The Graduate School of Gadjah Mada University (SPs UGM), in collaboration with the Religious and Cross-Cultural Studies Program or the Center for Religious and Cross-Cultural Studies (CRCS), as well as the Indonesian Consortium for Religious Studies (ICRS), held the Wastra and Wicara event on Wednesday (12/02) at the 5th-floor Auditorium of the UGM Graduate School Building.
This event also marked the launch of the book by Prof. Etty Indriati titled “Vitalitas Tenun Gringsing Bali: Keindahan dalam Keseimbangan di Tenganan Pegringsingan” (The Vitality of Gringsing Weaving from Bali: Beauty in Balance at Tenganan Pegringsingan). Prof. Etty is an anthropologist who is also actively teaching at CRCS SPs UGM. She expressed that her love for batik began when she was invited to identify Indonesian batik at the Art Institute of Chicago in the United States.
In 2017, Prof. Etty was specifically invited to organize a batik exhibition in the United States. It was then that Prof. Etty deepened her love for fabric and batik. In 2019, she decided to visit Tenganan Pegringsingan in Bali to study Gringsing weaving, which is rich in religious values.
The Rector of UGM, Prof. Dr. Ova Emilia, M.Med.Ed., Sp.OG(K)., Ph.D., was also present to express her appreciation for the extraordinary work created by Prof. Etty. “This is a special event. I first learned about Gringsing weaving through Prof. Etty’s book. I have known Prof. Etty as someone who is diligent in reading, and when she loves something, she traces it back to its roots. This book is a work that also serves as a medium to preserve traditions as part of our national identity,” said Prof. Ova.
The Wastra and Wicara event featured Dr. Gabriel Roosmargo Lono Lastoro Simatupang, M.A. as a discussant. He shared one interesting aspect of Prof. Etty’s book is the comparison of Gringsing weaving to humans. Gringsing weaving works as an entity and material agent to shape human religious experiences. According to Dr. Lono, Prof. Etty also shows that personal interest (her love for batik) can be integrated into an academic career and can expand further. Prof. Etty demonstrates enthusiasm for the intricate details of the studies presented in her book.
Prof. Etty also showcased several collections of Gringsing weaving from Bali, which the participants could directly enjoy during the event. These collections included wayang putri weaving, putri cemplong weaving, putri dedari weaving, patola cemplong weaving, and isi gegonggangan weaving.
Author: Asti Rahmaningrum