CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background Of The Study
Javanese
culture is one of the biggest culture in Indonesia. Javanese people doesnt only
placed on Java Island, but also spread in Sumatra. Many cultures coming from
javanese and each javanese region. Even every batik in each region has totally
different motive. Although the language is same, but there is also a little
different in how to used the language and to whom the language is used. Often
we have to use a more impolite language to the older person, or for someone who
is respectful. Most of javanese people are moslem, but there are javanese with
other religion. There are Christian, Buddhism, and Hinduism, and another
religius view called “Jawa Kejawen” which is influenced from Hindism-busdhist
which is their habit to trust if a “thing” has a spirit. This belief usually do
a spiritual tradition at night of the first suro or first muharram in islamic
calendar.
This research titled “The
Tradition of Jawa Kejawen” will try to explore what is the tradition. The
writer wants to know what are the tradition of “Jawa Kejawen” and the writer
decided to finds another tradition. The ancient people of Java since 3000 years BC had known the wet-rice
cultivation. This system of agriculture requires a smooth cooperation
between villagers, is still being practiced to this day. The villagers must
have a very high consciousness to organize such a complicated arrangement to be
a smooth cooperation, benefited all parties involved. Besides the wet-rice
cultivation, they have known also among other fishery, astronomy, cloth
weaving, batik, gamelan & wayang. Before the arrival of Hinduism and any
other world religions, the Javanese had already a culture & belief(s) of
their own.
In some Javanese traditional
ceremonies, ancient rituals remain in place to this day. It is a proof that
Javanese people are smart in preserving their precious identity. Besides the
existence of widely recognized religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam
& Christianity, a local belief popularly known as Kejawen or Kebatinan
does continue to exist.
1.2. Problem Formulation
The problem of this analysis as follow:
1. What are the tradition of “Jawa Kejawen”.
1.3 Aims of the Research
1. To explain about the
tradition of “Jawa Kejawen”.
1.4 Significance of the Research
This research is hoped will advance knowledge about Javanese people and the
tradition of javanese people.
1.5 Scope of the Research
The writer
limits the reserarch just the tradition of Jawa Kejawen
CHAPTER
II
THEORITICAL REVIEW
2.1.
Definition of Religion
Religion is an organized collection of belief systerms, cultural systems, and
world views that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral
values. Many religions have nattives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories
that are intended to give meaning to life or to explain the origin of life or
the Universe. They tend to derive morality, ethnics, religious laws or a
preffered lifestyle from their ideas about the cosmos and human nature.
According to some estimates, there are roughly 4,200 religions in the world.
Many religions may have organized behaviors, clergy, a definition of what
constitus adherence or membership, holy places, and scriptures. The practice of
a religion may also include rituals, sermons, commemoration or veneration of a
deity, gods or goddesses, sacrifes, festivals, feasts, trance, initiations,
furnerary services, matrimonial services, meditation, prayer, music, art,
dance, public service or other aspects of human culture. Religions may also
contain mythology.
2.2 Definition of Tradition
A
tradition is a
belief or
behavior passed down within a group or society with symbolic meaning or special
significance with origins in the past.
Common
examples include holidays or impractical but socially meaningful clothes (like
lawyer wigs or military officer
spurs), but the idea has also been applied to social norms
such as greetings. Traditions can persist and evolve for thousands of year
the word "tradition" itself
derives from the
Latin
tradere or
traderer literally meaning to transmit, to hand over,
to give for safekeeping. While it is commonly assumed that traditions have
ancient history, many traditions have been invented on purpose, whether that be
political or cultural, over short periods of time. Certain scholarly fields,
such as
anthropology
and
biology,
have adapted the term "tradition," defining it more precisely than
its conventional use in order to facilitate scholarly discourse.
The concept of tradition, as the
notion of holding on to a previous time, is also found in political and
philosophical discourse. For example, the political concept of
traditionalism is based around it, as are
strands of many world religions including
traditional Catholicism. In artistic
contexts, tradition is used to decide the correct display of an art form. For
example, in the performance of traditional genres (such as traditional dance),
adherence to guidelines dictating how an art form should be composed are given
greater importance than the performer's own preferences. A number of factors
can exacerbate the loss of tradition, including industrialization,
globalization, and the assimilation or marginalization of specific cultural
groups. In response to this, tradition-preservation attempts have now been
started in many countries around the world, focusing on aspects such as
traditional languages. Tradition is usually contrasted with the goal of
modernity
and should be differentiated from customs, conventions, laws, norms, routines,
rules and similar concepts.
2.3 Definition of Kejawen
Kejawen from the word Jawa (Java) : Javanism, is a Javanese
spiritual knowledge in search of good & correct way of life, so the persons
practicing the teaching correctly & wholeheartedly should find the
spiritual way to true life (urip sejati
=> urip = life, sejati = true) achieving the harmonious relation between
servant & God, JUMBUHING KAWULO
GUSTI (jumbuh = a good, harmonious relation, kawulo = servant, gusti =
Lord, God).
This is Kasunyatan - The
Reality, Kebatinan from the word
Batin = inner, spiritual. Kebatinan = spiritualism, generally understood as the
spiritual teaching of belief in one God.
Some are of the opinion that Kejawen has a broader meaning than Kebatinan,
except kebatinan it consists, also of way of thinking, art, tradition, culture
etc.
The existence of Kejawen, in no way can be separated from the Javanese way of
life & thinking, the nature & the tradition.
A Javanese concept prevails to
this day is Mamayu Hayuning Bawono
- to preserve the beauty of the world in a broader sense means to preserve the
universe for the welfare of its inhabitants.
By nature, a Javanese is an environmentalist, a preserver of nature as clearly
shown in their natural oriented tradition & rituals.
Living in harmony is of prime important - the harmonious relation among people
in the society: between human beings and the universe & harmonious relation
between servant & God.
Since their tender ages, the
Javanese have been educated by their parents, families, society, teachers etc,
the lessons of belief in God, moral behavior & etiquettes etc.
The elder Javanese always say that all
religions are good. So far there is no conflict in Java due to religious
differences.
Up to present date, the four royal palaces in Yogyakarta & Surakarta (Kasultanan under King/Sultan Hamengku
Buwono X, Pakualaman under
Viceroy/Adipati Pakualam IX, Kasunanan
under King/Sunan Paku Buwono XII, Mangkunagaran
under Viceroy/Adipati Mangkunagara IX) are the centers of Javanese court
culture, where royal ceremonies from the old days are still performed.
The people culture such as "The Village Cleansing" ceremonies dated
back from ancient period take place almost intactly.
CHAPTER
III
METHOD
OF THE STUDY
3.1.
Method of Analysis
3.1.1.
Qualitative Research
Qualitative
research is a method of inquiry employed in many different academic
disciplines, traditionally in the social sciences, but also in market research
and further contexts. Qualitative researchers aim to gather an in-depth
understanding of human behavior and the reasons that govern such behavior. The
qualitative method investigates the why and how of decision making, not just
what, where, when. Hence, smaller but focused samples are more often needed
than large samples.
3.2.
Source of the Data
The sources of the data
in this paper are in various websites.
3.3.
Technique of Collecting Data
The writer took a few
ways of collecting data, such as:
1.
The writer collected other information related to this research through
internet s ervices.
2.
The writer gave a conclusion about the finding.
3.4.
Technique of Analysis Data
1.
The writer analyzed all the articles she found in the internet that related to
this paper.
CHAPTER IV
RESULT OF STUDY
4.1 Finding
There are several
tradition in javanese, and mostly there are some rituals in any tradition in
javanese:
1.
Religious Practitioners. There
are several types of religious practitioner in Islam. There are sects
consisting of a guru or kijaji (teacher) and murid (disciple)
dyads that are hierarchically organized. Individual kijaji attract students to
their pondoks or pesantren (monasterylike schools) to teach
Muslim doctrines and laws. In addition to the dominance of Islam, magic and
sorcery are widely practiced among the Javanese. There are many varieties of
dukun, each one dealing with specialized kinds of ritual such as agricultural
rituals, fertility rituals, etc. Dukun also perform divination and curing.
2. Ceremonies.
The communal meal, the slametan, is central to abangan practice and is
sometimes also performed by santri. The function of the slametan is to promote slamet,
a state of calmness and serenity. The slametan is performed within a
household and it is usually attended by one's closest neighbors. Occasions for
a slametan include important lifecycle events and certain points in the Muslim
ceremonial calendar; otherwise it is performed for the well-being of the
village.
3.
Arts. Geertz (1964)
describes three art "complexes," each involving different forms of
music, drama, dance, and literature. The Javanese shadow play, the wajang, is
known worldwide and is central to the alus (refined) art complex. The
wajang uses puppets to dramatize stories from the Indian epics, the Mahabharata
and the Ramayana, or from Java's precolonial past. Wajang performances are
accompanied by gamelan (percussion orchestras), which also have achieved
worldwide fame. Another art form associated with the alus complex is batik
textile dyeing. The alus art complex is classical and traditional and is
largely the domain of the prijaji. The other two art complexes are more
popular, nationally shared, and Western-influenced.
4. Medicine. Doctors practicing scientific medicine are present and
are consulted in Java, especially in urban areas, but curers and diviners
continue to be important in all of Javanese culture. In addition to the dukun
who perform magic rites, there are many dukun who cure illnesses. These latter
dukun include curers who use magic spells, herbalists, midwives, and masseurs.
It is said that even urban prijaji who regularly consult medical doctors may
also consult dukun for particular illnesses and psychosomatic complaints.
5. Death and Afterlife. Funerals are held within hours of death and
they are attended by neighbors and close relatives who are able to arrive in
time. A coffin is built and a grave is dug quickly while a village official
performs rituals. A simple ceremony is held at the home of the deceased
followed by a procession to the graveyard and burial. A slametan is held with
food provided by neighbors. Javanese funerals are marked with the same
emotional restraint that characterizes other social interactions. Graves are
visited regularly, espedaily at the beginning and end of the fasting month, and
they are tended by relatives. The Javanese believe in continuing ties with the
dead and especially ties between parents and children. Children hold a number
of slametans at intervals after death with the last held 1,000 days after the
death. There are varying beliefs about life after death, including the standard
Islamic concepts of eternal retribution, beliefs in spirits or ghosts who
continue to influence events, and belief in reincarnation, the last sternly
condemned by the orthodox Muslims.
5.Meditation, generally speaking, the Kebatinan follower
believes in the existence of a
superconsciousness
in the cosmic world which is beyond humankind's comprehension, yet controls and
guides humans' affairs and destiny. This superconsciousness is believed to be
contacted via meditation. There are several meditation techniques (
tapa):
b) tapa
Pati-Geni (avoiding fire or light for a day or days and isolating
oneself in dark rooms),
d) tapa
Mutih (abstention from eating anything that is salted and sweetened,
only eat/drink pure water & rice),
e) tapa
Ngebleng (not Eat-Drink for several time, usually 3-5-7 days )
f)
tapa
Ngadam (stand/walk on foot from Sunset till Sunset, 24 Hours in
Silence)
g) tapa
Kungkum (Meditation under small waterfall or meeting point of 2-3
rivers /
Tempuran /
Tjampuhan)
Fasting is a common practice employed by Javanese
spiritualists in order to attain discipline of mind and body to get rid of
material and emotional desires. Many Kebatinan followers meditate in their own
way to seek spiritual and emotional relief. These practices are not performed
in churches or mosques, but at home or in caves or on mountain perches.
Meditation in Javanese culture is a search for inner self wisdom and to gain
physical strength. This tradition is passed down from generation to generation.
CHAPTER
V
CONSLUSION
5.1 Conclusion
Javanese has so many culture and tradition
that very intersesting to discover. The writer only finds out what are the
tradition held by “Jawa Kejawen”. It is not different with the tradition of the
ordinary javanese culture. What makes different is the traditions are followed
by some rituals like their beliefs with a spirit that lived in a thing. And to
get some power, they believe if they do some rituals or use a mantra so they
could get a power, an extraordinary power.
5.2 suggestion
The writer is only
discovering what are the tradition of “Jawa Kawen”. And the writer is
suggesting the next researcher to more developing the tradition and make a
deeper analysis. The writer just takes the source from the internet and suggests
the next researcher to come and see the tradition with his/her very own eyes.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ibnu Martanto/11609392
4SA02
