Warung Dewi Sri

Sekolah Tani Muda Sukabumi

 

Warung Dewi Sri is a process and manifestation of ongoing discussions with Sekolah Tani Muda (Sektimuda) since 2019. A collaboration between Chu Hao Pei and Sektimuda Sukabumi [Michael Raffy (Dipa) & Shah Aburrojab], Warung Dewi Sri is a concept, encountering and site, which utilises the warung culture in Indonesia and angkringan culture in Central Java and Yogyakarta, Indonesia, to initiate a series of discussions by bringing agricultural issues out of the farm.

 

The Angkringan Culture

Angkringan (derived from the Javanese ‘Angkring’, which means sit down) is a push cart that sells a variety of foods and beverages commonly found on roads in Central Java and Yogyakarta. Angkringan is also known as an egalitarian place because of the variety of buyers who come without distinction of social strata or racial intolerance. They enjoy free food while chatting until late into the night – although not knowing each other – about things or sometimes discussing serious topics¹.

 

The Warung Culture

Warung, is the term for street food vendor in Indonesia and is most commonly seen in Java, the most inhabited island in Indonesia. Like Angkringan, the warung is a neutral food space where fashion sense, financial status and religions as well as individual backgrounds dissipate into nothingness and all that matters is the meal in front of everyone.

 

Dewi Sri

Dewi Sri is the Javanese, Sundanese, and Balinese pre-Hindu and pre-Islamic Goddess of rice and fertility, still widely worshipped across Indonesia. There are several folktale versions about her but in the common one, Dewi Sri’s death was planned in order to keep the peace in the heavens amidst an array of heavenly events. Her body was buried and turned into different fruits and food plants. Rice plants grew out of her eyes or navel, depending on which version of the legend. She is widely venerated as the great benefactress who protects people against hunger and the Mother of rice.

 

 

The Warung discussions

Over the course of 6 days from 2nd to 7th April 2021, Warung Dewi Sri took place at the space outside of Gedung Disen in the evening, running on a pay-as-you-wish basis. The menu is specially selected and prepared for this session. Local rice dishes such as Mochi Kuah (a Sukabumi speciality) and Burbur Merah Putih (Red & white porridge) were served and complemented with other standard angkringan food such as satay and braised chicken feet.

The schedule of the session was broken down into the following:

Day 1 & 2: Insight to The Green Revolution

Day 3 & 4: Seed Sovereignty

Day 5 & 6: The Distribution Flaw: the middlemen syndrome

Day 7: Secret Dining at farmers’ house

   

Through the word of mouth and social media, Warung Dewi Sri attracted a fairly young and diverse audience. Starting off with a screening of the documentary on Mba Gatot, a former communist party member-turned-farmer, he revealed how he persisted with his values and principles to resist chemical fertilisers and genetically modified rice seeds - both products of The Green Revolution - during the (New Order) period where his life was constantly threatened for his past association with the banned Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) and his defiance in continuing traditional rice farming methods.

Warung Dewi Sri readily informed the audience about the growing agricultural problem and generated a lot of interests and questions from the young crowd. Invited guests like Mrs Tami and Mr Andi (Farmers at Rumahku Hijau) whose sharing informed the audience of the current and local farming issues, especially revolving seed issues.

Warung Dewi Sri was featured on a local news agency, Sukabumi Update.

 

Due to the resurgence of COVID-19 cases, Warung Dewi Sri is postponed until further notice. Regardless, the hope is for Warung Dewi Sri to take place again once the the situation gets better in Indonesia.

 

A short documentary narrating the process of Warung Dewi Sri can be viewed here.