Geertz's 'The Religion
of Java', has been a significant book in influencing the creation of the
image of Javanese Muslims. This is essentially a book on the religious
diversity of the Island of Java, situated in Indonesia. This is an important
contribution to our understanding of Javanese life from the religious
perspective. Geertz’s approach has been complete and full of clarity with
supporting evidences at times needed. The book is of interest to the
specialists in Southeast Asia, anthropologists and sociologists concerned
with the social analysis of religious belief and ideology.
The book resides on the diversity of religion in Java and classifies
Javanese into three categories on the basis of religious beliefs, ethics as
well as their political ideologies. These are the Abangan, the Santri, and
the Prijai. After the identification of these three categories the book sets
out to explain them in terms of their origin, history, importance and
influential characteristics. Geertz explores the origin of the religious
beliefs of Java and finds out,
“Animism,
the original religious tradition on the island of Java, is the belief that
we share the world with spirits, which may take up residence in everyday
objects, specific places and sometimes in human beings. These spirits may be
helpful, harmful or simply mischievous. The possession of a human by a
harmful spirit can be cured by a dukun (a spiritual healer). Clifford Geertz,”
(The Religion of Java, pp. 16-21)
The Abangans are the peasants who are animists, and many of them support the
PKI. The Santri are mostly Muslim merchants engaged in most of the business
activities supporting Masjumi, NU. The third category is that of the Prijais.
These are mostly the white-collar Hindus, and many of them are supporters of
the PNI. Geertz’s work is a noted one for Javanese Islam. But Geertz has
focused on Slametan as unique to East Java Islam. Geertz has made some
mistakes in his work due to a lack of a systematic knowledge of Islam.
However, due to a limited knowledge of the religion Islam Geertz asserts
that Islam in Java was "of minor consequence" with little impact on the
people. He fails to realize that Indonesia is the largest Islamic country in
the world. The book also discusses the traditional lifestyle of Javanese
people. Geertz recounts the spiritual beliefs of the Gods and Goddesses and
other beliefs that form an essential part of the Javanese life.
Geertz has not depicted the "traditionalists" very positively in this book
since the important traditionalist role of the Kijai (religious teachers) in
social reformation of Java cannot be diminished.
Reference
Clifford Greetz, 1990, “The Religion of Java”, Chicago: University of
Chicago Press, ISBN: 0226285103
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