Misplaced Pages

#677322

114-547: Mount Lawu is the home of the God Parwatarajadewa (also called Hyang Girinatha in the manuscript Serat Centhini). The New Javanese manuscript Serat Manikmaya states that Mount Lawu is part of the eighteen sacred mountains of Central Java , and scholars agree that it had great religious significance to the Hindus of Java. Poerbatjaraka stated that the original name of Lawu is Katong, which means God. The name Katong

228-504: A living although most are traditional entrepreneurs, such as travelling food or drink vendors, establishing modest warung (food stalls) or restaurants, as the vendor of daily consumer's goods or open a modest barber shop . Their affinity for establishing and running small-scale entrepreneurship is most likely contributed by the Sundanese tendency to be independent, carefree, egalitarian, individualistic and optimistic. They seem to abhor

342-466: A lonely forest in search of Sanyasin or bhiksuka, a stage of life characterized by self-perfection. It is through the ruwatan ceremony that Rsis and ascetics released themselves from sin and the bodily bond. Mount Lawu is home to many historic and prehistoric religious structures. One archeological site is the Site of Watu Kandang Ngasinan, and evidence of monolithic structures dotting the landscape, often in

456-542: A mixture of both dialects; these areas are Pekalongan and the Kedu Plain , which composes Magelang and Temanggung . Some parts of the districts of Brebes and Cilacap speak Sundanese , the western part of Central Java is the border between the Javanese people and Sundanese people worlds in the western of Java. Central Java is considered to be the heart of the Javanese culture. The ideal conduct and moral of

570-491: A much less rigid system of social hierarchy. The Sundanese, in their mentality and behavior, greater egalitarianism and antipathy to yawning class distinctions, and community-based material culture, differ from the feudal hierarchy apparent among the people of Javanese principalities. Central Javanese court culture nurtured an atmosphere conducive to elite, stylised, impeccably polished forms of art and literature. Sundanese culture bore few traces of these traditions. Culturally,

684-570: A narrow lowland. In the Brebes area, it is 40 km wide from the coast, while in Semarang, it is only 4 km wide. This plain continues with the depression of Semarang-Rembang in the east. Mount Muria at the end of the Ice Age (around 10,000 years BC) was a separate island from Java, which eventually fused because of alluvial deposits from flowing rivers. The city of Demak during the era of

798-467: A new Batang Regency was formed from the eastern half of Pekalongan Regency. Today, Central Java (excluding Yogyakarta Special Region) is divided into 29 regencies ( kabupaten ) and six cities ( kota , previously kotamadya and kota pradja ), the latter being independent of any regency. The Southeastern (Solo) area used to be the Surakarta Sunanate until the monarchy was unrecognized by

912-769: A new structural element in Central Java. This section is separated from the Bogor Zone by the Majenang Depression. The eastern part was built by the Ajibarang anticline (narrow anticline) which was cut by the Serayu River stream. In the east of Banyumas, the anticline developed into an anticlinorium with a width reaching 30 km in the Lukulo area (south of Banjarnegara -Midangan) or often called

1026-537: A regional Council was formed. In addition, autonomous gemeente (municipal) was formed, Pekalongan , Tegal , Semarang , Salatiga , and Magelang . In 1930, the province was designated as an autonomous region with a provinciale raad (provincial council). The province consists of several residenties (residencies), covering several regentschap (districts), divided into several kawedanan (districts). Central Java consisted of 5 residences: Pekalongan, Jepara- Rembang , Semarang, Banyumas , and Kedu . On 1 March 1942,

1140-497: A separate special region (equivalent to a province) since the country's independence, and is administered separately. Although known as the "heart" of Javanese culture , there are several other non-Javanese ethnic groups, such as the Sundanese on the border with West Java. Chinese Indonesians , Arab Indonesians , and Indian Indonesians are also scattered throughout the province. The province has been inhabited by humans since

1254-643: A silver city called Argyra at its western end. This name mentioned Java, which most likely origins from the Sanskrit term Java-dvipa (Yawadvipa). Chinese records from the Songshu and the Liangshu referred to Java as She-po (5th century AD), He-ling (640–818 AD), then called it She-po again until the Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368), where they began to call Zhao-Wa. In the book Yingyai Shenglan , written by

SECTION 10

#1732766200678

1368-470: A traditional way to determine which one will dominate the family which is the one that gets the larger or head part), and the wedding feast inviting whole family and business relatives, neighbours, and friends as guests. Death in a Sundanese family is usually performed through a series of rituals in accordance with traditional Islam, such as the pengajian (reciting Al Quran) including providing berkat (rice box with side dishes) for guests. The Quran recitation

1482-538: A variety of tastes as well as for protein, mineral and nutrient intake. These side dishes are grilled, fried, steamed or boiled and spiced with any combination of garlic, galangal (a plant of the ginger family), turmeric, coriander, ginger, and lemongrass. The herb-rich food wrapped and cooked inside banana leaf called pepes (Sundanese: pais ) is popular among Sundanese people. Pepes are available in many varieties according to their ingredients; carp fish, anchovies, minced meat with eggs, mushroom, tofu or oncom. Oncom

1596-505: Is lalapan , which consists only of raw vegetables, such as papaya leaves, cucumber , eggplant , and bitter melon . In general, Sundanese food tastes rich and savoury, but not as rich as Padang food , not as sweet as Javanese food . In Sundanese culture, there is a culture of eating together known as Cucurak in the Bogor area or Munggahan in the Priangan area. This tradition

1710-716: Is a province of Indonesia , located in the middle of the island of Java . Its administrative capital is Semarang . It is bordered by West Java in the west, the Indian Ocean and the Special Region of Yogyakarta in the south, East Java in the east, and the Java Sea in the north. It has a total area of 33,750.37 km , with a population of 36,516,035 at the 2020 Census making it the third-most populous province in both Java and Indonesia after West Java and East Java . The official population estimate in mid-2023

1824-430: Is a fermented peanut-based ingredient that is prevalent within Sundanese cuisine, just like its counterpart, Tempe, which is popular among Javanese people. Usually, the food itself is not too spicy, but it is served with a boiling sauce made by grinding chilli peppers and garlic together. On the coast, saltwater fish are common; in the mountains, fish tend to be either pond-raised carp or goldfish. A well-known Sundanese dish

1938-578: Is a growing shift towards Islamism , especially amongst urban Sundanese. Compared to the 1960s, many Sundanese Muslim women today have decided to wear hijab . The same phenomenon was also found earlier in the Malay community in Sumatra and Malaysia. Modern history saw the rise of political Islam through the birth of Darul Islam Indonesia in Tasikmalaya, West Java, back in 1949, although this movement

2052-538: Is a limestone mountain area that extends to the southern coast of East Java. The rivers that empty into the Java Sea include the Bengawan Solo River , Kali Pemali, Kali Comal, and Kali Bodri, while the ones that empty into the Indian Ocean include Serayu River , Bogowonto River, Luk Ulo River and Progo River. Bengawan Solo is the longest river on the island of Java (572 km); has a spring in

2166-560: Is almost the same as the Baduy people in Banten . Although Indonesian is the official language, people mostly speak Javanese as their daily language. The Solo-Jogja dialect or the Mataram dialect is considered as the standard Javanese Language. Additionally, there are a number of Javanese dialects but in general, it consists of two, namely kulonan and timuran . The former is spoken in

2280-520: Is also an essential structure in the traditional Sundanese agricultural community. Leuit is essential during Seren Taun harvest ceremony. Sundanese cuisine is one of the most famous traditional food in Indonesia, and it is also easily found in most Indonesian cities. The Sundanese food is characterised by its freshness; the famous lalab (raw vegetables salad) eaten with sambal (chili paste), and also karedok (peanuts paste) demonstrate

2394-558: Is also closely related to Malay and Minang as it is to Javanese, as seen by the Sundanese utilising different language levels denoting rank and respect – a concept borrowed from the Javanese. It shares similar vocabularies with Javanese and Malay. There are several dialects of Sundanese, from the Sunda–Banten dialect to the Sunda–Cirebonan dialect in the eastern part of West Java until the western part of Central Java Province. Some of

SECTION 20

#1732766200678

2508-480: Is also common among Chinese Indonesians. In the post-Suharto era , it is recognised as an official religion along with the aforementioned five. Ethnic Groups in Central Java At approximately 98%, Javanese people form the overwhelming majority of the population, and a minority of the Sundanese people . Central Java is known as the centre of Javanese culture. The cities of Surakarta and Yogyakarta are

2622-568: Is an effort to revive the Sundanese script , which was used between the 14th and 18th centuries. For example, street names in Bandung and several cities in West Java are now written in both Latin and Sundanese scripts. The initial religious systems of the Sundanese were animism and dynamism with reverence to ancestral ( karuhun ) and natural spirits identified as hyang , yet bears some traits of pantheism . The best indications are found in

2736-575: Is an increasing number of Sundanese people who consider the Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca) as something that enjoys social prestige. On the other hand, there is also a movement led by the minority Sundanese conservative traditionalist adat , the Sunda Wiwitan community, who are struggling to achieve wider acceptance and recognition of their faith and way of life. Sundanese culture is similar to that of Javanese culture. However, it differs in that it has

2850-652: Is between 18–28 °C (64–82 °F) and the relative humidity varies between 73% and 94%. While the humidity is high in most low-lying parts of the province, it drops significantly in the upper mountains. The highest average annual rainfall of 3,990 mm with 195 rainy days was recorded in Salatiga . On the eve of the World War II in 1942, Central Java was subdivided into seven residencies ( Dutch : residentie or plural residenties , Javanese karésiḍènan or karésidhènan ) which corresponded more or less with

2964-443: Is built on short stilts . Its roof variations might includes hip and gablet roof (a combination of gable and hip roof). The more elaborate overhanging gablet roof is called Julang Ngapak , which means "bird spreading wings". Other traditional Sundanese house forms including Buka Pongpok, Capit Gunting, Jubleg Nangkub, Badak Heuay, Tagog Anjing , and Perahu Kemureb . Next to houses, rice barn or called leuit in Sundanese

3078-678: Is called Pantun Sunda , a chant of poetic verses employed for story-telling. It is the counterpart of the Javanese tembang , similar to but independent from Malay pantun . The Pantun Sunda often recount Sundanese folklore and legends such as Sangkuriang , Lutung Kasarung , Ciung Wanara , Mundinglaya Dikusumah , the tales of King Siliwangi , and popular children's folk stories such as Si Leungli . Traditional Sundanese arts include various forms of music, dance, and martial arts. The most notable types of Sundanese music are angklung bamboo music, kacapi suling music, gamelan degung , reyog Sunda and rampak gendang. The Angklung bamboo musical instrument

3192-642: Is called by the Sundanese people Tatar Sunda or Pasundan (meaning Sundanese land). Sundanese migrants can also be found in Lampung , South Sumatra , and, to a lesser extent, in Central Java and East Java . The Sundanese people can also be found on several other islands in Indonesia such as Sumatra , Kalimantan , Sulawesi , Bali and Papua . The Sundanese are of Austronesian origins and are thought to have originated in Taiwan . They migrated through

3306-504: Is considered as the most refined Sundanese). The dialect spoken on the north coast, Banten and Cirebon are considered less refined, and the language spoken by Baduy people is considered the archaic type of Sundanese language, before the adoption of the concept of language stratification to denote rank and respect as demonstrated (and influenced) by Javanese . Today, the Sundanese language is primarily written in Latin script . However, there

3420-518: Is considered one of the world heritages of intangible culture. The most well known and distinctive Sundanese dances are Jaipongan , a traditional social dance which is usually, but mistakenly, associated with eroticism . Other popular dances such as the Merak dance describe colourful dancing peafowls. Sisingaan dance is performed mainly in the Subang area to celebrate the circumcision ritual where

3534-479: Is likely associated with the ruins of Mount Meru , the sacred five-peaked mountain and center of the universe. This association makes it likely that it is a seat of God, for which it is named. The last mention of this name was in the reign of Bhre Kertabhumi (1474-1478), and the first mention of Mount Lawu was in the Bhujangga Manik in the early 16th century, which indicates the name change took place between

Mount Lawu - Misplaced Pages Continue

3648-486: Is more influenced by Islamic folklore than the influence of Indian epics present in Javanese versions. The Pencak silat martial art in Sundanese tradition can be traced to the historical figure King Siliwangi of the Sunda Pajajaran kingdom, with Cimande as one of the most prominent schools. The recently developed Tarung Derajat is also a popular martial art in West Java. Kujang is the traditional weapon of

3762-582: Is performed daily, from the day of death through the seventh day following; later performed again on the 40th day, a year, and the 1,000th day after the passing. This tradition today, however, is not always closely and faithfully followed since growing numbers of Sundanese are adopting a less traditional Islam which does not maintain many of the older traditions. Sundanese literature was basically oral. Their arts (such as architecture, music, dance, textiles, and ceremonies) substantially preserved traditions from an earlier phase of civilization, stretching back even to

3876-603: Is that the word "Java" comes from Proto-Austronesian , Awa or Yawa (Similar to the words Awa'i (Awaiki) or Hawa'i (Hawaiki) used in Polynesia , especially Hawaii ) which means "home". An island called Iabadiu or Jabadiu is mentioned in Ptolemy's work called Geographia which was made around 150 AD during the era of the Roman Empire . Iabadiu is said to mean "island of barley", also rich in gold, and has

3990-686: Is the North and South Serayu Mountains. The North forms a mountain chain that connects the Bogor range in West Java with the Kendeng Mountains in the east. The width of this mountain range is around 30–50 km; on the western end there is Mount Slamet , which is the highest mountain in Central Java as well as the second-highest mountain in Java, and the eastern part is the Dieng Plateau with peaks of Mount Prahu and Mount Ungaran . Between

4104-635: Is usually carried out together with extended family or colleagues when approaching Ramadan . The traditional occupation of Sundanese people is agricultural , especially rice cultivation. Sundanese culture and tradition are usually centred around the agricultural cycle. Festivities such as the Seren Taun harvest ceremony are held in high importance, especially in the traditional Sundanese community in Ciptagelar village, Cisolok, Sukabumi ; Sindang Barang, Pasir Eurih village, Taman Sari, Bogor ; and

4218-570: Is written in Sanskrit in Pallava script . It is written that a Shaivite king named Sri Sanjaya established a kingdom called Mataram . Under the reign of Sanjaya's dynasty, several monuments such as the Prambanan temple complex were built. At the same time, a competing dynasty Sailendra arose, adhering to Buddhism and built the Borobudur temple. After 820 AD, there was no more mention of

4332-418: The Brebes - Tegal - Slawi area in the northwest of the province. Religion in Central Java (June 2024) Although the overwhelming majority of Javanese are Muslims, many also profess indigenous Javanese beliefs . Clifford Geertz , in his book about the religion of Java, made a distinction between the so-called santri Javanese and abangan Javanese. He considered the former as orthodox Muslims and

4446-618: The Burma-Siam and Saketi-Bayah railways , and suffered or died as a result of ill-treatment and starvation. A later UN report stated that four million people died in Indonesia as a result of the Japanese occupation. About 2.4 million people died in Java from famine during 1944–45. Following the surrender of Japan, Indonesia proclaimed its independence on 17 August 1945. The final stages of warfare were initiated in October when, under

4560-566: The Cultivation System which was linked to famines and epidemics in the 1840s, first in Cirebon and then Central Java, as cash crops such as indigo and sugar had to be grown instead of rice. In the 1900s, the predecessor of the modern Central Java was created, named Gouvernement van Midden-Java . Before 1905, central Java consisted of 5 gewesten (regions) namely Semarang , Rembang , Kedu , Banyumas , and Pekalongan . Surakarta

4674-762: The Demak Sultanate was on the edge of the sea and became a thriving port. This sedimentation process is still ongoing on the coast of Semarang . In the south of the area are the Northern Cretaceous Mountains and the Kendeng Mountains, which are limestone mountains stretching from the east of Semarang from the Southwest end of Pati then east to the Lamongan and Bojonegoro in East Java. The main range of mountains in Central Java

Mount Lawu - Misplaced Pages Continue

4788-466: The House of Representatives . The province's 77 elected members are comprised as follows: As of the 2010 census, Central Java's population stood at 32.38 million, barely increasing from 2000, compared with the 1990 census when the population was 28 million. This reflected an increase of approximately 13.5% in 20 years. At the 2020 Census the population was 36,516,035, and the official estimate for mid 2023

4902-780: The Hēlíng in Chinese records. Coinciding with the overthrow of the Sailendras by the Sanjayas who restored Shaivism as the dominant religion. In the middle of the 10th century, however, the centre of power moved to eastern Java. Raden Wijaya founded the Majapahit Empire , and reaching its peak during the reign of Hayam Wuruk . The kingdom claimed sovereignty over the entire Indonesian archipelago , although direct control tended to be limited to Java, Bali and Madura . Gajah Mada

5016-669: The Imperial Japanese Army landed on Java , and the following week, the Dutch East Indies surrendered to Japan. During Japanese rule, Java and Madura were placed under the Japanese 16th Army . Many who lived in areas considered important to the war effort experienced torture , sex slavery , arbitrary arrest and execution, and other war crimes . Thousands of people were taken away as forced labourers ( romusha ) for Japanese military projects, including

5130-727: The Kebumen Tinggi . At the very eastern end of Mandala, the South Serayu Mountains are formed by the dome of the Kulonprogo Mountains (1022 m), which is located between Purworejo and the Progo River . The area of the south coast of Central Java also has a narrow lowland, with a width of 10–25 km. In addition, there are South Gombong Karst Areas. Sloping hills stretch parallel to the coast, from Yogyakarta to Cilacap . East of Yogyakarta

5244-898: The Sewu Mountains (Wonogiri Regency), this river flows to the north, crosses the City of Surakarta , and finally goes to East Java and empties into the Gresik area (near Surabaya). Among the main reservoirs (lakes) in Central Java are Gunung Rowo Lake ( Pati Regency ), Gajahmungkur Reservoir ( Wonogiri Regency ), Kedungombo Reservoir ( Boyolali and Sragen Regency ), Rawa Pening Lake ( Semarang Regency ), Cacaban Reservoir ( Tegal Regency ), Malahayu Reservoir ( Brebes Regency ), Wadaslintang Reservoir (border of Kebumen Regency and Wonosobo Regency ), Gembong Reservoir (Pati Regency), Sempor Reservoir ( Kebumen Regency ) and Mrica Reservoir ( Banjarnegara Regency ). The average temperature in Central Java

5358-518: The Sukuh temple carved on the statue of the God Nandi also prove the religious significance of this mountain: These inscriptions prove that Parwatarajadewa was a God of great significance for the Javanese and that the mountain was home to a variety of Rsis, ascetics, and was likely a refuge for Hindus completing the life stage called "Wanaprastha and Sanyasin", in which one would resign themselves to

5472-525: The Sultanate of Mataram , grew into a dominant force in the central and eastern Java. The cities of Surabaya and Cirebon were subdued by Mataram. Only the Mataram and Banten Sultanates remained after the Dutch arrived in the early 17th century. Some Islamic kingdoms in Java can still be found in several regions, such as Surakarta (with two kingdoms of Kasunanan and Mangkunegaran ), and Yogyakarta with

5586-569: The Yogyakarta Sultanate and Pakualaman . By the late 16th century, European traders began to frequent central Javanese ports. The Dutch established a presence in the region through the East India Company . Following the fall of Demak to Mataram under the reign of Sultan Agung , Mataram was able to conquer almost all of Java by the 17th century, but internal disputes and Dutch intervention forced it to cede more land to

5700-463: The karuhun (ancestral spirits). Today, most Sundanese are Sunni Muslims. After western Java fell under the control of Dutch East India Company (VOC) in the early 18th century, and later under the Dutch East Indies , Christian evangelism towards the Sundanese people was started by missionaries of Genootschap voor In- en Uitwendige Zending te Batavia (GIUZ). This organisation was founded by Mr F. L. Anthing and Pastor E. W. King in 1851. However, it

5814-404: The upheavals in 1965–66, religious identification of citizens became compulsory, and there has been a renaissance of Buddhism and Hinduism since then. As one has to choose a religion out of the five official religions in Indonesia; i.e. Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Hinduism, and Buddhism, the latter two became alternatives for people who did not want to be Muslims or Christians. Confucianism

SECTION 50

#1732766200678

5928-524: The western region of Java island in Indonesia , primarily West Java . They number approximately 42 million and form Indonesia's second most populous ethnic group . They speak the Sundanese language , which is part of the Austronesian languages . The western area of the island of Java, namely the provinces of West Java , Banten , and Jakarta , as well as the westernmost part of Central Java ,

6042-620: The 15th and 16th centuries, coinciding with the Islamic invasion. The nature of Parwatarajadewa can be interpreted as the personified mountain God, and not one of the more dominant Gods of the time, such as the God Shiva , but was widely worshiped and considered a "National God". One of the earliest account of the worship of Parwatarajadewa is in the kakawin Arjunawiwaha : Inscriptions of

6156-451: The 15th to 16th centuries, Islam began to spread among the Sundanese people by Indian Muslim traders, and its adoption accelerated after the fall of the Hindu-animist Sunda Kingdom and the establishment of the Islamic Sultanates of Banten and Cirebon in coastal West Java. Numerous ulama (locally known as " kyai ") penetrated villages in the mountainous regions of Parahyangan and established mosques and schools ( pesantren ) and spread

6270-440: The Chinese Ming explorer Ma Huan , the Chinese call Java as Chao-Wa, and it was once called the She-pó (She-bó). When Giovanni de' Marignolli returned from China to Avignon , he stopped at the kingdom of Saba, which he said had many elephants and was led by a queen; this name Saba might be his interpretation of She-bó. Java has been inhabited by humans or their ancestors ( hominina ) since prehistoric times. In Central Java and

6384-409: The Dutch. These cessions led to several partitions of Mataram. The first was after the 1755 Treaty of Giyanti , which divided the kingdom in two, the Sultanates of Surakarta and Yogyakarta. Surakarta was divided again with the establishment of the Mangkunegaran following the 1757 Treaty of Salatiga. During the Napoleonic Wars , Central Java as a Dutch colony was taken over by the British . In 1813,

6498-503: The Indonesian archipelago that were exposed to Indian Hindu-Buddhist influences. Tarumanagara followed by Sunda Kingdom adopted Hinduism as early as the 4th century. The Batujaya stupa complex in Karawang shows Buddhist influences in West Java, while Cangkuang Shivaic temple near Garut shows Hindu influence. The 16th-century sacred text Sanghyang siksakanda ng karesian contains the religious and moral rules, guidance, prescriptions and lessons for ancient Sundanese people. Around

6612-547: The Indonesian government as governor, municipal major, vice president and state ministers, also as officers and general in the Indonesian military . Sundanese is also popularly known as cheerful and mercurial folks, as they love to joke and tease around. The wayang golek artform of Cepot , Dawala, and Gareng punakawan characters demonstrate the Sundanese quirky side. Some Sundanese might find art and culture as their passion and become artists, either in fine art, music or performing art. Today, there are several Sundanese involved in

6726-487: The Indonesian government. These contemporary regencies and cities can further be subdivided into 565 districts ( kecamatan ). These districts are further divided into 7,804 rural communes or "villages" ( desa ) and 764 urban communes ( kelurahan ). The regencies and cities are listed below with their areas and populations at the 2000, 2010 and 2020 Censuses, together with the official estimates as at mid 2023, and are grouped (for convenience) approximately according to

6840-624: The Islamic faith amongst the Sundanese people. Small traditional Sundanese communities retained their indigenous social and belief systems, adopting self-imposed isolation, and refused foreign influences, proselytism and modernisation altogether, such as those of the Baduy (Kanekes) people of inland Lebak Regency . Some Sundanese villages such as those in Cigugur Kuningan retained their Sunda Wiwitan beliefs, while some villages such as Kampung Naga in Tasikmalaya, and Sindang Barang Pasir Eurih in Bogor, although identifying themselves as Muslim, still uphold pre-Islamic traditions and taboos and venerated

6954-542: The Japanese had almost captured the city when British forces arrived. The province of Central Java was formed on 15 August 1950, excluding Yogyakarta but including Surakarta . There has been no significant changes in the administrative division of the province ever since. In the aftermath of the 30 September Movement in 1965, an anti-communist purge took place in Central Java, in which the army and community vigilante groups killed Communists and leftists, both actual and alleged. Others were interned in concentration camps ,

SECTION 60

#1732766200678

7068-458: The Neolithic, and never overwhelmed (as eastward, in Java) by aristocratic Hindu-Buddhist ideas. The art and culture of Sundanese people reflect historical influences by various cultures that include prehistoric native animism and shamanism traditions, ancient Hindu - Buddhist heritage, and Islamic culture . The Sundanese have very vivid, orally-transmitted memories of the grand era of the Sunda Kingdom . The oral tradition of Sundanese people

7182-453: The Parahyangan highland as the playland or the abode of gods, as well as suggesting its natural beauty. The earliest historical polity that appeared in the Sundanese realm in the Western part of Java was the kingdom of Tarumanagara , which flourished between the 4th and 7th centuries. Hindu influences reached the Sundanese people as early as the 4th century AD, as is evident in Tarumanagara inscriptions . The adoption of this dharmic faith in

7296-544: The Philippines and reached Java between 1,500 BC and 1,000 BC. Nevertheless, there is also a hypothesis that argues that the Austronesian ancestors of contemporary Sundanese people originally came from Sundaland , a massive sunken peninsula that today forms the Java Sea, the Malacca and Sunda Straits and the islands between them. According to a recent genetic study, Sundanese, together with Javanese and Balinese , has an significant admixture of Austroasiatic and Austronesian ancestries. The Sunda Wiwitan belief contains

7410-421: The South Central Java Basin located in the southern part of the province. This mandala is a geoantiklin that extends from west to east along 100 kilometres and is divided into two parts separated by the Jatilawang valley, namely the western and eastern regions. The western part is formed by Mount Kabanaran (360 m) and can be described as having the same elevation as the Bandung Depression Zone in West Java or as

7524-421: The Sultanate of Yogyakarta was divided with the establishment of the Pakualaman. Following the departure of the British, the Dutch returned as stipulated in the Congress of Vienna . The Java War between 1825 and 1830 ravaged Central Java, which resulted in a consolidation of the Dutch power. The power and the territories of the already divided Mataram were greatly reduced. After the war, the Netherlands enforced

7638-459: The Sundanese fondness for fresh raw vegetables. Similar to other ethnic groups in Indonesia, Sundanese people eat rice for almost every meal. The Sundanese like to say, "If you have not eaten rice, then you have not eaten at all." Rice is prepared in hundreds of different ways. However, it is simple steamed rice that serves as the centerpiece of all meals. Next to steamed rice , the side dishes of vegetables , fish , or meat are added to provide

7752-466: The Sundanese having a less rigid social hierarchy and more independent social manners. In the 19th century, Dutch colonial exploitation opened much of the interior for coffee , tea , and quinine production, and the highland society took on a frontier aspect, further strengthening the individualistic Sundanese mindset. There is a widespread belief among Indonesian ethnicities that the Sundanese are famous for their beauty. In his report "Summa Oriental" on

7866-495: The Sundanese people adopt a bilateral kinship system , with male and female descent of equal importance. In Sundanese families, the important rituals revolved around life cycles, from birth to death, adopting many previous Animist and Hindu-Buddhist, as well as Islamic, traditions. For example, during the seventh month of pregnancy, there is a prenatal ritual called Nujuh Bulanan (identical to Naloni Mitoni in Javanese tradition) which traces its origins to Hindu ritual. Shortly after

7980-566: The Sundanese people. The architecture of a Sundanese house is characterised by its functionality, simplicity, modesty, uniformity with little details, its use of natural thatched materials, and its quite faithful adherence to harmony with nature and the environment. Sundanese traditional houses mostly take basic form of gable roofed structure, commonly called kampung style roof, made of thatched materials ( ijuk black aren fibers, kirai , hateup leaves or palm leaves) covering wooden frames and beams, woven bamboo walls, and its structure

8094-468: The Sundanese way of life was, however, never as intense as their Javanese counterparts. It seems that despite the central court beginning to adopt Hindu-Buddhist culture and institution, the majority of common Sundanese still retained their native natural and ancestral worship. By the 4th century, the older megalithic culture was probably still alive and well next to the penetrating Hindu influences. Court cultures flourished in ancient times, for example, during

8208-579: The adjacent territories in East Java remains known as " Java Man " were discovered in the 1890s by the Dutch anatomist and geologist Eugène Dubois . It belongs to the species Homo erectus , and are believed to be about 1.7 million years old. The Sangiran site is an important prehistoric site on Java. Around 40,000 years ago, Australoid peoples related to modern Australian Aboriginals and Melanesians settled in Central Java. They were assimilated or replaced by Mongoloid Austronesians by about 3,000 BC, who brought technologies of pottery, outrigger canoes,

8322-564: The assistance of the Javanese Buddhist monk Jñānabhadra. It is not precisely known what is meant by the name Hēlíng . It used to be considered the Chinese transcription of Kalinga but it is now most commonly thought of as a rendering of the name Areng . Hēlíng is believed to be located somewhere between Semarang and Jepara . The first dated inscription in Central Java was the Canggal from 732 AD. This inscription, from Kedu ,

8436-651: The birth of a baby, a ritual called Akekahan (from Arabic word: Aqiqah ) is performed; an Islamic tradition in which the parents slaughter a goat for a baby girl or two goats for a baby boy, the meat later being cooked and distributed to relatives and neighbors. The circumcision ceremony is performed on prepubescent boys and celebrated with Sisingaan (lion) dance. The wedding ceremony is the highlight of Sundanese family celebration involving complex rituals from naroskeun and neundeun omong (marriage proposal and agreement conducted by parents and family elders), siraman (bridal shower), seserahan (presenting wedding gifts for

8550-575: The bow and arrow, and introduced domesticated pigs, fowls, and dogs. They also introduced cultivated rice and millet. Recorded history began in what is now Central Java in the 7th century AD. The writing, as well as Hinduism and Buddhism, were brought by the Indians from South Asia, at the time of Central Java was a centre of power in Java. In 664 AD, the Chinese monk Hui-neng visited the Javanese port city he called Hēlíng (訶陵) or Ho-ling , where he translated various Buddhist scriptures into Chinese with

8664-464: The boy is seated upon a lion figure carried by four men. Other dances such as the Peafowl dance, Dewi dance and Ratu Graeni dance show Javanese Mataram courtly influences. Wayang golek puppetry is the most popular wayang performance for Sundanese people. Many forms of kejawen dance, literature, gamelan music and shadow puppetry ( wayang kulit ) derive from the Javanese. Sundanese puppetry

8778-411: The bride), akad nikah (wedding vows), saweran (throwing coins, mixed with flower petals and sometimes also candies, for the unmarried guests to collect and believed to bring better luck in romance), huap lingkung (bride and groom feed each other by the hand, with arms entwined to symbolize love and affection), bakakak hayam (bride and groom ripping a grilled chicken through holding each of its legs;

8892-493: The centres of the Javanese royal palace that still stands today. Significant minority ethnic groups include the Chinese Indonesians . They usually reside in urban areas, although they are also found in rural areas. In general, they primarily work in trade and services. Many speak the Javanese language with sufficient fluency as they have lived alongside the Javanese. One can feel the strong influence in Semarang and

9006-561: The courts (such as politeness, nobility and grace) has a tremendous influence on the people. They are known as soft-spoken, very polite, extremely class-conscious, apathetic, down-to-earth, etc. These stereotypes form what most non-Javanese see as the "Javanese Culture", when in fact, not all Javanese behave in such manner as most Javanese are far from the court culture. Sundanese people The Sundanese ( Indonesian : Orang Sunda ; Sundanese : ᮅᮛᮀ ᮞᮥᮔ᮪ᮓ , romanized:  Urang Sunda ) are an indigenous ethnic group native to

9120-660: The dominant religion in Java. The emergence of Islamic kingdoms in Java is also inseparable from the role of Walisongo . At first, the spread of Islam was quick and was accepted by ordinary people, until the entrance of da'wah and it was carried out by the rulers of the island. The Sultanate of Demak was the first recorded Islamic kingdom in Java, first led by one of the descendants of the Majapahit emperor Raden Patah , who converted to Islam. During this period, Islamic kingdoms began to develop from Pajang , Surakarta , Yogyakarta , Cirebon , and Banten . Another Islamic kingdom,

9234-471: The earliest historical records that mention the name "Sunda" appears in the Kebon Kopi II inscription dated 854 saka (932 AD) discovered in Bogor . In 1225, a Chinese writer named Chou Ju-kua , in his book Chu-fan-chi , describes the port of Sin-t'o ( Sunda ), which probably refers to the port of Banten or Kalapa . By examining these records, it seems that the name "Sunda" started to appear in

9348-525: The early 11th century as a Javanese term used to designate their western neighbours. A Chinese source more specifically refers to it as the port of Banten or Sunda Kelapa. After the formation and consolidation of the Sunda Kingdom 's unity and identity during the Pajajaran era under the rule of Sri Baduga Maharaja (popularly known as King Siliwangi ), the shared common identity of Sundanese people

9462-641: The early 16th century Sunda Kingdom , Portuguese apothecary Tomé Pires mentioned: "The (Sundanese) women are beautiful, and those of the nobles chaste, which is not the case with those of the lower classes". Sundanese women are, as the belief goes, one of the most beautiful in the country due to the climate (they have a lighter complexion than other Indonesians) and a diet featuring raw vegetables (they are said to possess especially soft skin). Bandungite ladies, popularly known as Mojang Priangan are reputedly pretty, fashion smart and forward-looking. Probably because of this, many Sundanese people today pursue careers in

9576-529: The entertainment industry. The Sundanese language is spoken by approximately 36 million people in 2010 and is the second most widely spoken regional language in Indonesia. The 2000 Indonesia Census put this figure at 30.9 million. This language is spoken in the southern part of the Banten province, and most of West Java and eastwards as far as the Pamali River in Brebes, Central Java . Sundanese

9690-542: The entry of Indian influence. It is possible that the island had many previous names, including the possibility of it originating from the word jaú which means "far away". Yavadvipa is mentioned in one of the Indian epic, Ramayana . According to the epic, Sugriva , the commander of the wanara (ape man) from Sri Rama 's army, sent his envoy to Yavadvip ("Java Island") to look for the Hindu goddess Sita . Another possibility

9804-472: The era of Sunda Kingdom . However, the Sundanese appear not to have had the resources nor desire to construct large religious monuments . The traditional rural Sundanese method of rice farming, by ladang or huma (dry rice farming), also contributed to small populations of sparsely inhabited Sundanese villages. Geographic constraints that isolate each region also led Sundanese villages to enjoy their simple way of life and their independence even more. That

9918-680: The form of simple rocks three meters in height and two in width jutting into the sky, can be found. Structures dating back to the Hindu era of Java such as the Candi Ceto , Candi Sukuh , Kethek Temple, Buntar Temple, and Planggatan Temple. A Durgamahisasuramardhini state was recovered at the Buntar Temple. The western slopes of Lawu have a number of graveyards - including Astana Giribangun and Mangkunegaran . Central Java Central Java ( Indonesian : Jawa Tengah , Javanese : ꦗꦮꦶꦩꦢꦾ , romanized:  Jawi Tengah )

10032-493: The latter as nominal Muslims that devote more energy to indigenous traditions. Dutch Protestants were active in missionary activities and were rather successful. The Dutch Catholic Jesuit missionary, F.G.C. van Lith also achieved some success, especially in areas around the central-southern parts of Central Java and Yogyakarta at the beginning of the 20th century, and is buried at the Jesuit necropolis at Muntilan . Following

10146-420: The main regions of this area. These residencies were Banjoemas , Kedoe , Pekalongan , Semarang , and Djapara-Rembang plus the so-called Gouvernement Soerakarta and Gouvernement Jogjakarta . However, after the local elections in 1957, the role of these residencies were reduced until they finally disappeared. The only major boundary change since the creation of the province took place on 14 June 1965, when

10260-557: The majority of modern-day Indonesians are of Javanese descent, both Central Java and East Java have a major impact on Indonesia's social, political, and economic life. The origin of the name "Java" can be traced from the Sanskrit chronicle which mentions the existence of an island called yavadvip(a) ( dvipa means "island", and yava means " barley " or also " grain "). These grains may be millet ( Setaria italica ) or rice, both of which have been widely found on this island, before

10374-486: The memory of the prehistoric ancient lake in Bandung basin highland, which suggest that Sundanese already inhabit the region since the Mesolithic era, at least 20,000 years ago. Another popular Sundanese proverb and legend mentioned the creation of Parahyangan (Priangan) highlands, the heartland of the Sundanese realm; "When the hyangs (gods) were smiling, the land of Parahyangan was created". This legend suggested

10488-579: The most distinct dialects are from Banten, Bogor, Priangan, and Cirebon. In Central Java, Sundanese is spoken in some of the Cilacap region and some of the Brebes region. It is known that the most refined Sundanese dialect — which is considered as its original form – are those spoken in Ciamis, Tasikmalaya, Garut, Bandung, Sumedang, Sukabumi, and especially Cianjur (The dialect spoken by people living in Cianjur

10602-654: The most infamous of which was on the isle of Buru in Maluku, first used as a place of political exile by the Dutch. Some were executed years later, but most were released in 1979 In 1998, near the downfall of Suharto , anti-Chinese violence broke out in Surakarta (Solo) and surrounding areas, in which Chinese property and other buildings were burnt down. The following year, public buildings in Surakarta were burnt by supporters of Megawati Sukarnoputri after Indonesia's parliament chose Abdurrahman Wahid instead of Megawati for

10716-1603: The music and entertainment industry, with some of Indonesia's most famous singers, musicians, composers, cinema directors, film and sinetrons (soap opera) actors being of Sundanese origin. Notable Sundanese that has been recognised as Indonesian national heroes include Dewi Sartika that fought for equality for women's education, and statesmen such as Oto Iskandar di Nata and Djuanda Kartawidjaja . Former governor of Jakarta Ali Sadikin , former vice president Umar Wirahadikusumah , and former defence minister Agum Gumelar , and ministers of foreign affairs such as Mochtar Kusumaatmadja , Hassan Wirajuda and Marty Natalegawa , Meutya Hafid are among notable Sundanese in politics. Ajip Rosidi and Achdiat Karta Mihardja are among Indonesian distinguished poets and writers. The modern Indonesian entertainment industry employs large numbers of Sundanese artists that have become Indonesia's most famous singers, musicians, composers, cinema directors, film and sinetron actors. Famous dangdut singers Rhoma Irama , Elvy Sukaesih and, musicians and composers such as Erwin Gutawa and singers such as Roekiah , Hetty Koes Endang , Vina Panduwinata , Nicky Astria , Nike Ardilla , Poppy Mercury , Rossa , Gita Gutawa and Syahrini , Indonesian sinetrons actors such as Raffi Ahmad , Jihan Fahira and Asmirandah Zantman , also stunt choreographer, movie action star Kang Cecep Arif Rahman, also film director Nia Dinata , are among artists of Sundanese background. Famous wayang golek puppet master

10830-666: The mythical origin of Sundanese people; Sang Hyang Kersa, the supreme divine being in ancient Sundanese belief created seven bataras (deities) in Sasaka Pusaka Buana (The Sacred Place on Earth). The oldest of these bataras is called Batara Cikal and is considered the ancestor of the Kanekes people . The other six bataras ruled various locations in Sunda lands in Western Java. A Sundanese legend of Sangkuriang contains

10944-513: The now defunct residenties in which they were formerly situated (omitting Yogyakarta residentie which now forms a separate province). Note: The regencies now appear in the formal order prescribed by the Indonesian Central Statistics Board ( Badan Pusat Statistik ), as indicated by the regional codes ( Kode Wilayah ). The province comprises ten of Indonesia's 84 national electoral districts to elect members to

11058-412: The oldest epic poems ( wawacan ) and among the remote Baduy tribe. This religion is called Sunda Wiwitan ("early Sundanese"). The rice agriculture had shaped the culture, beliefs and ritual system of traditional Sundanese people, among other the reverence to Nyai Pohaci Sanghyang Asri as the goddess of rice and fertility. The land of Sundanese people in western Java is among the earliest places in

11172-530: The prehistoric-era. Remains of a Homo erectus , known as " Java Man ", were found along the banks of the Bengawan Solo , and date back to 1.7 million years ago. What is present-day Central Java was once under the control of several Hindu-Buddhist kingdoms, Islamic sultanates, and the Dutch East Indies colonial government. Central Java was also the centre of the Indonesian independence movement . As

11286-414: The presidency. The 2006 Yogyakarta earthquake in the south and Yogyakarta devastated many buildings and caused thousands of deaths and more than 37,000 injuries. According to the slope level of land in Central Java, 38% of the land has a slope of 0–2%, 31% has a slope of 2–15%, 19% has a slope of 15–40%, and the remaining 12% has a slope of more than 40%. The northern coastal region of Central Java has

11400-458: The province of West Java, there are Sundanese people and Sundanese culture, especially in the Cilacap, Brebes, and Banyumas regions. Sundanese toponyms are common in these regions such as Dayeuhluhur in Cilacap, Ciputih and Citimbang in Brebes and even Cilongok as far away in Banyumas. In the interior of Blora , which borders East Java, there is an isolated Samin community , the case of which

11514-566: The rigid structure and rules of government offices. Several traditional travelling food vendors and food stalls such as Siomay , Gado-gado and Karedok , Nasi Goreng , Cendol , Bubur Ayam , Roti Bakar (grilled bread), Bubur kacang hijau (green beans congee) and Indomie instant noodle stall are notably run by Sundanese. Nevertheless, there are numbers of Sundanese that successfully carved their career as intellectuals or politicians in national politics, government offices and military positions. Some notable Sundanese has gained positions in

11628-589: The series of North and South Serayu Mountains are separated by the Serayu Depression which stretches from Majenang in the Cilacap Regency , Purwokerto , to Wonosobo . East of this depression is the Sindoro and Sumbing volcano, and the east again (Magelang and Temanggung areas) is a continuation of depression which limits Mount Merapi and Mount Merbabu. The Southern Serayu Mountains are part of

11742-583: The terms of their surrender, the Japanese tried to re-establish the authority they relinquished to the Indonesians in towns and cities. The fiercest fighting involving the Indonesian pemuda and the Japanese was in Semarang . Six days later, British forces began to occupy the city, after which retreating Indonesian Republican forces retaliated by killing between 130 and 300 Japanese prisoners. Five hundred Japanese and 2,000 Indonesians had been killed, and

11856-668: The town of Lasem in Rembang Regency , which is on the northeastern tip of Central Java. Even Lasem is nicknamed Le petit chinois or the Small Chinese City. The urban areas that are densely populated by Chinese Indonesians are called pecinan , which means " Chinatown ". Additionally, in several major cities, the Arab-Indonesian community can also be found. Similar to the Chinese community, they are usually engaged in trade and services. In areas bordering

11970-503: The traditional Sundanese community in Cigugur Kuningan . The typical Sundanese leuit (rice barn) is an important part of traditional Sundanese villages; it is held in high esteem as the symbol of wealth and welfare. Since early times, the Sundanese have predominantly been farmers. They tend to be reluctant to be government officers or legislators. Next to agriculture, Sundanese people often choose business and trade to make

12084-514: The western part of Central Java, consisting of the Banyumasan dialects and Tegal dialects (also called Basa Ngapak) . They are quite different in pronunciation from the standard Javanese. The latter dialect is spoken in the eastern part of the province, including the Mataram dialect (Solo-Jogja), Semarang dialect, and the Pati dialect. Between the borders of the two dialects, Javanese is spoken with

12198-627: Was 37,608,336 The province also includes a number of offshore islands, including the island of Nusakambangan in the south (close to the border of West Java), and the Karimun Jawa Islands in the Java Sea. Central Java is also a cultural concept that includes the Yogyakarta Special Region , in turn including the city of Yogyakarta ; however, administratively that city and its surrounding regencies have formed

12312-446: Was 37,608,336. Birthrates had not plunged between 2000 and 2010, instead losses due to domestic outmigration on 2010 figures, reversed themselves in 2020 with pandemic back to kampung influence. The three biggest regencies in terms of population are: Brebes , Cilacap and Banyumas . Together they make up approximately 16% of the province's population. Major urban population centres include Greater Semarang , Greater Surakarta and

12426-749: Was Nederlandsche Zendelings Vereeniging (NZV) that sent their missionaries to convert the Sundanese peoples. They started the mission in Batavia, later expanding into several towns in West Java such as Bandung , Cianjur , Cirebon , Bogor and Sukabumi . They built schools, churches and hospitals for native people in West Java. Compared to the large Sundanese Muslim population, the numbers of Christian Sundanese are scarce. Today, Christians in West Java are mostly Chinese Indonesians residing in West Java, with only small numbers of native Sundanese Christians. In contemporary Sundanese social and religious life, there

12540-455: Was a military leader during this time, who led numerous territorial conquests. The kingdoms in Java had previously based their power on agriculture, but Majapahit had succeeded in seizing ports and shipping lanes, in a bid to become the first commercial empire on Java. The empire suffered a setback after the death of Hayam Wuruk and the entry of Islam into the archipelago . In the late 16th century, Islam had surpassed Hinduism and Buddhism as

12654-761: Was later cracked down by the Indonesian Republic. In modern contemporary political landscapes, the Sundanese realm in West Java and Banten also provides widespread support for Islamic parties such as the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and the United Development Party (PPP). There are numbers of Sundanese ulama and Islamic preachers who have been successful in gaining national popularity, such as Kyai Abdullah Gymnastiar , Ustadz Adi Hidayat and Mamah Dedeh who have become TV personalities through their dakwah show. There

12768-438: Was more firmly established. They adopted the name "Sunda" to identify their kingdom, their people and their language . Inland Pasundan is mountainous and hilly, and until the 19th century, it was thickly forested and sparsely populated. The Sundanese traditionally live in small and isolated hamlets, rendering control by indigenous courts difficult. The Sundanese, traditionally engage in dry-field farming. These factors resulted in

12882-747: Was probably the factor that would contribute to the carefree nature, egalitarian, conservative, independent and somewhat individualistic social outlook of the Sundanese people. The Sundanese seems to love and revere their nature in spiritual ways, leading to them adopting some taboos to conserve nature and maintain the ecosystem. The conservative tendency and their somewhat opposition to foreign influences are demonstrated in extreme isolationist measures adopted keenly by Kanekes or Baduy people . They have rules against interacting with outsiders and adopting foreign ideas, technology, and ways of life. They have also set some taboos, such as not cutting trees or harming forest creatures, to conserve their natural ecosystem. One of

12996-484: Was still an independent vorstenland (autonomous region) which stood alone and consisted of two regions, Surakarta and Mangkunegaran, as well as Yogyakarta. Each gewest consisted of districts. At that time, the Rembang Gewest also included Regentschap Tuban and Regentschap Bojonegoro . After the enactment of the 1905 Decentralisatie Besluit (Decentralisation Decision), the governor was given autonomy and

#677322