The Faculty of Cultural Sciences at Diponegoro University (FIB Undip) once again presents an inspiring story from one of its alumni in the “FIB Undip Alumni Success Story” segment.
This time, the spotlight is on Ahmad Khairudin, or Mas Adin as he is affectionately known, an artist and cultural activist who is now recognized as the Director and one of the founders of Grobak Hysteria, a creative community that has been consistently active in the fields of culture, art, and community empowerment for two decades.
Starting at FIB Undip: From EMKA Theater to the Cultural Movement
Mas Adin is an alumnus of the Indonesian Literature Program at FIB Undip, class of 2004. During his studies, he was active in EMKA Theater (Emperan Kampus), a platform for student expression in the arts and literature that often served as a creative space for various cultural ideas.
Through his activities in theater and various courses related to culture, literature, and society, the seeds of thought regarding the importance of cultural preservation began to take root within him.
“Many courses at FIB inspired me to form Hysteria. On campus, I learned how culture can serve as a tool for social reflection,” he explained.
According to Mas Adin, his academic experiences and campus activities at FIB Undip provided him with a strong foundation for understanding the relationship between cultural theory and practice in the field.
“From FIB, I learned that culture isn’t just something to be studied, but something to be lived,” he added.
The Birth of Grobak Hysteria: From Campus to the Social Sphere
Grobak Hysteria was born out of the collective spirit of cultural students who wanted to change society’s perspective on art and culture. Initially, the community originated on campus, with many of its founders being students at the Faculty of Humanities, Diponegoro University, who were concerned about the lack of space for cultural expression in society.
Over time, Hysteria evolved into a community-based organization that combines theoretical knowledge with social action, ranging from public art activities to community-based cultural research.
One of its most notable projects was the 2012 research on the everyday knowledge of Kampung Bustaman. This project explored the collective memory of the local community to spark social awareness and returned the research findings to the residents as a form of appreciation for local history and culture.
“For me, Hysteria is a space for experimentation and cultural expression. It’s not just the journey of an organization, but a journey of love for culture,” said Mas Adin.
A Passion for Culture and a Vibrant Movement
For Mas Adin, culture is not merely a concept or an academic discourse. It is a way of life, a space for expression, learning, and binding people together through social values. Through Grobak Hysteria, he demonstrates that culture can serve as a bridge between society and knowledge, between art and social reality.
Hysteria is also known as a “cultural hangout,” a place where people from diverse backgrounds gather, discuss, and create. “Culture must be alive, and life must have a space for interaction,” he said
A Message for FIB Undip Students
In closing his story, Mas Adin shared a heartfelt message with FIB Undip students, encouraging them to never stop learning and experimenting.
“Do things with joy. Don’t shut yourself off from your surroundings, and keep moving forward. Because through movement, we can discover new meanings in culture,” he said.
Through the story of Ahmad Khairudin, FIB Undip reaffirms its role as a faculty that not only produces academics but also cultural practitioners capable of bringing humanistic values to life within society. Like Mas Adin, FIB Undip alumni continue to prove that literature and culture are forces for building individuals, communities, and the nation.
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