In line with its commitment to supporting the preservation of culture and local wisdom, the community service team from the Faculty of Philosophy, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), has initiated the development of the Sanggar Salareh Nan Jombang in Nagari Koto Gadang, Agam Regency, West Sumatra. This studio aims to serve as a center for cultural arts and literacy, incorporating digital technology.
This initiative is part of the community service activities led by a team of faculty members, including Prof. Armaidy Armawi, Dr. Iva Ariani, and Shoim Mardiyah, S.Fil., M.Sc., which began in 2023. The community service activities focus on coaching, mentoring, and training in the use of information technology. The studio’s inauguration took place on Thursday, August 22.
Prof. Armaidy Armawi, the head of the UGM Faculty of Philosophy community service team, expressed optimism that the activities in this studio would serve as a tangible effort to preserve cultural heritage amid the pressures of modernization. “We hope that Sanggar Salareh Nan Jombang can become a platform for the younger generation to explore, develop, and promote local arts and culture using digital technology,” he said during the inauguration.
The Minangkabau ethnic group is one of Indonesia’s most culturally rich communities, with a heritage reflected in their architecture, literature, music, dance, and martial arts. Efforts to preserve this cultural heritage, particularly in the Maninjau area, have been carried out through cultural and arts festivals. However, it is equally important to revive art and literacy studios as spaces for the Minangkabau people to express their creativity, ensuring that the next generation continues the preservation of their culture.
According to Armaidy, there is a need for young people to effectively use technology to support the preservation of art and literacy, as well as to create more innovative and creative works. For example, utilizing technology to create documentary films or video tutorials about traditional Minangkabau arts can help introduce the culture to a wider audience, even internationally.
Young people who can harness technology also have the potential to create modern and creative works of art and literature while still maintaining the cultural and traditional values of Minangkabau. This would lead to the creation of artistic and literary works that blend cultural values with modernity, serving as a platform to introduce Minangkabau’s traditional arts and culture to a broader, younger audience. As a result, the preservation of Minangkabau arts and literacy will continue to thrive and evolve in line with technological advancements.
“There needs to be an initiative from the younger generation to get involved in cultural preservation efforts and in enhancing literacy, especially in producing and distributing relevant and engaging cultural content. If the studio members can effectively use social media, you will be able to master the world,” added Dr. Iva Ariani.
The Head of Nagari Koto Gadang, Amrizal, fully supports the studio’s activities in producing educational content to preserve the local cultural heritage. During the inauguration, he also proposed the creation of educational content about the ongoing conservation of the Rumah Gadang (traditional Minangkabau house) in Koto Gadang Anam Koto.
As part of Universitas Gadjah Mada, the Faculty of Philosophy remains actively involved in various activities that support the preservation of culture and the enhancement of community literacy, both locally and nationally. With the establishment of Sanggar Salareh Nan Jombang as a digital technology-based arts and cultural literacy studio, it is hoped that there will be synergy between arts, culture, and digital technology, ultimately enriching Indonesia’s cultural heritage and strengthening local identities amid the growing influence of globalization.