I grew up in Indonesia, on the island of Sumba, known as the land of Marapu (Tana Marapu). It is renowned for its Marapu indigenous communities and traditions. I completed my undergraduate study in theology at Satya Wacana Christian University and Master of Arts in Religious and Cross-cultural Studies at Gadjah Mada University with a thesis on indigenous religious freedom. I will be entering the Religious Studies Department at UCSB for a PhD program focusing on the academic study of indigenous religions.
We got a chance to interview Krisharyanto a few weeks before they started at UCSB. Here is our short Q&A with Krisharyanto, who shares how they first became fascinated with their chosen discipline, why they chose UCSB, and what they're excited to accomplish on campus.
Q&A
As someone who seriously takes into account the possible contribution of academia to society, I became fascinated with the wide-ranging analytical tools offered by religious studies to study religion-related social phenomena. Through the interdisciplinary approach of
the field, I will be delving into the interwoven issues of indigenous religions such as human rights, religious freedom, ecology, citizenship, and politics. My research interests lie in critically scrutinizing the frameworks of religion within academia, governance/politics, and
everyday social engagement, particularly focusing on how indigenous religions are (mis)recognized. I intend to engage the Indonesian context as a significant part of this evolving global discourse of religion and indigeneity, given the country’s profound pluralities in religion, culture, and ethnicity.
I choose UCSB because it offers the opportunity to glean insights and experience from public scholars on campus who actively contribute to both knowledge production and social discourse and movements. I am also cognizant of the campus' emerging excellence in Indigenous studies and keen to participate in and contribute to this evolving initiative with a deep-seated commitment to such a mode of public scholarship.
DID YOU KNOW?
I myself am in the lineage of Marapu Indigenous Religious leaders called Rato. However, since my father's generation mostly has converted to Christianity, I have been more exposed to Christianity than Sumba culture, let alone Marapu religion. Fortunately, academia has enabled me to reconnect with my Indigenous roots and even to potentially contribute to Indigenous issues more generally -beyond that of my family. Apart from the scholarly world, I enjoy playing football video games. I perceive both academic and social life as an art of positioning, much like FC Barcelona’s tiki-taka style of play which is my favorite. I also love playing Grand Theft Auto, but never imagined that I would be in the San Andreas land for real.