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Lumajang Madurese

Lumajang Madurese
Bhâsa Madhurâ Lomajhâng
Native toIndonesia
RegionLumajang
EthnicityMadurese
Native speakers
240,000 (2024)[a]
Austronesian
Latin script
Language codes
ISO 639-3–
GlottologNone
Distribution of the Lumajang Madurese in Lumajang Regency, East Java.
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Lumajang Madurese is a Madurese dialect spoken in Lumajang Regency, East Java, especially in the eastern and northern parts,[2] which border Probolinggo Regency (north) and Jember Regency (east).[3] The use of the Madurese language in Lumajang is very mixed and the level of fluency varies, especially because it borders directly with the Lumajang Javanese speaking area, a dialect of Arekan Javanese.[4] Madurese and Javanese speakers in Lumajang, who are sometimes equal in number, mix with each other and contribute to the linguistic mix, forming a unique vocabulary that is not used in other areas.[5] Madurese speakers in Lumajang generally master other languages, such as Javanese and Indonesian.[6] The speakers are classified as Pendalungan people, namely Madurese people who come from outside the island of Madura, were not born there, but still speak and practice Madurese culture, even though it is mixed with other cultures, especially Javanese culture.[7]

In Lumajang Regency, the linguistic conditions are almost similar to those in Pasuruan Regency, where East Javanese is predominantly spoken, but there is a significant Madurese speaking areas, mainly in the eastern part.[4] The main Lumajang Madurese speaking area is usually homogeneous, or almost entirely inhabited by Madurese people. Meanwhile, the bilingual region between Java and Madura is heterogeneous. Some residents speak Javanese, while a smaller portion speaks Madurese. On the other hand, the residents has bilingual abilities, in this case, Madurese speakers tend to have them. Another characteristic is that there is a wide variety of lexical variations, especially in the form of lexical borrowings from other languages. Just like Pasuruan Madurese, in Lumajang Madurese, examples of lexical variations are usually similar, found in the gloss 'to give birth' in speakers Madurese contains the lexical alaɛr. Although Madurese speakers in transition area (the boundary of use of West Madurese and East Madurese) have the lexical arɛmbiʔ for 'to give birth', the more frequently used form is alaɛr, because this form is considered higher (polite) than the arɛmbiʔ form. Meanwhile, an example of lexical variation among Javanese speakers is the lexical pɔh 'mango', which is an adopted form of *pahuq₁ from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian language, which was also absorbed into Madurese with the lexical paɔh 'mango'.[4]

History

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The Lumajang and Madurese peoples are known to have a bond of brotherhood, which was established when Duke of Sumenep, Aria Wiraraja (Banyak Wide), was exiled to east Madura in 1269.[8] He is known to have been a demang (duke) in Nayapati, during the reign of Kertanegara of Singhasari.[9] In east Madura, he established his kingdom in the northeast of Madura (present Batuputih Daya) and settled in Sumenep for about 24 years. Then moved to Lumajang by establishing the kingdom of Lamajang Tigang Juru in Biting hamlet,[10] at the end of 1293 and ruled the area since 1294. One of the juru (subordinate kingdoms) of Lamajang Tigang Juru was Madura, so when Aria Wiraraja moved to Lumajang, many Madurese also moved to Lumajang. Apart from the fact that they were soldiers, the land in Lumajang was also fertile, allowing the Madurese people to feel at home farming and settling there. Aria Wiraraja has certainly carefully calculated the various opportunities and obstacles in Lumajang since he was in Sumenep. It was proven, when Aria Wiraraja said goodbye to Nararya Sangramawijaya, he asked for Lumajang as the location of his kingdom. This was in accordance with Sangramawijaya's promise to divide his power in Java into two parts based on the Sumenep Agreement.[8]

Aria Wiraraja chose Lumajang as the location for his kingdom because, among other things, the natural potential in the horseshoe area was fertile, not least because of the volcanic ash spewed by Mount Semeru. The ash has a positive impact in the long term, so it is not surprising that many areas in Lumajang are named after trees. Like Senduro which comes from the name of the sindura tree, Pajarakan which comes from the name of the jatropha tree, Pasrujambe which comes from the jambe tree, and Klakah which comes from the Madurese language, namely klekeh tree.[8] However, in another story it is also said that they were escapees from Majapahit soldiers from Java and Madura who fled to the mountains in Lumajang because they refused to convert to Islam.[11] Apart from historical factors, it can also be seen that the social, economic and geographical conditions of Madura are barren and hot. As a result, many Madurese, especially men, migrate to improve their economic conditions. They primarily go to the eastern salient of Java region, known for its fertile soil.[12] The region covers from Pasuruan in the west to Banyuwangi in the east.[2]

Entering the Dutch colonial era, people from Madura began to increasingly Enter the eastern salient of Java, participating in the formation of the Pendalungan identity through multi-layered stages. In general, the periodization of the arrival of Madurese people is grouped into three main periods, namely the period before the plantations, plantation period, and contemporary period (post-plantation). In the first period, interactions developed between local Javanese and Madurese immigrants engaged in trade transactions, followed by a second period of interaction when they began to engage with plantation owners, during which time the colonial government played a role. Then, only at the next stage did they begin to interact based on land use for other livelihoods, such as farming, livestock raising, and coastal settlements, then entered the interior and mixed with the native Javanese who were there before.[13] In the 1930s, it was known that Madurese people was 45.6% of the total population of Lumajang.[14] In detail, in Ranulamongan district, Madura has reached 93,150 people (75.8%), Lumajang district has 41,655 people (39.57%), Tempeh district has 29,739 people (26.5%), and Kandangan district has 9,093 people (24.9%). Meanwhile, in Lumajang town itself, the number of Madurese people is 2,628 people (15.42%).[15]

Tracing a very long history, especially the massive migration of people from Madura in the 1920s to 1930s, where the opening of plantations and factories attracted them to come there.[16] From a socio-cultural aspect, Javanese and Madurese people who moved to the area known as the eastern salient of Java, they settled in a new place with a dominant cultural mix, between Javanese and Madurese culture, but very different from the Javanese and Madurese culture that existed previously. This shows that they do inhabit a new area, but they are not yet able to separate themselves from their original identity, so that the new culture that is formed is still very strong with their respective original cultures.[9] This shows that the everyday language of the Pendalungan people (incl. Lumajang) is actually more Madurese mixed with Javanese. If we look at the phonological characteristics, the most prominent one is the accent. In everyday conversation, for example, the Pendalungan people still use a Madurese accent when speaking Indonesian.[13]

Usage

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As is known, the majority of the Lumajang population is ethnically Javanese and Madurese peoples, so the languages spoken in Lumajang are Javanese and Madurese language. In areas where the majority of the population is Madurese people, the language used in daily communication is Madurese, while in areas where the majority of the population is Javanese people, the language used in communication is Javanese.[17] This can also be seen in the many Madurese terms used by Lumajang residents, such as pelet-beten (traditional ceremony), carok, nyelep, pasebuh (a thousand days of death), and others.[18] Because of its enormous influence, the Madurese language also has a great influence on the lives of its people, such as the ontalan tradition, which in Madurese means 'throwing', is also used Madurese in its activities.[19] According to the Lumajang Regency Government, the use of Madurese, especially in Klakah district, continues to increase.[20] For use in markets or public places, usually the Lumajang residents are bilingual, Javanese and Madurese, but sometimes they are also trilingual with Indonesian.[21] In 2024, the number of Lumajang Madurese speakers is estimated to be around 240,000, based on the population of Madurese-speaking districts, such as Klakah, Randuagung, and Ranuyoso. Then added to the population in the villages in the surrounding districts where the minority speaks Madurese.[1]

Due to the meeting of the two dominant languages, the ability of the Lumajang residents to master two languages often results in code-switching from Javanese to Madurese or vice versa. Madurese speakers who communicate in Madurese will immediately switch to Javanese when confronted by Javanese speakers, especially if the speaker knows that the speaker cannot speak Madurese. Another phenomenon of the use of Javanese and Madurese in Lumajang is the lack of use of language levels in communication. As is known, Javanese consists of three levels, namely krama-inggil, krama-madya, and ngoko. Likewise, the Madurese consists of three levels, namely enja-iya, engghi-enten, and engghi-bhunten. This is a different condition with the East Madurese language, especially the Sumenep dialect which is a refined language because it is influenced by the Sumenep Palace.[22] However, the reality that emerges when communication occurs is that speakers and listeners do not pay much attention to language use based on its level, considering the existing context, when communicating in Madurese or Javanese. Therefore, the language used in communication tends to be coarse, both Lumajang Madurese and Lumajang Javanese.[23]

Distribution

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Lumajang Regency has an area of 1,775.17 km². To the north, the regency borders with Probolinggo Regency, to the east with Jember Regency, to the west with Malang Regency, and to the south with the Indian Ocean. Therefore, in terms of topography, the natural conditions of Lumajang consist of mountainous and coastal areas. The mountainous area in Lumajang Regency is characterized by four mountains surrounding Lumajang, namely Mount Bromo, Mount Lemongan, Mount Semeru, and Mount Sawur. Of these four mountains, only Mount Semeru and Mount Bromo are still active.[24] There are also other mountains such as Mount Wayang, which makes the topography of the northern part of Lumajang very mountainous and undulating.[25]

When viewed geographically, this creates unique obstacles for interactions between communities, resulting in different linguistic situations. For example, in mountainous areas, the majority of the population is Madurese, so the language used in everyday communication is Madurese language. Then coastal area, which is a continuation of the southern coast, is largely inhabited by Javanese people with strong Javanese (Kejawen) characteristics, so the daily language used is Javanese language.[26] In contrast to the more diverse professions of Javanese people, Madurese people mainly work as farmers, but some also work as livestock breeders. The most commonly raised animals are cattle and goats. Especially among the Madurese, cattle are raised not solely for sale as beef cattle, but are also raised to prepare them for racing in karapan sapi events, which are often held by the Lumajang residents.[27]

Madurese-speaking people are known to live mainly in the area of the three lakes (ranu) which are the tributaries of the Mount Raung crater. The three lakes are Lake Klakah and Lake Pakis in Klakah district, and Lake Pedali in Ranuyoso district.[28] As is known, many Madurese live in mountainous areas, such as in the districts of Ranuyoso, Randuagung, and Klakah. However, a small number also live in coastal areas, such as in the districts of Yosowilangun, Kunir, and Tempeh.[29] Especially in Randuagung, Madurese speakers is dominant, while those who speak Javanese speakers are mostly immigrants.[30] Apart from that, Madurese speakers can also be found in other districts, such as in Rowokangkung,[31] also in coastal areas, such as Pasirian.[4] The Madurese ethnic group's residential pattern is clustered. This means that the houses are built in rows in a group, and each house is related to the surrounding houses. For well-off families, or those who are village and religious elders (kyai), there is usually a prayer room (langgar) in the middle of the house or in front of the house, which functions as a place for religious activities for the family.[29]

Near the Biting site, which is located in Biting hamlet, Sukodono district,[32] there are also many Madurese speakers living there, as is known it is a Majapahit heritage site. Because initially the local people were originally descendants of the soldiers led by Aria Wiraraja who were brought from Madura to populate the area and fight against Jayakatwang from Kediri, with the help of Raden Wijaya to establish Majapahit. The name "Biting" itself originally comes from the word beteng, which means 'an area surrounded by a high and large fort', but changed due to the spelling of the local Madurese people.[33] Meanwhile, in Lumajang district, Madurese speakers also live side by side with Arab descendants in Kampung Arab (lit. 'Arab Village') that has existed since the 1930s.[34]

Even though Madurese speakers are quite widespread in Lumajang, Madurese is usually used as the language of instruction only in villages located near the mountain slopes, such as the villages of Tegalrandu, Duren, Mlawang,[17] while villages located on the edge of the main road usually uses Javanese as the language of instruction, even though the population is divided between Javanese and Madurese. This linguistic phenomenon is different in areas where the population consists of Madurese and Javanese ethnic groups are almost equal in number, such as in Kedungjajang and Jatiroto.[35] The languages used in this districts for everyday official communication are Javanese and a little Indonesian, but in casual communication, Madurese is widely used, such as in bemo (minibuses), food stalls, markets, and others, unless the speaker and interlocutor are ethnic Javanese, so the language used is Javanese. This situation has resulted in the majority of Lumajang residents actively mastering two languages (bilingual), Javanese and Madurese. Therefore, it is very common to encounter communication events using Madurese, even though the speakers are ethnic Javanese.[23]

See also

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References

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Notes

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  1. ^ The number of speakers in 2024 was calculated based on the districts where the majority speak Madurese, such as Klakah, Randuagung, and Ranuyoso. Then, add the villages in the surrounding districts that represent the Madurese minority.[1]

Footnotes

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  1. ^ a b "Visualisasi Data Kependudukan - Kementerian Dalam Negeri 2024". www.dukcapil.kemendagri.go.id (in Indonesian). Direktorat Jenderal Kependudukan dan Pencatatan Sipil. 31 December 2024. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  2. ^ a b Kusuma & Pratikno (2021), p. 77.
  3. ^ Suroiyah, I.; Zulaicha, L. (2003). Komunitas Madura di Lumajang: suatu tinjauan historis tentang migrasi orang-orang Madura ke Lumajang pada paruh kedua abad XIX sampai abad XX (Thesis) (in Indonesian). Fakultas Adab. Surabaya: IAIN Sunan Ampel. pp. 1–76.
  4. ^ a b c d Savitri, Indrawati & Suhartono (2018), p. 26.
  5. ^ Safitri, Ratna Dewi (5 October 2023). "Resensi Buku Ndak Kaop: Kamus Bahasa Lumajangan". www.visitlumajang.com (in Indonesian). Visit Lumajang. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  6. ^ Putri, Rochiyati & Setyari (2020), p. 69.
  7. ^ Kusuma & Pratikno (2021), pp. 77–78.
  8. ^ a b c "Melihat Semeru Dari Madura". wiraraja.ac.id (in Indonesian). Lumajang: Wiraraja University. 18 January 2021. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  9. ^ a b Hairul (2022), p. 89.
  10. ^ Rohmawati (2024), pp. 2722.
  11. ^ Savitri (2001), p. 35.
  12. ^ Izzak (2013), p. 2.
  13. ^ a b Hairul (2022), p. 86.
  14. ^ Ridhoi et al. (2023), p. 6.
  15. ^ Ridhoi et al. (2023), p. 70.
  16. ^ Ridhoi et al. (2023), p. 71.
  17. ^ a b Savitri (2001), p. 42.
  18. ^ Savitri (2001), pp. 39–40.
  19. ^ "Ontalan, Tradisi Masyarakat Lumajang Keturunan Madura". lumajang.memontum.com (in Indonesian). Lumajang Memontum. 20 February 2021. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  20. ^ "Data Objek Pemajuan Kebudayaan Kabupaten Lumajang Tahun 2024". data.lumajangkab.go.id (in Indonesian). Lumajang Regency Government. Retrieved 15 August 2025 – via Satu Data Lumajang.
  21. ^ Putri, Rochiyati & Setyari (2020), p. 61.
  22. ^ Izzak (2013), p. 3.
  23. ^ a b Savitri (2001), pp. 43–44.
  24. ^ Savitri (2001), p. 28.
  25. ^ Wicaksono, N. (12 August 2022). "Menikmati Cantiknya Panorama Gunung Wayang dengan Paralayang". www.detik.com (in Indonesian). Detik. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  26. ^ Savitri (2001), pp. 28–29.
  27. ^ Savitri (2001), p. 32.
  28. ^ Savitri (2001), p. 29.
  29. ^ a b Savitri (2001), p. 30.
  30. ^ Putri, Rochiyati & Setyari (2020), p. 60.
  31. ^ Savitri (2001), p. 40.
  32. ^ Ridhoi et al. (2023), p. 30.
  33. ^ Rohmawati (2024), pp. 2721–2722.
  34. ^ Fatah, M.R.A. (26 October 2020). "Kampung Arab Lumajang Ada Sejak Tahun 1930, Kini Tinggal 9 Keluarga". jatimtimes.com (in Indonesian). Jatim Times. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  35. ^ Savitri (2001), p. 43.

Bibliography

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