Local wisdom or local wisdom that lives in the community until now has redefined itself into a discussion, is it true that today there are still many local wisdoms that survive, or are they sinking. Through an international webinar held on Tuesday, August 9, 2022, entitled “Reconstruction of Local Wisdom of the Archipelago: Study of Language and Culture”, this webinar raised interesting discussions, especially with the presence of two speakers who were recognized for their achievements in the world of culture. The event is a program of the Indonesian Literature Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Diponegoro University.
The event started at 13.00 WIB which was started with remarks from Dr. Sukarjo Waluyo, S.S., M. Hum. (Head of Indonesian Literature Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Studies, Diponegoro University) and Dr. Nurhayati, M. Hum. (Dean of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Diponegoro University). Both express local wisdom or local wisdom in the current era. An interesting discourse when modernity is so overwhelmed with contemporary human problems. The Covid-19 pandemic proves that we need to revisit our local wisdom. A wealth of human culture and treasure that has proven to be effective in its long journey
The event was hosted by Drs. Muzakka, M.A. a philologist at the Indonesian Literature Study Program. The main speaker is Prof. Dr. Mudjahirin, M.A., an anthropologist from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Diponegoro University. He offers strategies on how to actualize and reconstruct local wisdom to formulate culture in the present and the future. For that, it takes a synergy between students, lecturers, and authorities to implement it and raise issues about local wisdom theoretically and practically. The study of local wisdom reconstruction needs to be revealed by looking at the construction that is starting to change.
“It’s not romance about the past through local knowledge but how local knowledge becomes relevant and actual for the future. We can change civilization through a process called culture.” so said Prof. Mudjahirin when conveying his thoughts as the opening speaker.
Furthermore, Prof. Mudjahirin said that today’s local wisdom needs to be looked for relevance so that it is not left behind. Many people are actually close to deterministic thinking which is actually wrong because at this time many stories have developed from zero to hero. It takes a literary expert to reconstruct it so that it does not become a leftover thought and this is done to balance the ideal culture with the factual culture.
The second speaker is a lecturer from the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Tuan, M. Hum. or familiarly called Mr. Tuan. He brought material about ethnic groups in Vietnam, especially the Raglai tribe, which turned out to have some vocabulary that was almost the same as Indonesian. Pak Tuan also revealed the unique cultural tradition of the Raglai tribe, namely putting women first from all sides.
“The traditions of the Raglai tribe are almost the same as those in Indonesia. Children in the Raglai tribe automatically take their mother’s surname. Likewise for the clan head also comes from a woman.” he said while delivering his presentation on the position between women and men. Several tribes in Indonesia have almost the same tradition as the Raglai tribe, including the Minangkabau tribe in Padang, the Engggano tribe on Enggano island, the Petalangan tribe in Aceh, the Aneuk Jamee tribe in Aceh, and the Sakai tribe in Riau.
The discussion became more interesting when the seminar participants began to ask questions about the reconstruction of local wisdom, especially for several traditions in Indonesia that still exist, to the question of the marriage tradition in the Raglai tribe, Vietnam. Several religions that exist in Vietnam are very open about marriage, especially interfaith marriages. Likewise for government policies regarding the liberation of its people to embrace religion. Vietnam in reality allows all religions in the world to be embraced by its citizens. This multiculturalism certainly made some participants surprised and also interested because in Indonesia itself the tradition of interreligious marriage can still be said to be taboo.
Prof. Mudjahirin sees from a theoretical frame that local wisdom is a cultural heritage. By revealing the mystical stories that live in the community, Prof. Mudja returns this phenomenon to a redefinition of what local wisdom is. Some of the examples that were raised were regarding day and night, if the day is a human representation, then the night is a representation of Satan. During the day humans are active, while at night it is time for demons to act. Though this can be explained theoretically by verification. The profane will become a tool for the authorities to suppress the sacred when there is no awareness of the importance of maintaining local wisdom.
Dwi, one of the participants from the State University of Malang, said that some local traditions in his place are still being carried out today. However, reconstruction needs a new perspective so that it can be directed at economic efforts in ‘accompanying’ these local traditions. Dwi said that this sacred can also be juxtaposed with the profane by building elements of multiculturalism. There are arts and traditions of Javanese, Chinese, hadrah, lion dance which then build tolerance,” said Dwi in his presentation about cultural multiculturalism.
The event closed with a good answer about local traditions in Indonesia and also local traditions in Vietnam. The invitation to take a serious look at the existence of local wisdom from various sides was the closing of the discussion on the webinar which attracted around 80 participants. (Ikom)
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