The Preservation of Various Joko Tingkir Stories As the Strategy of Developing Folklore-Based Tourism
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THE PRESERVATION OF VARIOUS JOKO TINGKIR STORIES AS THE STRATEGY OF DEVELOPING FOLKLORE-BASED TOURISM Elen Inderasari IAIN Surakarta E-mail: [email protected] Dwi Kurniasih Universitas Sebelas Maret E-mail: [email protected] ABSTRACT Tourism recently becomes a priority in which the Indonesian government has strived to develop to increase domestic income. One of the interesting types of tourism is cultural tourism which has developed widely in the form of literary tourism. This paper aims to discuss how the preservation of the variation of Jaka Tingkir’s story can be a strategy in developing folklore- based literary tourism. In the practical effect, this paper tries to contribute ideas to the local government especially in Surakarta to find a proper strategy in developing a folklore-based as well as historical-based tourism. The results of the research show that in the preservation of folklore in a society, it is necessary to tell folklore with various emphasis contained in the story. This paper finds that Jaka Tingkir folklore needs to be preserved by maintaining its various versions of the story, such as the story of Jaka Tingkir and the crocodile, Jaka Tingkir and Kebondanu, the story of Jaka Tingkir and the heirloom of Kiai Bajugiling, Jaka Tingkir and Javanese philosophy, and the tomb of Jaka Tingkir as an imprint of the king of Pajang. These various stories about Jaka Tingkir contain some religious, historical, moral, heroic, faith, and worship values which are very important to comprehend in the society living with the story. The strategies used in developing literary tourism in Bengawan Solo which bases on Jaka Tingkir folklore include the tradition of larung gethek of Jaka Tingkir, Jaka Tingkir haul at his tomb in Pajang, Surakarta, and religious and literary tourism. Keyword: literary tourism, folklore, Jaka Tingkir INTRODUCTION Indonesia has a very diverse cultural heritage. Each area with its natural characteristics, history and community customs becomes a wealth that must be preserved. It is an obligation that all forms of offerings that surround humans in their lives with various characteristics have a selling value as a potential developer. No exception to wealth, nature, history, and customs. The diversity of nature and cultural reserves that are scattered throughout Indonesia has the potential for developing as tourist areas. With the culture that is owned by an area, it can be used as a foothold in developing its potential as a tourist destination (Amanat, 2019: 70). The tourism sector is becoming an attraction in the development carried out by the government. It is included in the five priority development sectors for 2017 together with food, energy, maritime, industrial estates, and special economic zones. At the end of the Jokowi-JK administration in 2019, the target of foreign tourists visiting Indonesia is 20 million people, while domestic visitors will amount to 275 million (Amanat, 2019: 66). Based on the cultural diversity in each region, local, provincial and district/city, governments and community actors play an active role in developing new tours or developing existing tourist destinations, both at local, regional and even international levels. Various types of tourism have developed in the tourism industry. Types of Tourism Host and Guest (1989) (via Erlin, 2015) have classified the types of tourism based on their utilization as follows, 1) Ethnic Tourism, which is a form of travel to observe the culture and interesting 25 SECRETARIAT OF NATIONAL COMMITTEE d.a. Grha STR, Jalan Ampera Raya Nomor 11, Telepon (021) 7813708, Jakarta Selatan 12550 Website: http://hiski.or.id Bank Mandiri Account No: 142 00 1614854 - 5 lifestyle of the community; 2) Cultural Tourism, namely a trip to absorb or to experience a lifestyle that has been lost from human memory; 3) Recreation Tourism, namely tourism activities that revolve around sports, relieving tension and making social contact with a relaxed atmosphere (Setiawan, 2015). This type of cultural tourism has developed widely in the form of literary tourism. Indonesians are currently respecting literary tourism. Apart from enjoying the charm of nature, it turns out that many people are investigating the story behind these tourist offerings. Several things developed in literary tourism, one of which is Belitung beach where Laskar Pelangi by Andera Hirata’s novel has attracted the attention of many people who are curious about the place. Literary and tourism reciprocity flourished with many literary works drawing inspiration from tourism. Literary works are able to become an effective tourism destination brand, for example, the folklore of Putri Mandalika, becoming a mega tourist resort brand in Lombok (Putra, 2020). Both originated from literary works in bringing up literary tourism presented in a blend of beauty. Efforts to maintain photos as part of literary work also take tourism as a special attraction. As found in the lower reaches of the Bengawan Solo river, efforts to promote nature conservation have an impact on the environment and provide economic benefits for local communities (Ceballos-Lascurain, 1996). Efforts to promote nature conservation carried out downstream of the Bengawan Solo river are new attractions. The packaging of literary tourism downstream of the Bengawan Solo river needs attention. It is more widely known that Bengawan Solo is well known in Indonesia and even abroad. Through a song popularized by Gesang, the maestro of Indonesian keroncong music, Bengawan Solo became an icon of Solo. The attraction of literary tourism downstream of the Bengawan Solo River is packed with folklore tourism. Folklore as a cultural tradition of society in Indonesia, has become a strong attraction in tourism development. One of them is folklore or folklore that lives side by side in society and has various functions in its understanding. Folklore is a part of the local culture that can be used as a tourism potential to maintain its sustainability. Folklore is an oral tradition that is hereditary in society. The existence of folklore that develops in society in certain areas is unique and attractive. The existence of folklore has a function, one of which is coercing social control so that society’s norms are obeyed. Many folklore contains “myths” that control humans to do or to prohibit people from doing something. This type of story has philosophical and moral values for the society for the continuity of life (Sibrani, 2013: 3-4). Folklore comes from the words folk and lore. According to Dundels, a folk is a group of people who have physical, social, and cultural identifying characteristics that can be distinguished from other groups (Danandjaja, 2007: 21). The identifier can be the same skin color, the same hair shape, the same livelihood, the same language, the same level of education, and the same beliefs. They have a tradition in the form of culture that has been passed down from generation to generation. Meanwhile, lore is a tradition from folk, which is a culture that has been passed down from generation to generation, either orally or by means of examples accompanied by gestures or reminders (memoric device). Folklore is a branch of literary anthropology that cannot be separated from culture, literature and the environment (Endraswara, 2018: 279). The wealth of Indonesian literature in the form of folklore is an inseparable part of people’s culture. In addition, there are many other potential literary works as a fulcrum for the development of tourist objects in an areaFolklore does not only provide cultural values in building national character, but can be developed towards tourism development as a potential, means, as well as a goal in tourism development. With maximum effort, folklore can be processed into products that are well accepted in the tourism sector (Suarka & Cika, 2014: 72). Many myths, legends and fairy tales that develop in the community can be used as the basis for opening and developing tourism in the region. Thus, folklore remains sustainable and runs continuously, because the sustainability of folklore is 26 SECRETARIAT OF NATIONAL COMMITTEE d.a. Grha STR, Jalan Ampera Raya Nomor 11, Telepon (021) 7813708, Jakarta Selatan 12550 Website: http://hiski.or.id Bank Mandiri Account No: 142 00 1614854 - 5 very much determined by the attitude of the community itself (Waluyo, Soepriyanti, Wilian, & Kurniawan, 2019: 32). One of the folklore that will be examined in this paper is the story about Jaka Tingkir. Jaka Tingkir is an important figure in Central Javanese folklore. Jaka Tingkir is the founder as well as the first king in the kingdom of Pajang. In 1543 Joko Tingkir was awarded by the Sultan of Demak, the Kingdom of Pajang. Joko Tingkir became the Sultan of Pajang with the title Sultan Hadiwijoyo in 1569 (Rukmini, 2009). The Pajang Kingdom is a continuation of the Islamic Kingdom of Demak. Jaka Tingkir led Pajang for 41 years, ending in 1582 and dying in the same year. Jaka Tingkir’s grave which is located in the village of Butuh, Plupuh sub-district, Sragen regency is also a religious and historical tourism that cannot be separated from the civilization of Islamic development in Central Java and its surroundings. However, quite a number of generations do not know the historical traces of Jaka Tingkir, who had the title Sultan Hadiwijaya. To introduce the story of Jaka Tingkir as an effort to contribute to the existence of the tomb, it also plays a role in being developed as a tourist destination for historical religious literature based on folklore. Jaka Tingkir is one of the historical folklore figures who developed in downstream of the Bengawan Solo river. Joko Tingkir’s fame is interesting to be used to develop tourism literature because of his folklore’s power, which the Javanese people know deeply. The emergence of historical folklore has been used as a reminder of Mas Karebet or better known as Jaka Tingkir.