Unesa.ac.id, SURABAYA-Culture is a national identity that must be inherited from generation to generation, of course with various approaches, strategies and supported by strong research. For this reason, a lecturer at the State University of Surabaya (UNESA), Dr. Setyo Yanuartuti, M.Sc., did a long research and was involved in developing the Jatiduwur Mask, a Mask Performing Art from Jombang Regency.
His research has become an important reference for research on Jatiduwur masks, and has even become material for the submission of the Jatiduwur Wayang Topeng as an intangible cultural heritage of Indonesia. For her important role in passing down the hundreds of years old mask art, the woman from Ponorogo received the Jombang cultural award in March 2022.
A little flashback, Setyo Yanuartuti since childhood has been familiar with and loves art. The family background is thick with arts, performances. Like the saying fruit doesn't fall far from the tree, the artistic blood flows strongly from the family. His father, apart from working as an elementary school teacher, is also a cultural activist; as the head of the musical group as well as a barong (penbarong) player in the Reog show. Meanwhile, his mother works as a curator.
His interest in the arts grew so strong that he landed at SMKI (Indonesian Karawitan Middle School) and then pursued higher education at IKIP Surabaya (UNESA, now). At that time, he carried 'Traditional Performing Arts of Sandur Mandura Mask in Manduro Village, Kabuh District, Jompang' as the title of his thesis research. Since then he has liked research on the Jombang sandur mask.
“In 1996, I became acquainted with Jombang artists and were invited to Jatiduwur to be introduced to the forms of Jatiduwur masks which are very different from masks from other regions, including East Java, Central Java, Jogjakarta, and Sunda. Several times I have also watched the mask performance and I feel that this mask art has a strong characteristic as Jombangan mask art,” he explained.
According to him, getting here, the existence of mask performing arts is decreasing and the interest of generations is gradually decreasing. That's what makes him even more called to continue to preserve and pass on the mask art. In 2011, the Jombang Arts Council made a breakthrough in preserving the art of masks by replicating this Jatiduwur mask accompanied by a performance. Setyo Yanuartuti was also involved in it.
During his doctoral studies at the Indonesian Institute of the Arts Surakarta in 2012-2015, he raised the revitalization of the Jatiduwur mask as his doctoral research, dissertation. The title, "Revitalization of Jatiduwur Topeng Puppet: The Play of Broken Horse Narawangsa" which was later published into a book 'Jatiduwur Topeng Puppet'.
"From my undergraduate to doctoral degree, even now I continue to research arts, including the Jatiduwur mask. The support from the Sendratasik lecturers in the form of dance works to wayang plays also helped the Jatiduwur Topeng Wayang to be known to the wider community outside Jombang. Dance works have been staged in various performances, both national and international," he explained.
He continued, his dissertation research became an important reference for scientific articles and works of mask dance later and was even used by the Jombang Regency Government to propose the Jatiduwur mask art as an intangible world heritage. In 2018, this art was successfully approved and designated by UNESCO as an intangible world heritage of Indonesia.
Because of his efforts in preserving the nation's culture and his strong research on the art of Jatiduwur masks, he won the Jombang culture award in March 2022. “This award is certainly a motivation in inheriting and preserving our nation's culture in the future. This cultural preservation must continue to be carried out, of course it cannot be done alone, all of us and all stakeholders must take part, how do we 'insert' cultural values in this digital era, "he said.
According to him, the future of Indonesian culture, including the art of Jatiduwur masks is in the hands of young people now. Therefore, various regional arts must be introduced to each generation, of course with approaches and strategies that are appropriate for their time.
Conservation efforts, he continued, must be accompanied by development efforts. That's what he did for the Jatiduwur mask art. “Our art is progressing, not only artists who benefit, but also local governments and the wider community, because this art has the potential to become tourism, educational and economic assets. If we don't inherit, preserve and develop our nation's culture, then who will," he said. [UNESA PR]
Author: Azhar
Editor: @zam*
photo : Doc. Personal
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