International Social Service: Weaving Hope, Embracing Local Wisdom

• By Admin
• Jumat, 21 November 2025

Klungkung, November 21, 2025 — The Cultural Anthropology Study Program, in collaboration with Go Study, conducted an international social service community service activity in Besan Village, Dawan District, Klungkung Regency, Bali. At least 25 people attended this activity, including lecturers and students. The activity was coordinated by Anthropology lecturer I Gede Andi Legawa, along with other lecturers: Aliffiati (Study Program Coordinator), Ida Ayu Alit Laksmiwati, Ida Bagus Oka Wedasantara, Putu Karina Pravitasari, Gede Budarsa, Wildan Wahyudinata, and Ria Hikmatul Hayati. The group left the Faculty of Cultural Sciences campus at 8:00 a.m. in three cars. Upon arrival, the group was warmly welcomed by the traditional leader and the head of the Besan village BPD in the village hall.

For this activity, the lecturers and students went into the field to observe the processes of making brown sugar and dodol, a traditional Indonesian dessert made from fruit. These two signature products of Besan Village provide income for the community. During the activity, the participants were divided into two groups. One group observed the production of brown sugar, while the other observed the production of fruit dodol.

One of the brown sugar artisans we visited was Mrs. Yuko Sato. She was born and raised in Japan, but she has been married to a Besan native for a long time. She inherited her brown sugar-making skills from her mother-in-law. The brown sugar is made using 100% coconut sap. The sap is processed for about an hour until it becomes edible brown sugar. In Besan Village, the brown sugar-making process still uses traditional tools, such as stoves and firewood. Besan Village brown sugar differs from that of other areas in Bali in that it is lighter in color, sweet but not too sharp, and dense on the outside with a soft interior. This makes it easy to slice because it is not mixed with granulated sugar. Besan Village brown sugar currently has a Geographical Indication (GI) issued by the Directorate General of Intellectual Property (DJKI) of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights. Meanwhile, the dodol produced in this activity is jackfruit dodol. The type of fruit used varies with the seasons. Dodol production can be found in almost every home because this snack is an integral part of Balinese religious ceremonies. The basic ingredients for fruit dodol are ripe fruit and granulated sugar. The activity ran smoothly, with lecturers and students participating enthusiastically in the brown sugar and dodol-making process from start to finish: sorting ingredients, mixing, and packaging.

In addition to touring the production site, the group distributed basic food packages to 30 families in Besan Village. The Head of Besan Village carried out the first distribution, followed by the Coordinator of the Cultural Anthropology Study Program at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences at Udayana University. The Coordinator then handed the packages to the families who received them. This activity marked the beginning of the next community service activity, which will take place in January 2026. The head of Besan Village welcomed the activity and hopes similar activities continue (Ria).