Depok, September 25th 2023. Universitas Indonesia (UI) through the Makara Art Center (MAC) provided education to the community in Borobudur District, Magelang Regency, Central Java, about food security. This time, education was provided not through outreach or counseling, but through wayang performances. Apart from entertaining the public, choosing art as an educational medium is also an effort to preserve Indonesian culture and traditions.
The wayang performance with Dalang Tijab and the play “Sri Mulih” was held on Saturday (16/9), in Giritengah Village. In the play, it was told that Dewi Sri is the goddess of rice who is a symbol of fertility and prosperity. Dewi Sri is said to have left Java and caused the people to experience disaster.
To restore this condition, Dewi Sri must be brought back to the land of the archipelago in order for the earth to become fertile again and the trees will grow again. This happens because in essence, trees are intermediaries of life, a meeting place for celestial entities, such as air and sun, and mother earth in the form of nutrients in the soil.
Head of MAC UI, Dr. Ngatawi Al-Zastrouw said that the performance aimed to provide awareness to the public about food security. According to him, the land of Java and the Archipelago is actually agricultural land. If society disregards this natural condition, it is not impossible that this nation will experience misery.
“Therefore, if the land is now planted with buildings and structures, which causes agriculture to become less prestigious and less productive, many young people will end up migrating to the city to become laborers and workers. The land in the village was abandoned, the farming profession was lost, and the community experienced suffering. That is why, we must return Indonesia to an agricultural land that can be planted with various types of plants,” said Dr. Al-Zastrouw
Apart from holding wayang performances, MAC UI in collaboration with the Kampoeng Dolanan Nusantara Community also held tree planting in the Menoreh Hill area, Magelang. There are 50 durian tree seedlings planted throughout the area. The founder of Kampoeng Dolanan Nusantara, Abbet Nugroho, said that durian was chosen as the type of tree planted in the area because it is one of Indonesia’s exotic fruits.
He said, “This is also a sign that this land is actually fertile and can be planted with anything. Especially on the Menoreh Slopes, many people depend on fruit from tall trees for their livelihood. There is also a typical durian here, namely the Menoreh durian. We hope that by planting these durian trees, there will be economic benefits for the surrounding community.”
