Saturday, 31 May 2014
by adminstube
My Reflection from Sumba
Novia Sih Rahayu

 
I’ve never imagined before that I could step my feet in Sumba. It's amazing to join a program called Exploring Sumba. Beside sharing knowledge, I got a chance to explore East Sumba, a district with a very broad savannas, rocky soil, sandy soil, also marapu culture which is strongly believed by Sumbanese, and customs that tend to be luxurious. I started with a confused feeling because I will go to a distant area, which I have never visited. I tried to read some articles about East Sumba, watched tour video and prepared public speaking materials.
 
On Wednesday, April 23, 2014, around 12:00 A.M, was the first time I stepped my feet on land of East Sumba. At first, I saw a small airport, just like a terrain. I could not believe that it is an airport. Furthermore Waingapu, I felt like in my own sub-district, but the city temperature here was extremely hot. I stayed in Mr. Bangun Munthe’s house, the Head of Department of Public Works Waingapu. His wife is the Secretary of the East Sumba House of Council, whom I called Mama Arif. This family has four children: Arif, Odi, Ico and Riris. I'm happy and feel comfortable to stay with this family, just like my own family. I saluted Mama Arif because she loved working and doing all household works without complaining, such as, washing glasses and dishes more than 1 big bucket everyday. Working in an office, doing domestic works, paying attention to her children and husband and so on are not easy jobs.  When, I had to have my bed-rest because of menstrual pain, the family took care of me well. Even when I came back to Jogja, Mama Arif  sent me a message telling that Riris wants to return  my cap gift so I will stay in Sumba for good and not come back to Yogyakarta. How touching the message is!
 
At first, I thought that Sumbanese is difficult to interact with others, even tends to put a serious face and unfriendly, lack of respect for others, and irritable. But later I found that I was wrong after having directly interaction with them. Perhaps I got such mindset from my formerly experience with my classmates, not all the Sumbanese.
 
 
 
I was amazed with my friends who joined public speaking class and journalism class. Besides being active in the Stube-HEMAT Sumba, they also joined other youth organizations, such as GMNI Waingapu. Feeling of inferiority had over me because they expressed their opinion in public fluently. But this feeling disappeared when they gave positive impressions to what I have shared related with public speaking. They obtained new knowledge and understanding that they did not know before. I was optimistic to share my knowledge that I obtained in college. I realized that when I share my knowledge, I also learn something at once, such as, learning to apply the knowledge I gained, learning to understand the audience, learning to respect others’ opinion, learning not to be boastful, learning to ask for God guidance, etc. I said to the participants of public speaking class that ‘never waste the chance to to speak publicly and never give up to sharpen their public speaking skills.
 
Life is a struggle. One area is abundant with natural resources, but not with other areas, such as in Kanjonga Bakul and Praipaha. I felt sad when I saw a group of children holding jerry cans to fetch water, because their area is lack of water. Having water for drinking is so precious, moreover for bathing. My body was forced to adapt the condition. I usually take a bath twice a day, but now in Praipaha I took just once in three days only with 3 small buckets of water. Water is absolutely God's incredible grace. I will never waste water again.
 
Exploring Sumba trained me more analytical, independent, wise and responsible. These activities made me more resilient, both physically and mentally as required to adapt to the weather, the place, time of activity, person character and foods. Exploring Sumba encouraged me to learn how to share with others, not only in material itself, but also knowledge, experience, happiness, passion, etc. I want to visit more places and get to know the character, both people and the region.

  
 

I am very grateful to Stube-HEMAT Yogyakarta dan Sumba which have given me the opportunity and accepted me well. Thanks to my friends who have shared their time, knowledge, experience, and adventure together. I hope that this program become a beginning of a better relationship. ***


 

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Saturday, 31 May 2014
by adminstube

 

 

 

 



Thirty Days Stepping On Sumba Island
Yohanes Dian Alpasa
 
In one discussion, someone with his western culture said that he saw the heaven but not God. There are many amazing places and so are man’s constructions. However, there are many people not believing in God.  In Sumba, I saw the heaven and God at once. The daily life and the spiritual expression were shown every Sunday. Unluckily, I cannot understand what actually happened so in its every single corner of this island still symbolizes poverty, even the extreme one. I know every adventure brings a lesson. I perceived some findings in Sumba, such as, certain language accent, original culture, a messy bureaucracy system, and a stagnant faith life at church.
 
Once again, in this island that I feel like a heaven, you can see God. Everywhere in this island, family tied is so honorable. They greet me friendly even though it’s the first visit of mine. I cannot get it in Bengkulu, Sumatra Island, my original region, or even in Yogyakarta, the city where I study theology. In this island, each people seem have competition to greet others. I experienced it in Waingapu and Praipaha, two places where I stayed during my stay. The word “Selamat” or “have a nice moment” in English is so familiar in my ears. Day by day, I feel closer and closer with the people.
 
 
 
Family tied was shown in scraping one’s nose to other’s nose to show close relationship and warm acceptance. Just second when two noses are touching each other, it’s enough to have a good relationship among Sumbanese. I like this practice, though I experienced just twice, one with an old emeritus priest and the other with an old lady. The second step to make good relationship among them is by firstly chewing areca nut and then some limestone wrapped in a betel leaf. The three subtances are mixedly chewed as the opening practice of acceptance whenever any guests are coming. I also did it in Sumba. They were so surprised to see that I seemed so familiar with such chewing practice. They didn’t know that I’ve been trained by Frans, a friend of mine from Sumba, studying Mathematics in Sarjanawiyata University in Yogyakarta. I learned that it tastes bitter first then it changes into tasteless and finally it tastes fresh. Such practice keeps our teeth strong and healthy besides it’s kind of cultural appreciation for the guests’ coming.
 
 
 
Sumba is dominated by hills and savana where people are free riding horse, and many cattle are scaterred anywhere. The landscape is dominated by brown color as bare land in the dry season. Water supplies are provided by local government water company through water pipes reaching some areas from several water springs surrounding Waingapu.
 
I also learn that family tied should be developed and not to make dependency but independency. One may help his siblings, however, he should makes priority especially for his children education and household needs. He should not let his family in suffering just because helping his siblings for parties in the name culture practice and prestige. However, in some villages, they have made limitation in slaughtering cattle just for cultural practices. At last, I have a dream to come again to Sumba, to see the heaven of beauty. ***

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Monday, 12 May 2014
by adminstube
The Ambassador to Inter-Religious Youth Forum

 

from Indonesia to Germany

 

 

 


Angga Yudhiyansyah, a young activist born in Kediri, East Java 29 years ago, seems a shy guy. Wearing a rather thick glasses and having sharp gaze, he shows that he has a firm will, seriousness, and warmth in every topic of discussion especially related with advocacy effort for the marginalized, and persecuted ones in three cities covering Yogyakarta, Cilacap and Solo.

 

 

 

 

Graduated from CRCS(Center for Religious and Cross Cultural Studies), Gadjah Mada University in 2012, Angga has got enough knowledge and understanding about divine issues and many God interpretations, based on the variety of religions and beliefs. Though he is a religious Muslim, he is also eager to know how other religions make communication with God through their own languages.

 

 

 

Joining SMI (Social Movement Institute) as volunteer for social advocacy, Angga tries to map what actually have been done by the government, religious leaders, and people to solve problems trigered by the variety of religion denomination.

 

 

 

Having such a track record, Angga and two other candidates namely Firly Annisa (House of Sinema) and Lidia Nofiani (LSIP) were nominated as the candidates promoted by Stube HEMAT Yogyakarta to the IYF Committee in Germany, that finally the Committee appointed Angga as the ambassador to join in facilitator team of IYF. Further, he has some mandates to:

 

 

 

 

 

  • share their experiences and knowledge about the MDGs and help develop themes and structure of the Interreligious Youth Forum 2015.
  • act as possible facilitators, discussion leaders or presenters during the IYF 2015.
  • spread the word about IYF 2015 in their community, city and/or countries, and help assemble a team of 4-5 representatives to attend the 2015 conference.
  • inspire and motivate people in their community to get involved in take action to advance the MDGs.
  • stay connected with one another, and IYF planning team, throughout the year through IYF website and online discussion groups.

 

 

 

At last, Stube HEMAT congratulates and wishes a good luck for Angga Yudhiyansyah. All of us in Indonesia hope that his departure to Germany on July 2014 to prepare the forum in 2015 may bring positive effects for humanity. God Bless! ***

 


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Thursday, 8 May 2014
by adminstube
ORGANIC AGRICULTURE AND

 

FOOD DIVERSITY TRAINING

 

Finding Out Our Food Consuming Ideology

 

 

 

Wisma Pojok Indah, 2 - 4 May 2014

 

 

 

 

 

 

‘Salute!’, this word is deserved to be given to the participants of Organic Agriculture: Food Diversity training organized by Stube-HEMAT Yogyakarta, considering that such topic is usually less attractive for young people. However, thirty students from various campus enthusiastically join the training with theme 'Finding Out Our Food Consuming Ideology.’ This training held on May 2 – 4, 2014 in Wisma Pojok Indah, Condongcatur, Yogyakarta, aimed to revive youth awareness and interest towards agriculture, especially food problem in Indonesia.

 

 

 

 

 

Ariani Narwastujati, S.Pd., SS, M.Pd., the executive director of Stube-HEMAT  shares the threat of food disaster in Indonesia even the world due to the fast growing population which isnt balanced with the increase of agricultural production. It becomes worse since many farmland is reducing due to convertion activity to be industry and housing areas.  So, it is very important for us to find out the ideology or paradigm when we consume certain food. One simple thing is we should be proud of either local food or fruit products rather than imported ones.

 

 

 

 

The session for topic of Government Role in creating Food Resilience and Diversity was delivered by Dr. Ir. F. Didiet Heru Swasono. M.P., the dean of Agro-Industry Faculty of Mercu Buana University and also a member of Food Resilience Council in Yogyakarta. He declared that actualy the government has already a systematic regulation for food resilience, however food diversity has not been optimally developed yet. For example, in many parts of Indonesia, people are homogenized in consuming rice, while not all regions in Indonesia are suitable for rice growing, but for corn, sago, sweet potatoes and other staple food sources instead.

 

 

 

 

TO. Suprapto from ‘Joglo Tani tried to reconstruct the paradigm of participants. Formerly, they assumed that agriculture has no prospects and not many young people, especially college students are interested in it. However, actually agriculture still has its prospect, even it has been done just by students who are not studying in agriculture.

 

 

 

 There are four types of business opportunities. The first one is nursery business emphasizing on seeds, either vegetative or generative, spreading seed, growing the plants, and then selling them. Examples of vegetable seedlings are  breeding fish and hatching chicken eggs or ducks. The second one is production business, which has steps of planting the seeds, cultivating them and selling the products. The example is chili and chicken production. The third one is post-harvest business, that’s through process of buying products and then converting them into different forms and flavors, and then selling them. The examples are product of cassava chips, shredded catfish, spinach crackers, and salted egg. The last one is marketing business, that has process of getting the products and then selling them without changing the shape and flavor.

 

 

 

Additionally, TO Suprapto encourages students to have mindset of self supported food supply by mapping their personal and regional potency. Further, they may have action by doing simple activities related to agriculture in their neighborhood or their own  family, such as, utilizing the yard to grow vegetables so the vegetables needs may be supplied from their own yard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This training also introduced food diversity by presenting local menu according to participants’ regions. Participants from Moluccas and Sulawesi prepared papeda made from fish with yellow sauce. Participants from Lampung brought seruit, rice corn, eggplant and grilled fish. Participants from Borneo introduced aloe vera ice. Participants from East Nusa Tenggara presented katema, cassava leaf ointment and anchovy sauce. Katema is made ??from corn, beans and peanuts which is boiled with coconut milk. Eventhough coming from different regions, enthusiatic participants appreciated the diversity of foods by tasting all foods.

 

 

 

 

"We should be grateful that we were given the opportunity by God to cultivate the earth, and we must maintain it responsibly, such as by having organic farming"  said Rev. Kriswoyo, S.Si during the Sunday worship. At the end of the event, participants revealed their plans to do after this training, such as utilizing boarding house yard to grow vegetables, reuse plastic as polybags, not to consume imported food or fruit, and organize some discussions about the farming. 

 

 

 

 

Rosita Suri Leon, a participant from Atambua, Belu, NTT, a student of Mathematics Education Department in Sarjanawiyata Tamansiswa University said, "In this training I have new information, and want to practice what I’ve obtanined. Everything goes well but there are some less timely activities." (TRU)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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