field work impressions
Field School in Indonesia: Civil Society Organisations in Java
In summer term 2023, 8 MA-students under the supervision of Gabriele Weichart spend three weeks in Java, Indonesia.
Together with students from Universitas Gadjah Mada in Yogyakarta, they will work in different areas to explore the structures and work of different NGOs.
- field stay: 01-26.05.2023
- Instagram account: @javanthropics
The Field School in Indonesia started with a visit to the Anthropology Department at Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta because students from both universities will collaborate in their research. Each group of students will be based with one local NGO and focus on one particular topic that ranges from gender-based violence to the environmental issues, from eco-tourism to traditional and contemporary arts and crafts.
© Gabriele Weichart
Sophia Sternath has started working with Eco Enzyme which is an Indonesian NGO that, among other places, operates in Kulon Progo in the Special Region of Yogyakarta. The aim is to use fermentation processes to produce cleaning products, medical products and personal hygiene products from organic waste, but also fertilizers and agents for air and water purification. Apart from that, a lot of emphasis is also placed on education by offering local children the opportunity to use the library on Sundays to read or to take part in workshops.
© Sophia Sternath
Trying to do fieldwork without prior team meetings is like trying to cook gourmet Nasi Goreng without a recipe - you might end up with a hot mess instead of hot data! ARuPA (Alliance of Volunteers to Save Nature) is an Indonesian NGO engaged in the preservation of natural resources and the environment. It was formed in 1998 in Yogyakarta by several students and young alumni of the Faculty of Forestry, Gajah Mada University. Their work is based on the vision of an economically-socially-politically empowered civil society: to realize fair, sustainable, democratic and sustainable management of natural resources and the environment; towards the achievement of community welfare. The mission is to empower forest communities by creating a sustainable system for community-based forest resource management, achieved by conducting studies, strengthening local institutions, and providing community assistance. Kajetan Moro will be working with ARuPA over the next few weeks.
© Kajetan Moro
Rifka Annisa is an organisation that is fighting against gender-based violence. They host women‘s shelters in Yogyakarta, educate communities around sexual harassment and domestic violence, council survivors and advocate for gender equity in Indonesia. They also have a social media channel that you should check out where they inform around gender issues, women’s rights and violence. Anna Lena has started her research with this organisation.
© Anna Lena Seidel
This is Bettie Kirsch with a traditional Javanese rice husker called "lesung", used throughout Java by Indonesian rice farmers. Today it serves as a bench in JAVLEC's office.
JAVLEC is a non-profit organization that promotes forest conservation and social forestry and is active in many parts of Indonesia. Their goal is to support civil society organizations (CSOs) to improve natural resource management in local communities.
One of these projects is in Kalibiru, a small forest village in the Special Region of Yogyakarta that has reclaimed its exploited forest. It is now a protected area. To create new jobs outside the timber business, the community began building a well-known ecotourism sight in the forest. Although local tourism was affected by the pandemic, Kalibiru is now striving to regain its former popularity.
© Bettie Kirsch
In Indonesia, waste management is a pressing issue, with challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, limited recycling practices, and the improper disposal of waste. This leads to environmental pollution, health risks, and the depletion of valuable resources. During my fieldwork, I learned firsthand how Monumen Antroposen is demanding a transformative shift from society. The project engaged with the local community, and it became evident that the monument serves as a catalyst for change. It challenges the prevailing attitudes towards waste management and calls for a collective transformation in how we perceive and handle waste. Monumen Antroposen draws attention. We need to think about waste as not only a problem of nature as a physical entity but also about the social environment of certain neighborhoods, Therefore. Monumen Antropsen adopts a collaborative approach on sustainable practices, and contributes to the creation of a more environmentally conscious society.
© Aysel Aycan Aktaş