The Rumah Sahabat Student Activity Unit (UKM) of Universitas Dian Nuswantoro (Udinus) is making continuous efforts to preserve the Turonggo Wijoyo cultural art in Ngareanak Village, located in Kendal Regency, Central Java. The preservation initiative includes establishing the Sanggar Tari Anak Turonggo Pemula (Beginner's Turonggo Dance Studio), also known as Sanggar Tarantula, through the Student Organization Capacity Building Program (PPKO).
Ngareanak Village, approximately 34 kilometers west of downtown Semarang, is home to a Turonggo Wijoyo cultural art community. This art form is typically performed during celebrations or important events such as religious and national holidays.
However, the infrequent performances have led to reduced income for the artists, threatening the preservation of this cultural heritage. Additionally, other challenges jeopardize the future of this traditional art.
Turonggo Wijoyo is a form of traditional art that falls under the category of kuda lumping or jathilan. . The art involves dance performances using horse-shaped props made from woven bamboo. Turonggo Wijoyo dancers typically depict mounted warriors with dynamic movements, accompanied by traditional Javanese music like gamelan.
Alif Fatwa Ramadhan, the leader of the PPK Ormawa UKM Rumah Sahabat team, highlighted the primary challenge: the lack of generational continuity among Turonggo Wijoyo artists.
"We see an urgent need to train beginner performers and children so that this art form can continue to thrive in the future," said Alif.
To address these challenges, the PPK Ormawa UKM Rumah Sahabat team devised several solutions through the Student Organization Capacity Building Program (PPKO). One of their strategies is developing a concept of culturepreneurship.
"We provide training on optimizing digital platforms for art marketing, media design for promotion and product branding , and pitch deckcreation," Alif explained.
Additionally, the team is working to enhance the artistic value and develop small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) related to this cultural heritage.
The PPKO UKM Rumah Sahabat team is also focused on strengthening the Turonggo Wijoyo community by establishing Sanggar Tarantula, a dance studio aimed at training children.
"Through this studio, we hope to cultivate a new generation that will safeguard and further develop the Turonggo Wijoyo art form," Alif added.
The team recently secured funding from the Directorate General of Higher Education, Research, and Technology (Ditjen Dikti Ristek). The PPK Ormawa UKM Rumah Sahabat team comprises 15 students, led by Alif Fatwa Ramadhan, under the guidance of Kismi Mubarokah, S.KM., M.Kes., a lecturer from the Faculty of Health (FKes) at Udinus.
Kismi Mubarokah, the supervising lecturer of PPKO UKM Rumah Sahabat, emphasized the importance of preserving Turonggo Wijoyo. "The goal of this Cultural Village PPK initiative is to develop the potential of Turonggo Wijoyo as a village's flagship through culturepreneurship interventions and the Children's Dance Studio," Kismi explained.
She hopes that the program will not only increase the income of the artists but also bring economic benefits to the entire village community. Kismi added that the program aims to establish an institution with structured management and a measurable work plan, which will be responsible for developing and preserving the village's cultural potential.
"We want to ensure that Ngareanak Village can become a strong cultural village, with the Turonggo Wijoyo art as its main attraction," she concluded. (Udinus Public Relations/Alex. Photo: PPKO Rumah Sahabat documentation)
