In July, the KITLV-Jakarta team conducted an acquisition visit to Purwokerto and Banyumas. The region is not only charming with its scenic landscapes, but also renowned for its warm social fabric, traditional Lengger dance, and the candid, open character of its people, known locally as cablaka. This welcoming cultural heritage harmonizes seamlessly with a vibrant and highly productive local publishing industry.

The journey began with an exploration of local history alongside the Banjoemas History Heritage Community, where we gained deep insights into regional historical research from Jatmiko, one of the 2025 Lingling Wiyadharma Fellows. Complemented by a visit to the Banyumas Regency Wayang Museum to observe its distinct gagrak Banyumasan shadow puppet collection.

Purwokerto’s dynamic academic scene was on full display during visits to the Research and Community Service Institutes of Universitas Islam Negeri Prof. KH. Saifuddin Zuhri  and Universitas Muhammadiyah Purwokerto, the Universitas Muhammadiyah Purwokerto History Study Program and Faculty of Social and Political Sciences Universitas Jenderal Soedirman, where we engaged with researchers and university publishers managing high-quality scholarly journals and historical literature. In parallel, the team established a collaboration with the editorial team of Ancas Magazine to complement its publication collection and support the active preservation of the Banyumasan Javanese language.

The highlight of our visit meeting Ahmad Tohari, whose literary works capture the beauty and social realities of Banyumas. Another prominent figure was Dr. Sugeng Priyadi, who conducted approximately 25 years of research on the Kalibening manuscript, corrected the historical founding date of Banyumas Regency from April 6, 1582, to February 22, 1571. The abundance of local publishers became even more evident upon visiting a single building in Banyumas that houses eight local publishing.

In the period of June to August, KITLV-Jakarta team also concluded other acquisition trips to Palembang South Sumatra, Yogyakarta, and in and around the Greater Jakarta area. Their exciting journeys can be found here.