Sumba in the Eyes of American Anthropology

• By Admin
• Selasa, 8 Juli 2025

There was something different in the Social Anthropology Classroom in the Prof. Bagus FIB building. The class formed the atmosphere of a public lecture organized by the Cultural Anthropology Study Program of Udayana University which felt special on Tuesday (8/7) afternoon. A total of 50 Anthropology students enthusiastically listened to the presentation of two senior anthropologists, namely Dr. Janet Alison Hoskin from the University of Southern California, who was accompanied by the moderator and his colleague, Dr. Purwadi (familiarly called Pak Pur), a retired Udayana University Anthropology lecturer.

This special class presented an in-depth account of Janet's ethnographic research in Sumba, which was later booked under the title The Play of Time. The research highlighted the traditional beliefs of the people of Sumba, with the method of living with the local community for a long time. Many interesting things were presented by Janet. The results of decades of research that began in 1992 became an experience that provided new knowledge for students.

"Researching Sumba's culture is a very valuable experience. I have to understand each of their rites and beliefs from the inside, not just as an observer," Janet said to the students.

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