Meet ‘Korea’ in Yogyakarta, Indonesia (I)

 

When I first heard there was ‘Korean Language School of Yogyakarta’, I felt a bit curious but really great about it. Because I knew Yogyakarta was still strange to Koreans and the number of Koreans living in this region was just around 100. That’s why I was wondering what kinds of instructors and how many students the school would have, which curricula the school would provide, and how classrooms would look like. My curiosity was satisfied easily, because I and my wife were proposed to teach history and Korean respectively by Ms. Kim, Eun-Suk who helped us adapt to new environment in Yogyakarta.

 

The Korean Language School of Yogyakarta was established in 2008 by Korean Community Church in Yogyakarta under the motto of patriotism ․ love ․ voluntary services. As of April 2012, 9 instructors, centered on the principal, Ms. Kim, Eun-Suk, have taught 30 Koreans and 7 foreign students. The school has 8 classes including Sassak (bud in English), Sarang (love), Haennim (sun), Ggonnim (flowers), Yeolmae (Fruit), and Huimang (hope), and it has curricula of Korean Language, essay, music, math, history, art, and physical education. The school also provides education for traditional Korean culture such as playing traditional Korean instrument.

<Study with preschoolers and 1st graders in elementary school>

 

The Korean Language School of Yogyakarta is not just a place for Hangul (Korean alphabet) education. It plays a role in exchanging brotherhood to build up faith and affection, and passing down culture of Korea for the next generation. In particular, this school also takes a role of people-to-people diplomatic activities by introducing Korean culture to local residents.

<Students learning traditional Korean instrument>

 

This school has been operated based on help and support from the Korean Community Church in Yogyakarta, the Korean Indonesian Association of Yogyakarta, and the Korean Embassy in Indonesia. Ms. Kim, Eun-Suk, the principal of the school, said ‘I will make this school beloved by and satisfy attention from Koreans and local residents by putting our effort’.

 

Even though some students are not good at Korean and some are not familiar with Korean culture, it is great to feel newness such as healthiness, pureness and beauty from students in the school.

<Students and instructors in the Korean Language School of Yogyakarta, Ms. Kim, Eun-Suk, the principal at the lower right corner>

I was really happy to come to meet ‘Korea’ in the Korean Language School of Yogyakarta. Hopefully, this school can be developed, and dreams and desire of students can be achieved.

 

From the Center for Korean Studies of UGM, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

‘Unity through Diversity’, a Path to the Modern Era

17,508 islands widely scattered 2,000km from south to north and 5,000km from east to west, and between Indian and Pacific Oceans centered on the equator

 

Around 300 races with about 300 million people, including Jawa, Sunda, Batak, Aceh, Dayak, Toraja, Bugis and Bali

 

Approximately 200 local languages, and different customs and religions

      

Indonesia is a huge melting pot. Nature in Indonesia has all ‘beauty and ugliness’ untouched the god can create, such as dry and rainy seasons, hot sunlight and a cool breeze, high rainfall and fertile soil, jungle and swamps, rivers and oceans, and volcanoes and clouds. Indonesians living in under different appearances, languages, customs, religions, and regions keep all ‘good and evil’ in the world together. Indonesia is a country whose history is being made by nature and human being together, which is difficult to be found in any other nations in the world.

 

Being freed from around 350-year colonial period, Indonesia is taking a step toward ‘the modern era’. Its first step is integration of the nation, and ‘unity through diversity’ is an ideology for the integration. ‘Pancasila’ clearly shows Indonesian’s wills about the end of colonial days, transformation to a modern nation, and social development. Even though Pancasila is from nationalism, it is certain that it is a valuable spirit for integration and modernization in Indonesia.

<Pancasila located in Karangtalun village, Yokyakarta>

 

All men have freedom of religion.

The dignity of all men should be preserved.

Indonesia is a unified nation.

Human rights and democracy should be practiced.

Social justice should be realized.

 

To understand the present-day Indonesia which past, present and future of human history coexist in and is ready to make new history for ‘a modern era’, we should first know their spirits and culture pursuing ‘unity through diversity’.

      

From the Center for Korean Studies of UGM, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

 

Learning ‘Peace’ from Indonesia, a Country of the God

Indonesia is a Muslim country. Approximately 2 hundred million people are muslims and their belief in God is beyond what we can imagine. Prayers 4 times a day show their everyday life and mesjids (masque) you can see almost everywhere in Indonesia tell their passion for religion. One masque located right under volcanic vents of Mount Merapi which is now changed into ashes due to a volcanic eruption, so no one can live there any more is awe-inspiring. I think people might live not their lives but for worship and praises to their God. 

Indonesia is not a just Muslim country. That’s why Indonesia shatters all perceptions and misunderstanding on a theocracy, exclusive religions and serious sexual discrimination of Islam. Holy cities of Islam and Yogyakarta are the evidence. Keraton (a royal palace) a sultan lives in is designed based on traditional Indonesian styles with symbols of Hinduism and Buddhism. These symbols and patterns show not only religious beliefs of Islam in Indonesia, ‘Human should follow the divine providence and their life will end up with eternal peace’ but also spirit of coexistence of humankind.

<Styles of columns in Keraton are designed based on traditional patterns of Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam together

UNESCO World Heritage sites scattering all over Yogyakarta display spirits of coexistence of the ancient Indonesians more vividly. Prambanan (a Hindu temple) well-known for ‘Ramayana’ Ballet has a little chaitya (a Buddhist shrine) inside the temple.

<Prambanan and a Sculpture in Borubudur Temple>

Walls in Borobudur (Buddhist shrine) are carved with Buddha’s life, daily lives of the ancient Indonesians, nature and the world. In other words, these buildings have Indonesians’ passion for the religion and their life beyond geometric originality and significance of world history.

<Family and shipbuilding of the ancient Indonesians on the wall in Borubudul Temple>

   

Indonesia, a country of the god, tells us a story of ‘peace’. It is unclear how Islam was preached, and how it was integrated with Hinduism, Buddhism, and even indigenous beliefs. However, it is quite obvious that the history of Indonesia gives us the ‘spirit of peace’ such as generosity, consideration and coexistence through their people and religions.  

From the Center for Korean Studies of UGM, Yogyakarta, Indonesia  



From Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Hello, I'm Ha, Jea-Hun, a research professor in Park, Chung-Hee Center of Democracy and Social Movements Institute in Sungkonghoe University, Republic of Korea. I received my Ph.D. with the thesis of ‘Park, Chung-Hee Regime and Saemaul Undong“ at Kyungpook National University in 2007 and conducted many Saemaul related researches. Now I am staying in Yogyakarta Special Territory (YST), Indonesia as a visiting scholar at Gadjah Mada University (UGM) which has world-renowned prestige and a brilliant 100-year history.

 

What has brought me here is none other than Saemaul Undong. YST, Indonesia and Gyeongsangbuk-do, Republic of Korea have implemented various Saemaul (or community) projects since they signed the MOU in 2006. Villagers in YST have elected community leaders to make ‘a better village’, expanded roads, and established a community hall to have general meeting. In addition, community leaders, government officials and members of the municipal assembly even visited Korea to learn Saemaul Undong. They think they have been making efforts to make a better community though Saemaul Undong without any help from the outside.

 

I’m planning to find out what kind of change Saemaul Undong in Indonesia has made for farmers and in rural areas. Moreover, I’ll more focus on how significant farmers and rural areas are, based on the continuous economic growth, in the rapid social change in Indonesia, and how their daily life has been changed or affected.

 

I’m ready to learn and experience many new and different things while I stay here for the next 2 years. I’ll come to meet many people who have different languages or look entirely different from me. I’m also going to fill my unfamiliar everyday life with Indonesian experiences, and especially I’m expecting and looking forward to going to villages for field investigation, conducting researches at UGM, and making a tour as well.

 

For the next 2 years, I’m gonna write down what I see, hear and feel. I’ll deal with not only Saemaul Undong, the major reason which has brought me here, but also history, culture, tradition and nature in Indonesia.

All these are possible because of help and learning from many people. So, I want to express my gratitude to Prof. Djoko Dwiyanto, Prof. Novi Indrastuti, and a researcher, Ratih Pratiwi at UGM who have given a lot of stories about history, religion and tradition in Indonesia to the stranger, and also thanks to Mr. Heru and Mr. Imam who are government officials in the YST government. From now on, I’m gonna bring more interesting and novel stories.

Terima Kasih!

 

From the Center for Korean Studies of UGM, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Borobudur Temple, DIY, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Graparatis Beach, DIY

Prambanan, DIY, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Sutan Palace, DIY

Center for Korean Studies, UGM