Jaka Tarub as a Reflection of Javanese Cultural Values and Social Norms: An Ethnographic Approach

Giorgio Sudirman Djosetiko

Abstract

The story of Jaka Tarub is one of the most well-known traditional Javanese narratives, having existed for centuries. The story of Jaka Tarub is a continuation of older traditions: tales, legends, and babad. In other words, this indicates that Jaka Tarub is not just a standalone story but part of a long, deeply rooted cultural and literary Javanese tradition. Analyzing the story of Jaka Tarub offers a small window into Javanese culture and traditions, partly because of the rich symbolism, cultural values, norms, and morals it conveys.
This article aims to explore the cultural value, storytelling, and legacy of Jaka Tarub, both tangible and intangible, within Javanese culture. An ethnographic approach is used to do this, studying the stories in their cultural context to understand their social, historical, and symbolic meanings. Literature review, cultural studies, and field research, including interviews and oral traditions, support the analysis.
The findings indicate that the Jaka Tarub story reflects the values and norms of Javanese society, is rich in cultural value, a tangible and intangible heritage, and is essential to Javanese culture. Moreover, it can contribute to education, self-esteem, cultural awareness, and traditional values and norms.

Keywords

Folktale; Javanese Culture; Javanese Myth; Nawangwulan; Oral Tales

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.20961/javanologi.v9i1.109934

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