Book by UKDW Lecturer Spotlights Women Guardians of Pottery Traditions
The Craft and Culture Laboratory of the Product Design Study Program at Universitas Kristen Duta Wacana (UKDW) Yogyakarta hosted a book discussion on Suatu Hari di Sambirata: Pengalaman Estetis Keseharian Bersama Perempuan Pelestari Gerabah on Thursday, December 4, 2025, at Bentara Budaya Yogyakarta. Authored by Dr. Koniherawati, a lecturer in Product Design at UKDW, the book documents the everyday lives of women pottery artisans in Sambirata Hamlet, Purbalingga, through the lens of everyday aesthetics.
The discussion featured speakers from both academic and cultural sectors, including Dr. Koniherawati; Dr. Yustina Devi Ardhiani from the Master of Cultural Studies Program at Universitas Sanata Dharma; and Rev. Stefanus Christian Haryono, Ph.D., a spirituality lecturer at the UKDW Faculty of Theology.
Speakers highlighted how Koniherawati’s fieldwork provides an in-depth look at traditional pottery-making practices as well as the challenges of sustaining artisan communities in Sambirata. The event also marked the laboratory’s first public program aimed at broadening research engagement and strengthening cultural collaboration with local communities.
In her presentation, Koniherawati explained that the book emerged from extensive research conducted during her doctoral studies. Her work underscores the vital role of women as key custodians of the pottery tradition and as central contributors to household economies. “The daily routines of these artisans are not merely repetitive tasks—they reflect an aesthetic and spiritual practice deeply connected to their environment,” she said.
She noted that cultural documentation has become increasingly important as the number of pottery artisans in Sambirata continues to decline, while traditional crafts face mounting competition from mass-produced goods. Koniherawati hopes the book will help reintroduce the social, cultural, and artistic significance of village pottery to a wider audience.
Suatu Hari di Sambirata is also used as a reference in the graduate Cultural Studies program at Universitas Sanata Dharma, particularly in courses focusing on observational methods and field data collection. Koniherawati’s work has drawn attention for contributing not only to academic scholarship but also to efforts to preserve local cultural heritage.
The event concluded with a call to support the continuity of Sambirata’s pottery tradition through collaboration between academia, cultural institutions, and local communities. “Cultural preservation cannot happen in isolation. It requires collective effort to ensure that traditions passed down for generations do not fade with the current one,” Koniherawati said.
Source: humasukdw | Ed. (ENG): drr
