Opini
Amazing Live In Experience Sarah Intern in Kulon Progo Yogyakarta
Author Sarah Crockett Intern from Australia
I recently spent three days and two nights in Hargorejo, a village in Kulon Progo, Yogyakarta, as part of a community visit organised through my internship at Mitra Wacana. I stayed with Ibu Lusi and her family—an experience that allowed me to experience daily life in a rural Indonesian village and to see the central role women play in sustaining their communities.
Days started early, often around 5am, which was an adjustment for me! After waking the village was already busy, with roosters crowing and neighbours already sweeping their yards or preparing food. One morning, I followed Ibu Lusi to the local market, where people were warm, curious, and eager to chat—especially when they saw I was clearly not from around there. It was a friendly, light-hearted environment, and people were constantly joking and laughing with one another. The whole trip had a relaxed and communal energy that made me feel genuinely welcome.
One of the key moments during my stay was attending a parenting class run by Mitra Wacana for local mothers. Ibu Lusi collaborated with Mitra Wacana to organise the event and acted as a sort of liaison to the community. It was informal and lively, with women attending with their children and learning together. The session covered everything from child development to the role of parents, all in a casual setting where babies crawled on the floor and conversations flowed naturally. It was another example of how community knowledge can be built and shared.
As an intern at Mitra Wacana, I was able to see firsthand how the organisation builds trust and connection at the grassroots level—particularly with women. Their programs, like the parenting class, don’t just deliver information—they create space for dialogue, leadership, and mutual learning. Being part of this work gave me a deeper understanding of how community development operates in practice, and how important it is to adapt to local knowledge and context. I saw how relationships—not just resources—are central to sustainable change, and how working from within the community, rather than outside it, leads to long-term impact.
Ibu Lusi teaches at a local kindergarten, and I joined her and the children on a field trip to visit a nearby royal grave site. After the excursion, we shared lunch on mats and chatted in the shade. Back at home, I helped feed the goats and ducks, joined in with cooking, and played badminton with neighbours. One evening, the power went out, but Ibu Lusi didn’t miss a beat—we cooked by candlelight, and within moments, everything was sorted. She has this calm, capable presence that makes it clear she can handle just about anything.
She’s also involved in a community garden where herbs and vegetables are grown and shared. The community works together to raise catfish, which are eaten by locals or sold at the market, giving residents of the village, particularly women, another source of income. Everyone seemed to know her, everywhere we went she was calling out ‘hello’ and we were often invited in for a drink and a chat. We also visited a neighbour who had recently given birth, bringing food and a small gift of money—a quiet, routine act of care.
I was regularly encouraged to istirahat (rest)—something that doesn’t come naturally in fast-paced, individualistic environments like Australia, where productivity often takes priority over connection. In Hargorejo, rest isn’t a luxury—it’s just part of the rhythm of life. People take breaks, nap together, share food, drop in on each other, and help without needing to be asked. One afternoon, I lay down with the family on a mat inside the house, doors open to the breeze, and joined them in resting. No schedule, no urgency—just a quiet part of the day.
Although I was a guest and clearly a foreigner, I felt at ease. My Indonesian language skills helped me take part in conversations and follow along with what was happening around me. People appreciated the effort, and it allowed me to participate more fully in everyday life. Although there were many times I could not fully understand, people were willing to make the effort to talk and engage with me, and there were many moments where verbal language was not needed to communicate ideas and thoughts.
Since then, I’ve already been invited back, and just yesterday I returned to see the kids graduate from kindergarten. After the ceremony, we took a boat ride along the beach and relaxed in the shade on the sand.
The whole experience was a reminder that there’s real value in slowness, community interdependence, and informal care networks. In contrast to the more individual-driven structures I’m used to in Australia, life in Hargorejo feels less rushed, more collaborative, and deeply relational. There’s something to learn here—not just about rural Indonesia, but about different ways of living well. It doesn’t mean everything is perfect, but it does show that community strength doesn’t only come from institutions or programs. Sometimes, it comes from the way people show up for each other, every day, without needing to be asked.
Adela Damanik, Mahasiswa Sastra Indonesia Universitas Andalas
Bagaimana mungkin sebuah film sederhana yang sudah diputar hampir seabad lalu dapat melahirkan sebuah tradisi seni yang terus hidup hingga kini? Pertanyaan ini akan membawa kita pada sejarah perfilman Indonesia. Sebuah perjalanan panjang yang merekam perkembangan seni dalam menciptakan identitas bangsa. Mulai dari film yang tanpa suara hingga karya yang sudah melanglang buana di kancah film internasional.
Kisah ini dimulai pada tahun 1926, dengan hadirnya Loetoeng Kasaroeng, sebuah film tanpa suara yang disutradarai oleh L. Heuveldorp dan diproduksi oleh Java Film Company. Film ini diadaptasi dari legenda Jawa Barat dan menampilkan seorang gadis pribumi sebagai pemainnya. Film ini cukup sukses, karena diputar selama satu minggu di bioskop-bioskop kota Bandung, mulai 31 Desember 1926 hingga 6 Januari 1927.
Tak sampai di situ, sejarah perfilman Indonesia dimulai sejak kembalinya seorang wartawan yang sempat ditangkap Belanda karena meliput Perjanjian Renville yang bebas pada 1949. Usmar Ismail kemudian mendirikan Perusahaan Film Nasional Indonesia (Perfini). Bersamaan dengan itu, Jamaluddin Malik mendirikan Perseroan Artis Film Indonesia (Persari). Dari sinilah lahir film Darah dan Doa. Syuting pertama film ini dimulai pada 30 Maret 1950. Film Darah dan Doa merupakan film yang menggunakan bahasa Indonesia yang baik dengan latar belakang kultura Indonesia. Itu sebabnya, tanggal 30 Maret ditetapkan sebagai Hari Film Nasional. Sejak saat itu, film-film dijadikan sebagai alat penghibur.
Namun, pada perkembangannya muncul perbedaan pandangan dalam dunia perfilman Indonesia. Terbentuk dua kubu, yaitu kalangan seniman dan para pedagang film. Bagi para seniman, film harus memiliki kualitas dan nilai seni yang baik. Sementara itu, bagi pedagang film dan pengusaha bioskop, yang terpenting adalah menarik banyak penonton. Untuk menjembatani perbedaan tersebut, akhirnya disepakati diadakannya sebuah ajang nasional, yaitu Festival Film Indonesia (FFI) pertama pada tahun 1955.
Pada tahun 1962, Jamaludin Malik dan Usmar Ismail bekerja sama dengan produser Filipina untuk membuat Film Holiday in Bali yang merupakan film berwarna pertama. Dilanjutkan kerja sama dengan Singapura dalam membuat Film Bayangan di Waktu fajar. Tahun 1965 selanjutnya dibentuk dewan produksi film nasional yang menghasilkan sejumlah film percontohan antara lain Film Apa yang Kau Cari Palupi karya Asrul Sani. Pada tahun 1967, Film Apa yang Kau Cari Palupi menjadikan film pertama Indonesia yang mendapat penghargaan di ajang festival internasional.
Tiga puluh tahun sejak pertama kali digelar, pada tahun 1992 masa kerja Festival Film Indonesia (FFI) berhenti. Vakumnya ajang penghargaan ini beriringan dengan menurunnya produksi film nasional. Namun, memasuki dekade 2000-an, perfilman Indonesia kembali bergerak dengan hadirnya Petualangan Sherina karya Riri Riza, disusul oleh Ada Apa dengan Cinta? karya Rudi Sujarwo, yang berhasil menarik kembali minat penonton. Kebangkitan film-film ini kemudian membuka jalan bagi penyelenggaraan kembali FFI pada tahun 2004, yang kali ini difasilitasi oleh pemerintah, dan sejak saat itu FFI kembali digelar secara rutin sebagai wadah apresiasi bagi insan perfilman nasional.
Era baru perfilman Indonesia ditandai dengan munculnya sejumlah pemilik modal yang kembali berinvestasi dalam produksi film nasional. Dari situ lahirlah berbagai karya populer karya Nia Dinata seperti Ca-bau-kan karya Nia Dinata, Arisan!, Berbagi Suami. Pada saat yang sama, pelaku industri film dari kalangan China dan India juga ikut kembali bergerak dengan menghasilkan film-film laris, di antaranya Kafir karya Mardaly Sjarifdan Eiffel… I’m in Love Nasri Cheepy.
Sejarah panjang ini membuktikan bahwa perfilman Indonesia bukan sekadar hiburan, melainkan juga cermin budaya, identitas, dan dinamika masyarakat. Dari Loetoeng Kasaroeng hingga era film populer modern, perjalanan perfilman Indonesia akan terus menorehkan jejak baru di masa depan.
