Friday, August 9, 2024 – In the framework of the 69th Anniversary of the Faculty of Economics & Business (FEB) Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), a women’s volleyball match was held which brought together the FEB UGM team with the Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB) UGM team. The match was held at 07.30 WIB at the FEB UGM Volleyball Court, which is located next to Pertamina Tower.

Although the match was won by the FEB UGM team, FIB UGM’s participation in this event received high appreciation. The FIB UGM team showed great spirit and enthusiasm, and enjoyed every moment of the game. The joy and spirit of sportsmanship shown by the UGM Faculty of Arts team added to the festive atmosphere in this 69th Anniversary celebration.

FIB UGM was very happy to be able to enliven the event organized by their neighboring faculty and hopes that similar activities can continue to strengthen relations between faculties and create more opportunities for collaboration in the future.

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.

Davina Santosa, a student from the Tourism Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, had the opportunity to undertake the Community Service Program (KKN-PPM UGM) on Nusi Island, Padaido Islands, Biak Numfor Regency, Papua. Together with the KKN team “Biak Elok,” they began their journey on June 29, 2024, under the guidance of Dr. Eng. Ir. R. Rachmat A. Sriwijaya, S.T., M.T., IPM., ASEAN, and will complete their activities on August 20, 2024.

Davina chose to join this team because she wanted to explore the lives of people outside Java. She was interested in understanding the social, cultural, and economic aspects of the local community. Davina felt it was important to know the characteristics of the community, the social approaches they take, and the challenges they face daily.

On Nusi Island, Davina and her team identified several key issues that need attention. First, there is economic disparity where job options are very limited as fishing is their only option. Second, accessibility to meet daily needs is very difficult. Third, lack of basic knowledge about cleanliness and health. Fourth, the allocation of village funds is uneven.

Their KKN theme is “Development of Tourism Potential and Human Resource Improvement Based on Community-Based Tourism Framework to Achieve Independence, Inclusivity, and Sustainability on Nusi Island, Padaido District, Biak Numfor Regency, Papua.” In implementing this program, Davina found that there was no active tourism awareness group in the Padaido Islands. The last one was in Samberpasi, formed by the Biak Elok KKN Team in 2019, but it is no longer active. This shows that public awareness of the importance of sustainable tourism management is still very limited.

Additionally, Davina also found that community knowledge about waste management is very lacking. In Nusi and several other islands such as Samberpasi, Pasi, and Auki, garbage bins are rarely found in residents’ homes. Organic waste is usually given to their pets such as dogs and pigs, while other waste is collected and burned. Therefore, one of their KKN programs focuses on educating about better and sustainable waste management.

Despite the social issues they face, Nusi Island has extraordinary natural wealth. The sea water, which is still relatively unpolluted, is a clear blue. Additionally, there are many World War II relics both on land and in the sea, such as the foundations of war vehicle runways in every house on Wundi Island.

The culture of sirih pinang here becomes a social interaction medium. Additionally, traditional dances like Yospan and various musical instruments such as tifa are part of the rich culture. The community also has interesting Christian worship traditions; if there is grief or a send-off of children for education, it is celebrated with worship from night until dawn. Furthermore, they believe that Sunday is God’s day, so they are not allowed to work. Children attend Sunday school every Sunday at 8 a.m., followed by church service at 9 a.m.

Socially, the people of Nusi Island are very friendly. There is a market day, which is a day when the market is held. Market days are held three times a week, namely on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, they usually go fishing, and their catch will be sold the next day on market day. Because not all residents have boats, they often hitch rides to the market in the city, which adds to the closeness among the residents.

After several weeks living in Nusi, Davina experienced the simple and full-of-struggle life of the community to meet their daily needs. Limited infrastructure and electricity make it difficult for the community to explore new things that could support their livelihoods or improve their quality of life. One of the challenges they face is that electricity is only available for 12 hours a day, from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. As a result, ice blocks are very difficult to find. In fact, ice blocks could be used to preserve their catch, which could create new business opportunities such as making shredded fish, fish sticks, etc.

In addition to having the opportunity to explore the easternmost region of Indonesia, Davina also learned that economic and educational disparities still exist. People on the other side of Papua still really need help, both in terms of funding, accessibility, infrastructure, and knowledge expansion. However, despite living in simplicity, they can still be happy.

The KKN experience on Nusi Island provided many valuable lessons about the lives of Papuans, especially those on Nusi Island, Padaido Islands, Biak Numfor Regency, Papua. With enthusiasm and hard work, Davina and her team hope that this KKN program can contribute positively to the development of tourism potential and human resource improvement in the Padaido Islands, Biak Numfor Regency, Papua.

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.

Organized by the Department of Anthropology, Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta, Indonesia on Monday, July 8, 2024 at Soegondo Building room 709, Faculty of Humanities, Gadjah Mada University, this one-day workshop was conceived to stimulate dialogue between different geographical, political, and economic views on migration in the Global South, while exploring opportunities to enhance scholarly exchange among participants. The event was able to provide a platform to discuss diverse approaches to migration, including knowledge creation, dynamics, methods, ethics, and case studies from different regions in the Global South. The aim of the Workshop was also to provide participants with the necessary skills to disseminate their ideas more widely and engage in contemporary debates on migration in the South.

Opening remarks were delivered by Mr. Kamran Asdar Ali as Former President of AAS and Mimi Savitri, M.A., Ph.D. as Vice Dean for Research, Community Service, Cooperation and Alumni of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada. Then the participants and mentors introduced themselves one by one before presenting the work of their respective groups. The next agenda was Rethinking Interconnectivity which was guided by Dr. Realisa D. Massardi/Dr. Furrukh Khan/Dr: Jerónimo Delgado-Caicedo. This was followed by breakaway sessions discussing interconnectivity in the global south and how the concept relates to their research. Participants then presented again, this time on their findings. At the end of the program, there was a discussion to answer any unanswered questions.