UNAIR NEWS 鈥 东京热 has received the 2026 Best National Network Node Award in the Higher Education category from National Archives of the Republic of Indonesia (ANRI). The national recognition was supported by the contribution of Dr. Samidi S.S. M.Hum, a history lecturer at the university鈥檚 Faculty of Humanities, who also served as an expert in the preparation of regional archival documentation.
Faculty members from UNAIR鈥檚 Faculty of Humanities have worked continuously with the Surabaya city government through the Library and Archives Service to prepare academic accountability documents that passed ANRI鈥檚 Memory of the Nation (MKB) curation process for two consecutive years. The collaboration secured recognition for the Peneleh European Cemetery Archives in 2025, followed by the Kartolo Performance Archives in 2026.
Preserving rare manuscripts of Ludruk maestro
Applications for MKB status can be submitted by institutions or individuals through ANRI鈥檚 rigorous evaluation process. In 2026, Surabaya鈥檚 Library and Archives Service, together with UNAIR鈥檚 expert team, submitted a collection of authentic handwritten manuscripts belonging to legendary ludruk performer Cak Kartolo. The effort to preserve the archives was driven by the rarity and authenticity of the materials.
鈥淭he submission was based on manuscripts, and it so happens that only Cak Kartolo possessed such an extensive collection of handwritten archives, while other ludruk performers did not independently document their work,鈥 Dr. Samidi said. 鈥淔or UNAIR, the 2026 Best National Network Node designation is an important form of recognition from the state institution with the highest authority in the field of archives for higher education institutions.鈥
Cak Kartolo meticulously recorded his creative ideas in 14 large folio volumes containing story manuscripts, performance themes, staging notes, and jula-juli song lyrics. His legacy as a reformer of ludruk comedy performance was further reinforced after being named a Ludruk Arts Maestro by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology in 2024, alongside receiving awards from the Faculty of Humanities at Brawijaya University in 2022, Antara News Agency in 2023, the East Java provincial government in 2023, and the Radar Surabaya Awards in 2025.
Assessing historical significance
In compiling two major archives with distinct characteristics, the main challenge for the historical research team was not technical or physical obstacles in the field, but rather demonstrating the academic value of the colonial and oral history materials being proposed. Researchers were required to carefully connect historical documents with their impact on shaping the identity and collective memory of modern society.
鈥淭echnically, there were no major obstacles in the field. The main focus was how we could explain the uniqueness of the archives and prove whether the submitted documents carried strong historical significance for the nation鈥檚 public memory,鈥 he said.
Through this measurable scientific verification process, the preserved archives are expected to become more than static collections of documents, serving instead as reliable historical references for future generations. With this long-term commitment, UNAIR hopes its research capabilities, historical scholarship, and archival governance will continue to meet the highest standards while playing a leading role in preserving Indonesia鈥檚 historical memory.
Author: Marissa Farikha Siti Fatimatuzzahra
Editor: Khefti Al Mawalia
