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Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, volume 222 2nd Social Sciences, Humanities, and Education Conference (SoSHEC 2018) The Origin of Humans Based on Javanese Literary Studies Darni Fithriyah Inda Nur Abida Universitas Negeri Surabaya Universitas Negeri Surabaya Surabaya, Indonesia Surabaya, Indonesia [email protected] [email protected] Ubaidillah Institut Agama Islam Negeri Jember Jember, Indonesia [email protected] Abstract---Though the origin of humans has been widely Darwin’s theory regarding human evolution which begins from discussed by numbers of scholars, its matters still remain mystery ape must be gotten numerous protests from either religious and contradiction. Different people in communities have various sources and truth criteria. This study aimed at unearthing the communities or artists. Such responds confirm different origin of humans based on Javanese written and oral literatures. communities use various sources and truth criteria. As Results showed that there were two meaningful but different supported by Ouspensky in Dharsono that there are four versions regarding how humans were originated based on both aspects to find truth namely philosophy, religion, science, and written and oral literatures. The two versions were initiated and supported by different religion backgrounds. The first version art [3]. was born from older Javanese literatures that showed the This study serves a perspective from art in connection significant influence of Hindu in which humans were portrayed with how Javanese people view the origin of humans. The way through Gods pedigree. Meanwhile, the second version was born to look at the particular Javanese perspective is in a form of a from literatures affected by Islam, either puritanical or Javanese Islam, which made Islam number one so that Gods in Hindu were real documented source. As Corlett stated that the performing under Prophet Adam in Islam. However, such Javanese people’s action of a human being is closely related with the history of views regarding the beliefs of the origin of humans should not be man’s attitudes, preferences, etc. Further, this relation may debated with other truths. Since the truths in Javanese literatures were only believed and carried out by those supporting have contributed to the morality and values of a person [4]. communities, truths were then actually relative. Such Javanese’s way especially in literary arts is then applied in a real life. For example, there is a tradition to read a six-line Keywords--- written literatures, oral literatures, Hindu, Islam Javanese verse form in the northern Java which have been exist I. INTRODUCTION since around 1980. Afterwards, along with the development of technology and the decrease of Javanese illiterates, the The origin of humans remains mysterious and tradition has gone. Similar phenomena also happen in other debatable even up to the following eras after Darwin’s theory communities such as Mancanegari Barat and Negari Gung had been invented regarding human evolution. However, Jawa Tengah. In the northern coastal areas, the aforementioned efforts to find the origin of humans done by several experts is tradition becomes a venue to accommodate literary continuously conducted through contemplations which are appreciation of Javanese people toward the literature products dissimilar to day-dreaming and accidental thoughts. The containing religious contents. One of the most familiar works contemplation mean is rather onto those conducted by that is used to do literary appreciation in the tradition is intellectual reasoning, carefulness, and systematic. Layang Anbiya’, an ancient script written in Arabic and The happened contradiction in relation to the origin of Javanese [5]. The messages conveyed in the book is not only humans is actually based on different perspectives. Tattersall being appreciated to reveal its attractiveness, but also being stated that the first cosmopolitan homo species, Homo exposed its religious lessons which are then carried out into Heidelbergensis, first time found in Africa in 600 Ca [1]. daily activities. Mulla Sadra theory mention that the universe is always Javanese people as part of Indonesian citizens have strong changing [2]. The beginning of a form is a continuation of the cultures that are reflected from their social orders or ethics. end of another form, an object change into a plant, a plant Magnis-Suseno describes two important life principles that change into an animal, and an animal change into a man. affect Javanese people’s behaviors and ways of thinking, Those opinions have its own uniqueness. For instance, Copyright © 2018, the Authors. Published by Atlantis Press. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/). 296 Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, volume 222 namely respect and harmony principles [6]. Both principles consist of both full (original) and half oral literatures. The can create harmony in life. With a respect principle, there will original oral literatures comprise folktales which are not be neither confrontations nor fights of the undeserved authority supported with accompanying instruments. Meanwhile, the because every single person respect each other and perform half oral literatures include folktales spoken by a story teller their own responsibilities. In addition, with a harmony using accompanying instruments, of which this typical principle, Javanese people can live in a society without hurting literatures are used by the present study as basis to discuss the or cheating between one another. The perceived two vital origin of humans. principles can make them control themselves and avoid any form of confrontations so that such conducive situation A. The Origin of Humans Based on Written Literatures externalizes a harmonious society. There were six scripts from three periods of Javanese Besides reflected from the two life principles, literatures used to explain the origin of humans. The first title Javanese culture is also manifested in a complex and was Tantu Panggelaran originated from the middle period. systematical language. Undha-usuk or grammatical structure of There were two versions of the script from the middle period Javanese demands the speakers to adapt the use of the entitled Layang Anbiya’, written in Javanese, and Sejarah language with conversation settings, or empan papan. In other Anbiya, written in Sundanese. In addition, there were three words, the users of the language must know where and how to more scripts entitled Babad Tanah Jawi, Paramayoga,and behave and talk. Those who cannot behave and talk relevantly Serat Kandha which were all from the new period of Javanese to the rules are then considered as persons with bad attitude, or literatures. The six scripts were then discussed one by one to ora Jawa. get clearer portrayals about similarity and difference of views Literary products become one of the manifestations of regarding the origin of humans. various and strong Javanese cultures. Some ancient Javanese literatures have been successfully researched, documented and 1. The Origin of Humans Based on Tantu Panggelaran discussed by many domestic and international experts. Tantu Panggelaran was written in a form of prose Zoetmulder succeeded to publish her study concerning ancient using Middle Javanese language style, or firstly developed in Javanese literatures with satisfied language use [7]. In coping Majapahit Kingdom. By looking at the names of Gods with socio anthropology aspect, Koentjaraningrat stated that mentioned in the script, Tantu Panggelaran uses Hindu Javanese culture has been already a focus of research interest background. for Dutch anthropologists, especially when Indonesia was Poerbatjaraka [14] stated that Tantu Panggelaran colonized by Dutch. Even, numbers of ancient Javanese contained the origin of Javanese humans. The first Javanese literatures are moved and saved in the Netherlands [8]. human in Java was created by Bathara Guru. In that narratives, This study aims at discussing the origin of humans Bathara Guru created a couple of humans to live in Java Island. revealed from both oral and written Javanese literatures. Even The couple then grew into wider community. At first, the only a half part of the literatures, the researcher believes that it couple was naked and did not have known how to survive. has covered and represented Javanese literatures across eras, Thus, Gods were sent to them and taught about agricultures. In from the ancient ones to the most recent ones, from Hindu to addition, God named Wisnu, also called as Kandiawan, was Islam and Javanese-Islam civilizations. also sent to be the first king of Java Island. Tantu Panggelaran also told how Java Island was firstly created. According to the story, Java Island was not II. THE ORIGIN OF HUMANS BASED ON JAVANESE PERSPECTIVES : settled, or still moved. Bathara Guru commanded Gods to cut ORAL AND WRITTEN LITERATURES Semeru Mountain that was located in India to be moved into Literatures consist oral and written forms. Written Java Island. At the beginning, the part of the cut mountain was Javanese literatures have made some divisions of history into dropped in the western Java that made an imbalanced Java periods by experts. Hutomo [9] made such four periods for Island. To make it balanced, the cut part was moved to the written Javanese literatures namely ancient, middle, new, and eastern area. In the way to move it, the cut part fell onto the modern Javanese literatures (also see Rass, [10] and Quinn, grounds and became some mountains named Lawu, Kawi, [11]. However, this study only uses the ancient, middle, and Kelud, Wilis, and Semeru. new Javanese literatures for being the basis of determining the origin of humans. Pairin conducts a similar study investigating 2. The Origin of Humans Based on Layang Anbiya’ the origin of humans based on mythology aspect [12]. This Layang Anbiya’ was written in ancient Javanese using study, rather, tries to trace the origin of humans based on Arabic Pegon style in a form of tembang macapat, a six-line different sources namely Javanese literatures.