30 July 2024
Anita Kartika Pasaribu
FIB USU PR - On Tuesday, July 30, 2024, the Undergraduate History Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB), University of North Sumatra (USU) held a Book Launching activity for "Women in the Deli Tobacco Cultivation Process". Also present in this activity were the Author of the Book "Women in the Deli Tobacco Cultivation Process" lecturers in S1 and S2 History, FIB USU, Former President Director of PTPN-II Batara Muda Nasution, Chair of MSI-North Sumatra Dr. Suprayitno, M.Hum, Vice Chancellor I of the University of North Sumatra Dr. Edy Ikhsan, S.H., M.A, Dean of FIB USU Prof. Dr. Dra. T. Thyrhaya Zein M.A, Head of S1 History Study Program, FIB USU Dra. Lila Pelita Hati, M.Si, Chair of the Committee Drs. Edi Sumarno, M.Hum, Head of Study Program and Secretary of Study Program, Lecturers and Students in the FIB USU Environment. Book Launching Activity "Women in the Deli Tobacco Cultivation Process" as moderator M. Azis Rizky Lubis, MA and Resource Person I Dra. Sri Hartini, M.Si (Executive Director of the Indonesian Plantation Museum) and Resource Person II Nasrul Hamdani, SS, MA (Cultural Preservation Center II) which was held at the T. Amin Ridwan Multipurpose Building, FIB USU.
Former President Director of PTPN II Batara Muda Nasution delivered a welcoming speech. In addition to being written in simple language, this book is able to clearly describe the important role of women in the deli tobacco plantation industry.
"With 35 years of experience in human resources, I can understand the presence of women in the deli tobacco production process as something very unique. Especially if we talk about gender, then I see that they are localized socio-culturally and also technically," explained Batara.
Nevertheless, the former President Director of PTPN II still asked history academics, especially those who were part of the writing team for the book Women in the Deli Tobacco Cultivation Process to study other things that have not been studied by many researchers, such as why the majority of workers in the Deli tobacco plantation industry are Javanese, why female workers are motivated to work in this sector even though the wages they receive are far from adequate, and how the process of skill transformation from one worker to another can continue to be passed down from generation to generation.
"In particular, I am very grateful to the USU academics who have taken the trouble to conduct research and publish this book. Because if they were not there, we should not blame each other if our young generation does not know that this Deli tobacco plantation is an important historical heritage in North Sumatra," said Batara.
The Head of the North Sumatra MSI Branch, Dr. Suprayitno, M.Hum., delivered a welcoming speech that the research to the publication of the book entitled Women in the Deli Tobacco Cultivation Process was an extraordinary work. In addition to the complicated process of collecting sources and data, research activities were also hampered by the Covid-19 pandemic, taking almost five years. Even one of the writing team passed away before this book was published.
The Head of the MSI North Sumatra Branch is very grateful that in the end the writing team, consisting of himself, Drs. Edi Sumarno, M.Hum., Dra. Ratna, M.S., Dra. Junita Setiana Ginting, M.Sc., Handoko, S.S. M.A., Kili Maulana Affandi, S.S. M.A., Muhammad Azis Rizky Lubis, S.S. M.A., Chaerul Masri, and the late Dra. Sri Pangestu Dewi Murni, M.Sc., were able to complete a book that describes the role of female workers in the tobacco plantation industry in East Sumatra, and hopes that the presence of this book can maintain the collective memory of deli tobacco cultivation and maintain the historical identity of North Sumatra so that it is not easily lost.
"Basically, we historians have a responsibility to write books like this. Although there have been many writings and studies on the history of plantations, we must be aware that studies on women are still very rarely researched. Even though this is one of the most interesting," explained Suprayitno.
The Head of the Undergraduate Program in History FIB USU, Dra. Lila Pelita Hati, M.Si. delivered a welcoming speech, admitting that she was happy and proud because most of the team writing the book entitled Women in the Deli Tobacco Cultivation Process were alumni of the Undergraduate Program in History FIB USU.
"Hopefully, the launch of this book will increase our knowledge and insight. Not only about the history of the Deli tobacco plantation industry, but also concerning the role and skills of female workers," said Lila.
Previously, the Chairperson of the Book Launch Committee, as well as a Member of the Women in the Deli Tobacco Cultivation Process Book Writing Team, Drs. Edi Sumarno, M.Hum., explained that this activity was carried out through the collaboration of the North Sumatra Branch of MSI with the Undergraduate Program in History FIB USU.
The discussion on the role of women in the Deli tobacco plantation industry is a very interesting study. Because as the most phenomenal plantation commodity during the colonial era, the presence of deli tobacco also marked the rapid economic growth, infrastructure development, land management, and increased social activity and mobility in North Sumatra, especially in East Sumatra, starting in the mid-19th century.
We would like to thank all parties who have contributed to the research and publication of this book. Hopefully this book can further increase our knowledge about the history of the plantation industry in North Sumatra, and be able to encourage and motivate historical researchers to discuss other studies.
Vice Chancellor I of USU Dr. Edy Ikhsan, M.A. delivered a welcoming speech and opened the event. The Book Launching of "Women in the Deli Tobacco Cultivation Process" is a very important and useful activity, especially as a means of increasing intellectual knowledge for the people of North Sumatra, especially for academics.
Vice Chancellor I of USU admitted that the study of the role of women in the deli tobacco plantation industry is a very interesting study. Because women actually have a very important and vital role in the plantation industry. Moreover, this study has similarities with his Master's thesis study which was compiled in 1990 related to tea plantation workers in Tanah Jawa, Simalungun Regency.
" Forthright, I really fell in love with the study of plantation history in East Sumatra. Unfortunately, there are not many academic studies on gender, especially the role of women, in the plantation industry and other sectors. In fact, this is a very challenging study. Because we want to ensure that our children and grandchildren can distinguish between tobacco leaves and marijuana leaves," said USU Vice Chancellor I.
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