East Java Traditional Clothing: Types, Uniqueness, and Explanations

East Java Traditional Clothing – Hello Sinaumed’s, this time we will discuss East Java traditional clothing. Culturally, this province is not much different from Central Java province. So it is not surprising that the traditional clothes of the two provinces tend to have relatively similarities.

However, in terms of appearance, East Java traditional clothing seems to show more assertiveness while upholding ethical values. Like the character of the people who are firm, speak as they are, but still uphold the decency of demeanor and speech.

Types, Uniqueness, and Uses of East Java Traditional Clothing

There are many types of traditional clothing and accessories used in this province in the easternmost part of Java Island. Each type of clothing and equipment certainly has a different function and purpose. For example, clothing for shows, weddings, and festivals of different types. Not only that, the many types of traditional clothing in this province also adjust to the culture of the city, district or area where they live.

And what needs to be noted for us is that differences in traditional clothing and culture should be a means for us to respect each other, not to laugh at each other or belittle one another.

There are traditional clothes that seem luxurious, there are those that show simplicity. But one thing is for sure, East Java traditional clothing displays the pride of the people of East Java. Come on, Sinaumed’s, let’s immediately discuss the traditional clothes of East Java.

1. Madura Pesa’an clothes and Rancongan Kebaya

This East Javanese traditional dress is of course very familiar to Sinaumed’s. This shirt is often displayed as traditional clothing for the people of East Java, both for men and women. Sinaumed’s must have often seen these clothes displayed in encyclopedia books on Indonesian customs, school textbooks, news, even when googling on the internet. No doubt this makes these clothes so familiar to the people of Indonesia, even abroad.

This shirt comes from Madura Island. The pair of top and bottom clothes and accessories are very simple. Because of this simplicity, this shirt is unique and easily recognizable. This shirt is often used in everyday activities to official events such as graduations, traditional ceremonies, commemorations of Kartini Day and the Republic of Indonesia’s Independence Day.

The example that we see the most in our daily activities, we often find these clothes used by Madura satay traders. Not infrequently we meet this Madura Pesa’an dress not far from the smell of smoke from grilled Madura skewers.

For men, the attire consists of a flashy bright colored t-shirt and baggy black pants. The size is too big and doesn’t fit the body. While the women use bright kebaya and jarik as a partner for men. This implies the simplicity of this traditional dress.

Madura Pesa’an clothing is identified by the following characteristics:

a. The color of the shirt and kebaya

For men, the color is striped red and white. For brightly colored women flashy. The striking and contrasting red and white colors depict the character of the Madurese who are firm, tough, unwavering, courageous and open in conveying their thoughts to others.

Meanwhile for women, brightly colored and flashy. The colors that are often chosen are red, green, or blue with a tight fit on the body. That said, the use of this shirt usually uses a somewhat transparent kebaya cloth and women use underwear that is a contrasting color to the color of the kebaya. Often called kebaya rancongan.

The mix and match intends to show the body parts of Madurese women who diligently consume traditional herbal medicine so that they have bodies that are considered relatively good. In addition, the somewhat transparent cloth shows that Madurese women value their bodies, regardless of their shape.
However, with the development of the current era, there are many modifications to this woman’s kebaya. Moreover, the many Muslim women who choose to cover body parts make women’s kebaya no longer use transparent cloth.

b. Undergarments

The trousers worn by men in this attire are trousers that are loose-fitting and have drawstrings on their waists. In order to be worn comfortably, these pants are equipped with a belt.

The size of the waist and hem of the pants is wide, sometimes even looks like a black sarong that is stretched. While the outer part of the pants is covered by a sarong.

For women’s clothing, the bottom suit uses batik jarit. The designs and motifs are simple. Jarik batik, which has various motifs, is used as the choice for traditional Madurese women’s clothing. The motifs that are widely used for jarik batik are Tabiruan, Storjan, or Lasem.

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c. Accessories

1) Belt

The belt used by this man is usually made of cowhide. This belt is called the Katemang belt. This belt is divided into two types, namely the Katemang Raja belt and the Katemang Kalep belt.

Katemang belts are characterized by plain patterns and dark colors such as brown or black. The shape is quite wide and there is a pocket that is used to store money in it.

2) Sheath

Sarongs that function as outer coatings for these trousers are worn by men. Usually the material used is Samarinda sarong material, namely silk. The motif chosen for the trouser lining is large checkered or batik. The color of the sarong is quite striking and the thread used is gold.

3) Cover Suit

This plain cover jacket is black and has long sleeves. In general, it is left open in the middle to reveal the red and white lorek shirt (sakra shirt).

4) Odheng

Odheng is a head covering after this traditional dress. It is made of cloth and is generally patterned with batik in brown-black, maroon-black, or soga red. This Odheng signifies the nobility of a man in Madura.

5) Stagen

Stagen is used by Madurese women by wrapping it around the stomach. The stagen function is to strengthen the finger coils. The stagen is about 1.5 meters long and 15 cm wide. Stagen combined with kebaya and jarik.

6) Cucuk Comb or Cucuk Dinar

Accessories in the form of hair ornaments are golden in color because they were originally made of gold. The shape is like a bow consisting of small metal pieces like coins arranged in a row in a chain. These accessories are used by women.

7) Leng Oleng

In the form of a woman’s head cover made of thick cloth.

8) Antheng or Shentar Penthol

Earrings or studs worn by women in the ear.

9) Brondong necklace

This gold necklace has a round shape the size of a corn seed and is equipped with a pendant as decoration. The pendant on this necklace is patterned with sunflowers or coins.

10) Bracelets, rings and ankle ornaments.

2. Mantenan clothes

The second East Javanese traditional dress is the Mantenan Dress. In Javanese, manten means bride. As the name implies, this shirt is worn by the bride and groom. This clothing model was often worn by ancient Javanese kings.

The Mantenan shirt for men is made of black velvet and is in the form of a beskap (official suit in the Javanese Mataraman tradition) which is unequal in length at the front and back. If you want to know what the beskap looks like, Sinaumed’s can remember the clothes that are often worn by the Indonesian legend of Campur Sari, Didi Kempot.

The beskap is dominated by gold-colored motifs made of wire. That said, the wire used to be made of gold, but over time and considering the high price of gold, the material of the wire can be modified.

For women, the kemben is the first garment to be worn. Kemben itself is a cloth that is used to wrap around a woman’s body in the chest and abdomen. After the kemben, new manten clothes are worn to cover the body parts that are still open. The Manten shirt is made from the same material as men’s clothing, but the motif chosen seems more feminine.

For Manten Dress subordinates, both men and women, use batik motifs. The selected batik motifs are uniform to reinforce the similarities as a couple.

The groom wears a necklace made of jasmine flowers. While the bride uses a chain of jasmine tied at the back of the head and let it dangle in front of the shoulders up to the stomach.

There are various types of head coverings. Some wore blangkon, odheng, peci, and sultan’s hats. Meanwhile, for women, they use a crown decorated with jasmine. In addition to head coverings, you can find several other accessories such as weapons, shoes, etc. according to the agreement between the two parties of the bride and groom.

With a set of these clothes, the bride and groom are expected to have the aura of a king and queen. Beautiful and handsome, charming and dignified.

3 Cak and Ning’s clothes

The third East Javanese traditional clothes are Cak and Ning clothes. If in Jakarta there are Abang and None festivals, then in East Java you can find a similar festival called Cak and Ning. This festival is a competition to show the achievements of young people in Surabaya. Cak is a nickname for boys and Ning is a nickname for girls.

The shirt for Cak is in the form of a long-sleeved beskap decorated with several accessories, especially in front of the right chest. Cak wears an odheng as a head covering. The lower part is wearing trousers wrapped in short batik cloth above the knee and some are wearing long batik patterned fingers up to the ankles. Thus, Cak who wears this suit is expected to look smart, handsome, modern, and intelligent.

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Ning’s clothes are in the form of kebaya clothes with various colors with a blend of batik-patterned jarik cloth on the bottom. At first, Ning’s hair was in a bun. Because of that, the cloth used to cover the head (by letting some of the hair show) is like a veil, but it is different from the hijab.

But now there are some modifications such as the use of headscarves or scarves that are stretched over the shoulders. Thus, it was hoped that Ning, who wore this suit, would appear simple, beautiful, intelligent, and down-to-earth.

4. Gothil Shirt and Comprang Pants

The Ghotil shirt is a plain black shirt with long sleeves. This shirt has a loose fit when worn. Simple indeed. This shirt is often worn by Ponorogo warok men. Sinaumed’s can also find these clothes while watching the Reog Ponorogo show.

Meanwhile, Komprang Pants are a pair of Gothil Shirts. The size is large and loose when worn as if to give space to the user to enjoy the space for movement. The shape of these pants is quite unique, plus these pants are sewn with a special technique.

At the waist, the pants are given a drawstring made of lawe material with the ends hanging down. This shape can add a dashing and frightening impression to the wearer.

5. Batiks

Don’t think that bati only exists in Central Java. In East Java there are also many batik craftsmen. One of them is that Madura batik has high artistic value among foreign tourists.

6. Odheng

Odheng is a headband worn by men in East Java, and is often used as a complementary accessory to make it look more pleasing to the eye. Odheng is often used in traditional events, festivals, carnivals, ceremonies, commemorations of independence day, graduations, welcome parties, and so on.

Odheng are usually made of batik cloth and are triangular in shape. At first glance, odheng looks similar to blangkon even though the two are actually different. The cap size on the odheng can be adjusted according to the wearer’s head circumference.

The motifs that are often used in odheng are food and tapoghan. Odheng food has a storjoan or blue lake motif which has a red soga color. While the odheng tapoghan is soga red in color with flame or flower motifs. When using odheng food, your hair is covered by a head covering while when using odheng tapoghan, your hair is not covered by cloth.

7. Katemang

Katemang is a belt or belt that can be called Katemang Kalep. The shape is different from the belt in general. This belt has wider sides and has a pocket at the front for storing money. The katemang material is made of plain cow leather without designs, motifs or patterns.

8. Keris and Clurit

Keris is an additional accessory commonly used by men in East Javanese culture. Usually keris is used during formal events related to customs, for example, when getting married. The purpose of the groom carrying a keris is to appear brave, dashing and firm as the head of the household.

Meanwhile, sickle is a typical Madurese weapon used as a carok weapon. Clurit has become legendary in Madura because it is synonymous with the struggle of a figure from Madura named Sakera.

9. Tarompah

Tarompah is a footwear that is widely used by the people of East Java when wearing their traditional clothes. Generally, tarompah is made of selected quality cow leather. Tarompah are generally shaped like flip-flops, only they look sturdier and stronger because the material and use are adapted to traditional clothing.

10. Penadhon

Penadhon is an East Javanese traditional dress that is specifically used by the people of Ponorogo. At first glance, this t-shirt style is similar to the Sakera shirt on the Madura Pesa’an dress. The difference is on the front, on this shirt there is an image of reog or barong which has become an artistic icon from the city of Ponorogo.

11. Sarong Material

Sarong material is one of the other accessories that is used together with the main clothes of traditional East Java. The fabrics that are often used in its manufacture are cotton, silk, or satin which are comfortable to use because of their high quality.

The colors that are often used are striking and varied colors such as checkered green, checkered blue, or golden yellow. How to use sarong material slung over the shoulder on one shoulder. For women, sarong materials can be used specifically as a headscarf.

Sinaumed’s, that’s more or less our discussion about East Java traditional clothing. sinaumedia is always ready to become #Friends Without Borders by presenting our best books for you.

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