UNAIR NEWS – A student from Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) has once again brought international recognition to her alma mater. This time, Rafida Mumtaz, a graduate student in the Linguistics program at UNAIR’s Faculty of Humanities (FIB), had the opportunity to present her research at the International Forum of Spice Route (IFSR), held from September 23-26, 2024. During this hybrid event, she showcased her study on the linguistic aspects of spice naming in Indonesian cultural traditions.
The conference, an annual event organized by the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) in partnership with the Negeri Rempah Foundation, aims to support Indonesia’s efforts to gain UNESCO recognition for the spice route as part of the world’s cultural heritage. The forum brought together researchers and academics from across the globe to provide scientific evidence supporting Indonesia’s historical spice route as a cultural heritage of humanity.
Exploring cultural significance of spice naming
Mumtaz recounted how her interest in the spice route began. Initially, she had no specific focus on the subject until she was awarded the Indonesian Education Scholarship from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Kemendikbudristek) to pursue her master’s degree.
“I wasn’t particularly interested in researching the spice route at first. This interest only developed when I became a recipient of the BPI scholarship, where one of the main objectives of the Directorate General of Culture is to secure UNESCO recognition for Indonesia’s spice route,” she explained.
During her presentation, Mumtaz explored how traditional herbal drinks, known as jamu, are named in ways that reflect the values and philosophies of Javanese culture. “Many jamu names use metaphors, highlighting the creative mindset of Javanese people. For example, the name godhong salam (bay leaf) symbolizes the aroma of food, as if it is offering a ‘greeting’ to those about to eat,” she noted.
Memorable experience
For Mumtaz, the most memorable aspect of participating in the conference was presenting her research from a linguistic perspective, particularly in a panel dominated by experts in history, archaeology, and anthropology.
Despite the differences in academic disciplines, she was able to demonstrate that the spice route can be studied not only through historical and archaeological lenses but also from a linguistic standpoint. “What stood out to me was being the only linguistics panelist. I had to convince the others that my research on the spice route from a linguistic perspective held equal scientific value,” she said.
Reflecting on the forum, Mumtaz gained valuable insights on the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration. “Knowledge is inherently collaborative and interdisciplinary. Even though our fields may differ, we can still collaborate using the right approaches. So, don’t be afraid to step outside your area of expertise. Once you engage, you’ll discover many commonalities,” she concluded.
Author: Raissyah Fatika
Editor: Yulia Rohmawati
