jawa Gaya Surakarta (UKJGS) at the university level. In addition to his artistic pursuits, Aji gained professional experience through an internship at the Cultural Office (Kundha Kabudayan) of the Special Region of Yogyakarta. Regarding organizational involvement, he served in the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture Student Association (HMJ Kamastawa) during the Candrabirawa Cabinet (2023/2024) and the Ancalaloka Cabinet (2024/2025) terms. He was also involved as an organizer and performer for the 12th Gugur Gunung, as an organizer and gamelan musician for the 13th Gugur Gunung, and as an organizer for the 30th Temu Budaya Nusantara (TBN), an event held by the Association of Regional Language and Literature Students of Indonesia (Imbasadi) at the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada.

Endar’s thesis focused on Javanese performing arts. His research examined the humor within the Dhagelan Mataram (Javanese comedy) performance titled Umuk Keblasuk, featuring renowned Yogyakarta comedians Gareng Rakasiwi, Jonet, and Ari Purnomo. He successfully completed his studies in three years and seven months, graduating cum laude.

Meanwhile, Haryo Untoro was a student in the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture program, actively engaged in Javanese studies, particularly regarding the Javanese language. Despite hailing from Bekasi, he completed his degree in three years, eight months, and seven days, also graduating cum laude. During his time as a student, he was active in various organizations; he served as a member of the HMJ Kamastawa under the Candrabirawa Cabinet (2023/2024) and Ancalaloka Cabinet (2024/2025), and held membership and leadership roles in the Cultural Sciences Muslim Family (KMIB) under the Badr Cabinet (2023/2024) and Tajdeed Cabinet (2024/2025). Additionally, he was an active member and administrator of the Indonesian Regional Language and Literature Student Association (Imbasadi) during the 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 terms. Beyond organizational involvement, he gained experience working part-time in administration for the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture program at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, UGM. His active engagement was accompanied by various academic achievements, including winning First Place in the 2023 Humanika Essay Competition and First Place in the National Scientific Writing Competition (LKTIN) at Imbasadi’s Temu Budaya Nusantara XXX (Archipelago Cultural Gathering). Furthermore, he was a student in the Faculty of Cultural Sciences’ “Fast Track” program and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Linguistics at the same faculty, Universitas Gadjah Mada. Their theses also focused on linguistic studies, specifically analyzing the translation structure of the anthology Jenggala: Kumpulan Puisi Dwibahasa (Jenggala: A Bilingual Poetry Collection). originally written in Indonesian by Monika N. Arundhati and translated into Old Javanese by Y. Novi Marginingrum.

The graduation of these two students is expected to inspire other students to pursue their studies diligently and play an active role in preserving Javanese culture. Furthermore, collaboration among various stakeholders must be strengthened to preserve and embed Javanese culture within society. A prime example is the role of the Arsari Djojohadikusumo Foundation through its student scholarship program. The foundation’s commitment to supporting both education and cultural preservation represents a tangible contribution toward intellectually enriching the nation and strengthening national identity through culture.

Author: Prodi Sastra Jawa FIB UGM

“Sometimes, to see ourselves, we need a mirror. And in some ways, Mas Ariel’s book serves that purpose,” said Ramayda Akmal during a discussion titled “Ramayda Akmal Membaca Ariel Heryanto” on Monday, June 29, at the Soegondo Building Auditorium, Faculty of Cultural Science, UGM. This discussion was a collaboration between KPG Publishing and the Master’s Program in Literature, featuring Ramayda Akmal—a lecturer in Indonesian Language and Literature and an author—as the speaker, Ariel Heryanto as the guest speaker, and Giandra as the moderator.

Through her analysis of the books Huruf Demi Huruf and Nasib Publik dalam Republik, Ramayda highlighted a common thread in Ariel Heryanto’s thought: the effort to position Indonesia as the starting point for understanding itself. According to her, Ariel’s writings not only offer a critique of established perspectives but also question why the production of knowledge about Indonesia remains so dependent on Western perspectives and theories.

One of the ideas highlighted by Ramayda is “Asia as Method,” an approach that encourages scholars to engage in dialogue with the experiences, ideas, and theories of Asian countries whose contexts are similar to Indonesia’s. She explained that Ariel demonstrates how Indonesia’s relations with countries such as China, Taiwan, Japan, and India can serve as a foundation for understanding various social and cultural issues, rather than always relying on the West as the sole point of reference.

“We rarely cite the writings of our own peers. Theoretical and academic interactions among scholars within the same academic community remain unbalanced,” Ramayda stated while explaining one of the critiques raised by Ariel Heryanto in his works. According to her, this imbalance means that perspectives on Indonesia are often shaped by standards that do not necessarily stem from the experiences of Indonesian or Asian societies.

This issue extends beyond the selection of theories and is also evident in the system of knowledge production. Ramayda explained that measures of literacy, publication standards, and even methods for evaluating the quality of academic work still largely rely on global benchmarks that do not always align with local conditions. Through his book Huruf Demi Huruf, Ariel reflects on his personal experiences to demonstrate that the process of learning and constructing knowledge is always influenced by diverse social, cultural, and historical contexts.

In response to the reading, Ariel Heryanto commended Ramayda’s approach to connecting her ideas with the current academic landscape. For him, a work of literature continues to live on through new interpretations by its readers. Therefore, discussions serve as a vital space for broadening interpretations while simultaneously reexamining various assumptions that have long been accepted in the academic world.

The discussion then continued with a Q&A session that addressed a variety of issues, ranging from exile literature and democracy to the dynamics of knowledge production in Indonesia. Through this event, the Master’s Program in Literature at the Faculty of Cultural Science, UGM, in collaboration with KPG Publishing, created a space for dialogue that encourages critical reflection on how Indonesia produces knowledge while opening up possibilities for building a scholarly tradition more deeply rooted in the experiences and context of the Asian region.

[Humas FIB, Maylafaizza Nafisha Zifa]