A Glimpse of West Java

A Glimpse of West Java
The island of Java is divided into 3 provinces, namely, West Java, Central Java and East Java. West Java itself was actually called Tanah Sunda or the Island of Sunda, while Central Java used to be called Tanah Jawa. However, these days the North Western to the West and Southwest parts of West Java, is commonly known as daerah Banten or Banten area. The main area includes the towns of Serang, Merak, Cilegon, Anyer, Labuan, Pandeglang and Ujung Kulon. The people from this area are called orang Banten or people of Banten.
The Eastern part of West Java area from Bogor to Cirebon in the Northeast, close to the border of Central Java, and Pangandaran in the Southeast is called Tanah Pasundan. People in Tanah Pasundan is called orang Sunda. Although Jakarta is located in West Java, the capital city of West Java is Bandung, approximately 180 kms Southeast of Jakarta.
Banten area.
The coastline starts from the old city of Banten and goes East to Merak and down South to Anyer, Labuan and Ujung Kulon, where it goes Southeast up to Pelabuhan Ratu. As in most coastal areas the climate is hot and you don’t have to work hard on your tan. If you stay outdoors too long the sun can really toast your nose and turns your skin to cornflakes. Pandeglang area is the hilly part, where the considered sacred Mt. Pulosari standing erect. It was there that the first Moslem King of Banten sought refuge during the war. The small town of Pandeglang is neat, clean and quite. On the way to the town of Menes, rice fields with mountain backdrops providing one of those typical beautiful Indonesia scenes.
The history
The Portuguese and the Chinese began trading with Sunda people in the early 15th century. Being one of the two port of Pajajaran Sundanese kingdom, Banten was well known as a pepper trading port. In 1527 the Moslem army under Hasanudin seized Banten, who was then named the King of Banten. Trade with the Portuguese was reestablished and flourished. In 1596 the first Dutch merchant ship landed in the port of Banten. The Dutch came with intention of controlling the European spice trade which at that time was in the hands of Portugal. As a result naval battle took place in 1601 in the Bay of Banten, and the Portuguese forces were defeated. In 1609. The Regent of Banten tried to restore government control of commercial sector and establish his own policy, but this was not the liking of the Dutch. The Dutch finally stormed Sunda Kelapa and established Batavia. They then blockaded Banten harbor, preventing other traders coming to Banten. Around 1635 a peace treaty was signed with Batavia. This was ratified in 1639 obliging Banten to acknowledge the new state. During the reign of Sultan Ageng, Banten’s economy once again prospered and trading posts of several foreign countries were established in Banten. Banten started to decline during the reign of Sultan Haji, the son of Sultan Ageng. His policy was not favored by his people, who then tried to reestablish his father back to the throne. Sultan Haji sought the help of Batavia, who managed to capture Sultan Ageng, holding him prisoner in Batavia before he died in 1692. After the war there was not much left of the city of Banten. Nowadays not much of grandeur of Banten remains after it was left in ruins by the Dutch.
The people
The people speak the Bnaten dialect which is similar to the Sundanese dialect except for the use of certain terms. When Moslem arrived in Banten, those who refused to embrace the new faith fled to the mountain. Today they are referred to as suku Badui or the Badui tribe. There are two Badui communities. The suku Badui Dalam (Inner Badui), live in the remotest part, and never leave, nor will they allow any outsider to enter their secluded area. They practically have not been touched by modern living. The suku Badui luar live in the outer zone, and allow people to visit and enjoy the natural beauty of the area. Although basically they still lead their traditional life, in some ways they allow the influence of the outer world, and some even travel or mix with outsiders. Modern orang Banten lead the same life style depending in the area where they live.
The way of life
The people on the mountain side grow tangkil, a variety of nuts, rice and fruits. Those living on the coast are fishermen. With the growing numbers of hotels and tourist resorts, the fishermen thrive on sea produce. The town of Cilegon has been the first to move ahead with construction of factories. With the upcoming development of one of the largest port in this area, it boosts the towns of Serang, Pandeglang and Labuan. Banten is known for the magical power possessed by the Gurus or Masters, Attractions from this area are amazing performances called Debus. Debus are performed by a group led by a Debus Master who recites incantations prior to each performance. The show includes making fire on top of one of the member’s heads using it to fry crackers, while another member uses his fingers as a spatula.
Places of Interest
Old Banten Mosque
Built during the reign of Maulana Yusuf, the mosque is located in the Northern part of Serang. Closeby is a minaret with spiral staircase to reach the top, from where Muezzin voice their prayer calls. At the North and South of the mosque is the royal cemeteries where the Sultans of Banten were buried. Lined up along the dusty road from the parking terminal to the Mosque’s front yard are stalls selling Arabic headdresses, wall decorations and beads, while lining the path to the mosque are beggars chanting prayers.
Banten Museum.
In Banten Museum, located in Northern part of Serang you can learn the history of Banten and the first time the Dutch set foot on the island of Java. Weapons, household good used, clay pipes and pieces of broken ceramics are also on display. Across the road you can still see the foundations and remains of the old palace, Surosowan.
The Chinese Temple
The Chinese Temple is farther to the North of the Mosque. There is a retreat compound at the back. Burning red candles decorate the altar and a table filled with variety of fruits. Further back there is a statue of he goddess Guan Yin or Kwan Im. The Buddha statue is located in another structure next to the temple, the front yard is shaded by huge old trees giving it a tranquil surrounding
Anyer/Carita
Anyer and the next beach Carita is approximately half an hour from Cilegon. Until about 10 years ago there were a limited number of cottages there. The view was dominated by tall coconut trees along the beaches, interspersed with coral and tall coconut trees, where the fisherman would roast fish, prawn or lobster you ordered on open fire made out of coconut shell. But those days are long gone and the so called hotels, Resorts and condominiums with their tall fences have obscured the sea view. The fisherman auction their catches of the day, or of yesterday, to the Jakartan’s at supermarket prices. Nevertheless, if you are not really looking for a countryside holiday, Anyer or Carita will be a good place for relaxing and enjoying the fresh ozone and good seafood…never mind the price.
Ujung Kulon and Anak Krakatau
Ujung Kulon National Park is located in the Western tip of Java island. Ujung Kulon is a reservation area for endangered species such as Javanese rhinoceros, Banteng or wild ox, various near extinct birds and flora. The eruption of Krakatau, across the Sunda Strait from Ujung Kulon, in August 1883 was recorded as one of the world’s biggest explosions. In 1930 Anak Krakatau or child of Krakatau emerged. It is still quite active, and occasionally cough fire that can be seen from Carita beach on a clear day. During the calm down tourists are allowed to make a trip to have a closer look at the baby volcano.
Peucang Island and Taman Jaya
Apart from its quite and beautiful beach where one can really enjoy privacy, Peucang is famous among divers and surfer. This island provides reasonable accommodation for those who wish to explore the wilderness of Ujung Kulon or to climb Anak Krakatau. Taman Jaya, is pretty coastal village with nice and clean beach. This village also serves as a starting point for trekking the jungle for nature lovers.