UNS – The Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka (MBKM) grant team from Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta organized the Cultural Parade Festival and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Bazaar on Sunday (30/6/2024). This event took place in Metuk Village, Mojosongo Sub-district, Boyolali Regency. It was a novel event held by the entire village community.
The Metuk Village government and the youth of Sidorejo Metuk (PPSM) supported the festival initiated by the Sociology Study Program team from the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP) UNS. The festival featured not only entertainment but also community participation through art performances from each hamlet representative, cultural parades, and the MSME bazaar.
This aligned with the main theme, “Eling Dina, Eling Budaya, Mbangun Desa,” which means “Remember the Day, Remember the Culture, Build the Village.” This theme signifies recalling and preserving the memories of Metuk Village’s past. “Eling Dina” commemorates the Anniversary of Boyolali Regency; “Eling Budaya” recalls the identity and culture of Metuk Village; and “Mbangun Desa” emphasizes that the festival is a platform for the community to participate in village development by showcasing traditional arts and culture.
Tatsbita Hasna Luthfiana, the Chairperson of the Cultural Parade Festival and MSME Bazaar in Metuk Village, explained to uns.ac.id that the event aimed to implement culture that aligns with the community’s customs. Research involving information gathering on culture and traditions was conducted, revealing that Metuk Village has abundant cultural potential.
“This event also aims to integrate the participation of the entire community to collaborate across elements such as culture, tradition, economy, and social aspects,” Tatsbita stated.
The art performances and MSME bazaar were key components of the Cultural Parade Festival. These activities highlighted the residents’ potential through their culture and arts. The event included an exhibition of creative works by the community and the promotion of local business products. Additionally, MSME bazaar booths added to the festival’s vibrancy, providing opportunities for the community to learn about and support local products. The parade, which circled the village, was enlivened by a procession of “gunungan” (mountain-shaped offerings) of agricultural produce and “tumpengan” (rice cone offerings) as a symbolic act. The event concluded with door prize giveaways and awards for the best art performances.
The festival was attended by the Deputy Regent of Boyolali, Wahyu Irawan, S.H., who led the symbolic cutting of the “tumpeng” (rice cone). Also present were the Head of Metuk Village, Wukir Santoso, S.E., village officials, members of the Village Consultative Agency (BPD) of Metuk Village, residents, and other parties. The excitement of the Cultural Parade Festival and MSME Bazaar in Metuk Village was evident with an estimated audience of 1.000 people.
“The UNS MBKM Grant Team has documented all their activities in the production of books, videos, and village profiling magazines. This includes all activities and potential of the residents, covering 25 neighborhood units, completed in approximately four months,” Tatsbita added.
She also expressed hopes that the festival would help revive the village’s cultural memory and instill a sense of pride. Aligning with this, the residents were motivated to preserve their culture through such events, which can continue sustainably by involving multiple sectors and stakeholders.
Humas UNS
Reporter: R. P. Adji Editor: Dwi Hastuti
