Cultural Studies I

Amy Melanson

Prior to 1500, The Empire of Majapahit ruled on the island of Java, Indonesia. It was the last and one of the greatest Hindu Empires in Indonesia’s history.

Majapahit society developed a high degree of sophistication in both commercial and artistic activities.

For Indonesians in later centuries, Majapahit became a symbol of past greatness under Hindu rule.

Many temples in Java are still very much recognizable as Hindu temples.

Hinduism flourished on the island of Java, which also is home to the capital Jakarta. and in Malaysia as well. Hinduism was the main religion for almost a millennium until it was replaced when Islam spread in the 15th century.

Islam was introduced to Southeast Asia when trade networks and global connections allowed the spread of Islam and its entrance to Java, Indonesia, much like Hinduism had done a millennium earlier.

During the 15th and 16th centuries, Hinduism slowly lost its strength before Islamic policy took over for the most part in Indonesia and Malaysia.

Red = The Silk Road

Blue = Trade Routes

Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Myanmar never converted to Islam and remained faithful to their original Buddhist tradition.

Some rural areas of the island of Java have remained faithful to the Hindu tradition through modern times.

Hindu-Buddhist centers in Central Java only superficially accepted Islam, and developed the syncretistic Agami Jawi, a Hindu influenced Islam.

It is often said that the victory of Islam is still incomplete in Java today and that many “modern Javanese” feel that their Hindu past is still very present and will come alive again.

•The rapid increase of Islam has lead to Indonesia becoming the largest Muslim nation in the world with approximately 235.9 million followers, about 80.3% of the total population.•The island of Java has become known as the headquarters of Islam within the most populous Muslim nation.

•Despite the huge number of Muslims in Indonesia, a revival of Hinduism in takingplace.

Although Indonesia is currently a Muslim nation, the Hindu roots have not been lost.

A movement known as “Hindu Revivalism” began in the 1970’s to restore some of the Hindu Javanese culture.

The uniqueness of this movement is that it shows the transition from Hinduism to Islam and now the attempts to bring back the original Hindu tradition.

Many Hindu temples still exist on the island of Java and many inhabitants of the neighboring island of Bali are believed to be descendants of noble warriors from the Hindu Javanese Empire of Majapahit. These Balinese often make pilgrimages to the Hindu temples in Java.

These Balinese also help to maintain current Hindu temples and even make efforts to build new temples to keep the tradition of Hinduism alive in a predominantly Muslim nation.

• This new temple (pura) is located on the slope of Mt. Semeru•Many new temples have been built with funds and donations to support Hindu Revival

Prambanan Temple Complex, Java, Indonesia

Prambanan is a ninth century Hindu temple compound in Central Java. It was dedicated to the expression of God the Creator, or Brahma.• Mimics Mt Meru, the abode of the Hindu gods.• The temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, currently is the largest

Hindu temple in Southeast Asia. It is characterized by its tall and pointed architecture, typical of Hindu temple architecture and by the towering 47m high central building inside a large complex of individual temples.

• The Prambanan Temple Complex is unique in the way that many Indonesian Muslims are employed at the complex.

• Due to high tourism at the complex, a large service industry has been created employing natives in jobs such as:• Tour guides• Shop clerks• Cafeteria workers• Maintenance

Syncretism is the attempt to reconcile contrary beliefs, often while melding practices of various schools of thought especially in religion.

Religious syncretism exhibits blending of two or more religious belief systems into a new system, or the incorporation into a religious tradition of beliefs from unrelated traditions.

One example of this on the island of Java is Agami Jawi, a unique Hinduism influenced Islam.

Agami Jawi is a complex blending of doctrines and practices. It has a wide range of concepts, views, and values, many being Muslim in origin, such as the belief in God Almighty, the prophet Muhammad, and other prophets. All actions and decisions are done "in the name of God.”

Many Hindu-Buddhist gods called dewata with Sanskrit names are incorporated in Agami Jawi.

Mountain shapereplicating MountMeru.

Yellow RiceUsed in puppet

shows

Green Gunungan

decorated with red and green

peppers to feed gods and later

donated to feed the needy

A gunungan literally means “mountain” and reflects the Holy Mount Meru.

The gunungan can be seen in many different ways in modern Muslim society:1. Mountain of food made for special occasions.2. A replication of Mt. Meru out of yellow rice.3. At the beginning of the shadow puppet show

to signal the beginning and the end of the performance but also strong emotions, scene changes, the elements of fire, earth, or air. The gunungan is the most important requisite in the puppet theater.

Many Muslims are naming their children names that are derived from SanskritAvani (earth)Hasita (delighted)Nirmala (clean, pure)Putra / Putri (prince/princess)Surya (Hindu god of the sun) Tarini (the saving goddess)Wahyu (revelation)Vishnu (Hindu god)

 

This syncretic form of religion creates an understanding that no religion is black and white and that there are many gray areas found in religions. All religions have ancient influences found in their contemporary cultures, much like how Hinduism influences current Islam in Indonesia and Malaysia.

Are there any gray areas, or ancient beliefs relating to the religion that you are familiar with?

This syncretic form of religion creates an understanding that not all religions are black and white and that there are many gray areas found in religions. All religions have ancient influences found in their contemporary cultures.

Are there any gray areas, or ancient beliefs relating to the religion that you are familiar with?

Christianity: The modern celebrations of Christmas (the northern European

tradition that replaced older pagan Yule holidays) Halloween shows examples of Christian/pagan syncretism,

regarding the portrayal of witches and the devil, as some symbols and traditions are re-incorporated into a Christian context whereas other consider it a secular holiday for kids.

http://www.semarweb.com/wayang.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prambanan http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Majapahit http://www.religioustolerance.org/hinduism.htm http://www.theodora.com/wfb/photos/indonesia/indonesia_photos_14.html Reuter, Thomas, Great Expectations: Hindu Revival Movements in Java.

Australian Journal of Anthropology, 2001