Yogyakarta, February 13, 2026 – The Faculty of Cultural Sciences at Universitas Gadjah Mada held a screening of When The Water Horse Seeks A New Home at the 7th Floor Auditorium of Soegondo Building on Friday (13/2) at 2:00 p.m. WIB. The event was attended by Cultural Anthropology students of the Faculty and presented a cinematic work that traces the journey of Rohingya refugees through the story of a small object washed ashore on the coast of Aceh.

Written and directed by Andrianus Oetjoe Merdhi, the film is based on the discovery of a small plastic animal figurine left behind on an abandoned boat once used by Rohingya refugees. The vessel was found stranded on a remote beach in Aceh, nearly two thousand kilometers from the figurine’s place of origin. The small object serves as a silent marker of human movement, loss, and resilience amid displacement.

According to its synopsis, the film follows the object’s journey across oceans and borders in search of its owner. This search unfolds the human story behind the experiences of refuge and forced displacement endured by the Rohingya community.

The project was co-produced by Gerhard Hoffstaedter of the University of Brisbane. The production received support from the University of Bielefeld and Volkswagen Stiftung. The screening, attended by Cultural Anthropology students of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM, provided a space for discussion on migration, identity, and collective memory. Through a reflective visual approach, the film invites audiences to understand the human dimension of cross-border displacement.

By focusing on a simple object, the film underscores that every trace left behind holds a story. Revisiting such traces becomes an important step in fostering empathy, broadening perspectives, and sustaining humanitarian values amid ongoing global dynamics.

[Public Relations of FIB UGM, Candra Solihin]

Yogyakarta, August 20, 2025 — The Cultural Anthropology Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB), Universitas Gadjah Mada, has once again opened its Gender and Sexuality class, a regular part of the department’s semester curriculum. This semester, the class is scheduled every Wednesday from 7:15 to 9:45 a.m., running from August 20 to December 5, 2025, at the R. Soegondo Building, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, UGM.

The course aims to provide a critical understanding of the distinctions between sex, gender, and sexuality. Through this class, students are encouraged to grasp why these distinctions have become increasingly significant amid the changing dynamics of modern society.

A wide range of topics are discussed, including sexual taboos, sexual identity, and expressions of gender in everyday life. The course also examines how gender identity intersects with other aspects such as social class, ethnicity, race, age, and religion. Using an intersectional approach, students are guided to understand how multiple identities shape individual experiences within society.

Beyond theoretical discussion, the course also highlights the social and cultural implications of gender and sexuality issues, especially in the context of Indonesia and Southeast Asia. Students are encouraged to think critically, question social norms, and appreciate the diversity of human experiences while remaining grounded in local contexts.

The Gender and Sexuality class is open to students from the Cultural Anthropology Study Program and other departments within the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, UGM. It serves as an important academic space for anyone interested in exploring gender, sexuality, and identity studies from an anthropological perspective, while broadening their understanding of the complexities of contemporary social life.

Photo: Freepik.com

[Public Relations of FIB UGM, Candra Solihin]

On October 1, 2024, the Folklore Class of the Cultural Anthropology Undergraduate Study Program, Department of Anthropology held a cultural workshop by inviting a guest lecturer. This Folklore class was taught by Dr. G.R. Lono Lastoro Simatupang, M.A. and Mubarika D.F.N, M.A. and what attracted the attention of the students this workshop discussed the Polonez Dance. The dance is an intangible cultural heritage from Poland. The material was delivered by Dr. Marzanna Popławska from the University of Warszawa, Poland. The workshop successfully highlighted the specialty of Polish performing arts and showed how intangible cultural heritage can optimize its role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The opening began with a warm welcome from Dr. Marzanna Popławska in Polish, “dzień dobry,” or “good morning” in Indonesian. The atmosphere immediately became intimate with the enthusiasm of the participants who wanted to learn more about the history and meaning of the Polonez Dance. Dr. Marzanna Popławska has been researching cultural heritage both in Poland and in other countries for more than 10 years, and has experience in studying the development of cultural heritage in Indonesia, which further enriched the discussion during the event.

The history and meaning of the Polonez or Polonaise Dance comes from the French “polish” which means “from Poland”, so this dance is one of the famous traditional dances from Poland. Its history can be traced to the Middle Ages and Renaissance with the name Polonaise becoming widely known in the 18th century. Dr. Popławska explained that Polonez is a very important intangible cultural heritage for Poland, being a symbol of nationality, honor, and unity. In 2015, Polonez Dance was recognized as Poland’s national dance alongside four other traditional dances. In 2019, Polonez was listed as one of the elements of Poland’s intangible cultural heritage and in 2023 Polonez Dance was officially recognized by UNESCO as a World Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Polonez is a unique dance because it harmonizes performing arts with aspects of anthropology and folklore. This dance is not just a tradition or ritual, but a living and dynamic culture in Polish society. Polonez is also often performed at various state and ceremonial events, with costumes varying depending on the region of origin of the dancers. In Kraków, for example, dancers wear royal costumes and traditional clothes that reflect the nuances of Polish history.

In relation to the SDGs, Dr. Marzanna Popławska also emphasized the importance of preserving cultural heritage such as Polonez Dance in a global context, especially in supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In particular, Polonez Dance contributes to the achievement of SDG 11, namely “Sustainable Cities and Communities”, which aims to protect and maintain the world’s cultural heritage as part of the sustainability of communities and cities. Polonez Dance as an intangible cultural heritage has a vital role in maintaining the cultural identity of a nation while promoting togetherness, equality and harmony in its society. With its characteristic slow movements, Polonez Dance has signaled the values of honor, cooperation, and unity needed in the era of globalization. This is also in line with SDG 4, namely “Quality Education”, where the preservation of traditional culture provides a rich education about history and cultural identity to the younger generation, both at home and abroad.

In conclusion, this workshop not only successfully introduced the beauty and depth of meaning of Polonez Dance to the participants, but also showed how intangible cultural heritage can contribute to the achievement of sustainable global development goals. Through Polonez Dance, people can learn about the importance of appreciating cultural diversity and promoting universal values such as unity, honor, and peace.

The event was closed with an interactive Q&A session, where participants had the opportunity to ask more about Dr. Marzanna Popławska’s experience in researching intangible cultural heritage in various countries, as well as how Polonez Dance can continue to be preserved in the midst of modernization and changing times. This workshop inspired the participants to continue preserving and promoting their own cultural heritage, while supporting the achievement of the SDGs through education, cultural preservation, and international collaboration.

Muhammad Lodhi Firmansyah
Photo: Puspita Nindya Sari
Translator: Sandya Kirani