When hearing the term “Javanese Primbon,” many people might perceive it as mystical, superstitious, and irrational. Such perceptions have led to the belief that Javanese Primbon is not important in people’s lives, gradually forgetting its existence and putting it at risk of disappearing.
Addressing this phenomenon, five UGM students, Bagus Arianto, Kenyo Kartikowengi, Zumrotush Sholihah, Punta Dharma Wijaya, and Windy Susanty, formed a team under the Student Creativity Program in the Social Science and Humanities Research category (PKM-RSH).
They conducted research titled “The Existence of Javanese Primbon in the Perception of Yogyakarta City Residents in the Modern Era” under Dr. Sartini, a UGM Faculty of Philosophy lecturer.
Bagus Arianto stated that the research aimed to understand the perception of Yogyakarta residents regarding the existence of Javanese Primbon and the factors influencing these perceptions. The findings will be used to develop strategies to preserve Javanese Primbon in the modern era.
According to the survey conducted by the UGM student team, around 34 percent of 97 randomly surveyed residents stated that Javanese Primbon is a “mystical culture.” It is also considered superstitious and less relevant in the current modern era.
“These statements are rooted in the perception that Javanese Primbon cannot be scientifically and rationally trusted and is seen as preempting fate and the power of God,” Arianto said at the UGM campus on Friday (Aug. 2).
Considering the significant number of Yogyakarta residents holding such perceptions, the UGM students interviewed several sources knowledgeable about Primbon and Javanese culture. The conclusion was that the negative perception of Javanese Primbon is due to a lack of holistic understanding.
Javanese Primbon is a form of culture and projection based on the real experiences of Javanese ancestors, meticulously recorded to maintain a cosmic balance between humans and the universe.
“Primbon is a record from our predecessors and ancestors about human life and the universe,” said KMT. Projosuwasono at Pendopo Pangurakan Yogyakarta.
A cultural figure from Kotagede, Achmad Charris Zubair, also commented on the modern perception of Javanese Primbon. He stated that the misunderstanding stems from using a Western positivist epistemological paradigm to understand Javanese Primbon, which is fundamentally different.
“Javanese Primbon cannot be understood using the Western positivist epistemological paradigm because Western and Javanese paradigms are different,” he explained.
“The Javanese community essentially believes in harmony. Javanese people maintain three harmonious relationships: with the transcendent (God), fellow humans, and the universe. Javanese Primbon was created to maintain these three harmonies,” Achmad Charris Zubair elaborated.
Based on their data analysis, Bagus Arianto and his team suggested that Javanese Primbon receive attention from the government and be introduced widely to the public. They propose introducing and educating about Javanese Primbon as a cultural heritage and local knowledge in educational institutions and the community.
At the higher education level, they recommend that Javanese Primbon be included in the social-humanities field and become a research subject to formulate and develop local knowledge in Indonesia.
Author: Agung Nugroho