Javanese people

Javanese people

The Javanese people (Javanese Ngoko: Wong Jawa, Krama: Tiyang Jawi; Indonesian: suku Jawa) is an ethnic group native to the Indonesian island of Java. At approximately 85 million people (as of 2009), it is the largest ethnic group on the island, and also in Indonesia. They are predominantly located in the central to eastern parts of the island. Following centuries of migrations they can now be found in most Provinces of Indonesia, Peninsular Malaysia and also Suriname in South America.

History

Like most Indonesian ethnic groups, including the Sundanese of West Java, the Javanese are of Austronesian origins whose ancestors are thought to have originated in Taiwan, and migrated through the Philippines, reaching Java between 1,500BCE and 1,000BCE.

Hindu and Buddhist influences arrived through trade contacts with the Indian subcontinent. Since as early as first century CE, Javanese sailors has been trading spices in India. With the intensive contacts, the Javanese developed philosophical concepts that are parallel but not identical with the Indian. Hindu missionaries arrived in 5th century, with Buddhist missionaries also coming around the same period. Local rulers adopted concept of kingly rules with monarch identified with gods.

Sundanese people

The Sundanese ( Sundanese : Urang Sunda; Indonesian: Suku Sunda) are an ethnic group native to the western part of the Indonesian island of Java. They number approximately 31 million, and are the second most populous of all the nation's ethncities. The Sundanese are predominantly Muslim. During the 2010 Census the government identified 1,128 ethnic backgrounds in the country, though total figures are not yet released for Sundanese.

The Sundanese have traditionally been concentrated in the provinces of West Java, Banten and Jakarta, and the western part of Central Java. The provinces of Central Java and East Java are home to the Javanese, Indonesia's largest ethnic group.

Sundanese culture has borrowed much from Javanese culture, however it differs by being more overtly Islamic, and has a much less rigid system of social hierarchy.

The common identity that binds Sundanese together is their language and culture. The Sundanese people are known as optimistic, friendly, polite and cheerful people, but they can be timid and sensitive emotionally.