Yogyakarta, June 9, 2026 – Students from the Master’s Program in Literature and the Undergraduate Program in Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture organized a manuscript exhibition titled Pusaka Kata (“Heritage of Words”) at the first-floor lobby of Soegondo Building, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), on Tuesday (June 9). Held from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., the exhibition served as a platform for academic collaboration, bringing together the fields of philology, Javanese manuscript studies, and codicology in an effort to preserve and revitalize the manuscript heritage of the Indonesian archipelago.
The exhibition involved graduate students from the Philology and Javanese Manuscript Studies classes, as well as undergraduate students from the Codicology class of the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture Program. The event was supervised by Prof. Dr. Sangidu, M.Hum., Dr. Arsanti Wulandari, S.S., M.Hum., and Zakariya Pamuji Aminullah, S.S., M.A.
Under the theme Pusaka Kata, the exhibition was inspired by the awareness that Nusantara manuscripts constitute invaluable intellectual and cultural heritage. These manuscripts preserve ancestral knowledge systems covering various aspects of life, including education, medicine, religious practices, and literature. However, beyond the threat of physical deterioration due to age, these manuscripts also face a growing challenge: the widening gap between younger generations and the knowledge contained within them.
The name Pusaka Kata was chosen to emphasize the significance of manuscripts as an intergenerational legacy. In Javanese tradition, pusaka refers not merely to an inherited object but to a trust passed down through generations, carrying values, identity, and responsibility. Meanwhile, kata (“words”) represents the medium through which knowledge has been preserved and transmitted from ancestors to future generations.
Interpreting Knowledge Preserved in Manuscripts
One of the highlights from the Philology class was a Malay-Islamic manuscript titled Kitab Jimat, Tangkal, dan Obat-obatan (Book of Talismans, Protective Charms, and Medicines). Digitized by the British Library through the Endangered Archives Programme (EAP), the manuscript contains knowledge related to self-protection, healing practices, and environmental safeguarding through prayers, Qur’anic verses, magical diagrams (rajah), and herbal remedies.
Fajar Nur Zaima explained that one of the most prominent sections of the manuscript discusses the virtues of Qur’anic verses, particularly the recitation of the basmalah. According to him, the manuscript presents the basmalah not merely as an opening formula but also as a source of blessings, protection, and safety in various aspects of life.
Another featured object was the section on talismans contained in Serat Primbon, a manuscript from the collection of the National Library of Indonesia, catalog number NB 973. This section includes at least twenty-nine types of talismans serving different purposes, ranging from attracting affection and maintaining health to ensuring safety and warding off misfortune.
Giandra Febriyan Haidar explained that talismanic texts can be understood as representations of how Javanese society perceived the relationship between humans, nature, and forces beyond everyday rationality. He cited a love talisman described in the manuscript as a means of gaining affection and social acceptance. In this context, he argued, talismans should not be viewed merely as magical objects but as symbols of human aspirations for harmonious social relationships.
Reading Manuscript Histories Through Physical Form and Aesthetics
The Javanese Manuscript Studies class presented research on the physical and aesthetic aspects of Javanese manuscripts. One exhibition item focused on a manuscript written in Javanese script, currently preserved in the Department of Nusantara Literature Library under the code 899.047.
Through this study, visitors were invited to understand manuscripts not only as textual repositories but also as cultural artifacts that document copying practices, literary traditions, and histories of ownership and transmission. Elements such as paper type, binding structure, script, and physical damage provide valuable information about a manuscript’s journey through time.
The class also showcased a study of manuscript illumination titled Wêdana Gapura Rênggan. The manuscript contains several texts, including Aji Pamasa, Mihradipun Jêng Nabi, Rajah Kalacakra, Jumbuhing Panembah, and Lêlampahanipun Raden Sahid.
Affan Akbar explained that manuscript illuminations serve not only as decorative elements but also as important sources of information regarding manuscript production processes. Observations of unfinished sketches and coloring revealed that the text had been written before the ornamental designs were added. Such findings provide insights into the stages undertaken by manuscript scribes in producing complete handwritten works.
Codicology and Creative Approaches to Manuscript Preservation
Meanwhile, the Codicology class introduced visitors to the study of manuscripts from a material perspective. Codicology examines manuscripts as physical objects, including their writing materials, binding techniques, ornaments, layouts, and patterns of damage that record traces of their historical use.
In addition to presenting research findings, students displayed practical projects such as manuscript covers, storage boxes, and hand-bound books accompanied by interpretive narratives.
One work that attracted particular attention was created by Arfia Kholifatul, who adopted the Javanese wayang character Semar as the central theme of her bookbinding and cover design. Through imagery inspired by shadow puppetry and botanical motifs, the work interpreted Javanese philosophical values such as urip iku urup—the belief that life should bring benefits to others. The upward-growing leaves and vines symbolized the continuous pursuit of truth and the sustainability of life.
Through the collaboration of these three academic fields, the Pusaka Kata Exhibition offered a comprehensive perspective on manuscripts as living cultural heritage. Rather than being regarded merely as historical artifacts preserved in archives, manuscripts were presented as enduring sources of knowledge that can continue to be read, understood, and reinterpreted by contemporary generations.
Author: Khotibul Umam
