UNIQUE
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE JAVANESE
Many
aspects of Javanese culture have become associated with
Indonesia. This is due to the fact that the Javanese are
the country's largest ethnic group. The behaviour of the
Javanese has been influenced by many other cultures.
Visitors are quickly struck by the intricate rules of
etiquette and concern with politeness.
The
Javanese do not like anything startling or unpredictable
to disturb their seamless vision of the world. Their
existence is a calm and peaceful one. Nobody should upset
this stability. When something unpleasant cannot be
avoided, however, it is dealt with by maintaining an
outward calm. Many foreigners are taken back when they see
the tragic news of a dying child or loss of property being
told with a smile, or even a nervous laugh. No Javanese
thinks this is funny; the smile is just a mask for the
emotional upset.
The
Javanese hate confrontation, preferring to hide negative
feelings such as anger and jealousy. They do not complain
or shout, but they cope with the stress by smiling and
quietly withdrawing. However, if they are pushed beyond
limits, a Javanese can lose control or even run amok in
blind anger. Even in conversation, a Javanese always
strives to "maintain the peace". This often means speaking
in an indirect manner; to ask for a glass of water, a
person might "clear his throat" and comment on how dry and
dusty the day is; no one would upset the host by refusing
an invitation, even if unable to make it to the party. It
often takes foreigners several months before they
understand "Java talk".
The
Javanese way of life is also seen in their elaborate rules
of etiquette. It is very important to show correct form
and politeness, especially to elders. People talk in low,
calm tones with no dramatic arm gestures even in times of
great excitement. To the Javanese, extreme emotions like
uncontrollable laughter or wails of sorrow indicate a lack
of self-control and refinement.
Unique Characteristics
A typical Javanese is a friendly, polite and smiling
person, who has a relaxed attitude toward efficiency and
being on time. The Javanese regard strangers with a
relative openness when compared to most Westerners. The
Javanese treat visitors with warmth and welcome. You can't
help but noticed the Javanese smiles. A trait that
underlies basic Javanese philosophy: "A smile costs
nothing but it will make someone happy".
Flexible Time
Time is structured very differently in Java. The day
begins at sunset, so last night is considered the same
day. The Javanese have a laid back approach to
punctuality; a person can arrive between an hour to two
hours late without causing offense. When you ask someone
the time, it is rounded off the nearest quarter or even
half an hour; there is no need to be exact.
Bathing
The Javanese bath at least twice a day, and the more water
splashed around, the cleaner and better they feel. In a
typical bathroom, one does not climb into the stone water
storage basin called bak mandi. Icy cold water is splashed
from this bak mandi over oneself for an invigorating bath,
which leaves everything soaking wet.
Toilet
There is usually no flush system or toilet paper as
washing with water is preferred for reasons of hygiene. A
squat toilet or kakus is usually a hole in the ground with
footrests on either side. It is generally made of
ceramics.
Masuk Angin and Kerokan
Most Javanese prefer to have mild ilness treated at home.
They believe that sickness can be caused by masuk angin,
which literally means "the entrance of the wind". To
protect against this, the Javanese wrap themselves in warm
clothes. It is common to see workers wearing zipped-up
black leather jackets under the intense midday sun.
Kerokan is the treatment of any illness due to masuk angin,
coconut oil is rubbed onto a person's neck and back with a
heavy metal coin that are vigorously scrapped along the
skin. The deep red that remain for a day or two actually
looks much worse than it feels.
Intimacy
Public displays of intimacy between people of the opposite
sex are considered improper. Though it is perfectly
acceptable for friends of the same sex to walk hand in
hand. Kissing in public is taboo.
Forgiveness
Asking forgiveness for any errors has become a national
holiday. This is one of the main features of Javanese
politeness or sopan santun. At Lebaran or Hari Raya Idul
Fitri, the end of the fasting month, Muslims formally beg
forgiveness from family and friends for the wrongdoing of
the past year. When leaving a job, the same is done for
one's colleagues and superiors. The apology is always
accepted gracefully and everyone starts off with a clean
slate. The Javanese put great emphasis on cooperation and
social attitudes. Village deliberations are concluded not
by majority or autocratic rule, but by consensus of elders
who are esteemed individuals called sesepuh adat. Rukun or
harmony is the primary goal that can be achieved through
knowing one's place within society and acting-out one's
assigned roles.
The
Selamatan or Safe-Guarding
All Indonesians have in common the selamatan or
thanksgiving in which special foods are eaten, most
commonly, a beautifully decorated tumpeng (inverted cone
of yellow coloured rice accompanied by various vegetables
and meat dishes). This communal thanksgiving feast
celebrates turning points in an individual's life such as
birth, circumcision, marriage, death, and the start or
completion of a major project. It is also an indicator of
a person's wealth and status, usually measured by
attendance. Every effort is made to ensure this number is
large. However, this can vary depending on the ethnic
group, status, age (the young prefer to simplify things),
and the wealth of the family. The host provides the
entertainment a gamelan or wayang performance. Nowadays,
taped music played on loudspeakers is also popular and
creates a festive mood. Special ceremonial foods are
prepared, incense is burned, and Islamic prayers are
intoned. The host often makes formal announcements or
requests. In the royal courts, even larger selamatan are
held on religious occasions such as Grebeg Maulud
ceremony.
Javanese, the Language of Hierarchy
Imagine a language so complex that the word "to say" can
be expressed in many different ways; kandha, sanjang,
criyos, matur, ngendika, dhawuh, etc. The word used
depends on the level of speech chosen. And the level
depends on to whom the words are addressed. It can also
depend on the relative ages and status, the situation,
gender, generation, the race of the speaker, and so on.
The Javanese dialect spoken in Yogyakarta (Jogja) or
Surakarta (Solo) in Central Java is considered the
standard Javanese because they were, historically
speaking, the capital cities of the Javanese culture.
Javanese is known for having two "status styles" of
expression: regular or Ngoko and respectful or Krama.
There are also a smaller number of middle or Madya words
that sit between the regular and respectful styles. The
language of religion is called "Jawa Halus" (High
Javanese) and many words are based on Sanskrit and Kawi,
an old literary language. Each level of the Javanese
language has different words for everyday things. Ngoko is
the first language a child learns. It is simpler,
unrefined, and used between close friends. The highest
level is Krama, an elegant and polite speech used in
formal situations. In between these is Krama Madya speech,
used when people of low status talk or when two close
friends speak respectfully. In addition, there is low
kromo and high kromo to indicate the status of the
speakers, and other levels of speech used only for royalty
and ritual feasts. This complex, hierarchical language has
been heavily influenced by the caste system, where
everyone must be addressed according to his or her rank.
To use the wrong word would be insulting, and to speak on
the wrong level can be disastrous. No wonder the Javanese
find it easier to speak in Indonesian.
Body
Language
Sometimes, the implications of facial expressions,
gestures, and other body signals say as much, if not more,
than the words. Here are some examples of body language
peculiar to the Javanese:
Walking
When in a restricted space, one should ask for permission
before walking in front of someone. This is done by
bending low, extending the right arm forward, and mumbling
"nuwun sewu", which means please give me permission, or
excuse me, and then quickly walking across.
Pointing
Javanese only point with their thumb (palm up). Using any
other finger is considered rude. This gesture is also used
like a "go ahead" signal when asking someone to proceed.
For instance, it is used to invite someone to begin eating
by pointing at food.
Healing Power of Jamu
Traditional herbal remedies called Jamu are very popular
with Javanese. These pastes, powders, creams, capsules,
and liquid are consumed daily and used to cure headaches,
fatigue, leprosy and even a flabby stomach. These
fascinating natural remedies originated in the royal court
of Yogyakarta and Solo. There, the ladies of nobility
spent their time discovering and perfecting the science of
using roots, flowers, barks, nuts, herbs, and spices to
retain their beauty and vigor. Today these ancient
ancestral recipes are commercially manufactured for a wide
variety of jamu. Indonesians are firmly convinced of their
curative powers. Among the famous jamu manufacturers are
Jamu Jago, Jamu Air Mancur, and Jamu Sido Muncul. A bakul
jamu or jamu girl with her products often walks along the
street, so that interested buyers can stop and buy jamu on
the spot.
Warung
A warung is the closest Javanese equivalent to a snack
bar. Customers gather to have a drink, order a quick meal
cooked on the spot, nibble on kerupuk snacks, exchange
news, or just while away sometime. All warung needs is a
roof, a table, a counter to display jars of brightly
coloured kerupuks, and a bench for seating.
Adat
Indonesians life style is determined by adat or custom.
This is an unwritten code of traditional behaviour that is
found in every city, town, village, and farm. It is not
part of religion, but it contains rules of conduct for
almost every situation. There are many adat or rules for
different ethnic groups in Indonesia. Besides covering
behaviour and taboos, they also govern matters such as
ownership of land, inheritance rights, marriages, and
death ceremonies, the type of food eaten, and general way
of life. All Indonesians practice some forms of adat,
though practices may differ among different groups.
Although Western influences in music fashion, movies, and
junk food is
