Jawa Tengah / Central Java

Central Java is a province of Indonesia. The administrative capital is Semarang. It is one

of six provinces on the island of Java. The province of Central Java is 32,548.20 km2 in
area; approximately a quarter of the total land area of Java. Central Java is also a cultural
concept that includes the Special Area and city of Yogyakarta. However, administratively
the city and surrounding region has been part of a separate special region since
Indonesian independence. As the overwhelming majority of the population of Central
Java are Javanese, the most dominant language is Javanese.

Central Java has an impressive arts and culture. There Batik, Wayang, traditional
dances, and much more.
Batik. Central Java is famous and well known for its exquisite batik, a generic
wax-resist dyeing technique used on textile. There are different styles of batik motives.
Dance. You can even see the court influences in the art forms. The dances of the
courts of Java are usually slow and graceful, with no excessive gestures. Examples of
dance in Central Java is Dadung Ngawuk, Kuda Kepang, Incling, Dolalak, Tayuban.
Food. Rice is the staple food of Central Java. In addition to rice, dried cassava
known locally as gaplèk also serve as staple food. Javanese food tends to taste sweet.
Music. Central Javanese music is almost synonymous with gamelan. This is a
musical ensemble typically featuring a variety of instruments such as metallophones,
xylophones, drums, and gongs; bamboo flutes, bowed and plucked strings, and vocalists
may also be included.
Wayang. There are several kinds of Central Javanese wayang, amongst others:
wayang kulit, wayang klitik, wayang bèbèr, wayang golèk, and wayang wong. Wayang
kulit are shadow puppets theater with leather puppets.