In a small village in the city of Surakarta, Indonesia people have been gathering since morning. Women came with knives to prepare all the dishes. The men are in charge of preparing other needs such as building wedding decorations. Meanwhile, the young people were in charge of serving food to the guests.
They were not carrying out a government project, nor a political agenda. That day, they were working together to prepare for the wedding of two people falling in love.
There was no monetary reward. Only laughter was shared, food was cooked in turn, and the spirit of togetherness flowed naturally.
Meanwhile, in the Philippines' interior, a similar spirit lives on in a tradition known as bayanihan. In this culture, people work together to move a wooden house belonging to a neighbor in need, lifting it together as a symbol of the solidarity that is deeply rooted in their lives.
What is it, then, that unites them? A value that seems simple but has tremendous life force: the spirit of selfless help, or what we know as mutual help.
This value is the lifeblood of many communities in Southeast Asia-although it is called by different names in different countries, the meaning remains one: true strength is born from togetherness.
Cultural Roots of Togetherness
Mutual help is not just a habit; it is part of cultural identification. In Indonesia, gotong royong has been practiced for a long time. In the Philippines, bayanihan has become a tradition that shows great solidarity. Gotong royong and bayanihan are carried out to help fellow citizens without being given money in return, but only food.
This value is not just about giving aid. It reflects a way of life-that everyone is part of an interconnected social network, and every success is actually born from the contribution of many hands working together.
Stories from the Field: When Hands Unite
When Yogyakarta was shaken by an earthquake in 2006, residents came together to help and strengthen each other. During the earthquake, residents took turns pulling carts to bring injured victims to receive treatment.
In times of food and shelter crisis, residents would gather supplies of rice and instant noodles to cook and eat together.
A few days after the earthquake, residents worked together to help clear the rubble of collapsed houses, even though their own houses had not been touched. During reconstruction, they prioritized children and the elderly, then other residents.
In the Philippines, when Typhoon Haiyan devastated the city of Tacloban, many indigenous communities did not wait for international aid. Residents also helped each other and often shared what little food they had.
A World in a Rush, a World of Forgetfulness?
In an increasingly individualistic modern world, mutual help feels like a taboo. Many people are now focused on their personal lives and consider mutual help a waste of time, forgetting that humans are social creatures.
In fact, mutual help can be a solution to global challenges such as social inequality. The world can learn from Southeast Asia that sustainability is not only about technology, but also about solidarity. If a house is on fire, a whole village participates in putting it out, not because they are rewarded, but because they feel that they are related to each other.
Keeping the Flame of Togetherness
Mutual help is not just a tradition to be remembered, but a legacy to be preserved. This value does not only grow in rural lands, but can also thrive in big cities, campus spaces, and the digital universe where we interact today.
In the midst of a fast-moving and often individualistic world, simple values like gotong royong become a guide. Because in the end, what makes us strong is not how much we have, but who chooses to walk and survive with us.
Source:
- https://nationalgeographic.grid.id/read/131596908/bayanihan-semangat-gotong-royong-dan-membantu-sesama-ala-filipina
- https://medium.com/@jittycreativestudio/cultural-bayanihan-celebrating-and-preserving-filipino-heritage-e5f63147ba74
- https://www-sei-org.translate.goog/perspectives/a-decade-after-typhoon-haiyan-reflections-from-a-survivor/?_x_tr_sl=en&_x_tr_tl=id&_x_tr_hl=id&_x_tr_pto=tc&_x_tr_hist=true
- https://odihpn.org/publication/bayanihan-after-typhoon-haiyan-are-we-romanticising-an-indigenous-coping-strategy/
- https://dero.desa.id/artikel/2023/5/13/rewang-tradisi-gotong-royong-masyarakat-jawa-yang-masih-terjaga-di-pedesaan
- https://regional.kompas.com/read/2016/05/27/07300001/tak.ada.kaya.dan.miskin.semua.korban.gempa.yogyakarta.saling.menguatkan
- https://www.gramedia.com/literasi/pengertian-gotong-royong/?srsltid=AfmBOooOmwVJMhbdwyN9VDkoHSFunL3x2KwokH5q_qrwI5QjWiQSfWgm#google_vignette
