Contributors: Nada & Jusma, 2026

Contributors: Nada & Jusma, 2026

The East Java Language Center (Balai Bahasa Provinsi Jawa Timur) held the 2026 Sutasoma Awards on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, at the M. Tabrani Building, East Java Language Center. Now in its 18th year, the Sutasoma Awards serve as a form of recognition for language and literature practitioners, communities, teachers, and other individuals and groups dedicated to the development, preservation, and advancement of language and literature.

This year’s event featured a panel discussion titled “Building a Literary Ecosystem in East Java,” followed by an awards ceremony recognizing achievements in seven categories: Literary Criticism, Literary Figures, Regional Language and Literature Teachers, Indonesian Language and Literature, Literary Communities, Regional Literary Works, and Indonesian Literary Works.

Among this year’s recipients was Romzul Falah, a master’s student in Literary Studies at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM). He received the 2026 Sutasoma Award in the Indonesian Literary Works category for his poetry collection Balai Desa dan Hantu-Hantu Nippon (dan Balada Orang-orang Batuputih) (The Village Hall and the Nippon Ghosts [and Ballads of the People of Batuputih]). The Sutasoma Awards are a prestigious recognition in the literary and literacy landscape, particularly in East Java.

Following a rigorous judging process conducted by a five-member panel chaired by Prof. Dr. Djoko Saryono, M.Pd., a professor of Indonesian Language and Literature Education at the Faculty of Letters, Universitas Negeri Malang (UM), Falah’s collection emerged as a standout work. The collection had previously been named a “Manuscript That Caught the Jury’s Attention” in the 2023 Poetry Manuscript Competition organized by the Jakarta Arts Council. It has now drawn further recognition for its innovative contribution to the poetry scene in East Java.

According to the jury’s official report for the 2026 Sutasoma Awards, the collection occupies a distinctive position in the landscape of contemporary poetry, particularly in East Java. At a time when much of East Java’s recent poetry has been dominated by lyrical forms, Falah takes a different approach, using narrative poetry to reconstruct a community’s collective memory, myths, and oral traditions.

The jury identified the collection’s structural coherence, from beginning to end, as one of its greatest strengths. The poetic world it creates was praised for its consistency, with no jarring transitions from one poem to the next. The collection also traces a thematic movement that swings from the distant, elevated, and fantastical toward the ordinary and fundamental, before ultimately returning to the earth.

Reflecting on the award, Falah expressed both joy and an awareness of the new responsibility it brings to his writing.

“First of all, of course, I’m happy that my poetry collection, Balai Desa dan Hantu-Hantu Nippon, has received an award from the East Java Language Center. At the same time, though, it feels like a kind of moral burden, because for me, an award is another way of expressing responsibility—specifically, the responsibility to return to writing poetry,” said the poet, who was born in 2000.

Falah also expressed his gratitude to the many people who contributed to the making of the book. He refers to it as “our book,” acknowledging that its writing and publication involved the efforts of many people, particularly his colleagues at Anagram Publishing, including Doni Ahmadi and editor Willy Fahmy Agiska. He also thanked his friends at Malatè Artspace, an arts community in Sumenep Regency, who offered feedback throughout the poetry-writing process.

In particular, Falah thanked his grandmother, who introduced him to the myths of his hometown when he was a child. These stories brought him closer to the lives and experiences of earlier generations and later became one of the sources he drew on in crafting his poems. Stories about life in Batuputih also provided material for the collection.

The 2026 Sutasoma Award recognizes the literary achievement of Balai Desa dan Hantu-Hantu Nippon (dan Balada Orang-orang Batuputih) while highlighting how poetry can serve as a space for transforming collective memory, mythology, oral traditions, and community experiences into contemporary literary expression.

For Falah, an FCS UGM student whose debut poetry collection is titled Sebuah Kota Yang Menculik Kita (A City That Kidnaps Us), the award does not mark the end of his literary journey. Instead, it represents a renewed responsibility to keep writing and to contribute to the development of poetry within Indonesia’s broader literary ecosystem.

During the panel discussion, Dr. Puji Retno Hardiningtyas, head of the East Java Language Center, explained that the Sutasoma Awards are part of the institution’s broader mandate to develop and promote language and literature.

“The Language Center plays a role in language preservation and public outreach, particularly in efforts to develop language and literature. One way we carry out this responsibility is by recognizing communities and practitioners working in language and literature. The Sutasoma Awards are how we have put that commitment into practice for the 18th time,” Retno said.

Based on her observations and experience in the field, among the 30 technical implementation units (UPTs) of language centers across Indonesia, the East Java Language Center remains committed to recognizing language and literature practitioners, communities, teachers, and others dedicated to the development of language and literature.

She also emphasized the crucial role of East Java’s literary works in enriching Indonesia’s linguistic and literary heritage. Works written in Javanese, Madurese, the Osing dialect of Javanese, and Indonesian, she noted, help expand the Indonesian lexicon while introducing regional languages and Indonesian through the richness of local wisdom.

“I believe that the works you produce—whether in Javanese, Madurese, the Osing dialect of Javanese, or Indonesian—serve as important milestones in enriching our vocabulary and introducing regional languages and Indonesian through the local wisdom expressed in your writing,” said Retno, who previously worked as a researcher at the Bali Language Center.

Retno further noted that writers, literary figures, communities, teachers, and language and literature practitioners in East Java make contributions that are just as strategically important as those of literary figures and works at the national level. The works produced by Sutasoma Award recipients, she said, represent a significant contribution with a broad impact on the development of Indonesian literature.

“This also demonstrates that the writers, literary figures, communities, teachers, and language and literature practitioners in East Java are every bit as capable as their counterparts at the national level. The works you have produced—including those of the seven recipients being recognized through this year’s Sutasoma Awards—have a far-reaching impact and play an important role in the development of Indonesian literature,” Retno said.

Author: Selvia Parwati Putri

The Japanese Language and Culture Study Program at Universitas Gadjah Mada welcomed a visit from Iwate University, Japan, on Monday, September 21, 2026. The visit gave students an opportunity to learn about history while interacting directly with Japanese students during the Indonesia–Japan Relations History class.

The activity began with discussions in small groups. Students from the Japanese Language and Culture Study Program had the opportunity to ask the visiting students questions about Japanese history before presenting the results of their discussions to the class.

However, the presentations brought an amusing surprise. It turned out that some groups had discussed not only Japanese history but also spent more time talking about food recommendations and interesting places to visit in Yogyakarta!

This moment showed how conversations can naturally take unexpected turns when students from two countries meet. Beyond learning about history, students also had the opportunity to exchange stories, get to know their Japanese peers more closely, and share everyday experiences.

The visit offered a memorable learning experience, demonstrating that learning a language and culture goes beyond classroom materials and can also take place through direct interaction. Who would have thought that a discussion about Japanese history could also turn into a session for discovering Jogja’s food spots!

Author: Sahla Naura Noor Sabrina

Students from the Japanese Language and Culture Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FIB UGM), have once again achieved an outstanding accomplishment in a Japanese language competition. The FIB UGM team won first place in the Chuukyuu (intermediate) category at the 23rd Kanji Cup, held on Saturday, October 10, 2026, at the Institute for Educational Development and Quality Assurance (LP3M), Universitas Negeri Surabaya (Unesa).

The competition was organized by the Consulate-General of Japan in Surabaya, IMC Center, and The Japan Foundation, Jakarta. Kanji Cup is a competition that tests participants’ proficiency in kanji, one of the essential components of Japanese language learning.

The FIB UGM team that won first place in the Chuukyuu category consisted of two students from the Japanese Language and Culture Study Program: Muhammad Alimahdi and Koeszahra Ganyo Saharasza. Both demonstrated strong abilities and teamwork as they tackled various challenges involving intermediate-level kanji proficiency.

This achievement highlights the ability of students from the Japanese Language and Culture Study Program at FIB UGM to apply the Japanese language knowledge they have acquired throughout their studies. Beyond testing kanji proficiency, the competition also provided an opportunity for students to develop accuracy, quick thinking, and teamwork in a competitive environment.

This accomplishment is expected to inspire other students to continue improving their Japanese language skills through academic activities and participation in various competitions. The Japanese Language and Culture Study Program at FIB UGM also hopes that this achievement will encourage continued improvements in learning and support students in realizing their potential and achieving success at broader levels.

Author: Bahasa dan Kebudayaan Jepang