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.

On Wednesday, July 31, 2024, Prof. Bambang Hudayana delivered a public lecture on culture as part of the Opening Ceremony of Pionir Kampung Budaya 2024. This lecture successfully captured the attention of many participants with its highly relevant and profound topic on the importance of becoming a cultural activist.

In his presentation, Prof. Bambang emphasized the importance of being a cultural activist. According to him, cultural activists must have awareness and sensitivity towards cultural issues present in society. He also stressed the roles of companion and cultural advocate that these activists must undertake. He added that promoting regional culture is crucial as it holds significant value for our lives.

Moreover, he highlighted that whatever is taught at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences at UGM always includes cultural elements that can serve as guidelines for empowering our culture.

Prof. Bambang also raised the issue of gender equality in all aspects of life. He reminded us that our culture contains values that elevate the dignity of women, making it essential to continue empowering them.

This public lecture provided valuable insights to the participants about the importance of preserving, maintaining, and empowering local culture. Prof. Bambang Hudayana successfully conveyed important messages that inspired the participants to become cultural activists committed to the preservation and development of culture in Indonesia.

Wednesday, July 31, 2024, marked a historic day for the Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB) at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) with the opening of Pionir Kampung Budaya 2024. The event was held in the front yard of the Margono Building, commonly known as Greenland, and was celebrated with great enthusiasm.

The event was officially opened by Prof. Setiadi, Dean of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM. In his speech, Prof. Setiadi introduced the vice deans, heads of study programs, and unit coordinators at FIB UGM. “I hope the students get to know the people who will assist them during their studies at FIB UGM,” said Prof. Setiadi. This introduction aimed to create a closer and more familiar relationship between students and the faculty, fostering a conducive and supportive learning environment.

The event’s excitement continued with various performances from semi-autonomous bodies (BSO) of FIB UGM. Among them were Sastra Oebah with a captivating theater performance, Rampoe with energetic traditional Acehnese dances, and Buchaechum showcasing the elegant and mesmerizing Korean fan dance.

Another highlight was a cultural discussion session featuring Prof. Bambang Hudayana as the speaker. This discussion covered current issues in the cultural world and how students can actively participate in the preservation and development of local culture. This session served as an inspirational moment that motivated students to delve deeper into and appreciate the cultural wealth they possess.

Additionally, there was a sharing session with successful alumni from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences. There was also a session led by Mrs. Erika Purnawati, S.Kom., M.Cs., about the administrative procedures for borrowing rooms and facilities at FIB UGM.

The Opening of Pionir Kampung Budaya 2024 was not only an introduction and entertainment event but also a means to strengthen the relationship between students and the faculty and enrich cultural insights. With high spirits, it is hoped that FIB UGM students will continue to contribute to preserving and developing Indonesian culture.

Decolonization is an important issue that continues to be studied in the social sciences these days. The effort to break away from Western hegemony, which is a legacy of colonialism, is a long road that is being traveled, especially for Global North thinkers. This effort was also evident in a forum entitled Who Can Speak and What We Can Speak About held at AAS, Gadjah Mada University, July 11, 2024.

In this forum, there were 6 speakers who presented their research results. The common threads of the presentations were about the fate of others, the struggle for human rights, and efforts to uncover the Global North-Global South power relations.

The first speaker was Lili Chen from the National University of East Timor. In her presentation, she explained the dynamics of life for LGBT people in Timor Leste. After independence from Indonesia, LGBT people in Timor Leste are quite progressive. Compared to Indonesia, this group is also much more accepted. This can be seen from the Pride Parade that they can participate in in Dili every year. However, this does not mean that their lives are completely safe. In a country with a highly religious Christian population, LGBT people are still discriminated against. However, there are efforts made by LGBT people to negotiate this. For example, they try to continue to explore pre-colonial local culture, which actually also recognizes the concept of gender outside heteronormativity.

Still related to gender issues, Carol Rodriguez Bello Dawonlay from the University of Philippines, discussed various indigenous women’s groups in the Philippines against child marriage and gender violence. Meanwhile, Anna Christi Suwardi from Mae Fah Luang University, also discussed the role of women in efforts to resolve conflicts in Southern Thailand.

Faryal Khan from the Bonn International Center for Conflict Studies (BICC) discussed the military conflict in South Waziristan, Pakistan. According to Khan, the conflict involving the state and various tribes became prolonged, because the state took a military approach to resolve it.

Faryal Khan’s presentation was also linked to that of Amjad Hassan from the National University of Modern Language Peshawar. Hassan, who is also from Pakistan, criticized the state’s approach to resolving various violent conflicts in Pakistan. According to Hassan, Pakistani policymakers, think tanks and intellectuals still take a Western approach, especially the realist, positivistic and capitalist modernity approach. This is highly ineffective as Pakistan will always fail to address the root cause of all modern conflicts, which is actually the West itself. According to Hassan, the West, especially America, is the elephant in the room that has failed to be identified. Therefore, it is important to map the extent of their interests behind these violent conflicts.

Meanwhile, Gopale Amarnath discussed the problem of health facilities in the Gadchiroli region of Maharashtra, India, which is an area of conflict between the government and left-wing extremists. According to Amarnath, the presence of these extremist groups has made the region discriminated in terms of health policy. Amarnath expressed concern about the poor health facilities and lack of doctors in the area. In addition, the lack of child care facilities, maternal delivery, and proper buildings, also complicates the problem. Moreover, the military also often enters hospitals or health centers to conduct inspections, which makes health workers worried.

In general, the forum also discussed research methods based on the spirit of decolonization. There are at least three points that researchers who go into the field should do. First, they should listen more. Second, research must be based on consent, or the agreement of both parties. Third, do no harm, or do not hurt the physical and emotional well-being of the group being visited.  This forum is very important because it shows how field research methods can explore problems in depth, but also based on empathy for affected communities. This is also a form of decolonization, especially of anthropological research methods that used to objectify the indigenous population. Decolonization is not only a result, but also a process.

Author: Ari Bagus Panuntun

On Wednesday, July 24, 2024, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) held a graduate program graduation for period III of the 2023/2024 academic year with a different feel. The event that took place at Grha Sabha Pramana was opened with a cucuk lampah procession by students of the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture Study Program who are members of Ratnaraya, the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture Study Program Student Dance unit.

The students who performed in the cucuk lampah procession included Dhiny, Nanda, Audrey, and Ganes. The procession was followed by the rector of Universitas Gadjah Mada, Prof. dr. Ova Emilia, M.Med.Ed., Sp.OG(K)., Ph.D., chairman of Kagama Pusat, Ganjar Pranowo, and the deans of Universitas Gadjah Mada’s master program. They were accompanied by gending Sesanti Gadjah Mada, a composition created by Djoko Walujo.

In an interview conducted on July 26, 2024, Audrey, one of the students who participated in the procession, expressed her experience. “Usually we perform traditional dances in an event, but this time we did the cucuk lampah tradition, accompanying the Rector, Mr. Ganjar, and the postgraduate deans. This is a very memorable new experience for us,” she explained.

Reported in desatepus.gunungkidulkab.go.id (2023, September 07), the cucuk lampah tradition is a traditional Javanese wedding tradition in the form of a procession, accompanying the bride and groom to the aisle. The position of the cucuk lampah dancers is in front, followed by pager ayu and pager bagus, the bride and groom, and the bridal family. The purpose of cucuk lampah for Javanese people is as a repellent that can interfere with marriage. However, in this postgraduate graduation ceremony, the tradition is adjusted so that it is relevant to the atmosphere and purpose of the event.

The preservation of Indonesian traditions and culture has deep aesthetic, teaching, and philosophical values. Activities such as these demonstrate effective efforts in preserving and passing on the nation’s identity with adjustments to the relevance of the times. Cooperation from various parties is needed to encourage cultural preservation and inheritance. By presenting cucuk lampah in the graduation ceremony, thus, the presence of cucuk lampah in the graduate program graduation ceremony is in accordance with the 4th point of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s), namely improving the quality of education, and the 17th point, namely partnerships to achieve goals.

Author: Haryo Untoro

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Desatepus.gunungkidulkab.go.id (2023, September 07), Cucuk Lampah dalam Pernikahan Jawa: Simbolisme dan Tradisi yang Mengesankan. Diakses pada 29 Juli 2024, dari https://desatepus.gunungkidulkab.go.id/first/artikel/2708-Cucuk-Lampah-dalam-Pernikahan-Jawa–Simbolisme-dan-Tradisi-yang-Mengesankan#:~:text=Cucuk%20Lampah%20adalah%20salah%20satu,keindahan%20dan%20makna%20dalam%20pernikahan.