The Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FIB UGM), held another Macapatan Jumat Legen event on Thursday, June 27th, 2024. This event took place at the Javanese Studies Center (Pusaka Jawa) and raised a popular Javanese literary work, namely Serat Wedhatama.

Serat Wedhatama, a literary work written by Kanjeng Gusti Pangeran Arya Adipati (KGPAA) Mangkunagara IV, is a work full of piwulang about the concept of divinity and moral teachings in life and society. The manuscript of Serat Wedhatama kept at the Mangkunegaran Palace Library in Surakarta consists of 100 stanzas and is divided into several pupuhs, namely:

1. Pupuh Pangkur: 14 pada (stanzas)
2. Pupuh Sinom: 18 pada (stanzas)
3. Pupuh Pocung: 15 pada (stanzas)
4. Pupuh Gambuh: 35 pada (stanzas)
5. Pupuh Kinanthi: 18 pada (stanzas)

The event presented Prof. Dr. Hendrokumoro, M.Hum., as the speaker, and was attended by participants from various circles. In addition, Dr. Rudy Wiratama, S.I.P., M.A., participated in developing Serat Wedhatama in the opening ceremony and several students of the Javanese Language, Literature and Culture Study Program participated in playing gamelan, adding to the solemn atmosphere of the event. The liveliness of the participants in reading and developing Serat Wedhatama created an atmosphere full of beauty.

Prof. Dr. Hendrokumoro, M.Hum, on the occasion, emphasized that Serat Wedhatama, with its philosophical values and moral messages, can be applied in daily life. However, the actualization needs to be considered so that it can be relevant to the current conditions.

Macapatan Jumat Legen aims to revive the Macapatan tradition and preserve this tradition for the younger generation. Preserving this tradition and extracting information from literary works such as Serat Wedhatama is an important step in improving the quality of public education. The collaboration of various parties, such as between the Javanese Language, Literature and Culture Study Program and the Pusaka Jawa UGM, is an effort to maximize these preservation efforts. Thus, the organization of Macapatan Jumat Legen is in line with the 4th and 17th points in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s).

Author : Haryo Untoro

A varied dialect within a multilingual country might emerge as a phenomenon where the people speak the same language but still can’t understand what other people say from another area. For instance, the Javanese people who live in the Special Region of Yogyakarta and East Java speak and hold Javanese culture. However, they might be confused or clueless about what the listener says in a conversation. Thanks to the language variation that brought so-called dialect.

Dialectology, a linguistics study focusing on how language differs based on geography and social factors, comes to assist in answering the question. In this case, 14 students from dialectology class attempted to study vocabulary (words or phrases) variation specific to certain regions. They went to Jombang, East Java on May 10-11, 2024, to find the vocabulary variation of the Javanese language.

“There are 14 students in our class and they spread into 5 groups. Each group went to different sub-districts, which were Perak, Wonosalam, Diwek, and Peterongan. We brought 200 Swadesh word lists to find out the changes from the Javanese standard by interviewing an informant in each sub-district,” Eduar explained. Those sub-districts were chosen based on their hypothesis. “Diwek and Perak are in the west of Jombang, so we predict that the people still use the Mataraman dialect while Wonosalam and Petarongan are in the east. Thus, the people are most likely to use the Surabayanan dialect,” Dina added. From the data gathered, they compared and mapped the changes.

The students said that this field trip was a priceless experience. It gave a clear picture of how a linguist collects the data such as planning the program, coordinating with the locals, and interacting as well as interviewing them. “It was fun and always be a valuable experience for me. As a Javanese native speaker, I learned a lot from this experience. For instance, I didn’t know that the word kenceng means lurus (go straight on) in their dialect. All I know kenceng is banter or kencang (fast). It, of course, enhances my knowledge,” Dinda illustrated what she felt.

“I think it would be fantastic if we could continue to hold field trips like this in the future. We learned a lot. I hope the department, the faculty, or the parties involved will always support this sort of activity,” said Ningrum.

On Saturday, May 4th, 2024, the anthropology linguistics class held a field trip to Cilacap in order to get to know the locals, in particular the people who live in the coastal area. Approximately 65 students joined the field trip. They were divided into two classes, which were Class A and Class B. Class A focused on the people and the place around Teluk Penyu Beach such as how people communicate in a particular situation and the toponym around the town. Meanwhile, class B tried to picture the people and its culture. For instance, some groups observed how the locals present their gratitude through sedekah laut and how the people who are fishermen use the equipment, particularly the people in Tegalkamulyan village.

“We were intrigued by the event that they called sedekah laut, a special event only held by people in Cilacap,” said Fandi, a student from class B. He further explained that people in Cilacap deliver their gratitude towards the Almighty by serving some offerings. “ We were dumbfounded that they use more than 100 kinds of things as the offering where each symbolizes a certain idea,” Fandi stated.

Another group from class B tried to describe the equipment used by the local fishermen where they discovered that naming the equipment based on its appearance such as its size and its shape. A similar topic also was discussed by a group from class A. Auna explained that his group tried to illustrate the toponym around the town. On the other hand, Dila and her group took ethnographic communication to observe the interaction between fish traders and the buyers in TPI (Fish Auction Place). “We should’ve visited the TPI but unfortunately we came a little bit too late and the weather wasn’t that good which made them close the TPI. However, we still got the data in particular about the type of communication by interviewing several fishermen,” Lova added.

This field trip was initiated to implement what the students have learned in class and also to get more information from the experts as Dr. Suhandano delivered his remarks to officially open the activity. “The field trip was fun and insightful. We didn’t not only learn about the linguistics aspect but also tried to dig deeper to understand the culture that will enhance the analysis,” Ulfa said.

This field trip was held in cooperation between the Master’s Program in Linguistics and the fishermen organization, Himpunan Nelayan Seluruh Indonesia Kabupaten Cilacap. “We do hope that such an activity like this will always be conducted. It gave us the real picture of being a researcher and also created a strong collaboration with organizations and the people,” said Imam.

Rina Kurana Awom is a lecturer in the Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Literature and Culture at the University of Papua, Manokwari. Coming from the Biak tribe in West Papua, Rina is currently pursuing her PhD in Humanities (Study of Oral Traditions) at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada. Her story reflects an academic journey filled with challenges and courage.

Rina’s decision to continue her studies at UGM is not her first time. After completing her undergraduate degree at Cenderawasih University in 2005, she immediately pursued her master’s degree at UGM, encouraged by her mother. Although initially intending to gain work experience, Rina received a scholarship from the Center for Education and Training for Women of the Evangelical Christian Church in Papua Land (P3W GKI), which further strengthened her academic journey to pursue her master’s degree. After successfully completing her master’s degree in 2008, Rina felt confident to return to UGM for her PhD due to its academic reputation and the comfort she felt in Yogyakarta. Additionally, the support of professional lecturers in her field of interest and the availability of the Humanities PhD program at FIB UGM were her main reasons.

After living in Yogyakarta, Rina feels very comfortable and safe. She has felt this comfort since her master’s studies in 2005. Although Yogyakarta is becoming more crowded, the friendliness of the locals and affordable living costs make her feel at home. Rina is glad to be able to worship peacefully in churches that are accessible. However, she experienced culture shock, especially in understanding directions and finding accommodation, as local people generally use terms like west, east, north, and south to show directions.

During her time at UGM, Rina focused more on academic activities. However, FIB UGM provided her with opportunities to participate in activities such as Focus Group Discussions (FGD) and local research with the Center for Policy Studies and Population (PSKK) UGM, enriching her academic experience.

Rina recommends FIB UGM as a study option for her friends in Papua. She sees many positive changes and developments at UGM, especially with the “Kampus Rakyat” slogan. The supportive campus environment, continuously evolving facilities, and competent lecturers make UGM an ideal place to pursue education. The affordable cost of living and the friendliness of the entire campus community add to the positive experience of studying at UGM.

With all the experiences and support she has received, Rina feels that Yogyakarta has become a “home away from home” for her, providing comfort and opportunities for growth amidst the challenges of living far from her hometown.

On Monday, May 13, 2024, the first day of the 13th Gugur Gunung was successfully celebrated at the Margono Terrace, 1st floor, Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB), Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM). Jawaisme Fest, a part of this event, attracted a diverse audience, including university students, INCULS students, FIB staff, and high school students visiting FIB UGM.

Jawaisme Fest is an exhibition of Javanese art, literature, and culture. Some of the cultural products displayed included Nusantara manuscripts, traditional Javanese everyday clothing from Yogyakarta, wayang kulit (shadow puppets), gamelan instruments, traditional customs and weton (Javanese astrological system), traditional games, and various other cultural items.

The Nusantara manuscripts on display included Javanese-script manuscripts, illustrated lontar manuscripts from Bali, and replicas of Batak manuscripts. Wayang kulit characters such as the Pandawa (Yudistira, Bima, Arjuna, Nakula, and Sadewa) and Punakawan (Semar, Gareng, Petruk, and Bagong) welcomed the visitors. Some of the gamelan instruments displayed included the saron, kendhang ciblon, kethuk, kempul, and gong. Traditional games like yo-yos, othok-othok hammers, othok-othok boats, bekel, slingshots or plintheng, bas basan, tops, and various other games evoked a sense of nostalgia for the past. The Javanese customs showcased included life cycles from birth to death, and an introduction to weton, sparking visitors’ curiosity to learn more.

The diverse cultural products exhibited successfully piqued visitors’ interest. They showed enthusiasm through various questions posed to the booth attendants. Visitors were also given the opportunity to try out traditional games, handle and play wayang kulit, play gamelan instruments, view Nusantara manuscripts, and try their luck at a prize draw booth.

The excitement didn’t end there; Jawaisme Fest will continue on the second day of the 13th Gugur Gunung, Tuesday, May 14, 2024, from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM WIB. The second day promises to be even more special with a Jathilan dance drama titled “Turangga Sastra Nuswantara” performed by students from the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture Program. The Jathilan dance drama will be made even more captivating by the presence of Lala Atila, a famous campursari singer, who will perform traditional Javanese singing during the show.

Author: Haryo Untoro