The Folklore of “Wali9” (Islam Spreaders) in East Java as Cultural Identity of Multicultural Community

DOI

10.2991/amca-18.2018.188How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Guardian, spreading Islam in Java, transformative Arts-Culture.

Abstract

Wali is a word that refers to the person who spreads Islam in the land of Java around the 13th and 14th centuries. The number of wali in the land of Java is nine, so they are well-known as WaliSanga or Wali Sembilan. The word waliis an abbreviation of Waliullah(the trusted one or the saint) chosen by God to spread Islam in Java, which Hinduism and Buddhism were the main religions at that time. The WaliSanga introduced and spread Islam peacefully called "Penetration de Pasifique",which spread Islam calmly. Theirspreading method was the syncretization and acculturation of culture. The preserved cultural heritagesare tombs, literary arts, music art, and art performance. The tombs of the nine saints in East Java are located Gresik, Surabaya, Lamongan, and Tuban. People in East Java periodically visit the tombsfor spiritual pilgrimage. This has both religious and social values, which grow the economy of societyaround the tombs and tour agents that provide transportation. Thus, the tomb is as a sign of social culture of traditional Islamic society in East Java. Another oral tradition is the literary art, such astembangMacapat (Macapat songs) and a traditional rhythm that depicts the religious syiar,likeIlir-ilir which gives the lesson of Pillars of Islam and the virtue of time, Dhandhanggula,and KidungRumeksaIngWengi, which describe the efficacy of AyatKursy. The songs now undergo cultural transformation in various forms, thus, bringing significant socio-cultural impact. In the art of music, Javanese gamelan for Karawitan, such as Bonang (derived from SunanBonang) which initially as a means of da'wahprocess of Islam in Java becomesa part of the Javanese cultural identities and economic values. Architectural arts, especially mosques that combine traditional elements, transformation of Hindu influences, and the Middle East, make the mosque in Java Indonesia become characteristic of art in the field of architecture and modern design. Similarly, wayang (puppet) first is a means of propagation of Hindu syncretic method with modification of form, function, and meaning. Wayangnow has become the cultural identity of Indonesia, and it is one of the World Heritages launched by UNESCO.

Copyright

© 2018, the Authors. Published by Atlantis Press.

Open Access

This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/).

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Arif Budi Wurianto
PY  - 2018/07
DA  - 2018/07
TI  - The Folklore of “Wali9” (Islam Spreaders) in East Java as Cultural Identity of Multicultural Community
BT  - Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Community Development (AMCA 2018)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/amca-18.2018.188
DO  - 10.2991/amca-18.2018.188
ID  - Wurianto2018/07
ER  -