Folklore of Indonesia

Folklore of Indonesia is known in Indonesian as dongeng (lit. 'tale'), cerita rakyat (lit. 'people's story') or folklor (lit. 'folklore'), refer to any folklore found in Indonesia. Its origins are probably an oral culture, with a range of stories of heroes associated with wayang and other forms of theatre, transmitted outside of a written culture. Folklore in Indonesia are closely connected with mythology.

Themes

Indonesian folklore reflects the diverse culture of Indonesia as well as the diversity of ethnic groups in Indonesia. Many ethnic groups have their own collection of tales and folklores that have been told for generations. The stories are usually told to children as bedtime stories, and have pedagogical values such as kindness, benevolence, modesty, honesty, bravery, patience, persistence, virtue, and morality. 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 and have sad endings.

Forms

Most Indonesian folklore started as 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, tembang, or children's chants. Some were performed in performing arts such as wayang and sendratari (dance drama). In Malay tradition, some of them are written in scripture as hikayat, while in Javanese tradition, several stories are connected with historical figures and historical records such as babad or older kakawin scriptures such as Pararaton. Indian Hindu-Buddhist epics also influenced Indonesian folklore, especially through wayang and dance drama in Java and Bali. The Hindu epics the Ramayana and Mahabharata have become their own separate versions with Indonesian twists and interpretations that often differ from the Indian versions. The Buddhist Jataka tales also has made its way into Indonesian fables and animal folklores. Jataka stories are found carved as narrative bas-reliefs on ancient Javanese candis, such as the Mendut, Borobudur 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.

During the Suharto 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.

Legends

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

Epic

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

Fable

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

Myth

Witch, demon, spirit or ghost tales, based on urban legends or supernatural phenomena.

By region

Folklore from Java

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^[1]
Kweiya
The Story of the Caracal and the Quail
Watuwe the Mystic Crocodile
The Origin of the Irian Island^[2]

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

^ "Biwar the Dragon Slayer", Cerita Rakyat Nusantara (in Indonesian), 2011-09-14, retrieved 2022-04-18
^ "The Origin of Irian Island", Wikipedia, 2021-09-11, retrieved 2021-09-11