Luna Nur Lestari, or Luna, as her friends call her, is a young girl who holds a culture like a never-ending history, respects the old and always has something new. This sixth-semester student is always enthusiastic about new things but does not forget the background of where she is. Luna and I are currently attending the Javanese language and culture class together, and she is very active in answering questions from the lecturer in her Javanese language. I am fascinated by her answers. The way she speaks Javanese is impressive.
I slowly asked how she studied it as she looked fluent in the language on another chance. She told me that it happened because her parents always taught her manners in behaving and speaking as in Javanese culture. For example, to older people, we have to walk with our heads down with our right hand down while saying “nuwun sewu“, which in English means “excuse me”. Her parents also taught her to speak Krama Javanese–the highest strata of the language, which is quite difficult for modern people nowadays to learn and use. Although she is not very fluent, it is imperative to do. Besides these two things, she often watched Javanese performances or arts, such as ebeg, begalan, kenthongan, etc. Even when she was in kindergarten, she danced Javanese with the song “Suwe Ora Jamu”. She also read geguritan (traditional Javanese rhymes) for competitions.
Since she was little, her family has carried out many traditions, such as ngupati, mitoni, midodareni, etc. These all have taught and convinced her to love traditional cultures ever since. Instead of being old-fashioned, she is even proud of all. For her, being born in a Javanese tradition has inspired her to live it wherever and whenever she is. Even the English language she is now learning will benefit her to promote the culture worldwide. Her fluency in English and her love of the Javanese culture are a perfect combination. Above all, she is happy to be “njawani”, because of her pride in the Javanese culture. (Brev)
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