Sharing Nostalgia: The IDKS 2024 Cultural Exhibition Brings Traditional Games Back to Life

An exhibition that brought childhood memories to life was successfully held in the courtyard of the Conversation Hall at UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta on Tuesday, May 28, 2024. The IDKS 2024 Cultural Exhibition, with the theme “Traditional Games,” attracted many visitors, particularly international participants attending ICONICS at UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta.

There are 12 games on display. These include the otok-otok boat, which evokes the boisterous sounds of children along the riverbank; bakiak, often used in Independence Day competitions; jemparingan, which can be described as archery; watu gatheng, similar to the game of marbles; and pasaran, a pretend-cooking game. In addition, there are also board games such as cuki, dakon, and bas-basan.What really caught visitors’ attention were the booths featuring rangku alu, egrang, and pletokan, which visitors could try out right there. Not to mention the barongan, which is perhaps a rare sight in modern life. Each traditional game booth evoked its own sense of joy and nostalgia.

According to an interview with Zulfikar Ibrahim, chair of the organizing committee for the 2024 IDKS Cultural Exhibition, the theme of traditional games was chosen because, in this day and age, many Gen Z youth spend their time playing on their smartphones and rarely show interest in traditional games. This exhibition, themed around traditional games, was selected to inspire enthusiasm and motivation for preserving our culture. Additionally, since it coincides with ICONICS at UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta,Therefore, this theme was chosen to introduce the various traditional games found in Indonesia. In preparation, the ICONICS UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta organizing committee, the academic program, and the IDKS 2024 Cultural Exhibition organizing committee collaborated to strengthen communication. “Despite the time constraints, alhamdulillah, the IDKS 2024 Cultural Exhibition went off without a hitch,” said Ibrahim. He hopes that visitors will have a good time and enjoy the IDKS 2024 Cultural Exhibition.

According to Dra. Labibah, MLIS, who serves as the instructor for the course “Information in a Social Context” and as the Head of the Library at UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, this exhibition is expected to enable library science students to put their tacit knowledge into practice. Every culture such as these traditional games has its own historical value, and valid information about them can only be obtained from elders, soStudents can learn to apply the tacit knowledge of the elders and present it at the 2024 IDKS Cultural Exhibition. “I always ask them to interview the elders directly to gather information, and I don’t allow them to search for information online or on Google,” he said. In addition, they also learn time management and financial management skills to prepare for this exhibition,communicating with his groupmates and elders who provided information. He also said that the IDKS 2024 Cultural Exhibition would help preserve the culture of Indonesia.

Visitors can experience firsthand and learn about the history of the traditional games on display. “This festival is so lively. I feel like I’ve gone back in time we rarely have festivals like this in my country. And when I see the barongan, I imagine a dragon dancing,” said Mr. Harun from Turkey, one of the visitors to the IDKS 2024 Cultural Exhibition. This serves as a nostalgic journey that is not only enjoyable but also educational for our generation, most of whom no longer experienced these traditional games during their childhood. In addition, it helps our culture gain wider recognition among people abroad.

The IDKS 2024 Cultural Exhibition was a success, not only taking visitors on a journey into the past but also serving as a reminder of the importance of preserving our culture and traditions, both in written form and through direct experience, so that the culture and traditions of the Indonesian people are not marginalized by the changing times and technological advances.

Authors: Woroayu Fitrianingrum (wafn) and Athallah Akmal Baihaqi (AKB)