EAST JAVA CULTURAL ART

East Java (Indonesian: Jawa Timur) is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the eastern part of the island of Java and also includes neighboring Madura and Bawean islands. The administrative center of the province is located in Surabaya, the second largest city in Indonesia and a major industrial center and port.

East Java also hosts a significant population of other ethnic groups, such as Chinese, Indians, and Arabs. In addition to the national language, Indonesian, they also speak Javanese. The major religion in East Java is Islam. This comes from earlier history, when Islam spread from northern cities in Java where many traders from Gujarat, India visited, bringing Islam. The eastern part of East Java, from Surabaya to Pasuruan, then following various cities along the coast line, and turning back in Banyuwangi to Jember, is well known as the "horseshoe area" in context with earlier Muslim communities living there.

East Java's history dates back to the famous ancient kingdoms of Kediri and Singhasari, which is now a city near Malang. The Majapahit dynasty centered at Trowulan, Mojokerto East Java and around East Java, began the foundations of an empire that was to dominate the entire Indonesian archipelago, the Malay Peninsula and part of the Philippines for hundreds of years. This was the beginning of profitable trade relations with China, Cambodia, Siam, Burma and Vietnam. As power in Central Java declined in the 10th century, powerful kingdoms rose in East Java to fill the power vacuum. During the reign of King Erlangga both East Java and Bali enjoyed lucrative trade with the surrounding islands, and an artistic and intellectual renaissance. Parts of the Mahabarata epic were translated and re-interpreted to conform to an East Javanese philosophy and view of life, and it was from this era that East Java inherited much of its temple art. The Eastern Java region was the part of the Mataram kingdom during its peak.

East Java offers many insights into Indonesia's rich cultures and crafts as diverse as the people themselves. East Java is a true melting pot of the country for many ethnic groups. It is understandable that it is cause of its vast area and different kinds of condition between one place and another. The characteristics of its cultural art is also different. Various kinds of the existing culture have their own particular characteristics and certain functions either those in the territory of East Java or in other territories outside East Java.

Reog Ponorogo

The dance known as Reog is a very spectacular dance with several dancers wearing bright colorful costumes accompanied by merry gamelan music.

In Madura, race bull is a very popular sport and spectacle

The island of Madura, famous for its bull races (karapan sapi), is also part of the province and has its own traditions, culture and language.

Mask dance (Tari topeng) performance

Malang is famous for its dances. Mask dance (tari topeng) has been known by Malang society and this dance is tradition which cannot be left off hand.

"Kuda Lumping" dance

Horse trance dancing, or "kuda lumping" in Indonesian, is currently the most popular style of folk art being performed regularly in East Java.

Badui Community in Banten – Sacred Lives

Badui people

In a fast-changing world, the Badui community in Banten reminds an enigma. A deeply spiritual community, a wholly unique and closed society, the Badui people of Banten steadfastly maintain their ancient ways, rejecting most trappings of modern society.

Members of the innermost community, the badui Dalam (inner badui people), live in one of three villages, Cibeo, Dikertawana and Cikeusik, nestled amongst the forested foothills around Mt. Kendang, southeast of Rangkasbitung. Deliberately spurning all contact with the world beyond their group, the Badui Dalam are completely surrounded by a protective buffer zone of badui Luar (outer Badui people).

The 400 or so members of this community believe they are the direct lineal descendants of the first people to occupy the Earth, the land they are born from is a living mandala, a representation of the entire universe. To prevent devastation and calamity throughout the world, they strive to live in harmony with the earth and in conformity with the ways prescribed by their ancestors. Thus, there are no schools, no medical facilities and no government offices of any kind. Each of the three Badui Dalam villages is headed by a “puun”, a hereditary spiritual and temporal leader whose person is sacred. The land within Badui Dalam territory is also regarded as sacred, and outsiders, including the Badui Luar, are forbidden to till its soil or settle there.

Badui Luar Village (outter Badui village)

The Badui Dalam are not permitted to wear any cloth but the rough white homespun they weave themselves. The may not cultivate cash crops, use fertilizers, eat any four-legged animals, domesticate any livestock apart from chickens or use any medicine except their own herbal preparations. They agriculture is limited to “lading” or shifting cultivation, which relies on the natural fertility of newly cleared ground seldom productive for more than two seasons.

The Badui Luar, or Outer Badui community. Of almost 8000 individuals living in 67 villages, speak the same archaic dialect of Sundanese as do the insiders, to whom they are related by ties of blood, marriage and ritual. The taboos and rules that govern this group are considerably less rigorous than on the inside, although the use of vehicles, machinery, electricity, and chemicals within their territory is still forbidden, as is the cultivation of commercial crops. Members of the Badui Luar may travel in motorized vehicles when journeying outside the area, however, and have far more frequent interactions with the outside world. Although obliged to wear only their homespun blue or black cloth, and forbidden to wear trousers, some of the Luar people now proudly sport the colorful sarongs and shirts favored by their Sundanese neighbors.

A bridge made of bamboo

Other elements of civilizations such as toys, money and batteries are rapidly infiltrating especially in the villages to the north, and it is no longer unusual for an outer Badui to make a journey to Jakarta, or even to work outside as a hired hand during the rice planting and reaping seasons. Some even work in big towns and cities like Jakarta, Bogor and Bandung. Animal meat is eaten in some of the outer villages where dogs are trained for hunting, though animal husbandry is still forbidden.

The origins of the Baduis are obscured by the absence of a recorded or written history, though ethnically they appear to come from the same stock as the Sundanese and the Javanese. There was a popular suggestion that they are remnants of the last Hindu Kingdoms in West Java, Pajajaran, but this fails to account for their unique nature or their religion, which shows no Hindu influence. Theirs is a strange blend of animism and certain Islamic elements, with some original ideas thrown in for good measure.

The Badui’s most hallowed ground lies on Gunung Kendeng, in a place called Arca Domas, which is annually visited (and only) by “puun” of the inner communities. It is possible to visit some of the villages on the northern rim of the badui Area; the most easily accessible is Desa Kaduketug, which is a good four-hour hike from Leuwidamar, 24 kilometers south of Rangkasbitung.

Historic Ubud - Bali

"Today the entire world is a museum available to those who have the desire to see. In this museum, Bali is one of the most impressive collections, and while I have seen relatively little of Bali, I am convinced that Ubud is the principal gem of the entire collection. Ubud contains not only the precious mementoes of Bali's glorious past but also the living representations of its impressive present and hopeful future. Some may worry about the change that modern energy and drive will bring to Bali, but I do not. The creative urge of the Balinese, the natural instinct for beauty and contentment, will prevail." - 17 September, 1959, C. McVicker, of Jakarta; in a Puri Saren Agung Ubud guestbook.

These women all seem to be princesses vying for special roles in an ancient Asian pageant. Their finery, however, is part of daily traditional style in tis village

Those words, written almost half century ago, could still be written today. Even though enormous changed have occurred on the island in the past twenty-five years, particularly in the tourist enclaves which include Ubud, there is still a feeling of balance that prevails. Ubud is indeed one of Bali's many gems.

In the beginning Ubud itself was originally a small portion of land centred around Campuhan (meaning 'rivers meeting') and the puta (temple) Gunung Lebah. Yet Ubud, as it is known in the 21^st century, spans many villages and is a kecamatan (district), and kelurahan (sub-district), as well as a desa (village).

In the West, history consists of tangible events and things that can be recorded. In Bali, history and life itself consists of the seen or conscious world (sekala) and the invisible or psychic realm (niskala) and Balinese are able to move between there two worlds with easy. One could not exist without the other. Therefore, some of the tales about to be told may seem fantastical to the visitor, but to the Ubudians it is a part of their history. Magic keris (daggers), cannibalistic giants and coin-sprouting trees may serve as allegories but they also stand on their own, as you shall soon see.

A lontar (traditional palm leaf book)

Almost all sources begin Ubud's history with the coming of the great Hindu Indian mystic sage, Rsi Markandya in the 8^th century. A lontar (traditional palm leaf book) called the Markandya Purana describes how he spread Hinduism throughout Bali. He had been told to journey east from Mount Raung in Java and to convert the inhabitants of Bali to Hinduism. Bali had a reputation of being filled with dangerous spirits and many travellers never returned. walking through Java, he made his way to Bali with 800 followers. His goal was the holy mountain of Gunung Agung, where Besakih temple stands today. However, his followers succumbed to a cholera epidemic and, in fear for their health and safety, he took those who survived back to Java.

The temple of Pura Gunung Lebah in Campuhan, on the fringes of Ubud.

While in Java, he received a divine revelation that he was to return to Bali and bury panca dhatu (five precious metals which are buried under temples to give them more power) at the place where Besakih temple is today. he returned with four hundred followers. From there, he was drawn to a place in the central part of the island which was pulsing with light and energy: Campuhan, Ubud. Here, where two branches of the Wos River (named Lanang and Wadon, or male and female) meet in a confluence, he settled, meditated and built the temple Pura Gunung Lebah (Low Mountain temple). These two rivers swirl around each other as two naga (dragons or serpents) might do. The naga in the Balinese belief system symbolise all that sustains humanity: shelter, food and housing and, of course, spiritual sustenance. The water in the Western branch of the river is used for holy water in local temple festivals and the water in the Eastern branch is used for cleansing oneself; both physically and metaphysically.

Rsi Markandeya founded many temples along the Wos River. In the most northern part of his journey, he built the first (some claim) Hindu temple on the island: Pura Gunung Raung (later named Pura Agung) in the village of Taro. Just north of here in the village of Puakan (Pa-subak-an) the sage created the unique irrigation system for rice fields called subak and divided up the lands among the small populace at that time. He is also credited with the formation of the banjar (hamlet, subdivision of a village) and desa (village) systems.

The Balinese philosophy of Tri Hita Kirana, the relationship of humans with their environment (subakor rice fields), humans with each other (banjar or hamlet) and witht he Supreme Being (desa ot village, represented by the three main village temples) was first established here by Rsi Markandeya. Subsequent sages and priests have developed and expounded upon this but this was the foundation of Balinese Hinduism in its purest form, called appropriately Agama Tirta or 'Religion of Holy Water'.

Campuhan is indeed a special centre of power. People have been meditation here for centuries and bathing in its curative waters which spurt out of pancoran or fountains along the river banks. In 1961, this site was chosen as the place to form a religious body recognized by the Indonesian government and known today as Parisadha Hindu Dharma Indonesia, a symbolic tribute to Rsi Markandeya's founding of Hinduism in Bali over a millennium before.

The name Ubud is derived from the word 'ubad', meaning medicine, and refers to the myriad variety of healing plants found along this riverside and in the surrounding environs.

Historic Ubud - The Royals (continues..)

Temulawak Rhizomes - Traditional Herbal

Fortunately, all plants – though many still unknown – give benefits, one form of these benefits is as medicine. Meet temulawak, its roots are highly beneficial, and believed to be equivalent rival to Korean ginseng.

Temulawak - Curcuma xanthorrhiza

The practice of concocting medicinal herbs has been going on since our ancestor generation. In ethnic traditional society we can still found someone who acts as a ‘healer’. Although they often associated with magic and supernatural power but searching deeper to their healing medium, more often than not, they use many kinds of plants.

Temulawak itself has been acknowledged as one powerful medicinal herb. This type of plants is specifically Indonesia. Although its dissemination is only in Java, Kalimantan and Maluku, many people bring along the plant for its benefits. It was even exported to some countries.

This plant grew in a meadow close to residential area, especially on the fertile soil, so that the fruit and rhizome can grow large. Temulawak is a form of herbal plant with stem. It has broad leaves each connected with slender stalk. Temulawak also has unique clustered flowers both in low ground and high ground up to 1500 metres above the sea level.

Temulawak which also known as koneng gede in Sundanese, does increase appetite. In Center Java, many parents give their children its concoction to increase their appetite.

Temulawak - Curcuma Xanthorriza Roxb

Temulawak rhizomes were known as a medicinal herb for a long time. Temulawak or Javanese turmeric or also known as Curcuma Xanthorriza Roxb, was believed to have anti-aging effect, remove skin fleck and improve muscle flexibility. New mothers were also suggested to consume this herbal drinks according to Javanese spiritual belief. It is also believed to be the cured for kidney diseases, asthma, headache, gastric pain, stomach-ache, constipation, even acne.

This rhizome is a family member of Zingibereaceae, mostly grow in tropical forests and consist of 29-3- percent of curcuminoids (the substance that causes yellowish color in the rhizome), and 6-10 percent essential or ethereal oil (also known as aestheric oil). In addition to that, temulawak also comprises of chemical substances such as phellandrence and tumerol, which often called vaporized oil. It also has camphor, glucoside and polymetic carbinol.

This plant, which can reach up to two meters tall, has ethereal oil with a specific scent that can kill microbes. On the other hand, its flavonoids can be an anti-inflammatory agent. Thus, it is a medicine of anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-hepotoxic and anti-tumor. Also, temulawak believed to abate the pain and suffering from cancer.

As a cure to cancer, temulawak should be drunk in early stage or straight after operation to remove the cancer or radiation therapy. This is to remove leftover cancer cell. Moreover, for patient treated with chemotherapy, the concoction should be drunk two weeks after the treatment. If the doctor gave medications, the drink should be drunk two hours before or after consuming medications.

The consumption of temulawak extract is highly recommended to prevent liver diseases including hepatitis B, which known to increase the risk of liver cancer. In addition to that, the extract was also proven to lower blood’s cholesterol level also within liver cells.

Temulawak as Jamu

Where can we find ready-to-consume temulawak? This question might take us to think of jamu-seller or a drinking kiosk in the street with bottles of beras-kencur (traditional drink made of ground rice and Kaempferia galangal rhizomes mixed with palm sugar), and temulawak concoctions or else temulawak in capsule.

Temulawak - Traditional Jamu in modern packaging

Temulawak most often associated with jamu (Javanese traditional herbal drinks). Temulawak is one of the main ingredients to make jamu. Even in its modern packaging, we can still find jamu label on the package. Unfortunately, Indonesian traditional medicine is less popular compare to chemical medication. This is our biggest harm to our country. It is unfortunate, especially since we have an abundance of natural resources accompanied with many giant jamu factories. In addition to this, there are a fair amount of experts and socialist which can be useful. Worse off, when people decided to consume medical herbs, they prefer foreign herbs especially those coming from China.

It is not difficult to make jamu out of temulawak, although it is important to understand that different concoctions were made for different kind of treatments and to heal different kind of illnesses. For instance, the useful component of temulawak mostly used for concoction is its curcumin essence. This essence can reduce cholesterol level in human body. However, to lower down the level of bad cholesterol in our blood is not as easy as drinking any kinds of temualwak drinks we can easily found in the kiosk on the street corner.

Temulawak does contain many things. One substance that gives characterized smell and taste is aestheric oil. This oil can increase food appetite. While resin (the dark brownish, sticky substance, which doesn’t dissolve in the water), is unhealthy and needs to be removed.

According to National Agency of Drugs and Food (NA-DFC)’s clical test with Gajah MAda University in Yogyakarta, boiling temulawak is aw ay to take out the resin. If you tried to reduce your cholesteron level, it is best for you to consumed processed temulawak that has curcumin as its dominant substance.

For patients afflicted with complication such as heart attack or stroke, it is safe to drink temulawak infusion. Temulawak as a modern medication is safe to consume by anyone with any illness or at any age. This is the advantage of traditional herbs, it doesn’t have side effect.

Taking the most out of temulawak with the help of technology, experts and specialists can raise the availability of temulawak and providing its potential benefits effectively. Thus, temulawak can be the host of herbs in its own home country. Just like Korea know as a ginseng country, who knows one day Indonesia will be known as temulawak country.

HISTORICAL CEMETERY IN GRESIK

CEMETERY IN GRESIK

There are some cemeteries which are of historical values in Gresik. Namely the cemetery of Fatimah binti Maimun or the cemetery of Princess Suwari or Princess Cempa (1082 A.D.). The cemetery of Fatimah binti Maimun is considered as the oldest one in Indonesia.

The cemetery of Fatimah binti Maimun

The cemetery of Maulana Malik Ibrahim, died in 1419 was the first and the oldest Islamic religious leader (known as wali) who introduced Islam in Java. The building has lots of changed and renovated. Its tombstone is not original anymore, neither is its gate. The roof of its cover has collapsed. Only its four walls are still in good condition though they are cracked. This wall is decorated with horizontal frames, something that is only found here and gives an impression that in the 11th century people were still completely found with temples and therefore the Islamic graves are shaped like temples.

The cemetery of Maulana Malik Ibrahim

Since the roof of the cover is missing, the original shape is therefore not known, either in stages and pointed like those of the temples or not. The unique architecture that is very typical, compared with other graves. Although the gravestone is from Arab mainland with Arabic-style scriptures on it, the style looks like many gravestones in Gujarat.
Lots of people come to visit that cemetery everyday. The cemetery is considered as sacred place. Many people who visit his grave expect for blessing, safety, long life, fortune, etc.

The cemetery of Sunan Giri is located in the Desa of Giri, Sub-District of Kebomas, Gresik District, in southern side of the District, 2 km's far from the city of Gresik. The cemetery is on the top of the Giri hill, rounded by Giri people's graves.

Sunan Giri was one of the nine famous Islamic Leaders (wali songo) who also propagated the Islam in Java. He died in the year of 1428 of Saka Year or 1506 AD.

Entrance to the tomb of Sunan Giri - Sunan Giri, gravestones in the tomb complex.

The attractiveness of this object are the wooden-made grave from teak tree, plant-covered wall, and the makara (curvilinear motif like the tail of a shrimp, e.g. as found on ancient temple gargoyles) on its door.

Grave cover construction of Sunan Giri in Gresik.
Front part, roof covered with tiles and wood (XV Century)

There are some other attractiveness which illustrate the archeology of the first period of Islam in Java e.g. dragon king-carved-stone at the entrance arc, to mention one. The attractiveness for tourists of this object is the carved roof that illustrates the wealthy of the period from trade activities.

The Mausoleum site of Sunan Prapen is located on the west-side of mausoleum of Sunan Giri. In the site, Kawis Guwo and Panembahan Agung, two other Islamic leaders (but not wali), are also buried.

The cemetery of Sunan Prapen

Toraja Coffee: An Incomparable Sensation

What does coffee mean to you?

For coffee fanatics, a cup of coffee is an essential part of daily life, and often a loyal companion at critical times. Indonesia has many regions that produce great-tasting coffee, but the variety most sought after by foreign coffee lovers is Toraja coffee beans. Toraja Coffee is one of the best coffees in the world. Toraja coffee is believed to be of the very highest quality. Its unique taste provides incomparable enjoyment to true coffee lovers. So it’s not surprising that many famous coffee shops always offer “Toraja Coffee” as part of their coffee menu.

Toraja Coffee is pure Arabica Coffee harvested from a very dedicated coffee plantation, roasted by the experienced roasters with strict quality control to get the complex aromatic profile into the maximum and only pure 100% Toraja Arabica coffee that will end up in your perfect cup of coffee.

Toraja coffee is known for its high body, low acidity, a multidimensional pleasant aromatic character, spice, sweetness and very mellow aftertaste, which will linger on the palate for many, many minutes.

In Toraja, South Sulawesi, coffee is the most important crop produced by the local people. Toraja coffees can come from anywhere in the Tana Toraja highlands, It is grown at altitudes of 1400 to 1900 meters.

Toraja coffee is a large part exported to Japan. A Japanese company, PT Toarco Jaya Tbk, a subsidiary of Kee Coffee, one of Japan’s biggest coffee bar chains, is the only foreign company in Toraja that has long been exporting Toraja coffee beans to Japan to share this special satisfaction with its customers. They not only buy Toraja coffee beans but also provide extensive assistance to the local community through agricultural outreach programs: how to plant and grow coffee properly, including post-harvest processing, to achieve the best possible result and thus maintain the high quality of the Toraja coffee beans.

According to Yoshihasi, head of Kee Coffee in Japan, Toraja coffee beans are the number one favorite with Japanese coffee lovers. “The flavor provides an incomparable sensation for true coffee lovers.”

So how do you like your coffee?