A study initiated by five students from Universitas Brawijaya (UB) Malang sparked a strong public backlash, particularly from the managers of the Mount Kawi pilgrimage site in East Java. The research, titled "Artha Kawi: Kawi's Local Culture and Mental Disorder," initially aimed to examine the correlation between certain ritual practices and the mental health of practitioners.
In their preliminary findings, the research team participating in the PKM program claimed to have found indications of psychosis symptoms in several informants undergoing rituals in the area. This was based on informant reports of unusual perceptual experiences, such as hearing voices or seeing figures invisible to others. The researchers stressed that the study focuses on psychological interpretation rather than a clinical medical diagnosis.
However, this narrative was promptly refuted by the Ngesti Gondo Foundation, the official manager of Pesarean Gunung Kawi. The foundation raised objections, believing that narratives surrounding 'pesugihan' (wealth rituals), 'tumbal' (sacrificial offerings), and 'mental disorders' tarnish the image of the site they manage as a religious tourism destination and a historical site honoring figures of national struggle.
Universitas Brawijaya, through its legal division, responded swiftly, clarifying that the research was still preliminary and had not been published in an official scientific journal. The misunderstanding was attributed to the dissemination of unfinished snippets of information in the mass media.
As a step toward resolution, representatives from the university and the site management held a mediation meeting in late October 2023. Both parties agreed on the need for methodological improvements, including clarifying the geographic distinction between the Keraton and Pesarean areas, as well as using more objective diction in the final report to avoid negative stigmatization of the cultural site.
