Grants talk:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Rapid Fund/Swarajati:Pendokumentasian Karya Seni Musik Tradisional Jawa (ID: 23645350)

Endorsement from Sam Hidayat (talk)

I strongly support this project. Documenting gendhing (traditional Javanese music compositions) is a rare and valuable initiative. Most musical recordings today focus on commercial works, while many classical Javanese pieces remain preserved only in old manuscripts. Making these cultural treasures openly accessible will help preserve Javanese musical heritage and benefit researchers, artists, and the wider public.

--Sam Hidayat (talk) 10:32, 13 November 2025 (UTC)

Endorsement from JV06Nur Hanifah Insani (talk)

The "Swarajati: Documentation of Javanese Traditional Music Artwork" proposal is a deeply necessary and well-structured initiative to safeguard a vital piece of Indonesia's intangible cultural heritage. While Javanese Gamelan has received symbolic recognition from UNESCO, this project directly confronts the critical risk of knowledge erosion by creating a permanent, accessible, and high-quality open archive. By targeting 30 specific gendhing (compositions) for professional audio recording and subsequent open licensing on Wikimedia Commons and Wikidata, Swarajati ensures that the true musical practice, not just the instruments, is preserved and discoverable globally. This strategic move from closed, private archives to open, structured data is crucial for contemporary cultural advocacy and heritage continuity.

What makes this project truly effective is its commitment to sustainability and community engagement. The methodology is robust, clearly linking the collection of new media assets with their immediate utilization to enrich knowledge equity. By actively training 30 new volunteers through Wikipedia writing workshops, Swarajati transforms passive documentation into an active cultural movement, empowering local youth and practitioners to become stewards of their own digital heritage. This dual focus, creating valuable content while simultaneously building a local community capable of maintaining and leveraging it, makes the proposal highly coherent and deserving of full support as a model for preserving endangered cultural practices in the digital age.

--JV06Nur Hanifah Insani (talk) 13:40, 14 November 2025 (UTC)

Endorsement from Nerissa Lyra (talk)

Saya sangat mendukung inisiatif Swarajati: Pendokumentasian Karya Seni Musik Tradisional Jawa. Proyek ini sangat penting karena musik tradisional Jawa merupakan bagian dari warisan budaya yang kaya dan mendalam, tetapi seringkali kurang terdokumentasi secara digital di platform pengetahuan bebas seperti Wikimedia. Dengan mendokumentasikan karya seni musik tradisional Jawa, proposal ini membuka peluang agar generasi mendatang, peneliti, dan penggemar budaya dapat mengakses, mempelajari, dan meneruskan warisan ini dengan lebih luas. Selain itu, pendekatan ini sejalan dengan semangat Wikimedia untuk menjembatani kesenjangan pengetahuan dan memperkuat representasi komunitas budaya yang mungkin kurang terdengar.

Lebih dari sekadar pelestarian budaya, saya melihat potensi edukatif besar dari proyek ini. Dokumentasi musik tradisional Jawa bisa menjadi sumber bahan belajar tidak hanya di Wikipedia, tetapi juga di Commons, Wikidata, dan proyek Wikimedia lainnya — sehingga memungkinkan kolaborasi antarkomunitas dan kolaborator lintas disiplin seperti musisi, budayawan, dan kontributor Wikimedia. Dukungan dana dari Rapid Fund akan sangat mempercepat realisasi kegiatan pendokumentasian, seperti pengumpulan rekaman, wawancara dengan seniman tradisional, dan pengunggahan ke platform bebas lisensi. Menurut saya, proyek ini bukan hanya memperkaya konten lokal di Wikimedia, tetapi juga memberi kontribusi yang berarti terhadap pelestarian warisan budaya Indonesia di era digital.

--Nerissa Lyra (talk) 18:52, 15 November 2025 (UTC)

Endorsement from Slokantara (talk)

I fully support the "Swarajati: Documentation of Javanese Traditional Music" initiative. This project provides a meaningful contribution to the preservation of cultural heritage by ensuring that traditional Javanese musical works are documented, accessible, and freely available for global audiences. It also strengthens the representation of local cultural knowledge on Wikimedia platforms, which often lack comprehensive documentation of regional arts. I believe this project will inspire more collaborations between cultural practitioners, researchers, and Wikimedia contributors.

Moreover, this proposal aligns strongly with Wikimedia’s mission to expand equitable access to knowledge. By producing high-quality documentation and uploading it under free licenses, the project helps sustain traditional music practices while boosting their visibility in the digital sphere. It is also likely to benefit educators, students, and cultural institutions seeking reliable materials on Javanese artistic traditions. I am confident that the project team has the commitment and capability to execute this work with great care and impact.

--Slokantara (talk) 18:59, 15 November 2025 (UTC)

Endorsement from Inkravtania (talk)

I am pleased to express my support for the Swarajati: Documentation of Javanese Traditional Musical Arts project. This initiative addresses a crucial gap in the digital representation of Indonesia’s cultural heritage by systematically preserving traditional musical works that are at risk of fading from public awareness. By integrating these materials into Wikimedia platforms, the project ensures long-term accessibility for researchers, learners, and culture enthusiasts worldwide. It also contributes to enriching the global knowledge ecosystem with perspectives and artistic expressions from Java.

Furthermore, the project demonstrates a thoughtful and community-centered approach. By collaborating with local musicians, cultural bearers, and practitioners, the team shows a commitment to ethical documentation and respectful engagement with tradition holders. The focus on producing freely licensed multimedia materials aligns perfectly with Wikimedia’s mission of open knowledge.

--Inkravtania (talk) 19:07, 15 November 2025 (UTC)

Endorsement from Ozymandros Caelum (talk)

Proyek ini patut mendapatkan dukungan kuat atas upayanya memastikan bahwa pengetahuan musik tradisional tidak hilang di tengah perubahan budaya yang cepat. Dengan mengumpulkan rekaman berkualitas tinggi, penjelasan kontekstual, serta wawasan yang berakar pada tradisi, tim proyek menghadirkan materi berharga yang dapat memperkaya ekosistem pengetahuan Wikimedia. Dedikasi inisiatif ini terhadap akses terbuka memungkinkan ekspresi budaya tersebut menjangkau pendidik, peneliti, dan publik global tanpa hambatan. Kegiatan ini akan meninggalkan jejak bermakna dengan menguatkan suara para pewaris tradisi dan meningkatkan visibilitas warisan musik Jawa di platform digital.

--Ozymandros Caelum (talk) 21:00, 15 November 2025 (UTC)

Endorsement from Budakbandes13 (talk)

I am pleased to support the Swarajati: Documentation of Javanese Traditional Musical Arts initiative, which plays a vital role in preserving cultural knowledge that is rarely captured in open digital archives. By documenting performances, narratives, and contextual information from tradition bearers, the project ensures that these artistic practices remain visible and relevant for future generations. Its commitment to open licensing and community collaboration strengthens Wikimedia’s mission to make diverse cultural resources freely available to the world.

--Budakbandes13 (talk) 07:43, 16 November 2025 (UTC)

Endorsement from Sekar Kinanthi Kidung Wening (talk)

Hanglaras ilining banyu mata (In harmony with the flowing of tearful drops). This expression beautifully reflects how deeply cultural memory lives within emotion, echoing the spirit of the Swarajati project. Through documenting Javanese traditional musical arts, the initiative seeks to preserve melodies, stories, and cultural wisdom that have long carried the emotional heartbeat of communities. By bringing these expressions into open knowledge platforms, the project ensures that such profound cultural resonance continues to flow across generations, unbroken and accessible.

The proposal also demonstrates a clear commitment to ethical collaboration and long-term cultural preservation. Its plan to work closely with tradition bearers and to publish freely licensed recordings, images, and contextual data will significantly enrich Wikimedia’s cultural resources. This effort not only strengthens public understanding of Javanese musical traditions but also contributes to broadening the global representation of Indonesia’s cultural heritage.

--Sekar Kinanthi Kidung Wening (talk) 09:40, 16 November 2025 (UTC)

Endorsement from Indah Sastro (talk)

I strongly endorse the "Swarajati: Documentation of Javanese Traditional Musical Arts" project, as it offers an important opportunity to safeguard cultural expressions that are increasingly vulnerable in the modern era. By transforming local musical traditions into accessible, freely licensed knowledge resources, the project helps bridge the gap between heritage communities and digital audiences. Its emphasis on accuracy, cultural sensitivity, and long-term preservation aligns closely with Wikimedia’s vision of expanding global knowledge equity. I am confident that this initiative will meaningfully enrich Wikimedia content while honoring the artistic legacy of Java. Indah Sastro (talk) 13:39, 16 November 2025 (UTC)

Review responses, questions and action items for your application

Hello @Titah Sawantah,

Thank you for your application. We have completed the initial review of your application. Here are the combined comments from the review team (i.e. Wikimedia Indonesia, ESEAP Partnership Manager and ESEAP Programme Officer).

To summarise:

Section 6 requires your response.

We look forward to your response by 11 December 2025. Please let us know if you require more time to respond. We can adapt. I will also be returning the application to you so that you can make the changes to the application on Fluxx (if you feel its needed) based on the feedback received.

Thank you.

Regards, Jacqueline

--

Review questions	Collated responses
1) Is the proposal clear in terms of the change it wants to make? Does the proposal indicate value/impact potential? Is the proposal viable?	TO SOME EXTENT Detailed Explanation a) The proposal is clear, impactful, and viable, as it directly addresses the gap between Gamelan's symbolic UNESCO recognition and the current scarcity of open-access documentation by aiming to record and release 30 gendhing (traditional songs) under free licenses. This initiative promises significant value by generating high-quality multimedia content that is currently rare on Wikimedia platforms, with concrete targets of 30 recordings, Wikidata items, and Wikipedia articles to enrich the Javanese cultural record. Furthermore, the project is operationally viable, as the timeline from January to March 2026 allows for a realistic schedule of 15 effective days to record two songs per day, which is a manageable pace for the team. b) It depends. We need to know how long the Tembang Gendhing Jawa (Javanese traditional song) they want to record. If the length is about 3-5 minutes, then 30 songs are good. Wikipedia and Wikidata metrics are relatively low, but when the focus is on recording traditional songs, it can be justified. I suggest adding lyrics as closed captions to these traditional songs on Wikimedia Commons and translating them into Indonesian and English.
2) Does the applicant have the experience (technical / organizing) capacity to implement this project? Does the applicant or team have experience on target Wikimedia projects?	TO SOME EXTENT Detailed Explanation a) The applicant and their team possess the necessary technical and organizing capacity to implement this project, evidenced by a strong track record on the target Wikimedia projects. Titah Sawantah is an experienced contributor who notably won 3rd place in the "WikiPusaka" competition and has successfully managed previous initiatives like "WikiCendekia". Furthermore, the team has demonstrated expertise on Javanese Wikipedia and Wikisource through their prior involvement in digitization projects and writing competitions. b)Titah Sawantah has several experiences organizing events (WikiLatih, meetups) and projects under the WMID minigrant. Khusna Safira, on the other hand, is a newcomer. Registered on the Wikimedia project on 28 April 2025 and have relatively few edits. Khusna Safira began participating in the Yogyakarta Community in November 2025 and has no experience organizing events under the Wikimedia Indonesia program.
3) Does this proposal have support from Wikimedia community members?  Has there been sufficient engagement of community members through the endorsement and feedback process?	TO SOME EXTENT Detailed Explanation a) The applicant is active in the Wikimedia Yogyakarta community and has discussed the project via WhatsApp and in-person meetings. I also see several endorsements from other community members b) Titah Sawantah and Khusna Safira are members of the Yogyakarta Community. However, it seems they don’t communicate their plan to create the Swarajati project with the Yogyakarta Community. This project may be an individual initiative. I wonder if this is true?
4) Does the proposed budget adequately reflect the investment needed to achieve the proposed goals?	TO SOME EXTENT Detailed Explanation a) No, the current budget is significantly inflated. The total request of 77,400,000 IDR is high for the proposed scope. A detailed review of the budget line items suggests that the project goals (recording 30 songs) can be achieved with a budget closer to 40,000,000 IDR. Major inefficiencies include: Logistics Strategy: The budget allocates 15,000,000 IDR to transport 10 musicians daily. It is far more cost-effective for the documentation team (5 people) to travel to the musicians' location (pendopo), eliminating this massive cost. Staff Rates: The rate for "Assistant Trainers" (Pelatih Pendamping) is listed at 1,500,000 IDR/day, which is above the standard rate (typically 500,000-850,000 IDR). Unit Costs: Daily allowances for food (60,000 IDR) and local transport (100,000 IDR) are higher than the standard local rates for Central Java Non-Essential Items: Paid software subscriptions (1,000,000 IDR) and high merchandise costs (3,000,000 IDR) are unnecessary given the availability of free open-source alternatives and the focus on digital impact. b) Because Javanese traditional songs require many performers, from karawitan (musical band) to vocalists, the may seem high. It can be suggested to shorten the documentation duration from 15 days to 10 days (from 2 songs per day to 3), but this also depends on the complexity and length of the songs.
5) Does the applicant show clarity in what they hope to learn from their work given the change they are hoping to achieve?	TO SOME EXTENT Detailed Explanation a) Yes. They aim to understand community awareness regarding Wikimedia projects and measure the capacity of local volunteers to contribute to cultural preservation digitally. b) On whether the project offers innovation or opportunities of collaboration or learning for the wider local community? This is not the first time for a song recording project. Six years ago, there was the WikiDendang project focused on recording traditional songs from various regions. But Swarajati will be the first project focused solely on Javanese traditional songs. c) On whether the project will propose content contribution notable, relevant? With positive effects on predicted readerships and connections between articles? It depends on the song list. Some of the Tembang Gendhing Jawa available on YouTube, under a Creative Commons license. If the songs are unique or relatively hard to find on the internet, then the Swarabakti project is notable,
6) Questions or feedback to the applicant based on your review	We require a response to these questions a) See questions and comments at 1b. Resources: https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/OpenSpeaks ; https://www.bbc.co.uk/accessibility/forproducts/guides/subtitles/ b) See question and comment at 3b. c) Can you provide a list of Tembang Gendhing Jawa you want recorded, along with the length of each song? What is the copyright status of each song? Clarification on Copyright: Since the project involves recording contemporary performances of traditional songs, the applicant is asked to confirm if there is a clear agreement with the Gamelan group ensuring they understand that their performance rights will be released under a CC BY-SA license d) See questions and comments in 4b. Budget Optimization (Targeting 40,000,000 IDR), it is strongly recommended that the applicant optimize the budget to a target of approximately 40,000,000 IDR.

JChen (WMF) (talk) 02:28, 9 December 2025 (UTC)

Hello @JChen (WMF), thank you for the questions.

a) Thank you for the suggestion. Our team is fully committed to including the original Javanese lyrics as closed captions on Wikimedia Commons. We agree that this will improve accessibility and provide better cultural context for the recordings.

For the Indonesian and English versions, we will provide simple, literal translations. Many traditional Javanese songs contain poetic language, metrical patterns, and figurative expressions that are challenging to fully translate without losing their nuance. Because of this, we will focus on delivering clear and basic meanings rather than attempting to recreate the poetic structure. We believe this approach will still offer significant value for global audiences while remaining faithful to the source material.

b) Yes, that is correct. I (under the username Titah Sawantah) was previously active in the Wikimedia Yogyakarta Community. Since I am currently living outside Yogyakarta, I have not been able to attend the in-person community meetings, and therefore the idea for this project has not yet been presented in their gatherings.

However, if this proposal is approved, our team is fully committed to collaborating with the Wikimedia Yogyakarta Community, especially regarding outreach and public communication about the project’s activities. We value the community’s support and would be glad to keep them informed and involved as appropriate.

c) At this stage, the estimated duration of each gendhing varies quite widely. Some pieces are relatively short, around 3–5 minutes, while others may extend to 5–10 minutes depending on the structure and the performance style.

Regarding copyright status: due to the short turnaround time for responding to this set of questions, we have not yet been able to finalize a complete list of songs together with their copyright details in consultation with the karawitan group. However, we can provide a general overview. Many of the pieces we plan to document are traditional compositions that are centuries old, such as Ladrang Raja Manggala, Ladrang Wilujeng, Ladrang Sri Widada, Ketawang Wijil Wigaringtyas, Lancaran Gula Klapa, etc. These gendhing have long been part of the classical repertoire within the Javanese palaces (keraton) and are now widely performed outside the palace context. As such, they can be considered part of the public domain in terms of composition.

For contemporary performance rights, we will ensure clarity and compliance. Before any recording sessions begin, we will establish a clear written agreement with the collaborating gamelan group confirming that their performance recordings will be released under a CC BY-SA license. We will make sure they fully understand the terms and are comfortable with the open-license framework. Titah Sawantah (talk) 19:37, 11 December 2025 (UTC)

d) Thank you very much for the detailed feedback on the budget. We appreciate the close review and we are committed to adjusting the proposal so it aligns with WMF standards while still ensuring fair support for the artists and the team.

1. Local Transport for Musicians (IDR 15,000,000)

Our initial calculation for musician transport was based on actual local conditions. The sanggar / pendhapa where recordings will take place is the group’s own base, but many of the members live 10–15 km away. Based on current fares on local apps (Grab/Gojek), a one-way motorcycle ride typically costs IDR 35,000–40,000, and a round trip costs roughly double.

Beyond logistics, this budget line also serves as a form of appreciation for the artists, who would be dedicating more than six hours per day to the project.

If WMF prefers to eliminate the “transport” category entirely, we kindly request guidance on how we may restructure this as an artist appreciation budget that complies with WMF policies. We want to ensure the performers are treated fairly while remaining within acceptable funding norms.

2. Assistant Trainer Rates

We will adjust the rates to match the standard range recommended by WMF.

3. Food Allowance (IDR 60,000 per meal)

The meal allowance follows the general practice used by Wikimedia Indonesia. Prices in Central Java can vary, but even in modest venues, such as Gendhis Wangi (https://www.instagram.com/gendhiswangi?igsh=MXRob2RhNWloNWtmZA==) in Klaten which commonly used for Wikimedia activities, main dishes range from IDR 30,000–40,000 and drinks from IDR 5,000–20,000.

If WMF has a recommended benchmark for meal costs in Central Java, we would be grateful for guidance so we can revise this item appropriately.

4. Software and Merchandise

We will remove the paid software subscription from the budget and significantly reduce the merchandise costs in line with WMF’s suggestion.

5. Production Timeline (10 vs. 15 days)

We fully understand the suggestion to shorten the documentation period. However, we estimate that 15 days remain necessary due to the complexity of recording traditional karawitan. The ensemble involves many instruments that require careful setup, tuning, and coordination.

In practice, recording two gendhing already takes around six hours per day, including preparation and post-session adjustments. For this reason, reducing the schedule to 10 days may risk compromising the quality of the final outputs.

That said, we remain open to further discussion if WMF believes an alternative structure would be more appropriate.

Best Regards, Titah Sawantah (talk) 19:49, 11 December 2025 (UTC)

Your application has been approved

Hello @Titah Sawantah,

Thank you for your application and for taking time to respond. Congratulations, your application has been approved in the amount of IDR 40,000,000 from 19 January 2026 to 31 May 2026.

• I extended the implementation timeline. If you complete your project ahead of time, please feel free to submit your final report early via Fluxx.
• The final approved amount takes into account the recommendations from the review team. Please take a moment to revise your budget and timeline as needed. You can do that by adding a new tab into your existing working documents and sharing the link on the talk page when ready: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1HRgW5q9b5AyRyPjs56eEffInIAPt05vW_8URaOjl4hw/edit?usp=sharing
• Additional resources which you may find useful - Oral Culture Transcription Toolkit

Additional resources which may be useful

• The reporting requirements and templates for the grant can be found here. All reports are to be completed and submitted via Fluxx.
• Timelines for reporting can be found in your grant agreement or on Fluxx.
• Instructions for post award: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Grants:Processing/Grantee_Portal/Post_award
• Documenting project expenses: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Grants:Documenting_project_expenses

We thank you for your participation in the grant application process and hope to continue to journey with you as you embark on this project. Good luck!

Regards, Jacqueline on behalf of review team JChen (WMF) (talk) 02:08, 12 December 2025 (UTC)

Hello @JChen (WMF),

Thank you for the approval and the kind guidance provided.

Warm regards, Titah Sawantah (talk) 03:09, 18 December 2025 (UTC)

Bank account information correction for Rapid Fund disbursement

Hello, @JChen (WMF)

I would like to inform you and seek guidance regarding a banking information issue related to our approved Rapid Fund project.

Our Rapid Fund proposal has been approved by the Wikimedia Foundation, and we previously submitted our bank account information via Fluxx for grant disbursement. However, we have recently realized that there was an input error in the bank account number we provided. Specifically, the recipient bank is Bank BTN (Indonesia), which uses a 16-digit account number format. Due to our oversight, we mistakenly entered only 15 digits in the bank account number field. We became aware of this issue after the grant disbursement timeline had progressed. As a corrective step, our team has now uploaded the revised and correct bank account information via the Fluxx website. At this point, we would like to ask for advice on the appropriate next steps:

• Should we additionally contact the WMF Finance Team via email to ensure the correction is noted?
• Or is the update submitted through Fluxx sufficient for the disbursement process to proceed?

We sincerely apologize for this mistake and would greatly appreciate your guidance on how to proceed so the disbursement process can continue smoothly. Thank you very much for your time and assistance. Best regards, Titah Sawantah (talk) 16:02, 20 January 2026 (UTC)

Hello @Titah Sawantah,

Thank you for sharing.

We are connected via email on this topic and the WMF Grants Team is following up on this.

Regards,

Jacqueline JChen (WMF) (talk) 06:54, 21 January 2026 (UTC)

Request for Extension - APPROVED

Dear @JChen (WMF) I hope you are doing well.

I would like to sincerely apologize for the delay in submitting our final report for this Rapid Fund project. We would like to kindly request an extension of time to complete and submit the report.

The delay occurred because our planned reporting timeline unexpectedly overlapped with several major religious holidays in Indonesia. During this period, many members of our team had family and community obligations, which affected our ability to compile the financial and narrative reports on schedule. We are currently finalizing the report and remain fully committed to submitting a complete and accurate report as soon as possible. We sincerely appreciate your understanding and consideration regarding this situation.

Thank you very much for your patience and support. We apologize for any inconvenience this delay may have caused.

Best regards, Titah Sawantah (talk) 10:15, 26 June 2026 (UTC)

Hello @Titah Sawantah,

Your request for an extension has been approved.

The end date of your project has been updated to 31 July 2026 and your final report is due on Fluxx on 31 August 2026.

Thank you.

Regards,

Jacqueline JChen (WMF) (talk)