On Thursday, September 25, 2024, the Japanese Language and Culture study program welcomed guest lecturers from Padjadjaran University. The arrival of the lecturer from Padjadjaran University was related to the implementation of a joint lecture on the topic of Onomatopoeia.

The lecturers from Padjadjaran University, consisting of lecturers from the Sundanese Literature and Japanese Literature study programs, shared their research progress on the topic of Strengthening Understanding of Japanese Onomatopoeia through Website-Based Utilization of Local Wisdom (Sundanese) to students and lecturers of the Japanese Language and Culture study program.

In the project, lecturers from Sundanese Literature and Japanese Literature of Padjadjaran University are trying to develop a dictionary of Japanese onomatopoeia that can be found in Sundanese. The dictionary is still made in Indonesian-Japanese with of course an explanation of the meaning of the onomatopoeia. The existence of the Sundanese equivalent is to facilitate the understanding of the meaning of onomatopoeia for Japanese language learners, in this case Sundanese Japanese language learners. Then, the lecturer from Padjadjaran University also explained their plan to include pictures or visualizations of onomatopoeia in the dictionary to make it easier to understand the meaning of onomatopoeia. This project was carried out with the hope of facilitating the understanding of Japanese onomatopoeia through its equivalent in the local language. The lecturer from Japanese Language and Culture agreed to this because they often encounter cases where students find it easier to find equivalents and understand the meaning of onomatopoeia in the local language than in Indonesian.

At the end of the lecture session, the lecturer of Japanese Language and Culture gave a suggestion to attract Japanese Literature study programs in various universities spread throughout the region in order to increase the variety of equivalents in the local language of each region. In addition, there was an input to create a website so that the public can also participate in the development of the dictionary because it does not rule out the emergence of new onomatopoeias. This activity was then closed with a group photo session.

Author: Valentina Pramahita Iswari

Editor: Yulia Agustiani

On 2nd of October 2024, at Soegondo Building Auditorium, Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB) Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) was honored to receive a visit from students of SMAN 2 Kuta Selatan. This activity aims to provide insight into the excellence of FIB UGM and explain the career prospects for graduates.

In the event, representatives of undergraduate and postgraduate students of FIB UGM shared their experiences and reasons why they chose this faculty. Aisyah Riska, a graduate student majoring in Linguistics, revealed that her initial interest came from the many renowned linguistic experts who teach at the Faculty. “This faculty has experienced and well-known lecturers in their fields, which is certainly an added value for us as students,” said Aisyah.

Meanwhile, Sandya Kirani, an undergraduate student from Anthropology department, added that the Faculty is ranked first in Indonesia and around 50th in the world. “I feel proud to be able to study at this highly reputable faculty. This is an important consideration for me in choosing a major,” she explained.

The event also discussed job prospects for graduates of FIB UGM. Many alumni have successfully pursued careers as ambassadors, translators, lecturers, and CEOs in the tourism sector. This shows that education at FIB UGM is not only qualified, but also relevant to the needs of the current world of work.

In the context of international cooperation, FIB UGM also establishes partnerships with various institutions abroad. This cooperation includes student exchange programs, joint research, and international seminars, which certainly enrich students’ learning experience. Hopefully, this visit can provide inspiration and motivation for them in determining their next educational steps.

Yogyakarta, October 1, 2024 – SMAN 4 Malang held a visit to the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) on Monday, October 1, 2024, from 09.00 to 11.00 WIB. This activity took place in the Auditorium of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, 7th floor of Soegondo Building, Yogyakarta, and was attended by hundreds of 12th grade students who were enthusiastic to dig deeper information about higher education, especially in the field of cultural sciences.

The event began with opening remarks from representatives of SMAN 4 Malang teachers, who conveyed the purpose and objectives of their visit. After these remarks, the Faculty provided an overview of the study programs and various academic activities. The students were very interested in the explanation of study opportunities at UGM, which is one of the leading universities in Indonesia.

In the question and answer session, the students asked various questions that showed their interest and desire to continue their education. One of the questions that arose was about new student admission pathways, especially academic and non-academic achievement pathways. The faculty explained that there are several pathways that students can follow, including the achievement pathway which provides opportunities for those who have excellence in certain fields.

Students also asked about the availability of scholarships at UGM. Known for its diverse scholarship programs, the Faculty of Humanities ensures that there are many options for outstanding students and those in need of financial support. The next question related to the Single Tuition Payment (UKT) was also highlighted. The faculty explained that UGM applies a fair UKT system, based on the economic ability of students and their families. 

The event was closed with advice from SMAN 4 Malang alumni who are now studying at UGM. The alumni shared valuable experiences about life on campus, challenges faced, and tips for achieving success in college. His inspiring story provided additional motivation for the students to pursue their dreams. With this visit, it is hoped that students of SMAN 4 Malang can better understand the steps that need to be taken to continue their education in college, and achieve the dreams they dream of.

As a form of community service, the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture Student Association (Kamastawa) held another “Kamastawa Teaching and Sharing” event on Sunday, October 22, 2024. This event is the result of collaboration between the social and community division (sosmas) and the scientific division, with the aim of having a positive impact on society, especially for children at the Wirobrajan branch of the PYI Yatim and Zakat Orphanage, Yogyakarta.

There were 16 children from grade 1 elementary to 1 junior high school involved in the event. The event opened at 09.00 AM WIB with an opening session and introductions. During the event, students and children had the opportunity to play together, creating a cheerful atmosphere with jokes and laughter. This togetherness became an important foundation in building intimacy between students and participants.

Opening session and introductions

After the introductory session and games, the event continued with teaching and learning activities. Participants were divided into three groups according to educational level: group 1 for grades 1-2 elementary school, group 2 for grades 3-4 elementary school, and group 3 for grades 5 elementary school to 1 junior high school. Each group received materials tailored to their age and level of understanding, ranging from daily Javanese conversation, Javanese script writing, Javanese assignment consultation, and so on. Various teaching methods were used by the students to make learning fun and easy for the children to understand.

Teaching-learning session

After the learning session was over, it was time for ice breaking, where the participants were invited to sing together the song aja ndomblong aja and follow the guessing game with prizes. This session succeeded in sparking the children to be active in an exciting way.

The children’s enthusiasm could be felt from the beginning to the end of the activity, especially during the distribution of small gifts as an appreciation for the participants’ activeness. In addition, Kamastawa also provided Pepak Basa Jawa books and reading books as a form of support for the participants future educational development. It is hoped that participants can easily access knowledge and enrich their insights, including those related to knowledge and preservation of Javanese culture.

The gifts given may be considered simple. However, prayers, hopes, and sincere intentions to share will live on and become the foundation in the implementation of the ‘Kamastawa teach and share’ program now and in the future.

Author : Haryo Untoro

On Wednesday, September 11, 2024, the Master’s Program in Middle Eastern Cultural Studies in collaboration with the Bachelor’s Program in Arabic Literature at Universitas Gadjah Mada held a National Seminar on the theme of Palestine: From Nakba to Tufan Al-Aqsa at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM. The event invited experts in Arabic literature and culture, namely Prof. Dr. Sangidu, M.Hum. and Prof. Dr. Fadlil Munawwar Manshur, M.S., from Gadjah Mada University and Dr. Uki Sukiman, M.Ag. from UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta. The three speakers discussed the history of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict from 1948 and the struggle of the Palestinian people to gain state sovereignty.

In the first session, Prof. Dr. Sangidu, M.Hum. raised the hot issue of the Palestinian people who on Wednesday, May 15, 2024 yesterday, commemorated 76 years of Nakba (the day of catastrophe or the day of disaster) which as is known that May 15, 1948 was the day of the outbreak of the first Arab-Israeli war. The first Arab-Israeli war in 1948 lasted for approximately 10 months until it ended in March 1949, with Arab defeat. The Gaza War or Operation Tufan Al-Aqsa, which erupted on October 7, 2023, deserves to be called the second Nakba because this operation was the largest Palestinian resistance attack against Israel launched by the resistance faction in Gaza, Hamas, against the Israeli side in Palestine. This operation revealed a large number of depravity and rottenness of the Zionist government and its Western allies, as well as the breakdown of the justice system and global ethical and moral standards.

The second session of the seminar was continued by Prof. Dr. Fadlil Munawwar Manshur, M.S. who focused on the discussion related to the struggle of Palestinian Arab writers in literary works, both poetry and novels. Prof. Fadlil said that the Nakba tragedy had given birth to literary works in the form of Arabic poetry and short stories containing the resistance of the Palestinian people against Israel. The poems and short stories use the iltizam language style, which is a language style that contains the resistance of the Palestinian people against the Israeli occupation. The advantage of this iltizam language style lies in the ability of poets and short stories in describing the cultural conflict between Arab-Palestinian culture and Jewish-Israeli culture.

One of the Palestinian Arab writers who continues to produce literary works of resistance is Mahmoed Darwish. Entering the third discussion, Dr. Uki Sukiman revealed the role of the United States and Israel in Mahmoed Darwisy’s prose. He explained that the Palestinians must be freed from the political commodities of the United States. So far, the United States has used the Palestinian issue as a “line” to defend its interests in the region. According to Dr. Uki, stronger pressure is needed from the international community to Israel on the basis of respect for the universal principles of relations between countries that are anti-oppression, anti-colonialism and against all forms of colonialism. This pressure is expected to condemn and urge Israel to withdraw from Palestinian land.