The International Literacy Seminar on Disaster History was organized at the initiation of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), in collaboration with the National Library, the National Archives of the Republic of Indonesia (ANRI), U-INSPIRE Indonesia, and support from the Volcanology Center for Geological Disaster Mitigation (PVMBG) Geological Agency, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Indonesian Institute of Sciences, Syiah Kuala University, University of Indonesia, Bandung Institute of Technology, Higher Education Forum for Disaster Risk Reduction, IABI, Nusantara Manuscript Society (MANASSA), CARI, and Amcolabora Research Institute. This international seminar aims to strengthen the disaster literacy mission so that it becomes a learning, reminder, and reinforcement for people with good quality literacy and builds a new Indonesian civilization that is more resilient in facing disasters.

Through the seminar entitled: “Disaster History Literacy as a Legacy of Resilience of the Past, Present, and Later”, the gluing and rearrangement of various cross-disciplinary learning, expertise, and skills related to disaster history was carried out. This activity was carried out in Ambon City on Wednesday - Thursday, October 13-14 2021.

Picture: Announcement of the winners of the digital scientific poster competition on the official BNPB website

In order to raise public awareness, especially to increase the awareness of the younger generation regarding literacy in disaster history, media that is suitable and liked, and easy to understand is needed. In the digital era like today, the dissemination of digital-based information has become a medium that is easily understood and accepted by the general public. Creativity-based digital media is a product that can be easily disseminated through portals that are available free of charge. BNPB also organizes several side event activities in the form of competitions related to Disaster History Literacy.

This activity is expected to increase public awareness of the importance of studying or knowing the history of disasters and encourage community creativity in translating this information into works. The categories of competitions that were held were as follows (1) Literacy Article Writing Contest for the Elementary School level accompanied by a history teacher at the school; (2) Literacy Literacy Article Writing Contest for the general public; (3) Disaster History Literacy Digital Scientific Poster Competition for students; (4) History of Disaster Literacy Story Map Contest.

Among the many students who took part in the competition, Sahmu Hidayat was one of the 2017 UGM Javanese Literature students who took part in the competition. He won 1st place in the category of Digital Literacy Scientific Poster Competition for Disaster History.

Picture: Digital scientific poster entitled “Citraleka Bancana: Exploring Collective Memory of Disaster in Javanese Script”

The title of the scientific poster he carried was "Citraléka Bancana: Exploring Collective Memory of Disaster in Javanese Script”. The reason behind the idea is because of the many natural disasters that often hit Java. Past events in the form of disasters become a historical record recorded in a traditional Javanese collective memory. This memory is preserved by the Javanese people in several traditional records in the form of manuscripts.

In his opinion, the manuscript contains a citraleka bankana or some kind of hint of a disaster in the past. Generally, these ancient texts explain the types, causes, how to avoid, and what to do when a natural disaster occurs.

One example that is Serat Primbon Palintangan Palindhon Pakedutan which contains a record of knowledge about the occurrence of earthquakes at certain times is considered to indicate events that are bad, good, neutral, or mixed, and have an impact on humans, other living things, and nature. Through the scientific posters he made, he hopes that more and more young people will become aware of the importance of traditional knowledge to deal with the problems that occur amid modernization.

Author: Sahmu Hidayat

Editor: Anggra Dini