CCN, Cilegon. The Cilegon’s Library and Archives Agency (DPK) and the ASEAN Literary Community (Gaksa) collaborated to organize a cultural poem training on February 20, 2024. The event, held at the DPK hall, featured speakers from three countries: Rohani Din from Singapore, Prof. Dr. Irwan Abu Bakar from Malaysia, and Rois Rinaldi from Indonesia.
Irwan presented a paper on the techniques of writing poems and delivered it through video, Rois explained Rohani Din’s presentation, while Rohani Din, affectionately known as Bunda Anie, directly coached participants one by one in writing poems.
Participants appeared enthusiastic, engaging in singing together, exchanging responsive poems, and bravely reciting poems in front of the audience. There was also a moment of sharing books given to participants who successfully wrote poems according to the rules.
Ismatullah Syihabudin, Head of the Library and Archives Agency of the City of Cilegon, stated that Bunda Anie’s presence is a manifestation of her concern as a parent in the field of Southeast Asian literature present in Cilegon.
“Pantun training,” said Ismat, “can be a balance for the left brain so that the right brain functions optimally, allowing humans to lead a balanced life.”
Cilegon Mayor, Helldy Agustian, revealed that this international poem workshop is the first international-class poem workshop in Banten. Previously, Helldy also mentioned that Indonesia has a law regulating the Law on Cultural Advancement, namely Law Number 5 of 2017, as a legal-formal reference for managing Indonesia’s cultural wealth.
The ASEAN Literary Community, Gaksa, consistently brings activities that broaden the public’s insight into cultural and literacy fields. Ega Prayoga, as the President of Gaksa Banten Region, stated that Gaksa has three areas of work, namely local, national, and international.
In the local work area, they contribute to the creation of local content books such as Nelek Basa Jawa Cilegon, teaching books for regional language education, and community education in the Banten regional language. For the national area, Gaksa publishes books by national writers, while in the international area, Gaksa organizes events in various Asian countries. (***)
