Yogyakarta — A 2026 study by Sarjiono and Sri Harti Widyastuti from Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta highlights how modern Javanese poetry functions as an effective medium for environmental awareness. Published in the East Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, the study shows that carefully chosen diction in the poetry anthology Ngreksa Alam conveys strong ecological messages that resonate with contemporary readers and communities.
The research comes at a time when environmental challenges such as climate change, deforestation, and pollution continue to intensify. Governments and institutions are seeking new ways to communicate sustainability messages beyond formal education and policy frameworks. In this context, literature—especially culturally rooted forms like Javanese poetry—offers a compelling and emotionally engaging approach to raising public awareness.
The anthology Ngreksa Alam, published by the Bantul Regency Culture Office in 2021, serves as the central object of analysis. It consists of modern Javanese poems, or geguritan, that explore the relationship between humans and nature. Through symbolic and expressive language, the poems depict environmental conditions while embedding moral and cultural values related to ecological preservation.
Sarjiono and Sri Harti Widyastuti from Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta examined how diction shapes meaning and strengthens environmental narratives within the anthology. Using a qualitative descriptive approach, they analyzed 53 linguistic units drawn from the poems. The study applied stylistic and semantic analysis to understand how word choices contribute to aesthetic expression and ideological messaging.
The findings show that diction plays a central role in transforming poetry into a tool for environmental communication. Language in the anthology is not merely decorative but serves multiple interconnected functions. The poets employ distinctive linguistic features, including affixes typical of the Javanese language and figurative expressions such as personification, to create vivid and meaningful representations of nature.
Nature in these poems is portrayed as an active, living entity rather than a passive object. Elements such as wind, water, and trees are described as if they possess human qualities, emotions, and voices. This stylistic choice fosters a sense of emotional closeness between readers and the natural world. As a result, environmental messages are not only understood intellectually but also felt on a personal level.
The study further reveals that diction in Ngreksa Alam operates across several layers of meaning. On an aesthetic level, word choices enhance the beauty and rhythm of the poems. On a semantic level, they clarify the intended message. Stylistically, they establish a unique literary identity. More importantly, on an imaginative and ideological level, diction helps build ecological awareness and encourages readers to reflect on their relationship with nature.
Sarjiono from Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta emphasizes that literature has the power to communicate complex issues in subtle yet impactful ways. He explains that the strength of Javanese literary aesthetics lies in its ability to embed ethical values within artistic expression. According to Sarjiono, this approach—often referred to as ecostylistics—connects language style with environmental consciousness, making poetry a meaningful channel for sustainability discourse.
The implications of this research extend into several areas. In education, the findings support the integration of literary works into environmental learning. Teachers can use poetry like Ngreksa Alam to introduce ecological concepts in a way that is both engaging and culturally relevant. This approach encourages students to develop not only cognitive understanding but also emotional awareness of environmental issues.
In the cultural and policy sphere, the study highlights the importance of preserving and promoting local literature as part of environmental communication strategies. Regional governments and cultural institutions can support the production and dissemination of literary works that address sustainability themes. By doing so, they can reach broader audiences through culturally familiar narratives.
For the general public, the study offers a new perspective on the role of literature in everyday life. Reading poetry becomes more than an aesthetic activity; it becomes a reflective process that connects individuals with broader environmental concerns. Literature serves as a space for dialogue between humans and nature, fostering collective awareness and responsibility.
This cultural approach is particularly relevant in Indonesia, a country rich in linguistic and literary diversity. As digital media continues to dominate information channels, culturally grounded methods like Javanese poetry provide a more human-centered and locally rooted way to address global environmental challenges.
Sarjiono at Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta. He collaborated with Sri Harti Widyastuti, at the same university
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