Community service or KKN (Kuliah Kerya Nyata) is an important part of higher education in Indonesia, especially at Universitas Gadjah Mada. The KKN-PPM UGM SG 007 with the theme “Optimizing Local Potential to Realize Community-Based Sustainable Tourism in Namu, Batujaya, and Malaringgi Villages” was carried out by 28 UGM students from July 1, 2024 to August 19, 2024. The team received appreciation from H. Surunuddin Dangga, S.T., M.M. as the Regent of South Konawe when participating in the Stunting Eradication Program in Namu Village.

Rafi Ramdani, a student of Cultural Anthropology, Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM, in early July to mid-August, carried out KKN-PPM in Malaringgi Village, Laonti District, South Konawe Regency which witnessed his enthusiasm to serve the community through the Pinaika Musical Instrument Teaching program with the theme “Educating Malaringgi.” The program was held in the village of Malaringgi: Comprehensive and innovative learning activities for children”. This program has been designed by the UGM KKN-PPM team under the guidance of Dra. Eko Sulistyani, M.Sc, from the Department of Physics, FMIPA UGM with the main objective of providing comprehensive education to students in Malaringgi Village.

Rafi’s program focuses on teaching and training children to play the pianika as one of the modern musical instruments developing in Indonesia. He realizes that music is not just entertainment, but also a means to develop children’s cognitive, social, and emotional skills as well as a medium to preserve local culture by adapting local songs using modern musical instruments. By introducing the pianika, which is a modern musical instrument but easy to learn, children can improve hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, and the ability to read musical notation. In addition, through playing music together, children also learn to work together and communicate better.

Photo of Rafi teaching children to play the pianika

The community welcomed this program enthusiastically. Children who previously had limitations in playing musical instruments are now starting to show significant improvement. Rafi not only acts as a teacher, but also as a mentor who helps build confidence in the children to explore and learn music. With the skill of playing the pianika, the children are expected to have wider opportunities to participate in various art activities at school and outside of school. This can pave the way for them to explore their interests and talents in music, which can be a provision for the future.

The community service carried out by Rafi is a reflection of the role of students in bringing positive changes to various layers of society. With his enthusiasm and dedication, he proves that Anthropology students of FIB UGM are not only committed to improving academic quality, but also have an active role in creating positive impacts in society. This program not only provides training in music playing skills, but also brings a glimmer of hope and a place of creativity for the children of Malaringgi Village to face a brighter future as the next generation of the nation.

The Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB) Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) has a variety of students with a myriad of achievements, both in academic and non-academic fields. This time, good news came from one of its students, Muhammad Siswoyo, from the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture Study Program. The 2022 student won third place in the essay competition at Parab Kawi #6, a prestigious event with the theme “Luhuring Kabudayan lan Kasusastran Jawi, Amrih Kalokaning Nagari.”.

This year’s Parab Kawi competition featured two categories, essays and calligraphy. In the essay category, the sub-theme was “Tradition of Javanese Cultural Values, Knowledge, and Technology.” On this occasion, Muhammad Siswoyo presented an essay entitled “Psychological Depiction of Raos Gathotkaca Krodha as a Destructive Entity in Pocapan Abur-aburan Gathotkaca Wayang Kulit Jawa Timuran”.

The essay discusses the pocapan (narration of an event in a shadow puppet performance) Abur-aburan depicting Gathotkaca Krodha, ‘Gatotkaca who is angry’, especially on the body parts of one of Werkudara’s children. The limbs of Gathotkaca Krodha are likened to various tools of destruction, such as scissors, pacul, etc. This is in fact relevant to the shape of the Gathotkaca Krodha puppet, which is also depicted in this way. This concept is also in line with the psychology of raos, which links a person’s emotional state with the ability to create certain states, such as anger and destruction.

Shadow puppetry is not only an art form, but also a ‘miniature’ of Indonesia’s cultural diversity. It contains various elements of art, from the presentation, to the play, to the details of the puppet form and its existence. The art of storytelling in shadow puppet shows also plays an important role in ‘animating’ the show and delivering the audience to the ‘gate’ of literature as well as moral messages and philosophical meanings.

Exploring cultural knowledge can be done to find out the worldview of a society. By knowing the mindset of the community, we can improve education while understanding diversity in a frame of harmony. Thus, the competition is in accordance with the points of the Sustainable Development Goals, namely point 4 (improving the quality of education) and point 17 (partnerships to achieve goals).

IMAGE REFERENCE

Tokohwayangpurwa.blogspot.com. (2009, October). Gatotkaca. Accessed at https://tokohwayangpurwa.blogspot.com/2009/10/gatutkaca.html.

Author : Haryo Untoro

Laos, August 16 – UGM Korean Language and Culture Study Program student, Anggita Lintang Herdiwan (2022) advanced as a representative of Indonesia in The 28th K-Speech World Contest. Previously, Anggita had won first place in The 22nd K-Speech Oratory Contest Indonesia. By winning first place, Anggita was able to become one of Indonesia’s representatives in The 28th K-Speech World Contest. The competition was held on August 16, 2024 at the Lao National Cultural and Arts Hall, Laos.

The event began with an Oratorical Speech Demonstration performance and an appearance from Trot President, Lee Seung Yul. Then, the opening ceremony began with the entry of representatives from 20 countries, namely France, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Timor Leste, Sri Lanka, Australia, Japan, Philippines, China, Mongolia, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and South Korea. Followed by opening speeches and remarks from related parties, as well as announcements of judging rules.

The implementation of the speech competition was carried out based on the order that had been randomized the day before. Starting from the team category consisting of 6 teams, the individual foreigner category consisting of 16 people, elementary school as many as 9 people, middle school as many as 6 people, general and university students as many as 4 people, and the category of Koreans living abroad as many as 7 people. After the judges gave their overall evaluation, there was a cultural performance from Laos. The event ended with an awarding ceremony and closing ceremony.

As one of the representatives from Indonesia, Anggita managed to get 최우수상 or an award equivalent to third place awarded by 통일부 (Ministry of Unification).

This competition can realize the potential of students, namely the ability to speak Korean in public. This is one of the potentials that UGM Korean Language and Culture Study Program expects each of its students to have. Of course, this can be achieved by the courage of students and the provisions provided by all lecturers of the study program.

Wednesday morning, July 31, 2024, became a historic moment for the 2024 batch of students of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB) at Universitas Gadjah Mada. As part of the campus introduction process, they were welcomed to the Pionir Kampung Budaya 2024 event, which was held for two days from July 31 to August 1, 2024. The event was designed to introduce new students to academic life at FIB UGM, where Mahadaya will study for the next four years.

The opening of Pionir Kampung Budaya 2024 was enlivened by the strains of gamelan performed by Gamasutra (Gamelan Sastra Nusantara), an art unit that serves as a forum for students of the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture Study Program. Gamasutra played an important role in welcoming the mahadaya, presenting a solemn atmosphere and the nobility of Indonesian culture.

In addition to welcoming the mahadaya, Gamasutra also accompanied the presence of the Chairman of the Pionir Kampung Budaya 2024, the President of the Student Executive Board (LEM) 2024, the Dean of FIB UGM and staff, as well as the Heads of Study Programs from various departments. The peak moment of Gamasutra’s performance was when it enlivened the procession of gunungan removal, marking the official opening of Pionir Kampung Budaya 2024. Some of the songs performed by Gamasutra in the event include Gending Gati Padhasih, Gangsaran, and Ayak Vertikal which are the works of Ki Dr. Drs. Sukisno, M.Sn.

The Faculty of Cultural Sciences at UGM, as the frontline in cultural studies, shows its commitment in preserving Indonesia’s cultural heritage by providing ample space for the development of arts and cultural interests among students. This effort is in line with the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially the 4th point on improving the quality of education and the 17th point on partnerships to achieve goals.

Gamasutra’s performance in Pionir Kampung Budaya 2024 is not only an entertainment event, but also a very important means of cultural introduction and preservation. Mahadaya class of 2024 also got a deep first impression of campus life that is rich in cultural values and traditions, which Mahadaya will continue to encounter and develop during its dynamics at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences at UGM

Author : Haryo Untoro

Thursday, August 1, 2024, the Department of Anthropology, Universitas Gadjah Mada welcomed the arrival of new students of the Bachelor of Cultural Anthropology Study Program in the 2024 Kampung Budaya, Students Orientation Program. Keprodian, which is a series of Kampung Budaya 2024 Pioneer events, is a medium for new students to get to know anthropology study programs in general. This activity discusses ranging from the KRS system, ethics in contacting anthropology lecturers to the habit of calling Mas / Ma’am to anthropology lecturers. At this year’s Keprodian event, Mrs. Atik as the Head of the Study Program conveyed some advice to new anthropology students, one of which was ethics in contacting lecturers. For example, when contacting lecturers, it should be done during working hours. With smiling faces, the new students listened carefully to the information given.

The department was not very busy that morning, many lecturers including Mas Pujo as the Head of the Department of Anthropology UGM were traveling abroad. Even so, lecturers and staff who could not or who were present were still introduced followed by exposure to programs such as tandem research, field research teams, and so on. The administrators of Kemant (Anthropology Student Family)-an association of anthropology students at UGM-also introduced themselves and explained their work programs.

Author: Daiva Keefe Kalimasadha
Photo : Puspita Nindya Sari