Javanika Club: Preserving Javanese Cultural Heritage at BINUS SCHOOL Semarang

As a distinguished international school, BINUS SCHOOL Semarang offers an outstanding curriculum and top-notch facilities for its students. To cater to the diverse interests of lower and upper secondary students, the school provides a range of extracurricular and co-curricular options, including the Javanika Club,

BINUS SCHOOL Semarang is an international institution, it strongly believes in the importance of preserving and appreciating cultural heritage. As a cultural heritage club, Javanika’s core mission is to safeguard Javanese traditions. The club provides students with an engaging platform to explore these traditions while fostering a deeper understanding of Javanese culture as a whole.

Javanika Club not only promotes cultural awareness but also encourages artistic expression and community engagement. Through its activities, the club enriches students’ knowledge of Javanese customs and offers a creative outlet for its members to explore traditional Javanese arts.

One of the most popular activities in the Javanika Club is learning to play the gamelan, a traditional Indonesian orchestra recognised as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Although gamelan playing has become rare among younger generations, Javanika Club is helping to change that. Under the guidance of Ms. Hayu, the club’s supervisor, BINUS SCHOOL Semarang students eagerly nurture their interest in this art form, embracing Javanese culture and inspiring others to do the same.

As a representation of BINUS SCHOOL Semarang, the Javanika Club showcased its impressive musical talents during the “1000 Gen Z Berkebaya” event, held at BINUS University @Semarang on 24 July 2024 to celebrate National Kebaya Day. The club delivered a captivating gamelan performance, with members dressed in traditional Javanese attire — kebaya for the girls and kain jarik for the boys. Their performance was highly praised by Dr. Nelly, S.Kom, M.M., CSCA, Rector of BINUS UNIVERSITY @Semarang.

The “1000 Gen Z Berkebaya” event not only supported Javanika Club’s mission but also set a new record with the Indonesia World Records Museum for the largest cultural event featuring participants in traditional kebaya kutubaru and kain jarik with sogan patterns.

As global-minded students of an international school, Javanika Club members embody the spirit of cultural education and preservation. The club’s diverse activities are dedicated to honouring Javanese heritage and tradition. Together, Javanika Club will continue to thrive and enrich the cultural experiences at BINUS SCHOOL Semarang.