> Central Java

Central Java, the heart of the island of Java, where the old Javanese traditions and the centre of arts still remain strong. History has left its footprints across Central Java, an area rich in culture and tradition descending from a powerful Hindu and Buddhist past, and more recent Islamic influences. Due to its colorful past, Central Java has become the place it is today–a beautiful area full of modern amenities yet still retaining its tranquility and peace.

Flanked by West and East Java, this province is centrally located on Java island with Semarang as its provincial capital situated on the northern coast. It’s here where you can find the magnetism of Borobudur temple, the biggest Buddha temple in the world and the excellent Prambanan temple. Also the place where you can find the ancient shrines of Dieng Plateau, the place of the mysterious temple.

History:

Under the Syailendra and old Mataram Kings in the 8th and 10th centuries the early Javanese culture flourished, and it was during this period that Borobudur temple was built. On the 10th century, Majapahit kingdom based in East Java began to gain dominance. After the fall of Majapahit, Demak in 15th century, and Islamic based kingdom, started to rise. After Demak Kingdom fell, Pajang Kingdom was established. And when Pajang finally fell down, then established the Islamic Mataram Kingdom.

In the middle of the 16th century, Portuguese and Spain arrived Indonesia to seek for spices that would be traded in Europe. At the same time England and later Netherlands also arrived in Indonesia. In the early 18th century, there was a dispute between Mataram Kingdom family in appointing the new king. As the intervention of the Dutch, the dispute was solved by Gianti Treaty in 1755. Mataram were divided into two parts. They are Surakarta Hadiningrat or Kasunanan Palace (Including Central Java area) and Ngayogyakarta or Kasultanan Place in Yogyakarta.

People & Culture:

Central Java is considered to be the heart of the Javanese culture. Home of the Javanese courts, Central Javanese culture formed what non-Javanese see as the “Javanese Culture” along with it stereotypes. The ideal conducts and morals of the courts (such as politeness, nobility and grace) influence the people tremendously. The people of Central Java are known as soft-spoken, very polite, extremely class-conscious, apathetic, down-to-earth, etc. These stereotypes formed what most non-Javanese see as “Javanese Culture”, when in fact not all of the Javanese people behave that way. Moreover, most Javanese are far from the court culture.

Central Java Arts :

Dance – You can even see the court influences in the art forms. The dances of the courts of Java are usually slow and graceful, with no excessive gestures. The people followed this approach, and as a result, slow-paced and graceful movements can even be found in folk dances throughout Central Java (with some exceptions).
Batik – Central Java is famous and well known for its exquisite batik, a generic wax-resist dyeing technique used on textiles.
Music – Central Javanese music is almost synonymous with gamelan. This is a musical ensemble typically featuring a variety of instruments such as metallophones, xylophones, drums, and gongs; bamboo flutes, bowed and plucked strings, and vocalists may also be included. The term refers more to the set of instruments than the players of those instruments. However, gamelan is not typically Central Javanese as it is also known somewhere else.

Cuisine :

The food in Central Java is influenced by the two ancient kingdoms of Yogyakarta and Surakarta (also commonly known as Solo). Many of Central Java-specific dishes contain the names of the area where the food first became popular. For example:

Gudeg Yogya, Young jackfruit, chicken and egg stew in aromatic spices, herbs and coconut cream, this dish has a unique mild sweet and savoury taste. Ayam goreng Kalasan/Klaten, Chicken, stewed in spices (coriander, garlic, candle nut, and coconut cream feature strongly) then deep-fried until crispy. Served with sambal or sweet chilli sauce and raw vegetable salad. Soto Kudus, Soto is a common Indonesian soup, for this unique dish infused with turmeric, and can be made with chicken, beef, or lamb. The version from Kudus, a Central Javanese town, is made of chicken. And for Central Java Street Snacks, one of them include: Lumpia Semarang, Fried or steamed spring rolls. The filling varies, but consists mainly of meat and bamboo shoots, served with sweet fermented soybean sauce or sweet chilli sauce. Surabi Solo, A delicate taste pancake made of coconut milk, mixed with a little rice flour as thickener. Surabi can be served plain, sweet or savoury, with toppings such as chopped jackfruit, chocolate sprinkler or cheese. And so on.