[Unpad.ac.id, 30/05/2016] A month has passed since departure with KRI Banda Aceh on 30 April 2016 from the Port of Tanjung Priok Jakarta, Tim Padjadjaran University who participated in the Bhakti PMK Expedition organized by the Coordinating Ministry of Human Development and Culture (FMD) has returned to the starting point. Bhakti PMK program had completed a mission of visiting remote areas with main events in Kaimana, West Papua on May 19, 2016.
The first stop was District Sape Bima, Nusa Tenggara Barat, continued by boarding fishing boat to the village of Bajo Pulo, Sumbawa, West Nusa Tenggara. Unpad souvenirs for our brothers were books, secondhand clothes, new shoes, and angklung received by Regent of Bima, Hj. Indah Dhamayanti Putri, before distribution to the public Bajo Pulo. The hilly and barren village in island Bajo was once burned down on November 25, 2015 and at this time has reinitiated physical development.
Unpad Team always tried its best in this expedition, and received appreciation from the organizers, stated by Deputy Assistant of Empowerment Strategic and Special Region, Drs. RM. Wijanarko Setyawan, MSc., on several occasions. One member of Unpad team, Samson Jayawinata was also appointed as informal coordinator. Unpad team also trained 593 KRI Banda men to play angklung in preparation for Navy Day.
Unpad champion program, Angklung, has been implemented in four destinations: Bajo Pulo Village, Ilwaki City in Wetar Island, Sumlaki city in Tanimbar Island and Kaimana City in Regency of Kaimana West Papua. Unpad Team trained angklung for students of elementary, junior high, and high school and also their teachers using the song Halo-Halo Bandung. Unpad mission to spread Sundanese art was conveyed through angklung. Unpad Team distributed books of story telling for students in Bajo Pulo and established reading house in Selaru, a island near Yamdena.
The main event in Kaimana city began with carnival and exhibition of local products. In the evening, angklungs from Unpad was played by students of SMP Yapis and martial arts to represent Bhakti PMK at the opening of the main event in front of the Coordinating Minister for the PMK, Puan Maharani. After the main event, angklung was symbolically handed over to the Navy Post Kaimana. Angklung to Kaimana town was divided by two, partially stored in SMP Islam and partly in the Navy Postal that can be used by anyone who needs it.
Hardship has been overcome and forgotten. Fatigue has been paid off. Mission of Coordinating Ministry of PMK to visit our brothers in remote areas has given precious, not only physical but soulful, experience to the students, alumni, and Unpad partners. The members of Team Unpad have also inventoried problems in four of the locations, to be handed over to Coordinating Ministry of PMK. Unpad will form an equally strong team for the next year Bhakti PMK Expedition. *
Released by Team Unpad of Bhakti PMK 2016 Expedition / eh
