Prayer Fuel

Java Pesisir Kulon in Indonesia

The Jawa Pesisir Kulon people tend to be open and spontaneous in their social interactions. This is visible in their vibrant, colorful and artistic clothing. Their culture leans more toward Islamic culture than toward their own historical Jawa culture. For them, Islam is looked at as the national cultural foundation, which takes precedence over the traditional Jawa cultural values that are still predominant in Central and East Java. The word cirebon is a combination of two words, ci which means water and rebon which means shrimp. Cirebon has always been famous for its salted fish and fresh shrimp, as well as petis and terasi (shrimp pastes used as spices). Most Jawa Pesisir Kulon are fishermen or farmers. Their land is very fertile and has acres of plantations that produce and export crops including coffee, sugar, tobacco, citrus fruits and the well-known Dermayu mango. There is also a local government owned oil refinery. There are many among them who work in government and private institutions. Craftsmen make various products from the world-famous batik cloth, as well as clay, wood and rattan. The city of Cirebon is also considered a tourist destination because of the many historical and sacred landmarks. These historical sites include the palaces of Kasepuhan, Kanoman, Kacirebonan and Kaprabonan, as well as Mesjid Panjunan (a mosque), Gua Sunyaragi (a cave) and Panjang Jimat (a place of mystical meditation).

What Are Their Needs?

The economic development of the ‘Cerbon’ region is indeed promising with every reason to believe in an upward spiral of productivity. The question is: who will profit from the material gains being made? The living standard of the masses remains fixed at about $50.00 per month. They need quality, practical, vocational training and teaching, including appropriate technology. Present industries need to be expanded and the transportation infrastructure must be developed to better enhance the marketing of their products.