YOGYAKARTA – To commemorate its 80th anniversary, the Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB) at UGM held a volleyball tournament specifically for educational staff on Friday (July 3, 2026). The event, which took place on the field in front of the Margono Building at FIB, was intended as an expression of gratitude and an opportunity to strengthen solidarity among educational staff.

The event, attended by approximately 50 participants, was officially opened at 7:00 a.m. WIB by the Dean of the Faculty of Humanities at UGM, Mr. Setiadi, S.S., M.Hum., who served the first ball.

The matches were fiercely contested starting from the semifinals. In the men’s category, the competition was divided into four teams based on color: white, blue, red, and yellow. After a long and dramatic rally, the red team emerged as the champion after defeating the blue team in the final, followed by the yellow team in third place. Meanwhile, in the women’s category, the yellow team dominated and successfully claimed first place after securing a decisive victory over the green team.

The high level of enthusiasm came not only from the players but also from the supporters, who were cheering loudly from the sidelines. Yazid, a part-time staff member in the FIB Public Relations Office, also shared in this excitement.

“Today’s competition was so exciting. I hope events like this will continue in the future as a form of solidarity among the faculty and staff of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences,” he said on the sidelines of the event.

The night atmosphere in Wringinputih Tourism Village, Muncar District, Banyuwangi Regency, looks different from typical rural areas due to the vast fields brightly illuminated by thousands of hanging lights. This unique phenomenon was witnessed directly by the UGM Student Community Service (KKN-PPM) team of Muncar Memancar 2026, who participated in dragon fruit farming activities with local farmers on June 26, 2026. Through direct involvement in the field, the students had the opportunity to learn about the local knowledge systems and cultural adaptations that the community applies to optimize their agricultural yields.

This intensive nighttime farming activity occurs because dragon fruit flowers only fully bloom at night and will wither the next morning. Due to the lack of natural pollinating agents in the plantation during those hours, local farmers take over this role by conducting manual artificial pollination, which the locals often refer to as “marrying” the flowers. In addition to manual pollination, the installation of hanging lights among the plants also serves to provide artificial lighting. This ensures the plants receive longer light exposure, stimulating the dragon fruit trees to continue flowering and producing out of season.

Besides pollination techniques and light manipulation, the students also gained new insights into the farmers’ strategies for dealing with bad weather. When it rains at night precisely when the flowers are blooming, the farmers swiftly snap the flower stem fibers slightly so that the flower faces downward without detaching from the tree. This tactical step is intentionally taken so the upper part of the flower crown can act as a natural umbrella. It protects the sensitive pollen from the rain, ensuring the fertilization process does not fail due to rotting.

The farming practices in Wringinputih Village ultimately form a circular and sustainable integrated agricultural agroecosystem. As a substitute for concrete pillars, farmers utilize live kapok trees as supporting poles and shade to prevent the dragon fruit stems from being damaged by extreme sun exposure. When the kapok tree leaves grow too thick, farmers trim them to be used as feed for cattle or goats. The manure from these farm animals is then reprocessed through fermentation into organic fertilizer to re-enrich the dragon fruit plants and the kapok trees.

This close interaction between human activities, technology utilization, and environmental management attracts attention from a social and cultural sciences perspective. Adinda, an Anthropology student from the UGM Faculty of Cultural Sciences class of 2023 who was involved in the KKN activities, shared her views during this field learning process.

“From the dragon fruit pollination technique, we can see that in farming practices, humans play a role in helping to optimize natural processes so that the production yield is maximized. When viewed from an anthropological perspective, this indicates a reciprocal relationship between humans and the environment. Humans use the knowledge they have to support the pollination process, while nature remains the source of life that sustains human activities,” she explained.

Adinda further explained that this dragon fruit farming knowledge is not simply generated overnight, but is shaped through continuous experience, observation, and interaction with the environment. From that process, the community can understand when the flowers bloom, how to assist their pollination, and the steps that can be taken to ensure the plants produce fruit more optimally. This relationship shows that agriculture is not solely seen as a production process, but also as a form of interaction, adaptation, and knowledge built by humans in living side by side with their environment.

Through the integration of local knowledge, the use of lighting technology, and the application of an integrated farming system, the community of Wringinputih Village has successfully created independent economic resilience. The dynamics of this nocturnal farming activity prove that the success of a commodity does not solely depend on large-scale equipment modernization. Rather, it depends on the human ability to read nature’s signs, adapt, and build harmony with the surrounding ecosystem.

[Public Relations of FIB UGM, Candra Solihin]

The Korean Language and Culture Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), held a public lecture entitled “The Strategic Profession of Sworn Translators.” The event featured Anisa Syifa Amalia, S.S., M.I.S., a sworn translator for Indonesian–Korean and Korean–Indonesian language pairs, as well as an alumna of the Korean Language and Culture Study Program, Class of 2011. The lecture was open to all students of the study program and was mandatory for students enrolled in the Korean Comprehensive Language 2 course.

During the session, the speaker shared her professional journey as a translator and explained the vital role of sworn translators in supporting legal affairs, business activities, and international cooperation. Students were introduced to various aspects of the profession, including the code of ethics, competency standards, certification process, as well as the challenges and career opportunities emerging in the era of technological advancement and artificial intelligence (AI). The speaker also emphasized the importance of maintaining accuracy, professionalism, and accountability in translation work, particularly when dealing with documents that carry legal implications.

Through this public lecture, students gained broader insights into the profession of sworn translators as a promising career path for graduates of Korean Language and Culture Studies. The event also provided a practical understanding of the competencies that students need to develop early on in order to remain competitive and contribute effectively in professional environments.

It is hoped that this activity will encourage students to continuously enhance their language proficiency, strengthen their professionalism, and prepare themselves for various career opportunities that require linguistic expertise and intercultural communication skills in the future.

Author: Eunike Serafia N.S

Students of the Undergraduate Archaeology Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, participated in a field visit on iconography at Plaosan Temple, Klaten, on Sunday (June 7, 2026). Led by Sir Aditya Revianur, M.Hum., the activity introduced students to Buddhist iconography through direct observation of statues and reliefs found within the temple complex. During the visit, students learned to identify various visual attributes, postures, and symbolic elements that play an important role in recognizing Buddhist figures in archaeological remains.

In addition to learning the fundamentals of Buddhist iconography, students were assigned to describe selected statues and reliefs observed during the visit. This exercise provided an opportunity to develop observation and documentation skills while engaging directly with archaeological remains. By studying the monuments firsthand, students were able to connect classroom knowledge with practical field experience and gain a deeper understanding of iconographic studies in archaeology.

Nama Penulis: Muhammad Irsyad

Pemilik Foto: Aditya Revianur, M.Hum.

Jakarta, May 29, 2026 – Students of the Korean Language and Culture Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada once again achieved remarkable accomplishments at The 24th K-Speech Contest organized by the K-Speech Eloquence Association Indonesia at Korea 360 Hall, Lotte Shopping Avenue, Jakarta.

The competition was attended by students from various universities across Indonesia who demonstrated their Korean language proficiency through speech contests in several categories. Through this event, participants not only sharpened their foreign language skills, but also developed self-confidence, public communication abilities, and teamwork within an international competitive environment.

In this year’s competition, the Korean Language and Culture Study Program of UGM sent a total of 33 students consisting of 5 individual category participants, 1 big group team, and 7 small group teams. The big group team successfully won 1st Place in its category. In addition, Group Team 2 consisting of Justin Liepangi, Jemima Abigail Tirza Sitindaon, and Mila Najatul Maula secured 2nd Place. Another achievement was earned by Group Team 6, consisting of Farida Tiara Limbong, Cintya Nurhaliza, and Lintang Rangkep Cahyani, who received a Special Prize from 한국관광공사 (Korea Tourism Organization/KTO). 

The participants from the Korean Language and Culture Study Program of UGM also shared their impressions after participating in the competition. Justin stated, “I am very happy because this experience became a valuable opportunity for me to step out of my comfort zone. First of all, thank you so much to Tirza and Maul for taking the time to practice amidst all of our other activities. Hopefully, this experience can become a stepping stone for us to grow into better individuals in the future.” Tirza also expressed, “It was an unforgettable experience because this was my first speech contest, and I am grateful that we were able to win.” Meanwhile, Mila shared, “Participating in this speech contest was one of the best decisions I made this year because it gave me the courage to step out of my comfort zone. It was a truly unforgettable first experience, and I am grateful that we were able to bring home an award. Thank you so much to Tirza and Justin for dedicating so much time and effort despite your busy schedules. Hopefully, this achievement will become a stepping stone for all of us to continue growing into better individuals in the future.” 

Similar impressions were also shared by Farida, Cintya, and Lintang, who received the special award from KTO. They expressed that the competition provided a memorable new experience while teaching them the importance of courage, trust in the process, and teamwork. They also conveyed their gratitude to KTO for the trust and valuable recognition given to them. 

Not only active students, but another proud achievement was also earned by Pramesti Rifna Saputri, an alumna of the Korean Language and Culture Study Program of UGM, who won 1st Place in the individual category of the competition. Beyond the awards achieved, all participating students deserve appreciation for their hard work and dedication in preparing for this competition. 

The participation of students from the Korean Language and Culture Study Program of UGM in The 24th K-Speech Contest reflects their competitive Korean language proficiency and strong enthusiasm to continue growing in a global environment. Through this experience, the participants not only brought home achievements, but also valuable lessons that support the development of academic competencies and public speaking soft skills. 

[Aura Adiba Wijaya Litianko]