Javanese culture still relevant but needs better image

Sri Wahyuni and Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

To many non-Javanese Indonesians, Javanese culture may stir feeling of hatred and apathy as they may associate Javanese culture with all Javanese slogans and idioms used ever since they were first introduced by former president Soeharto years ago.

Organization like Dharma Wanita (Civil Servants' Spouses Association) and Karang Taruna (a rural youth group) still exist, with all the negative connotations.

No wonder, after the Soeharto regime collapsed in 1998 and the country plunged into crisis and interethnic and religious conflict, many people blame all the problems on Javanese culture.

Respected Sultan Hamengkubuwono X of Yogyakarta -- the heart of Javanese culture -- remarked recently that Javanese idioms had been misused and manipulated for the interests of the ruling elite.

In a speech at Taman Ismail Marzuki cultural center to mark the center's 34th anniversary on Tuesday, the Javanese sultan said politicians from the ruling party in the New Order era had intentionally exploited Javanese culture to create a centralistic political culture and structure in the country.

However, the centralistic political culture and structure later turned corrupt as marked by rampant corruption, collusion and nepotism. The corruption led to the fall of the regime, which prompted blame to be aimed at "Javanese culture", as one of the regime's political tools.

Sunyoto Usman, a sociologist at Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta, said the misuse of Javanese culture for maintaining power was "unavoidable" due to the growing loss of authority over Javanese culture by the Javanese kingdoms in Yogyakarta and Surakarta, Central Java.

This happened in line with the introduction of modernity into Javanese life.

"Each individual has the freedom to express and interpret Javanese culture in ways he or she wishes. There is no control from the royal court at all," said Sunyoto, also dean of the university's School of Political and Social Sciences.

Sunyoto, however, expressed optimism that the image of Javanese culture would eventually be restored in line with the development of modernity and democracy in the country.

"In a democratic nation, a diversity of cultures enjoys much freedom to grow. That's why such manipulation of Javanese culture is no longer an issue," Sunyoto said.

One of the good things about Javanese culture, according to Sunyoto, is that it adjusts to modern values, such as recognizing diversity and respecting the rights of other people.

"Take for instance the Javanese expression ngono yo ngono ning ojo ngono (which literally means you can do whatever you want but please not in an excessive way). The moral of this expression is that you may have differences of opinion but the differences shall not end up in an open quarrel or infighting that can destroy the harmony of the social contract," Sunyoto said.

Anthropologist Syafri Sairin, also from Gadjah Mada University, concurred and said that Javanese culture recognized the modern ideas of responsibility and public accountability.

"The moral of the Javanese saying salah seleh (if you do wrong you must admit it), for example, is that those committing a wrong must admit his/her fault generously," said Syafri.

"Even if he or she is a public officer, he or she has to resign voluntarily from his or her post as a way of acknowledging responsibility," Syafri asserted.

When a Javanese person holding a high-ranking position refuses to step down when found guilty of corruption, for example, it is the person who should be blamed and not Javanese culture.

Nevertheless, Syafri acknowledged that Javanese society is considered one of the most feudalistic in the country, with its different classes of people. This is represented in the Javanese language, which is different for common people than that of the court.

Syafri, however, argued that feudalism was not a monopoly of Javanese culture.

"Feudalism exists in almost every ethnic group and culture, not just the Javanese," said Syafri, who is from Bukittinggi, West Sumatra.

In fact, feudalism has in some ways disappeared from Javanese society. Take a look at Yogyakarta. This city serves as a very good example of an open Javanese province in which Javanese culture is well maintained while at the same time non-Javanese people living in the region can actively and freely participate in its daily social, political and economic activities.

Syafri said a number of non-Javanese people take top positions in the province's private as well state institutions, including at Gadjah Mada University.

"This explains why the spirit of regionalism does not occur in this province, while it has been a very popular issue in most other provinces," said Syafri, head of Gadjah Mada University's Cultural Studies Department.

Javanese culture is thus worth preserving and promoting, but first of all, the negative image created by the Soeharto administration needs to be repaired.

What is needed now is similar to the European Renaissance to restore the tainted image of Javanese culture, according to Sultan Hamengkubuwono.

Such a renaissance could start with restoring the meanings of Javanese idioms and symbols, which are incorrectly interpreted by the community.

However, the sultan said it may not be an easy task but, quoting poet and essayist Goenawan Mohammad's Asmaradana, said it could be a matter of: "We are leaning on something maybe, leaning on the wind ..."