Rampoe UGM, a dance community based on Aceh culture under the Faculty of Cultural Sciences at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), has once again brought pride to Indonesia with their remarkable achievements in the international arena. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, the Rampoe UGM team managed to participate in the prestigious “International Troya Folk Dance and Music Festival” held in Canakkale, Turkey from 2-6 July 2023, and the “Asia Art Festival” competition in Singapore from 11-15 July 2023.

In the “International Trojan Folk Dance and Music Festival”, Rampoe UGM was the only team representing Indonesia. The festival was held in the heart of Canakkale city and was attended by around 2,000 spectators, including high-ranking officials such as the mayor of Canakkale. The UGM Rampoe Team performed two dances, namely Ratoeh Pukat and Rapai Geleng-Meusaresare Medley. Despite the city not being familiar with Indonesian culture, the UGM Rampoe Team managed to showcase Indonesia’s rich identity and culture to the world, and their performance was recognised as the Best Performance in both performances.

This remarkable achievement was not limited to Turkey as the UGM Rampoe Team travelled to Singapore to participate in the “Asia Art Festival 2023”. In the competition, the team managed to win gold and was invited to perform at the Gala as Best Folk Dance Category, showcasing their magnificent performance of the Ratoeh Pukat dance.

The success of this diplomatic mission was made possible with the support of Mr Haidar Alwi, President of the Haidar Alwi Institute, and the sponsorship from Taman Sriwedari Solo. With the unwavering support of their sponsors, the UGM Rampoe Team has continued to make significant contributions to the international arena since 2010. It is worth noting that Rampoe UGM has already made remarkable achievements in France, Belgium, Spain, Taiwan, Malaysia, Czech Republic, and South Korea.

Overall, the successes of Rampoe UGM in Turkey and Singapore demonstrate Indonesia’s rich cultural identity, and the team’s fantastic performance serves as a testament to their dedication, hard work, and talent. We are proud of the UGM Rampoe Team and their achievements, and we look forward to their continued success in the future.

On August 25th, 2023, the Kagama Poetry Reading Community (KAPOETREN) organized a special event in collaboration with two other communities – the “Melati Rinonce” community of women Javanese poetry writers and the “Nyareng Boenga Ketjil” community. The event took place at the UGM Museum, Bulaksumur Blok D6-D7, and was aimed at commemorating the 78th Independence Day of the Republic of Indonesia, as well as promoting literature and poetry. The main highlight of the event was the launching of a collection of geguritan or Javanese poetry titled “Nyareng 2”. About 30 people from the three communities attended the event, and there was also a special guest appearance from the “Lincak” Community, whose members are students of the Faculty of Arts UGM. Overall, it was an insightful and enriching event that brought together like-minded individuals who share a passion for literature and poetry.

Fifteen talented poets graced the event with their evocative poetry readings, transporting the audience to a world of emotions. These poets hailed from various cities including Jombang, Sragen, Pacitan, Magelang, Semarang, and more, adding to the diversity of the event. The performances were not limited to traditional geguritan, as some poets presented their works in both Indonesian and English, showcasing their versatility and proficiency.

During the book launching session of “Nyareng 2”, one of the initiators of “Nyareng Boenga Ketjil” community, Didik Eros Sudarjono, expressed his frustration on the scarcity of Javanese-language poetry anthologies compared to Indonesian-language poetry. He traveled all the way from Jombang to attend the event. Sudarjono and his friends in the “Nyareng Boenga Ketjil” community are committed to preserving Javanese traditions and take this responsibility seriously.

It is interesting to note that Didik Eros Sudarjono, one of the initiators of Nyareng Boenga Ketjil, traveled all the way from Jombang to attend the book launching session of “Nyareng 2”. During the session, he expressed his frustration over the scarcity of Javanese-language poetry anthologies as compared to Indonesian-language poetry. To preserve Javanese traditions, he and his friends from the “Nyareng Boenga Ketjil” community are fully committed and serious.

Novi commends two Javanese tradition-focused communities, “Melati Rinonce” and “Nyareng Boenga Ketjil”. She specifically praises the latter for publishing two geguritan anthologies.

“This is a source of inspiration for us. KAPOETREN plans to publish an anthology of poetry specifically by members of our community,” Novi concluded.

The Indonesian Language and Literature Study Programme Faculty of Cultural Sciences recently organised a career briefing session for its students to provide them with valuable insights and guidance on navigating the job market after graduation. The event was held on Friday, 1 September 2023, at the Auditorium VII Floor Soegondo FIB offline and was moderated by Selvina Prisila, a talented student of Indonesian Language and Literature.

The keynote speaker for the event was Indah Fadhilla S.S., M.Hum, an esteemed alumnus of the Indonesian Language and Literature study programme who currently works as a lecturer at the Jakarta State Islamic University. Indah shared her own experiences and insights on building a successful career in academia, based on her experience in the field.

During her presentation, Indah raised the issue of the job prospects of literature graduates and shared several tips and strategies for recognising one’s own potential, overcoming failures, and exploring various career paths that are available for literature graduates. She encouraged the students to pursue their passion and never give up, even in the face of setbacks and obstacles.

Indah’s motivational and inspiring words struck a chord with the students, who were eager to learn more about how to start building their own careers in literature. The event was followed by a lively Q&A session, where students had the opportunity to ask Indah questions and share their own thoughts and ideas. The responses and questions received a warm and encouraging response from Indah, who was impressed with the enthusiasm and dedication of the students.

Overall, the career briefing session was a huge success and provided valuable guidance and insights for Indonesian Language and Literature students. The event was a reminder that with the right mindset, attitude, and strategies, anyone can achieve their career goals and aspirations, regardless of their background or circumstances.

UGM’s Faculty of Cultural Sciences is dedicated to preserving regional cultural values and promoting cultural development. Encouraging their students to participate in cultural festivals and events is just one of the ways they achieve this goal. The Menoreh Cultural Festival on Saturday, 26th August 2023 is a prime example of how the faculty is helping to preserve and celebrate the rich cultural heritage of the region.

The Faculty of Cultural Sciences at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) recently sent 25 students to participate in the Menoreh Cultural Festival held in Kulon Progo Regency. The festival, known as Kirab Budaya Kulon Progo, was organised by the Kulon Progo Regency Cultural Office and featured representatives from Yogyakarta, Central Java, East Java, and West Java.

The UGM students, who are members of Sastro Obah, performed the Angkrek dance and Gemufamire flashmob during the festival. They walked and danced interactively along the road with other contingents and were accompanied by musicians from the Anthropology student band, KawanAnt.

Mimi Savitri, the faculty’s Vice Dean for Research, Community Service, Cooperation, and Alumni, expressed her excitement for the event. “The performance was very interesting, and we hope it will spark creativity in the future,” she said.

The Kirab Budaya Kulon Progo also featured a competition, and the winning group was from SMKI Yogyakarta. The annual event in Kulon Progo has become highly anticipated by artists in Yogyakarta and beyond.

UGM’s Faculty of Cultural Sciences is dedicated to preserving regional cultural values and promoting cultural development. Encouraging their students to participate in cultural festivals and events is just one of the ways they achieve this goal. The Menoreh Cultural Festival is a prime example of how the faculty is helping to preserve and celebrate the rich cultural heritage of the region.

Meet M Deni Maulana, a talented student from the Indonesian Language and Literature study programme, batch of 2023. Deni has been chosen as a poetry reader for the much-awaited Independence concert by Gita Bahana Nusantara Republik Indonesia in 2023. This exciting event is being organized by the Ministry of Culture in collaboration with the Directorate General of Culture. It’s a big deal because Deni will join 199 other young participants from all over Indonesia, representing the 33 provinces, who are all part of Gita Bahana Nusantara (GBN) 2023.

This year is special as it marks the 20th anniversary of GBN’s involvement in national events. And for the very first time, they are getting ready to showcase their talents to a wider audience at the Gita Bahana Nusantara 2023 Independence Concert “Menembus Batas” (Breaking Boundaries). The concert will take place at the historic Fatahillah Museum in the Kota Tua Complex, Jakarta, on August 12th.