10 Facts About Javanese Culture That You Should Know

When an average person hears about Javanese culture, an instant thought about Indonesia comes up. Some of us may have seen the Javanese language while browsing through Google Translate. Even if you have never been to Indonesia, there are many interesting things to learn. Speaking of arts and the cultural traits, Javanese culture represents only a part of what a country has to offer. Some people may think of the beautiful dances and the food, yet the most striking part of this particular ethnic group is a sense of peace, respect, tolerance, and elegance. It has been reflected in a language, in a way how people behave, and even in a way how the words are pronounced.

Javanese language. It should be noted that only the Central and East Java provinces use Javanese for daily conversations. It does differ from the national Bahasa language used in Indonesia for legal documents or marriage certificates, as an example. So if you need to translate a document that requires certification, simply navigate to this web-site to learn more about translation types. However, if you need Javanese translation, it might not be accepted as a legal document due to a lack of official recognition.

No Javanese for education purposes. Most people that use the language at home are not allowed to use it while talking to school teachers or even to the police. It is considered as a lack of respect and a sign of being rude.

Three languages in one. There are three different kinds of Javanese that you may encounter. Namely, Ngoko, Kromo, and Krama Inggil. Ngoko is the most common type. An important thing to note is that Ngoko should not be used when talking to older people.

The language of respect. Meet the Kromo Inggil language, which is considered as a sign of education and respect among Javanese. It is a polite language and is best to use when talking to someone respected or well-known in society.

East and West. Speaking of religion, there is true freedom of expression. You can meet Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, followers of Confucianism, and the Hindhu people. However, in the Java villages, you will encounter a religion called Kejawen. As a rule, it is mostly practiced by the older generation.

Javanese culture involves three different ethnic tribes. The difference affects art forms, musical instruments, and slang words.

Unique calendar. Javanese have their own calendar, which is not used for days of the week but is made for special events or even entire weeks.

The famous coffee. Yes, this is where the famous brand has got its name. It was, indeed, cultivated and made famous on Java island.

The writing style. Javanese represents the Kingdom Era’s writing style. Luckily, the Javanese language classes can be met at the local schools with partial recognition, keeping the style safe.

Java programming language. It was named so because of the famous coffee, hence the coffee cup logo that we see!