On Saturday, June 8, 2024, from 9:10 AM to 1:00 PM, undergraduate anthropology students from various cohorts and students from other study programs who took cross-departmental courses in anthropology participated in a rendang cooking event at the Selasar Soegondo Building, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM). This event was part of the Sumatra Ethnography course, which discusses Minangkabau culture, and aimed to instill respect and appreciation for cultural differences and ancestral heritage. The event was directly guided by the course supervisor, Agus Indiyanto, S.Sos., M.Si., who has ethnographic research experience in Minangkabau.

Rendang is a traditional Indonesian dish originating from Minangkabau, West Sumatra, known for its long cooking process to achieve rich flavors and tender meat texture. In this event, the rendang cooking process was done using a quicker method with two stoves: one for cooking the meat and the other for cooking the coconut milk, which would later be combined. The basic spices for cooking rendang were provided by the committee, but the students had to bring their own cooking utensils and were divided into seven groups, each consisting of 10-11 people.

The cooking activity began with a briefing from Agus Indiyanto about the ingredients and the method of cooking rendang. After the briefing, the students took the necessary ingredients and started the cooking process in their respective groups. Each group was free to innovate by adding their own additional spices, resulting in different rendang variations from each group. During the cooking process, the lecturer moved around to monitor and provide guidance to each group. Once finished, the rendang was presented to the lecturer for evaluation based on appearance and taste.

This quicker cooking process demanded a highly systematic method. Many groups failed because they did not stir the rendang continuously, even though one of the secrets to delicious rendang is the proper cutting technique and long cooking time. According to Agus Indiyanto, through this event, students became more understanding and appreciative of traditional food. Despite the significant effort required, this activity aimed to teach appreciation for cultural differences by experiencing firsthand how challenging it is to make traditional dishes.

Author: Afif Naufal Widiadi

SDGs 4: Quality Education | SDGs 5: Gender Equality

Yogyakarta, May 8, 2024 – The Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, in collaboration with the Department of Behavioral Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Michigan-Flint, USA, held a public lecture titled “Gender and Society in Indonesia.” The event took place on Wednesday, May 8, 2024, in Soegondo Building 709, Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM, and was attended by students from various study programs.

The public lecture featured three main speakers who are experts in gender issues. They were Sri Wiyanti Eddyono, S.H., LL.M., Ph.D. from the Faculty of Law UGM, Dr. Novi Kurnia, M.Si., M.A. from the Department of Communication UGM, and Dr. Suzie Handajani, M.A. from the Department of Anthropology UGM. These three speakers presented material that enriched the understanding of gender from various perspectives: legal, social, political, and cultural.

Sri Wiyanti Eddyono reviewed significant changes in laws and policies in Indonesia related to reproductive health and sexual rights over the past five years, including child marriage, sexual violence (including cyber sexual violence), abortion, sexual violence in higher education, and sexual violence in the workplace. She emphasized the need for evaluation at three levels: substantive law, legal structure, and legal culture. Dr. Novi Kurnia discussed gender politics in Indonesia, which creates ‘restricted spaces’ for women and queer individuals in public spaces, including in film, and underscored the importance of shared responsibility among educators, the government, the film community, audiences, and society to discuss these sensitive issues. Without the courage to challenge patriarchal-homophobic culture, inclusive diversity in Indonesia will only remain a dream. Meanwhile, Dr. Suzie Handajani provided an anthropological perspective on the dynamics of gender and sexuality in Indonesia, focusing on the concepts of motherhood and the hijab during the New Order era, explaining how history and culture influence views and practices related to gender in Indonesia.

Gender issues are highly relevant and important in Indonesia, especially in the context of current social and political developments. By presenting a multidisciplinary perspective, this public lecture aimed to provide comprehensive insights to students on the complexities of gender issues in Indonesia. Additionally, this event also aimed to encourage critical and constructive discussion, as well as increase awareness of the importance of gender justice in various aspects of life.

The public lecture “Gender and Society in Indonesia” not only enriched the knowledge of students but also formed part of UGM’s efforts to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly points 5 and 4. Point 5, which emphasizes gender equality and women’s empowerment, was reflected through discussions about policies and practices affecting the rights of women and gender minorities. Point 4, which guarantees inclusive and quality education, was realized through the provision of an educational platform involving academic and international perspectives. Through this activity, UGM is committed to shaping a generation sensitive to gender justice and actively contributing to creating a more equal world.

Author: Afif Naufal Widiadi

SDGs 1: Basic service | SDGs 4: Quality Education | SDGs 4: Education for sustainability | SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth | SDGs 8: Development oriented policy | SDG 10: Reduced inequality | SDGs 10: Development assistance | SDGs 10: Education | SDG 11: Sustainable cities and communities | SDGs 12: Efficient use of resources

Dr. Realisa Darathea Masardi was invited as a speaker by the Community Studies Unit (USIK) of Parahyangan Catholic University to discuss transnational migration. The discussion, which addressed the handling of refugees in Indonesia, was conducted via Zoom meeting on March 27, 2024, from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM. Participants included not only students from Unpar but also anthropology students from UGM, as well as researchers and migration activists in Indonesia. This migration study was discussed because it has become a growing global issue, with numbers increasing each year.

Dr. Realisa explained refugees by referring to The 1951 Refugee Convention, which defines a refugee as someone unable or unwilling to return to their home country due to factors such as persecution based on race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. She also noted that the causes of refugee situations have expanded to include extreme climate change, conflict, and economic crises.

Dr. Realisa, affectionately known as Mbak Lisa, discussed the findings of her dissertation research on refugee issues and her encounters with refugees in Jabodetabek, Medan, and Bogor. While discussing refugees, she also shared insights from her brief research on the Rohingya. According to her, since the 1990s, Indonesia has served as a transit point for asylum seekers before they set sail for Australia. However, in 2013, Australia implemented Operation Sovereign Borders, resulting in refugees facing waiting periods of 4-11 years.

Dr. Realisa also discussed Indonesian regulations on refugees and asylum seekers, specifically Presidential Regulation No. 125 of 2016 concerning the handling of refugees from abroad. This regulation only covers discovery, shelter, security, immigration supervision, and funding. It does not mention the rights and access afforded to refugees. The regulation outlines three durable solutions: voluntary repatriation, deportation, and resettlement. Local integration is not an option, which makes it difficult for refugees to sustain themselves, relying on assistance from relatives.

The discussion proceeded very well, touching on topics such as community empowerment of refugees through opening online stores managed by their community, educational scholarships provided by various universities to refugees, and experiences of the refugees, among others.

SDG 4: Quality education | SDGs 4: Access to education | SDGs 4: Education | SDGs 4: Education for sustainability 

Universitas Gadjah Mada has made achievements in the Program Kompetisi Kampus Merdeka (PKKM) organized by the Ministry of Education, Culture Research and Technology, Directorate General of Higher Education Research and Technology. UGM study programs that successfully received PKKM funding for the First Year 2024 were Chemistry, Food Technology and Agricultural Products and Agronomy. In this Second Year, the Cultural Anthropology Study Program was the only study program from Universitas Gadjah Mada that was again successful in qualifying to continue the programs that had been carried out in the First Year PKKM 2023. 

The Directorate of Institutions determines 169 study programs / MBKMISS as candidates for the Program Kompetisi Kampus Merdeka Assistance for the Second Year of Fiscal Year 2024. Study program/ISS-MBKM data can be seen in the attachment to the letter sent by the Directorate of Institutions to the Head of Higher Education on the attached list. Then they also congratulated the study programs /ISS-MBKM from the selected universities to continue the second year of PKKM.

Due to the partial blocking of the 2024 PKKM budget by the Directorate General of Budget at the Finance Ministry of the Republic of Indonesia, the effective implementation of the Second Year PKKM Fiscal Year 2024 is estimated to be for 5 (five) months. Previously, the Cultural Anthropology study program in the first year received DIKTI funds amounting to 1,339,964,000. In the second year, data verification is still being carried out for each study program that passes. We congratulate the Cultural Anthropology study program which is part of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences for its achievement in obtaining PKKM Funding in 2024. Hopefully it can develop sustainable innovations for the people of Indonesia.