Mapagama has conducted the advanced training of Gladimadya Panjing Tebing 2024 “Gili Paramadiwa”. The name Gili Paramadiwa itself means paradise on high ground, this name was chosen based on the location of the team’s climbing activities carried out in the Harau Valley, Jorong Padang Torok and Jorong Harau, Nagari Harau, West Sumatra Province. The location is on a high plateau and surrounded by a stretch of cliffs that rise to the sky. The team consisted of six people from various departments and batches, namely Absharin Fatiha Zaira (Vocational School 2022), Maslakhatul Mufidah Muniroh (Vocational School 2023), Katarina Rosiana Dewi (Vocational School 2022), Luqman Hasan (Vocational School 2023), Michael Handoyo (Economics and Business 2022), and Sabila Zanaya Firdaus (Vocational School 2022).
The Gladimadya Rock Climbing 2024 “Gili Paramadiwa” was carried out in a series of 12 days, from August 1-12, 2024 which consisted of traveling, climbing, and community service. Climbing activities took place on August 5-7, 2024 in three cliff blocks, namely Camp Wall, Echo Wall, and Waterfall Wall. There were 33 climbing routes spread across the three blocks. Each route has a different height and difficulty grade ranging from 15-250 meters with a cliff grade of 5b-7b.
After the climb, there was a community service activity in accordance with the tri dharma of higher education in Padang City on August 9, 2024, precisely at SDN 13 Kapalo Koto, located on Jalan Kapalo Koto, Pauh District, Padang City, West Sumatra Province with the topic “Earthquake Disaster Education”. The target of this educational activity is 5th grade elementary school students who are divided into two classes. This earthquake disaster education was chosen because Padang City is a city prone to earthquakes and tsunamis so it is hoped that students at the school can understand what steps need to be taken when an earthquake occurs.
The Harau Valley and West Sumatra have so many interesting things that are wonderful to explore further. Harau Valley with its geographical landscape located in the highlands makes the natural environment so fertile and the livelihood of the surrounding community is mostly farming. The Harau Valley is quite cold at night and in the morning with an average temperature of around 18-19°C. Buildings in West Sumatra also have a unique architecture that uses a gonjong roof on top, this does not only apply to the ‘rumah gadang’ or traditional buildings, but also to government buildings, banks, schools, and many other buildings. West Sumatra is a culinary ‘paradise’, with a tendency towards salty, savory and spicy dishes. The food is also rich in spices that add to the delicacy of the dishes. During climbing activities in the Harau Valley, our eyes will be spoiled with the beauty of high cliffs with white mist in the morning, while in the afternoon the cliffs will look beautiful with golden light due to the reflection of the sun in the afternoon. While visiting the Harau Valley, the team had the opportunity to see a number of art performances such as Saluang, Talempong and Tabuak.
Absharin Fatiha Zaira, Coordinator of the Gladimadya Rock Climbing “Gili Paramadiwa” Team, stated that she and her friends learned many things. Skills such as good leadership, how to manage a long journey, and adapting to new cultures were trained during this trip.
“I would describe Gladimadya Gili Paramadiwa as a learning space without barriers, from learning to lower your ego, respecting others more, and understanding the deeper meaning of family and friendship,” said Sharin.
The opportunity that the Gladimadya Rock Climbing “Gili Paramadiwa” Team gained is truly memorable, these new things open the team’s horizons to the diversity that exists in Indonesia. Hopefully in the future Mapagama can continue to expand its exploration throughout Indonesia and add insight into the beauty and uniqueness of this diverse archipelago.