CULTURES KRAMA AND NGOKO JAVANESE PEOPLE

The Javanese (Javanese Ngoko: Wong Jawa, Krama: Tiyang Jawi;Indonesian: suku Jawa) are an ethnic group native to the Indonesian island of Java. At approximately 85 million people (as of 2009), they form the largest ethnic group in Indonesia. They are predominantly located in the central to eastern parts of the island. There are also significant populations in most Provinces of Indonesia, in Malaysia, Singapore and also Suriname in South America.

Today, majority of the Javanese people identify themselves as Muslims. Because the Javanese civilization has been influenced for more than a millennia of interactions between the native animism and the Indian Hindu—Buddhist culture, there are traces of their influences in the Javanese history, culture, traditions and art forms. The Javanese are said to be rigid and tight upper lipped in their social interactions with mannerism and Javanese etiquette held high, but today the rules are more relaxed.