On 20 July 2024, Mohamad Yusuf, Lektor III/d from the Department of Anthropology, carried out Community Service activities on UGM Campus with the title ‘Writing Public Opinions’. The output of this activity is an opinion entitled ‘Building Tourism for What and For Whom?’, which is disseminated through newspapers. This opinion criticises the tourism development paradigm that currently focuses more on fulfilling the interests of large capitalist groups, while basic human values are often ignored.

In his writing, Yusuf voiced his concern over the direction and goals of tourism development, which is considered increasingly distant from the needs of local communities and humanity. He emphasises the importance of an approach that is more equitable and oriented towards common welfare, not just the benefits of a few parties. It is hoped that this opinion piece will spark further discussion and reflection on a more inclusive and sustainable future for tourism.

On Saturday, June 8, 2024, the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, held a course on Ethnography of the Sumatra Region which took place in the courtyard of the Soegondo building. The event, which began at 09.00 WIB until 14.00 WIB, aims to provide an in-depth understanding of the human and ethnic cultural dynamics in the Sumatra region and hone appreciation for local cultural forms and practices. The participants of this activity were all students of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences who took the Ethnography of the Sumatra Region course, totaling 74 students. In addition, the event was also attended by several INCULS students who participated as part of the program.

This practicum course in the form of cooking together is an affective supplement to build the affective side of students such as cooperation, discipline, dedication, ethics and responsibility. Through this joint cooking activity, students are expected to understand that food is not as simple as buying and enjoying. There is a cognitive process of recognizing taste, honing taste sensitivity through combination, which overall requires patience, accuracy, cooperation, and empathy. Furthermore, this process is expected to have a better attitude of appreciating food, not wasting food, and appreciating local food which is now starting to be abandoned.

The event began with a general explanation by the lecturer regarding the rules of the game, for example related to the order and time of implementation. Furthermore, the lecturer explained about the main types of spices used to cook rendang. All the spices were displayed on a table in front of Soegondo’s terrace. After enough explanation and questions and answers, each group took a ‘ration’ of 1 kilogram of beef that had been prepared, as well as the basic spices that had been prepared on display. For the spices, they took their own according to their own needs.

In the previous week, technical cooking issues had been discussed in class. Students are allowed to find their own rendang recipes. Therefore, it is possible that there are differences in additional spices and cooking techniques.  Some include brown sugar, some include grated coconut. There are also those who include turmeric leaves.

At 09.30am, the students returned to their desks and started cooking. While the students were cooking, the lecturers and their ‘assistants’ were also doing the same. The atmosphere became exciting. Moreover, it was also announced that there would be an assessment conducted by the ‘jury’. The judges were interns in the department who were actually tasked with documenting the activities. Because there will be this ‘assessment’ the students become excited. Several times students came to the lecturer’s desk to ask about cooking techniques or ask for additional spices. Some students were also seen making phone and video calls to their parents about the ‘correct’ cooking procedures. Although it was obvious that the majority of the students were not used to cooking, they were in good spirits. Occasionally shouting and chattering cheerfully. Occasionally came to the lecturer’s desk to compare his cooking with his group.

Finally at 12:30 the cooking program according to the agreement was stopped. Then the impromptu judges came to each group to give an assessment based on two criteria: appearance of cooking and taste. Based on the accumulated scores, group 3 became the champion for the flavor category, and group 4 became the best in terms of the appearance of rendang (looks very beautiful brown, apparently added brown sugar, and it makes it Jogja rendang). One interesting thing was also the creation of group 5 who made rendang with a soft and very light flavor, making it suitable for tourist consumption.

The event was closed with a brief review from the lecturer about the whole process and student impressions. The event was closed with a group photo and a meal together. Some students were even eager to join the queue for rendang made by the lecturer.In terms of achievements, this event can be said to be a success. As the main goal of the ethnography course is appreciation and respect for differences, this event clearly provided new experiences for students about nasi padang. They had never imagined that it would be that difficult to enjoy rendang rice. It takes time, commitment, and intelligence in organizing composition and technicalities. This made students realize to appreciate traditional food more, even if they can afford it.

Another important thing to emphasize is that lectures do not always have to be about reviewing and paper-oriented assignments. This activity is one of the ways that lectures can be more relaxed and enjoyable while still being critical and academic.

FERDEO, S.Sos., is a student of the Master of Anthropology program at Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, since August 2023. He is very committed to growing through his experiences, and is passionate about education. With more than five years of experience as a public speaker, Ferdeo currently serves as a Mental Health Ambassador and Postgraduate Ambassador at his university. In his role as a mental health ambassador, he contributes to creating a campus environment that supports student well-being. In addition, Ferdeo is active in academic and cultural activities at the national and international levels and is a frequent MC and moderator in various faculty and university events.

Currently, Ferdeo is also active in various organizations. Since August 2023, Ferdeo has served as a Mental Health Ambassador in the Mental Health Ministry of BEM KM Universitas Gadjah Mada, which focuses on student mental health advocacy through psychological education, research studies, mental health service monitoring, and collaboration with related parties. In his role, Ferdeo initiated and leads the advocacy program “Journey to Joy”, which is open to the general public in Yogyakarta. He is also a frequent speaker and advocate of mental health discussions in the Universitas Gadjah Mada community, faculties, and surrounding high schools. In addition to being honored as Gadjah Mada University’s Mental Health Ambassador, Ferdeo was also selected as Gadjah Mada University’s Postgraduate Ambassador from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences.

Ferdeo also has a lot of work experience as a freelancer since 2020, where he performed various roles with high professionalism. As a speaker, Ferdeo delivers engaging presentations at events on a variety of topics. As a Master of Ceremony, he organizes events smoothly and elegantly, while his skills as a moderator enable productive discussions and collaborations. In addition, Ferdeo also contributes as a model, adding elegance and credibility to visual representations. With more than five years of experience, he has spoken at many events, ranging from school and university events to regional, national, and international platforms. Since 2021, Ferdeo has also been active as a photography model for various salons and boutiques, as well as appearing as a runway model and usher at various regional events.

From his many experiences and achievements, it can be seen that he has various skills that support his performance both in work and other activities. Ferdeo is highly skilled in public speaking, interpersonal communication, problem solving, critical thinking, adaptation, time management, and working to achieve targets. He even received an A certificate in public speaking skill development training from the Directorate of Student Affairs (DITMAWA) Unit of Universitas Gadjah Mada. With a combination of strong skills and dedication in various fields, Ferdeo shows outstanding commitment in academic, professional, and organizational roles. His active role as a Mental Health Ambassador, his involvement in national and international events, and his expertise as a speaker, moderator, and model, make him an inspiring and influential figure in his community. Ferdeo continues to strive to advance her field of interest and contribute significantly to the well-being and development of her community.

On July 4-7, 2024, the Department of Anthropology held a Mega-Infrastructure Workshop with the main speakers, David Fernando Bachrach from University Boulder Colorado and Professor Pujo Semedi. This activity aims to open interest in anthropological research on mega-infrastructure. Mega-infrastructure refers to infrastructure projects that have a large scale and high complexity such as the construction of toll roads, bridges, ports, airports, power plants, mass transportation systems, and other projects that play an important role in supporting the economic growth of a country or region. While providing great benefits in the long run, mega-infrastructure projects often face challenges and controversies. Some of them can have significant environmental impacts, such as deforestation, land degradation, or pollution. In addition, these projects can also affect local communities, either positively or negatively, such as population displacement or changes in traditional living patterns.

The workshop provided a deep insight into the social, economic and cultural complexities involved in mega-infrastructure development. David Fernando Bachrach discussed the impact of globalization and technology on modern infrastructure, while Professor Pujo Semedi highlighted the role of infrastructure in social transformation and local identity. The discussions and presentations from both presenters provided a strong basis for participants to develop research interests in anthropology related to how mega-infrastructure directly and indirectly affects people’s lives. This workshop is expected to be the start of further collaboration between researchers and practitioners to delve deeper into the challenges and opportunities associated with infrastructure development in a changing global context.

SDGs 4: Quality Education | SDGs 4: Basic literacy | SDGs 4: Basic literacy skills | SDGs 4: Education for sustainability | SDGs 4: Education | SDGs 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth | SDGs 10: Education | SDG 11: Sustainable cities and communities | SDGs 12: Efficient use of resources | SDG 16: Peace justice and strong institutions | SDGs 16: Education

The Department of Anthropology at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) organized a public lecture addressing an important societal issue: the gap between knowledge and action. This work skills-related lecture was held on May 8, 2024, from 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM at Soegondo Building 707, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, UGM. The lecture was intended for undergraduate Cultural Anthropology students taking the work skills course but was also open to the public.

The keynote speaker at this event was Dr. Nicholas Goodwin, an expert in behavior change and CEO of Tulodo, a consultancy focused on promoting positive behavior change in society. Dr. Goodwin was accompanied by two work skills course lecturers, Dr. Pande Made Kutanegara, M.Si., and Prof. Dr. Bambang Hudayana, M.A., who provided additional contributions to the discussion.

In his lecture, Dr. Nicholas Goodwin highlighted a major societal issue: many people know what they should do but are either unable or unwilling to do it. An example provided was knowing the importance of doing good deeds but failing to implement them in daily life. “The gap between knowledge and behavior is often overlooked or considered the same, whereas they have significant differences,” stated Dr. Nicholas Goodwin.

According to Dr. Nicholas Goodwin, the lack of understanding of the difference between knowledge and behavior is the root of the problem. To address this, a better understanding is needed on how knowledge can be transformed into consistent and sustainable actions. Dr. Nicholas Goodwin also introduced the concept of “work skills pockets” developed by Tulodo, aimed at providing practical tools and strategies for individuals to change their behavior.

This public lecture aligns with the spirit of SDG number 4, which aims to provide quality education for all, and SDG number 8, which emphasizes the importance of creating decent work and sustainable economic growth. By enhancing the understanding of the difference between knowledge and behavior, and by developing comprehensive work skills pockets, it is hoped to contribute positively to achieving these SDG goals.

This work skills public lecture is expected to provide new insights for UGM Anthropology Department students on the importance of transforming knowledge into concrete actions in daily life. It is hoped that the knowledge gained from this lecture can be implemented by students in their roles in society to create positive and sustainable change.

Author: Afif Naufal Widiadi