The awarding of literary works written inlocal languages known as The Rancage Literary Award was held on Monday, January 31, 2022. One of the awardees for year 2022 is Madurese prolific writer Mat Toyo for the distinctive short story book entitled Ngejung (Sulur, 2021). He also received the same award two years earlier for his book Kerrong ka Omba (Longing for Wave). The second appearance of the Madurese writer who has real name Moh. Toyu in this event is because of his loyalty to write short stories on Madurese local media such as Majalah Jokotole and consistently contributes writing Madurese literary works (called Sanja’-Carpan) at Jawa Pos Radar Madura. It has been a proof and become a dedication for Madurese literature which is very important to the process of establishment of Indonesian national culture.

For Madura literature, an alumnus from Sociology Study Program, The Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities UIN Sunan Kalijaga isn’t the new name. He and his friends are Madurese literary activists that collectively mobilize voluntary activities both in community and in personal. The appearance of Mat Toyu’s name as an awardee from an institution founded by the writer and cultural practitioner Ajip Rosidi with Erry Riyana Harjapamekas, Edi S. Ekajati, and his other colleagues is a pride for Madurese literature in particular. The Rancage Cultural Foundation which consistently provides an award for the local writers who have written in the local languages since 1989 needs a full support from various stakeholders in order to promote and preserve the richness of local traditions from around Indonesia.

Mat Toyu told that his writing process has consistently started since his college year. “During my university year, my creative process couldn’t be separated because of my enrolment for Teater ESKA,” he said.

On the academic background, however, Mat Toyu admitted that sociology is very influential in his writings because he stated that sociology (with its scientific research method) gave an overview of how social reality shapes and re-shapes. “Furthermore, Karl Marx’s conflict theory explains the existence of alienation in working circumstances, etc,” Mat Toyu firmly admitted.

The humble and talented writer of Madurese literature continued his higher education to master level in Islamic Interdisciplinary Studies (IIS) Study Program UIN Sunan Kalijaga with concentration of Social Work. After graduating in 2021, Mat Toyu teaches at STIDAR Institute Sumenep majoring the Islamic Society Development Study Program.

Mat Toyu also gave his impressions and advices for the active students of Sociology Study Program, UIN Sunan Kalijaga. “Sociology students have to try to write both scientifically and fictionally as well to explain social reality, because writing has a huge impact on society,” he said (Galih-20).