“Culture is important because it shows the identity of a country. Through culture, relations between countries can be established—just like Russia and Indonesia, which have a relationship for more than 70 years. The relations that Soekarno built with Russia were very good, one of which was through art and culture. That is why the song ‘Rayuan Pulau Kelapa’ is very popular in Russia and even translated into Russian,” said the Russian Ambassador to Indonesia H.E. Lyudmila Georgievna Vorobieva, in her speech at the AsraMAC UI International Cultural Fest 2022 event.
According to Lyudmila, culture is something that has united Indonesia and Russia from the past until today. Indonesia’s first president Soekarno had a big role in introducing Indonesian culture in the country. The Indonesian-Russian student exchange is also a medium to introduce each other’s cultures, both through dance and music performances.
The event held by Universitas Indonesia (UI) Dormitory and Makara Art Center (MAC) UI on September 24-25, 2022 also invited three speakers in Cultural Talk who reviewed the importance of music from various sides. The three speakers were Gilang Ramadan Kartahadimadja (Indonesian musician), Rahmat Hidayatullah (book writer), and Rieke Diah Pitaloka (member of the House of Representatives). Gilang deemed music as an important instrument related to cultural arts. According to him, the existence of music cannot be separated from the forest ecosystem. A lot of traditional music requires sound sources from wood, bamboo, and other kind of things.
“Speaking of music, especially traditional music, is closely related to nature and the availability of tree bark. Maybe music has become extinct from a few years ago if nature did not support the presence of music. In essence, music is an expression of someone’s work, art, and our efforts to maintain Indonesian culture,” said Gilang.
The art of music can also be used to advance Indonesian culture. This is stated in Law Number 5 of 2017 concerning the Promotion of Culture. Rahmat believed that music must be protected, utilized, and developed for cultural preservation. “As the times evolve, so does music in the country. In the midst of the emergence of foreign music, I hope many young local musicians will create works and develop traditional and modern music so that the existence of Indonesian music does not become extinct,” said Rahmat.
Efforts to promote this culture can begin with the cultivation of a love of art and culture. Rieke’s love for traditional music was manifested through her efforts in introducing various traditional music to her team, such as karinding, celempung, rebab, and kecapi. These four handmade tools were created using makeshift tools and materials. According to Rieke, the art of music can be combined with other arts, such as poetry. Hence, musicalization of poetry is not only born beautiful, but also contains full of meaning.
Apart from dance and music, strong relations among regions or among countries can also exist because of the similarities between two countries. According to the Third Secretary and Vice Consul of the Philippine Embassy Glenn Joseph, international relations between Indonesia and the Philippines occur because both have cultural affinities. One of them is the similarity in culinary. Jackfruit in Indonesia is known as rare in the Philippines. The way to process it is almost the same, the fruit must be boiled first before being processed into food. This similarity is one proof that the intersection of cultures between countries shows brotherhood in the midst of diversity.
The Vice Rector for Academic and Student Affairs of UI Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Abdul Haris, said that UI is not only a center of education in technology and science, but also a center of education in arts and culture. UI students are expected to compete in the global arena while maintaining national identity. “UI Dormitory is the perfect environment for students to develop their abilities in the academic field and establish intercultural relationships. UI students do not only come from one region, but from various provinces in Indonesia. This is expected to foster a harmonious life in the future,” said Prof. Haris.
Meanwhile, the Head of UI Dormitory Abdi Kurnia Djohan, M.H., perceived culture as a universal language that can be understood by many people and has no pretensions and tendencies. Therefore, with this event, it is hoped that the awareness of togetherness will be stronger. According to Abdi, UI Dormitoriy held a lot of potential that if it is developed, it will produce great works in the future. UI Dormitory is not only a place to rest, but also a place to build collaboration, explore potential, and form strong bonds among students who come from various backgrounds.
The two-day event featured not only local Indonesian cultures, but also foreign cultures, such as the Philippines and Russia. The Head of MAC UI Dr. Ngatawi Al-Zastrouw said the cultural festival acts as a bridge between nations so that they can interact and communicate through art and culture. He thought that art is the easiest medium to create a spirit of togetherness. “We knit brotherhood, knit togetherness, and care for differences through art because art is a universal language that can be used as a communication tool to knit togetherness,” said Dr. Zastrouw.
