The Religion of Java

Pambuko Rembug

This book can not describe Javanist (Javanist) before Islam arrived in Indonesia, only review Javanist after Islam entered Indonesia. Suggests that it is only sinkritisme kejawen Islam alone. Javanist actually been born before Islam existed. Like gamelan existed before Islam. Now there has been manipulation of history Gamelan, Wayang made though - to be born After Islam, although if we trace the Gamelan and Wayang has been described in the temples which means that already existed before Islam came to the archipelago. Javanese people already know the Lord is the Most Kuwasa (Gusti Ingkang Kuwaos Moho).

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The book “The Religion of Java” is written of a cultural anthropology Expert Professor Dr. Clifford Geertz, PhD, and also a product of the collective research team from the expert research in the field of their respective experting. There are at least six people investigators are: Robert Jay (Village Life and Economy), Alice Dewy (Market), Donald Fagg (Administration Community Empowerment), Hilderb Geertz (Family and Indigenous Community), Edward Ryan (Chinese Ethnic Society).

Their results are then recorded into a book takes more than six years. The Indonesian government parties including the State University of Gadjahmada, Yogyakarta (Mr Suwanto, Professor Dr Sardjito, Mr. Abdul Rachman, RM Soemodihardjo) in cooperation with the Ford Foundation’s Education Foundation and the Center For International Studies at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Dr. Douglas L. Oliver, Dr. Max Millikan, Mr Richard Hatch).

Not surprisingly, the book is very important and famous as one of the manuals and reference among the academic community, students and teachers inside and outside the country.

“The Religion of Java” presents the multi-information, dimensions and accurate data about the state of traditional Javanese society locally and globally in Indonesia in general. Folklore traditions, the custom of ritual (slametan), solidarity, mutual assistance sehar-day life in the villages and small towns, indigenous customs Java – kejawen of pregnant women since men (tingkeban), gave birth to adulthood family (manten), until the death (layatan).

Cultural values, moral, noble humanitarian kindness taught and passed on through the advice parents advice, through puppet shows, habits Shaman, Pupils and Kyai.

Although the nuances of religious book titles but the contents of the book is not a religion but a dogmatic book is humanistic and realistic about the incidents and events that occur within the local community. Many stories about the various rituals, ceremonies slametan from tingkeban layatan until death. Role Wedono, muezzin, Shaman, Kyai, Pupils and Abangan.

Each clearly presented with palpable, making the reader was touched and drifting are therein. Like the experience of reading stories novels of Pramoedya Ananta Toer has managed to grow and sympathetic emotion among readers.

Weight, seeds, quality and authenticity of the contents of the book is very relevant, transparent, rich in information and data acktual because it represents the collective results of various experts with research and research.

392 pages thick book plus a few pages about the town Modjokuto folder location as a place of research orientation and research. Modjokuto Region (pages 131-147), chapter 11 about the development of Islam in Modjokuto an open area in the mid-19th century. An area of four main areas in the archipelago ie: Mataram (Central Java); Modjokuto-Surabaya (Kertosono, Modjoagung, Modjokerto, and Krian); Kediri (Blitar, Tulungagung, Trnggalek, North Coast – Gresik, Apex, Holy, Demak and Island = Bawean island in the Sea of Java and Madura.

Modjokuto Java War era during 1825-1830, as a place pemgungsian and protection of people from Demak, Kudus and until the year 1860. In this Modjokuto awall-first interaction, cooperation and conflict between the saint and also appeared in Abangan sehar surface-to-day life.

Name the city ‘Modjokuto’ is not a true native city but fictitious (fictitious) for some reason. But the details and descriptions based on direct observation. “For Obvious Reasons, the names given to locations and persons are fictitious, but the descriptions are based on direct observations”, foreword by Dr. Douglas Oliver.

On the last page of the map, the area appears Modjokuto located in the eastern part of Central Java, west side Wonogiri area. An area developed with a variety of governance devices facilities district, district, office kepolosian, army education center, elementary school until the teacher education schools, secondary schools, mosques, churches, temples,, graves Tionghwa; is an area where residents pluralistic multi-cultural.

There are four main sections within the contents of the book is, “Abangan, Pupils, Priyayi, Conclusion – Konlik and Integration.”

Reading the book, detailed and thorough as well as glass at a mirror. It will be seen images of people’s faces, face lines, wrinkles, acne, sour-salty-fresh shakes, bitter-sweet as is the glass screen.

Bernuansakan religious titles but by the Library of International Literature is classified into the group of books of literature, literary culture, anthropology, which consists of the nation’s history, way of life and the nature of society, the Javanese, ethnic Tionghwa in Modjokuto.

According to the American Anthropological, the book “The Religion of Java makes new and Important contributions to our understanding of sienk life; it is well-documented, it is clearly written, it is perceptively and Creatively conceived.”

Professor Dr. Geertz PhD, author of the book was born in the city of San Francisco on August 23, 1926 and died in Princeton, New Jersey, USA on October 30, 2006 at the age of 80 years. He was a humanist anthropological, ilmuawan, multi-dimensional cultural, cross-ethnic, religion and nation. He was very understanding multicultural society and cultural traditions of Java. Tertama page preface, “For the Wedono, the muezzin, and my Landlord Abangan. Nuwun Pangestunipun Sedaya kalepatan kula.”

Other books on Indonesia, “Deep Play: Notes on the Balinese Cockfight, The Interpretation of Cultures, Local Knowledge: Further Essays in interpretive Anthropology.”

In addition to a budayan and author Dr. Geertz was also a critic of the international literature. She won and received a national award in 1988 for four other anthropological writings-ilmuawan: Bronisław Malinowski, Ruth Bernedict, EE Evans-Protchard and Claude Levi-Strauss.

According to Dr. Geertz, “a social order of society is closely associated with economic, political, social and institutional forms of community .. Culture is a system of thought, act, interact with a symbol-a symbol means to understand the reality of the dynamics of life.”

Conclusion, the book “The Religion of Java ‘is very dense with facts and accurate data and research observations of people who are skilled in their fields. The book was born after conceived for more than six years. Dibidani by the Government of Indonesia including the lecturer and the University of Gajah ilmuawan Mada University, Yogyakarta.

It is very bermanffat and relevant to the present. Good for Teachers, Educators, Teachers, Community Leaders, Students, Journalists, Reporters, Jurnalist even for anyone – the self-taught who want to add knowledge and insights into Indonesian state and nation. Hopefully!