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Folklore of Indonesia is known in Indonesian as ''dongeng'' (), ''cerita rakyat'' () or ''folklor'' (), refer to any

folklore Folklore is the body of expressive culture shared by a particular group of people, culture or subculture. This includes oral traditions such as Narrative, tales, myths, legends, proverbs, Poetry, poems, jokes, and other oral traditions. This also ...

found in

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...

. Its origins are probably an

oral culture Oral tradition, or oral lore, is a form of human communication in which knowledge, art, ideas and culture are received, preserved, and transmitted orally from one generation to another. Vansina, Jan: ''Oral Tradition as History'' (1985), reporte ...

, with a range of stories of heroes associated with

wayang ( , ) is a traditional form of puppet theatre play originating from the Indonesian island of Java. The term refers both to the show as a whole and the puppet in particular. Performances of wayang puppet theatre are accompanied by a ''gamel ...

and other forms of theatre, transmitted outside of a written culture. Folklores in Indonesia are closely connected with

mythology Myth is a genre of folklore consisting primarily of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society. For scholars, this is very different from the vernacular usage of the term "myth" that refers to a belief that is not true. Instead, the ...

Themes

Indonesian folklore reflects the diverse

culture of Indonesia The culture of Indonesia () has been shaped by the interplay of indigenous customs and diverse foreign influences. As the world’s largest archipelagic country, it is home to over Ethnic groups in Indonesia, 600 ethnic groups, including Austr ...

as well as the diversity of

ethnic groups in Indonesia There are more than 600 ethnic groups in the multicultural Indonesian archipelago, making it one of the most diverse countries in the world. The vast majority of these belong to the Austronesian peoples, concentrated in western and central ...

. Many ethnic groups have their own collection of tales and folklore that have been told for generations. The stories are usually told to children as bedtime stories and have

pedagogical Pedagogy (), most commonly understood as the approach to teaching, is the theory and practice of learning, and how this process influences, and is influenced by, the social, political, and psychological development of learners. Pedagogy, taken ...

values such as kindness, benevolence, modesty, honesty, bravery, patience, persistence, virtue, and

morality Morality () is the categorization of intentions, Decision-making, decisions and Social actions, actions into those that are ''proper'', or ''right'', and those that are ''improper'', or ''wrong''. Morality can be a body of standards or principle ...

. For example, one popular theme is "the truth will always prevail, and evil will always be defeated." While most Indonesian folkloric stories have happy endings and 'happily ever after' themes, some employ

tragedy A tragedy is a genre of drama based on human suffering and, mainly, the terrible or sorrowful events that befall a tragic hero, main character or cast of characters. Traditionally, the intention of tragedy is to invoke an accompanying catharsi ...

and have sad endings.

Forms

Most Indonesian folklore started as an oral tradition told by storytellers and parents for generations within Indonesian villages. The stories were often sung or chanted in several oral traditions such as

pantun ''Pantun'' ( Jawi: ) is a Malayic oral poetic form used to express intricate ideas and emotions. It generally consists of an even number of lines and is based on ABAB rhyming schemes. The shortest consists of two lines, known as the in Mal ...

, tembang, or children's chants. Some were performed in performing arts such as

and sendratari ( dance drama). In Malay tradition, some of them are written in scripture as

hikayat ''Hikayat'' (Jawi script, Jawi: ; ) (or ''hikajat''), which may be translated as "Romances", represent a genre of literature popular in Malay language, Malay and Sikh scriptures, Sikh literature and can be written in both verse and prose. ''Hikaya ...

, while in Javanese tradition, several stories are connected with historical figures and historical records such as

babad Javanese literature has a very large historical component. In all sorts of texts, such as laudatory poems, chronicles, and travelogues, writers have interpreted the how and why of certain circumstances. These texts are important for the knowl ...

or older

kakawin Kakawin are long narrative poems composed in Old Javanese, also called "'' Kawi''", written in verse form with rhythms and meters derived from Sanskrit literature. Poets used a formalized literary language, rather than the vernacular. Poets ...

scriptures such as

Pararaton The ''Pararaton'' (''Book of Kings''), also known as the ''Katuturanira Ken Angrok'' (''Story of Ken Angrok''), is a 16th-century Javanese historical chronicle written in Kawi language, Kawi (Old Javanese). The comparatively short text of 32 f ...

. Indian Hindu-Buddhist epics also influenced Indonesian folklore, especially through wayang and dance drama in Java and Bali. The Hindu epics the

Ramayana The ''Ramayana'' (; ), also known as ''Valmiki Ramayana'', as traditionally attributed to Valmiki, is a smriti text (also described as a Sanskrit literature, Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epic) from ancient India, one of the two important epics ...

and

Mahabharata The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; , , ) is one of the two major Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epics of ancient India revered as Smriti texts in Hinduism, the other being the ''Ramayana, Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the events and aftermath of the Kuru ...

have become their own separate versions with Indonesian twists and interpretations that often differ from the Indian versions. The Buddhist

Jataka tales The ''Jātaka'' (Sanskrit for "Birth-Related" or "Birth Stories") are a voluminous body of literature native to the Indian subcontinent which mainly concern the previous births of Gautama Buddha in both human and animal form. Jataka stories we ...

also has made their way into Indonesian fables and animal folklore. Jataka stories are found carved as narrative bas-reliefs on ancient Javanese candis, such as the Mendut,

Borobudur Borobudur, also transcribed Barabudur (, ), is a 9th-century Mahayana Buddhist temple in Magelang Regency, near the city of Magelang and the town of Muntilan, in Central Java, Indonesia. Constructed of gray andesite-like stone, the temple consi ...

and Sajiwan temples; telling animal fables about the virtues of Buddha, who performed exceptional acts of kindness in his animal incarnations before being reborn as a Boddhisattva and the future Buddha. These stories have been collected and used in the Indonesian education system, in small cheap books, usually tied in with a district or region of Indonesia. Many stories explain events or establish moral allegories using iconic or symbolic characters of the past. They also seek to explain the origins of names of people and places from

Folk etymology Folk etymology – also known as (generative) popular etymology, analogical reformation, (morphological) reanalysis and etymological reinterpretation – is a change in a word or phrase resulting from the replacement of an unfamiliar form by a mo ...

. During the

Suharto Suharto (8 June 1921 – 27 January 2008) was an Indonesian Officer (armed forces), military officer and politician, and dictator, who was the second and longest serving president of Indonesia, serving from 1967 to 1998. His 32 years rule, cha ...

era, there were sections of the Indonesian Department of Education and Culture that researched and wrote reports on collected ''cerita rakyat''.

List of Indonesian folklore

There are several genres of Indonesian folklore.

Tales

The story of the struggle of a common protagonist to finally achieve happiness despite facing many problems. * Ande Ande Lumut *

Bawang Putih Bawang Merah Bawang Merah dan Bawang Putih ( Malay and Indonesian for Shallot(s) and Garlic) is a popular traditional Indonesian folklore from Riau involving two siblings with opposite characters (one good and one bad), and an unjust step mother. The folk ...

* Jaka Tarub * Timun Mas * Roro Mendut * Putri Tangguk * Calon Arang

Legends

The stories that try to explain the origins of certain places, names and/or things. * Aji Saka *

Banyuwangi Banyuwangi, previously known as Banjoewangi, is a large town and an administrative district (''kecamat5an'') which serves as the capital of Banyuwangi Regency at the far eastern end of the island of Java, Indonesia. It had a population of 106,000 ...

Dewi Sri Dewi Sri or Shridevi ( Javanese: ꦢꦺꦮꦶꦱꦿꦶ, Balinese: , Dewi Sri, Sundanese: , Nyai Pohaci Sanghyang Asri) is the Javanese, Sundanese, and Balinese Hindu Goddess of rice and fertility, still widely worshiped on the islands of Ja ...

* Lanun * Legend of the Centipede Lake * Lutung Kasarung * Minangkabau *

Malin Kundang Malin Kundang is a popular folktale in Indonesian folklore that originated in the province of West Sumatra. The folktale tells of an ungrateful son named Malin Kundang and centers around the themes of disobedience and retribution that turned him ...

Parahyangan Parahyangan () or Priangan ( Sundanese script: ) is a cultural and mountainous region in West Java province on the Indonesian island of Java. Covering a little less than one-sixth of Java, it is the heartland of Sundanese people and their cultur ...

* Rara Jonggrang *

Sangkuriang Sangkuriang ( Sundanese: ) is a legend among Sundanese people in Indonesia. The legend tells about the creation of Lake Bandung, Mount Tangkuban Parahu, Mount Burangrang, and Mount Bukit Tunggul. The legend of Sangkuriang tells the story of ...

* Sulanjana * Watu Gunung

Epic

Heroic tales of struggles, battles and war. The story of a hero's adventure and their exploits. *

Ciung Wanara Ciung Wanara is a legend among Sundanese people, in Indonesia. Ciung Wanara was a nickname of Prince Manarah of Sunda–Galuh Kingdom. He was a relative of the famous King Sanjaya of Mataram. The folklore tells the legend of the Sunda Galuh kin ...

Damarwulan Damarwulan is a Javanese legendary hero who appears in a cycle of stories used in the performance of wayang klitik, as well as Langendriyan (female dance-opera) and '' ketoprak'' (popular theater). These stories tell of the struggles between t ...

* Dayang Bandir and Sandean Raja * Ken Arok and Ken Dedes * Lutung Kasarung * Mundinglaya Dikusumah * Pangeran Katak * Panji Semirang *

Siliwangi Siliwangi may refer to various people and institutions in the past and present of West Java, Indonesia: * King Siliwangi (1482), eponymous ruler of Pajajaran Kingdom, a fifteenth century kingdom in West Java, centered in modern Bogor * Siliwangi D ...

* Si Pitung * Gurabesi

Fable

Animal tales, featuring animals that behave like humans or interact and speak with humans. * Leungli *

Sang Kancil The stories of Sang Kancil (also known as ''Si Kancil'') is a series of traditional fables about a clever mouse-deer. They are popular in Indonesia and Malaysia. A weak and small yet cunning figure, Sang Kancil uses his intelligence to triumph o ...

* Keong Emas * Cenderawasih

Myth

Witch, demon, spirit or

ghost In folklore, a ghost is the soul or Spirit (supernatural entity), spirit of a dead Human, person or non-human animal that is believed by some people to be able to appear to the living. In ghostlore, descriptions of ghosts vary widely, from a ...

tales, based on urban legends or supernatural phenomena. * Calon Arang *

Kuntilanak The Kuntilanak (Indonesian name), also called Pontianak (Malay name), is a mythological creature in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. It is similar to Langsuir in other Southeast Asia regions. The Kuntilanak usually takes the form of a pregnant ...

* Nyai Roro Kidul *

Rangda Rangda () is the demon queen of the Leyaks in Bali, according to traditional Balinese mythology. Terrifying to behold, the child-eating Rangda leads an army of evil witches against the leader of the forces of good — Barong. The battle be ...

* Wewe Gombel *

Sundel Bolong In Indonesian mythology, a sundel bolong, is a mythical ghost from the archipelago which is a woman with beautiful long black hair and a long white dress (her form is similar to Pontianak). The myth is closely linked to prostitutes, meaning a " ...

* Toyol *

Pocong ( ; from ) is a ghost that looks like a person wrapped in a funeral cloth. In Islamic funeral, a shroud called a "" (in Indonesian and Malay) is used to wrap the body of the dead person. The dead body is covered in white fabric tied over t ...

* Orang Ikan

By region

Folklore from Java

# Ciung Wanara (Sundanese) # Entong Emas (Sundanese) # Keong Emas (Sundanese) # Jawara Sagara Kidul (Sundanese) # Sangkuriang (Sundanese) # Si Buncir, Anak Jelata Jadi Raja Salaka (Sundanese) # Si Buntung Jago Tutugan # Si Kebayan (Sundanese) # Si Keling (Sundanese) # Si Rawing (Sundanese) # Legenda Batu Menangis (Sundanese) # Leungli (Sundanese) # Lutung Kasarung (Sundanese) # Nini Anteh (Sundanese) # Nyai Anteh and the Moon (Sundanese) # Situ Bagendit (Sundanese) # Telaga Warna (Sundanese) # Kalarahu # Jaka Tarub and Nawangwulan # Origin of the Name Banyuwangi # Origin of the Kelud Mountain # Origin of the Baturaden # Bawang Putih and Bawah Merah # Asal Mula Huruf Jawa/Aji Saka # Si Wuragil # Loro Jonggrang and Bandung Bondowoso # Legend of Suronggotho # Dewi Sri and Sedana # Ande-Ande Lumur and Klenting Kuning # Awan Wedus Gembel

Folklore from Bali

# Cupak ajak Gerantang # I Belog Pengangon Bebek # I Duma # I Ketimun Mas # I Lutung Teken I Kakua # I Pucung # Siap Selem # I Sugih ajak I Tiwas # Naga Besuki # Ni Bawang Teken Ni Kesuna # Calon Arang

Folklore from Sumatra

# Asal Mula Danau Laut Tawar # Asal Mula Dana Si Losung dan Si Pinggan # Asal Mula Sungai Ombilin dan Danau Singkar # Asal Usul Silampari # Buaya Perompak # Hang Tuah # Hikayat Keramat Bujang # Kera Putih dan Tali Kapal # Kisah Pohon Enau # Legenda Batu Gantung # Legenda Beru Ginting Sope Mbelin # Legenda Danau Toba # Legenda Ikan Patin # Legenda Lau Kawar # Legenda Mas Merah # Legenda Namora Pande Bosi # Legenda Pulau Kapal # Legenda Putri Bidadari # Legenda Putri Hijau # Legenda Putri Nai Mangale # Legenda Putri Runduk # Legenda Putri Ular dari Simalungun # Legenda Sampuraga # Si Gale-Gale Legend # Legenda Simardan # Legenda si Lancang # Legenda Ular Kepala Tujuh # Musang Berjanggut # Pati Enggang dan Rio Brani # Putri Pandan Berduri # Dragon Princess # Raja Pareeket # Raja yang Culas # Malin Kundang # Si Miskin yang Tamak # Si Pahit Lidah # Si Sigarlaki dan si Limbat # Sungai Jodoh # Ting Gegenting # Ular n'Daung #The Legend Of The Origin Of The Silver Catfish #Kisah Putri Ular

Folklore from Kalimantan

# Legend of the Centipede Lake (''Legenda Danau Lipan'') # The Greedy Fisherman (''Asal Muasal Sungai Kawat'')

Folklore from Papua

# Biwar the Dragon Slayer # Kweiya # The Story of the Caracal and the Quail # Watuwe the Mystic Crocodile # Ma Kolano o Kariànga # The Origin of Four Kings

Folklore from Sulawesi

# The Origin of the Mermaid # Legend of the La Dana and Buffalo # La Upe and Stepmother # Pakande the Grandmother # Putri Tandampalik # Sawerigading & We Tenriabeng # Lamadukelleng the Crowned Prince

Folklore from Moluccas

# Nenek Luhu # Batu Badaong # Bulu Pamali # Suanggi # Legenda Tanifai # Buaya Tembaga # Petualangan Empat Kapiten # Batu Belah # Asal Mula Telaga Biru

References

External links

Folklore IndonesiaFolk Orientation in HalmaheraDedy Supriadi Adhur, ''Selling the Sea, Fishing for Power: A Study of Conflict Over Marine Tenure''
{{Asia in topic, Folklore of Indonesian folklore

Asian folklore