JAVANESE CULTURAL

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Indonesia is big state. The name Indonesia has its roots in two Greek words “Indos” Meaning Indian and “Nesos” which means islands it is an appropriate description of the archipelago. as there are estimated to be a total of 17.000 islands, five main islands and 30 smaller archipelagoes are home to the majority of the population. The main islands are Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Irian Jaya and Java.

Indonesia is rich in art and culture which is intertwined with religion and age old traditions from the time of the earliest migrants with western thoughts added in brought by Portuguese traders and Dutch colonists. In Indonesia though the legal system is based on the old Dutch penal code social life as well as the rites of passage are founded on custom Mary or “Adat” law which differs from area to area.

This paper will give you some information about culture of Javanese. I  choose culture of Javanese because all of my family is Javanese. In my opinion Javanese having unglue custom starting from their history, language, clothes, ceremonial tradition, namely in family pattern, and so on.

The purpose of this paper is to give the information about Javanese culture. As a Javanese I must keep my culture and develop that

CHAPTER II

DISCUSSION

Based on my families about everything of Javanese. I get information that Javanese is rich in a culture and art. The Javanese compresses central java and Jogyakarta. Both the province have similarity culture and tradition.

1.      Religion

In the Javanese Moslem is the Majority of religion. But also there are other religion, they are Christian, Catholic, Budist, Hindu and Faith in god spiritual. The Javanese usually making a ceremonial meal that suitable with a sure event in their life. The Javanese mention it “Selametan”. There are four ceremonial meals in their life, such as.

a.       The ceremonial meal in the frame of some one life.

b.      The ceremonial meal that related with village.

c.       The ceremonial meal that related with month or Moslem special days.

d.      The ceremonial meal that related with special event, like as a “Ngruwat” or refuse emergency.

The ceremonial meal that related with death always give a big attention and must to do we Practice the ceremonial meal to honor the soul has die.

Kind of ritual to help soul has die in eternity, as follow

a.       Surtanah or Geblak is the ceremonial meal when some one’s death.

b.      Nelung dina is the ceremonial meal of the third days after some one’s death.

c.       Mitung dina is the ceremonial meal of the seventh days after some one’s death.

d.      Matang puluh dina is the ceremonial meal of forty day after some one’s death.

e.       Nyatus is the ceremonial meal of one hundred day after some one’s death.

f.       Mendak sepian is the ceremonial meal of the first year after some one’s death.

g.      Mendak pindo is the ceremonial meal of the second year after some one’s death.

h.      Nyewu is the ritual when the some one’s death has one thousand days. Sometime his ritual name is “nguwis-nguwisi” the meaning are last

Beside the “selametan” or ceremonial meal, the Javanese still use “sesajen” or offering of flowers or food. this ritual was related with belief to supernatural creatures. Usually this “sesajen” making on Monday kliwon night or Thursday kliwon night.

2.      Live Hood

The Javanese majority work is farmer. they work in the field and garden. The product of heir field and garden are rice plant, corn, soybean, coconut, cassava etc. but another Javanese work at other sector such as civil servant, entrepreneur, officer man etc.

3.      Family Pattern

Family pattern mean structure of family. In Javanese culture the family pattern pulled from paternal and maternal so the family pattern base on bilateral.

By the bilateral or parental the child identify relation with families from mother and father. From the first until the third generation named sanak sedulur or alur waris. Draft of family tree level from great grandparent as follow:

There are names of the relation ship in family as follow:

a.       father                                                        (Bapak, romo)

b.      Mother                                                     (Simbok, biyung, mamak)

c.       Old brother or brother in law                   (mas, kakang, kang mas, kang)

d.      Old sister or sister in law                         (mbak yu, mbak, yu)

e.       Young sister or sister in law                     (Adhi, dhi ajeng, nduk, dhenok)

f.       Young brother or brother in law              (Adj, dhimas, dik, le)

g.      Old brother from mother or father           (pak de, siwo, uwo)

h.      Old sister from mother or father              (budhe, mbok de, siwo)

i.        Young brother from mother or father     (paman, pak lik)

j.        Young sister from mother or sister          (bibi, bulik, mbok cilik)

k.      Grand father and grand mother               (eyang, mbah,simbah, kakek, pak tua)

l.        Grand son and grand daughter                (putu)

m.    Great grand parent                                   (mbah buyut, eyang canggah)

n.      Great grand child                                                 (putu buyut)

o.      Great-great grand parent                          (mbah canggah, eyang canggah)

p.      Great-great grand child                            (putu canggah)

q.      Cousin                                                      (prunan)

r.        Nephew                                                    (keponakan)

The attitude of respectful from the youth to the old man can we look from the little song “Lima anak laki-laki bersaudara” or “Five brothers are siblings”. The symbolized by “five fingers”.

“enthik-enthi, patenono si penunggul” (The little finger, kill the middle finger please!!)

And than the ring finger answers

“Ajo dhi, dulur tua malati” (Don’t do that , the old brother caused misfortune if we treacherous him).

Next the thumb said,

“Iyo bener iku” That is true !!

That song give us information how the youth always and must respectful to old.

4.      System of Administration

A village in java have one village head, he is “Lurah”. Beside that a lurah head have assistant, he is “carik” or village secretary.

To keep and develop the village the “pamong” or village official and villager be work assignment in “gugur gunung” or “kerik desa” that’s job to keep beauty village and build or repair village facilities.

In java we know about “sambatan” that is the work assignment to build some one’s home.

5.      Table Manner

The Javanese when they are eating always sitting on he carpet. But sometime they are using chair and table. They are eating only use their hand without spoon and fork. Their favorite meals are vegetables and sauce mode by crushing spices in a mortar or “sambel ulek”. Usually the Javanese food taste is sweet and salty. There are many traditional food of java province such as : gudeg, lumpia, tiwul or (rice from cassava), tape, cendol etc.

6.      Culture and Art

-          Traditional clothes

The Javanese traditional clothes for female are kebaya, jarik or long fabric and shawl. Usually a woman wearing a big hair or sanggul. And than the traditional clothes for male are serban, jarik and blankon to cover their head.

The Javanese have special fabric, that is batik or batik clothes. The batik process of waxing and dyeing originated in java centuries ago and classic design have been modified with modern trends in both patterns and technology. We can wearing batik on formal and informal situation. now batik is national uniform in Indonesia.

-          Traditional dance

-       Reog dance -       Tatuban dance -       Serimpi dance -       Bambang cakil dance

-          Ngremo, dance -          Gambyong dance -          Kuda lumping dance -          Lengger dance etc.

The traditional music of Javanese are “gamelan”. The gamelan set consist of gamelan, boning, barang penerus, geder, slentem, sarom, peking, kenong, kempol and gong.

The traditional show of Javanese are ketoprak, ludruk,kentrung and wayang kulit’s show.

The “wayang kulit” of java is performed with leather puppets held by the puppeteer, who narrates the story of one of the famous episodes of the Hindu epics, the Mahabarata or the Ramayana. It is performed against a white screen lantern in the background casts the shadows of the characters on the screen, visible from the other side where the spectators are seated.

CHAPTER III

CONCLUSION

The java is one of island in Indonesia. In this island consist of west java, Jakarta, central Java, Yogyakarta and east java. Javanese is ethic group who live in central Java and Yogyakarta. Al thought Javanese live in other place, other island but they have similarity Javanese is the majority ethic grouping Indonesia.

The Javanese have the unique culture we can see from their habitually and their  culture and art, such as traditional dance, traditional music, etc