CENTRAL JAVA — Dompet Dhuafa Central Java (Central Java) launched the Serambi Budaya program in Semarang City on Saturday (29/10/2022). Serambi Budaya program is one of Dompet Dhuafa’s programs that focuses on efforts to preserve Indonesian culture and traditions. This program is in collaboration with the Sobokartti Art Association, an association engaged in the performing arts, such as traditional dance, puppetry and karawitan, founded on March 5, 1920.
In his remarks, the Head of Dompet Dhuafa Central Java Branch, Sadam Bustomi said that this collaboration was carried out to preserve culture and care for Javanese cultural arts.
“The purpose of this collaboration is to preserve and care for Javanese cultural arts, especially in Semarang City, so that it continues to develop, as well as spur the younger generation to like and be involved in it so that regeneration continues,” he said.
“Sobokartti as the oldest art studio in Semarang City is expected to be a role model for others in developing cultural arts, and with this collaboration, it is hoped that it can spread the values of goodness through cultural arts,” continued Sadam Bustomi.
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A cultural seminar with the theme “The Role of the Private Sector in Cultural Development and Revitalization” was also held in this event. The resource persons from this seminar included Dr. Y. Tyas Catur Pramudi, S.Si. M.Kom, a UDINUS Lecturer, developed the E-Gamelan application, which is used to learn gamelan. E-Gamelan itself once “performed” in France at the invitation of UNESCO. In addition, there were also speakers from the local government represented by Arief Tri Laksono, S.H., the head of the Cultural sector of the Semarang City Culture and Tourism Office. Meanwhile, speakers from Dompet Dhuafa were represented by Herman Budianto, M.Si, as General Manager of Culture and Education of Dompet Dhuafa.
As the first speaker as well as a representative of the government, Mr. Arief conveyed the importance of establishing good relations with various parties. Mr. Arief also appreciated the cooperation between Dompet Dhuafa and Sobokartti. In addition, he also emphasized that the government, in this case, the Semarang City Culture and Education Office, will continue to support activities and efforts to preserve art within the corridors of applicable laws and regulations.
On the occasion of this cultural seminar, Dr. Catur conveyed the importance of innovation in efforts to develop culture. Cultural products such as gamelan and dance are innovative, as is the development of the E-Gamelan application he developed. He also said that culture should be regarded as an asset of national knowledge that must be maintained. Many cultural products eventually became extinct due to the absence of successors and the inability to survive the times. One of the efforts to preserve culture can use the SECI approach, namely Socialization, Externalization, Combination, and Internalization. In addition, innovation and cultural development must provide economic value to survive and have a competitive advantage.
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Meanwhile, Mr. Herman, the GM of Culture and Education of Dompet Dhuafa said that the Sobokartti Art Association needs to be more widely known to become a symbol of Javanese cultural development.
“The importance of access to information so that Sobokartti is increasingly known to the public. Sobokartti must be able to become a symbol of the development of Javanese culture in Central Java,” said Herman Budianto.
The launching of the Serambi Budaya program and Cultural Seminar was attended by approximately 50 participants consisting of parents, students, administrators of the Sobokartti Arts Association, and the general public. On the sidelines of the event, Sobokartti presented dance art performed by Sobokartti’s students. The opening dance is the Great Semarang Dance performed by four female dancers to welcome the guests. Then, at the end of the event, the Bambangan Cakil Dance was also performed, telling the story of the war between knights and giants. Both dances were very entertaining for speakers and seminar participants.
At the end of the event, an MoU was signed between Dompet Dhuafa Central Java and Sobokartti, where later Dompet Dhuafa Central Java would contribute to helping the operation of Sobokartti activities. Symbolically, the cooperation was opened with the beating of gongs by Mr. Sutrisno as the chairman of the Sobokartti Art Association and Mr. Herman as the representative of Dompet Dhuafa.