THE JAVANESE

THE JAVANESE

Posted by My Own on April 29, 2009

The area of Java is very vast covering central and east Java island. In ancient time Mataram kingdom which are now the the special district of Yogyakarta and Solo in Central Java were the center of their culture. In 1755 the kingdom was splited into 2, one is the Sultanate of Yogyakarta, and one other is Kasunanan of Surakarta ( both are Islamic kingdoms ). Javanese speak complex dialect which introduces social status. In general the dialect is divided into two levels that are "Ngoko" dialect which is spoken among known partners, and "Krama" dialect which is spoken among those who are not known each other and for those whose social status is considered higher. Both Ngoko and Krama have more further variations, when it was spoken for palace member, higher status level, or more senior people, or for lower level, etc.

Java land is the most densely populated in Indonesia. Many big cities are still developing such as Yogyakarta, Semarang, Solo, Surabaya, Blitar, and Malang. While dozens of medium to small cities still heavy with population. So the welfare of the people is still a tremendous big works. Still a large part of the population working on the land cultivating rice, cassava ( marlihot utilissima Phl), corn (zea mays L), yam (ipomea batatas poir ), Kacang ( vigna sinencis), gude (cjamis cajan), soya ( glycine soya Bth ), bean (arachis hypogen L), etc.

Some people work in government offices, private companies, trades and especially near the beaches as fishermen. Personal ownership of land in Java is the same as other areas in Indonesia. The ownership is transferred down from generation to generation, divided among the heirs. That is why in Java most family has a small land for farming.

Kinship system in Java is almost the same as in Bali, that is forbidden to marry between brother and sister, nephew, and children among brothers and sisters, and marry older woman. There are many ways a man and a woman come to their marriage status. First the family of the man come to the family of the woman to request their daughter, and this is the normal procedure. Second is when a man after dedicated himself to the parent of the woman, than is given as a present to marry their daughter. Third is the present from royal family. Fourth is the family of the woman come to the family of man to request. Fifth is when a marriage is arranged by both parents, in this case the marriage will be an imperative and forced by both parents. This way is become very rare and might be disappear in the future. Divorce in some reasons is accepted due to the absence of child, inability of husband to give welfare to the wife, and other reasonable causes.

In Javanese society there is class considered high status such as "bandara-bandara" consist of royal family lineage, and the "priyayi" the government workers and learnt persons. In contrast to above 2 groups is a class called "wong cilik" means small people, those are the common people which is mostly poor. Based on religious characteristics there are "Santri" and "Kejawen" Santri is Moslem that is very obedience with Islamic rules, while Kejawen is Moslem but they are not praying nor have the idea to go for a haj to Mecca.

Organizationally, the smaller unit of administration is called Desa or Kelurahan with head called "Lurah" Once again the understanding of Desa in Java contains much different affairs compared those a Desa in Bali. A Desa in Java is an administrative area as a bridge between Indonesian government with local organization.

Islam has been is the majority religion in Java, not question about that as at every corner of the land we can see mosques. Not all Javanese practice religious rituals according to the Islamic doctrines. As already mentioned there are "Kejawen", and also many people are Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, and others. The Moslem-Kejawen believe that there is an omni-power incomparable wherever and whenever it does.. This supreme power is called "Kesakten" Below kesakten there are ancestor's spirits, good and evil spirits which can affect human life. In conjunction with this power and spirits they make an offering and a feast for the blessing ceremony. Those rituals such as:

1. Life circle rites including many ritual after death. Basically there are ritual from Pregnancy - Birth - Life - Death - After Death.
2. Various ritual for the Desa, Rice field, and Land cultivation,
3. Various ritual for the Moslem holidays,
4. Ritual for special event such as opening new house, diseases, long journey etc.

During the ritual they make an offering and is dedicated to supreme power and the lower invisible beings. Even, after death they have ceremonies after 3, 7, 40, 100, and 1000 days.

In their ritualistic tradition it is very clear that influence of Hindu is still very strong observing from the names they use, and some specific beliefs which arises such as (1) a belief of good and evil spirits, (2) a belief mixed between Moslem and Hindu, (3) a belief showing Hindu characters, (4) a belief in mystic. They are all in search of human welfare.

Various tourism interests are spreaded over Java from western tip to eastern tip of the island. Lately the security concern is arises due to the economic crisis of the country which is not last yet.

source : http://www.balitouring.com/culture/java.htm

The balinese (Bali people)

THE BALINESE

Posted by My Own on April 20, 2009

The island of Bali with smaller islands such as Nusa Penida, Lembongan, Ceningan, and Menjangan covers an area of 5.808,8 square kilometers, with number of population around 3 millions. Almost 98% of the population are Hindu devotees with markedly local traditional rituals. The island is classified one of the densely populated areas of Indonesia.

Balinese physically is not different from other people of west Indonesia where Mongoloid character is predominant over Malay characters, only a few people bring the characters of true Malay with small body size and brown skin. In general skin color are ranging from bright to brown, but dark brown is very rare, and very few with curling hairs, mostly straight hairs, with the average height of the body in the past 160 cm, and now around 170 cm. Especially younger generation tend to grow higher by slim body.

Balinese speak Balinese, a dialect of Malay. Due to cast system Balinese dialect itself underwent further variation, as each cast claimed to have their own idiolect which is higher in conjunction with their own cast status. Balinese and Yogyakarta have much in common words only they used the words in different meaning or sometimes in contradictory meaning.

Beside Javanese Balinese is one society which has introduced writing since 998 AD. This writing scripts which are supposed to undergone evolution and have now become variations of writing such as in Myanmar, Thailand, Java and Bali. So the art of writing has developed very early both in Java and Bali. Currently Balinese writing is learnt in school and there is an effort to preserve the heritage, since Bali is rich with writing heritages in the form of ethics, stories, myths, songs, chronicles and historical documents written in various style of Bali nese scripts. Historic monuments are also various in Bali, some are originated from 10th century, and these sites are still preserved by local people, and associated to their religious rituals.

With the economic advancement reached by Bali for the last 2 decades it has invited many people from other parts of Indonesia and from the 5 continents to try their luck in Bali. This is now the biggest social problem that can arise in the future due to the limited land. With this situation, Bali has become part of Global world and put Balinese in a dilemmatic position between developing lifestyle as an impact of outside world and their original customary life style has become an object of unending exploitation, as it's very nature giving chance to such a behavior.

Balinese introduce social organization based on area and obligations to preserve and maintain temples and it's rituals. This fact has been able to keep the integrity and security in Bali, but on other space has dragged this organization into unnecessary ritualistic nature. This organization is called " Banjar " This Banjar is the center of power currently when kingdoms and hegemony of traditional ruling class has been changed by the role of economic and expertise groups.

In a wider group, Balinese is tied again by genealogical lineage to maintain clen's temples and as Bali wide they also feel obliged to maintain and preserve temples built by the king in the past such as Besakih, Uluwatu, Tanah Lot, Ulun Danu, Sila Yukti, Gelgel, and many others.

Basic economic activities in Bali is growing rice, coffee, cacao, juices, corn, cassava, and various cereals and vegetables. Home industry is developed very fast such as garment, irons, furniture, ceramics, terracotta, and carving, beside ethnic handicrafts. Balinese art-skill got a place when Bali developed tourism. Tourism development has given multi-flier effect on industries and farming in Bali.

Specially in agriculture Balinese has developed a systematic organization to regulate the irrigation system. This organization has been successful in maintaining the continuity and equality of water supplier for every member, beside maintain the water flowing facilities.

Cattle breeding and poultry growing are already developed for local consumption as well as export to other countries such as pigs and cows. Also fishery development especially shrimps and fish has just been able to fulfill the local demand. Still a great space to develop this products specially fisheries.

Bali has the most varied places of interest for tourists, from western tip to the eastern tip of the island, both in the form of cultural and natural attractions.

source : http://www.balitouring.com/culture/bali.htm

Sekaten ceremony (middle java traditions)

The traditional ceremony that has historical and cultural values which reflect the spirit values of the nation, is an activity that strived continuously held in order to enrich and strugle the national culture and identity character nation state.
Traditional ceremonies Sekaten as traditional religious ceremonies of Islam, kindle the spirit of struggle and has developed a religious values in shaping noble character and moral character of the nation and have a clear flow history, has become one of the official ceremony Palace Cuisine Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat and held each year in order commemorate the birth of Prophet Muhammad SAW.

Traditional religious ceremony in Yogyakarta Sekaten followed by the traditional party of people's glorious. The City Government of Yogyakarta on the permission of Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X up and manage as well as take advantage of one of the media and batik reciprocal communication between the Government and the community about efforts and results of the implementation of national development.

HISTORY Sekaten:

In the year 1477 or 1939 Caka M, Raden Patah as Adipati Bintoro Demak Regency, with the support of the Guardian building Demak Great Mosque as a place of worship and the deliberation of the guardian.

One of the results of deliberation the guardian in order to increase spread Islam, for 7 (seven) days before the commemoration day of birth of the Prophet Muhammad SAW, held Islam Syiar activities on a continual basis. Gamelan 2 (two) gending (musical instrument at java island) played to attract attention of citizien of java island.

The visitors who want to follow or "ngrasuk" 9 java spell) Islam after the Islamic religious activities Syiar must to say the two (2) the confession of faith (syahadatain). Syahadatain word of the sentence means that two Sekaten a confession that is the result of changes in pronunciation, as a mark of the terms Syiar Islam conducted during 7 (seven) days continuously up to the commemoration day of birth of the Prophet Muhammad SAW from 5 up to 12 or Maulud Start Robi'ul each year. Sekaten that later evolved into a traditional folk festival held every year hold, in line with the growth of Kabupaten Demak Bintoro into the kingdom of Islam, even Sekaten

Become the official tradition. Similarly, whend the Islamic Kingdom of Mataram and Mataram Islamic kingdom divided into two, namely Surakarta Kasunanan Hadiningrat and Kasultanan Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat, Sekaten as a traditional religious ceremony of Islam are still in the hold along with the traditional party of the people them.

From the development organization Sekaten year by year in Kasultanan Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat, in the main consist of:

1. Be pronounced two devices gamelan, Kyai Nogowilogo and Kanjeng Kyai Guntur Madu Kanjeng (name of gending ), for 7 consecutive days except on Thursday evening to Friday Afternoon, in Kagungan Dalem Pagongan Masjid Agung Yogyakarta.

2. Warning birth day of Prophet Muhammad SAW, on 11 Maulud night, in Serambi Kagungan Dalem Agung Mosque, with the reading history of the Prophet Muhammad SAW by Abdi Dalem Sinuwun, their relatives, officials and people Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat.

3. Giving charity Ngarsa Dalem Sampeyan Dalem Ingkang Sinuwun Kanjeng Sultan, in the form hajad Dalem gunungan Garebeg in ceremony as the top event Sekaten memorial day the birth of Prophet Muhammad SAW.

source : http://indonesiantraditional.blogspot.com/2009_03_03_archive.html