Sumber:https://lentera.co/post/item/216692/Perpaduan-Budaya-dan-Fantasi-Dosen-UC-Hadirkan-Warisan-Dua-Dunia

A Fusion of Culture and Fantasy: UC Lecturer Presents Heritage of Two Worlds

April 15, 2025

SURABAYA (Lentera) – Culture can be exciting and enjoyable, especially when packaged in a fantasy story. This is what Dr Shienny Megawati Sutanto, a Visual Communication Design lecturer at Ciputra University (UC), has done.

She has just released her latest novel, “Heritage of Two Worlds,” a fantasy work inspired by the richness of Chinese-Indonesian culture, particularly the Lontong Cap Go Meh tradition.

Interestingly, this novel is not just a work of fiction. This project is also part of her doctoral dissertation, which she began in 2022.

Shienny explained that in “Heritage of Two Worlds,” she invites readers into a fantasy world rich in Peranakan cultural elements. She was greatly inspired by her childhood growing up near the Hok An Kiong Temple in Surabaya.

“My inspiration comes from my childhood experiences. I often accompanied my mother there (to the An Kiong Temple). I used that for the main character and the setting,” Shienny said when met by Lentera on Tuesday (April 15, 2025).

She mentioned that creating the cultural elements so that they felt integrated into the story was one of the biggest challenges she faced. “Writing about culture requires time and in-depth research, so that readers can enjoy it without feeling lectured,” Shienny explained.

Despite her busy teaching schedule, Shienny still made time to draw 18 illustrations for the novel. One of the most challenging parts was depicting the 12 zodiac signs and the temple architecture in her signature cartoon style.

“For digital readers, I also made the e-book version in full colour. While the print version remains stylish in black and white,” she added.

She hopes that the novel “Heritage of Two Worlds” can bridge the younger generation’s understanding of Chinese-Indonesian culture in a more engaging and relatable way. “Through fantasy stories, I want culture to feel fun. Hopefully, young people can connect more closely with our own cultural heritage,” he concluded. (*)