Indramayu Regency is one of the regencies in West Java Province, Indonesia. Its capital is Indramayu which is the center of government, while the busy points are actually in the Jatibarang and Haurgeulis districts, this is because in Jatibarang there is a market center and has easy access such as the Pantura Route and Train Station, the same thing also happens to Haurgeulis District even though it is not directly passed by the Pantura Route, but this District is passed by the Train Line. This Regency is bordered by the Java Sea to the north, Cirebon Regency to the southeast, Majalengka Regency and Sumedang Regency to the south, and Subang Regency to the west.
Indramayu Regency consists of 33 sub-districts, which are further divided into 315 villages and sub-districts. The administrative center is located in Indramayu District. The anniversary of Indramayu Regency was declared on October 7, 1527.
Indramayu is crossed by the Pantura (North Javanese Coastal Route), the main and busiest route on Java, especially during the Eid al-Fitr homecoming season. The regency is also traversed by the northern Java railway line, with one of its largest stations being Jatibarang Station in Jatibarang, approximately 19 km south of Indramayu's city center.
Some important sub-districts in Indramayu Regency include Indramayu, Jatibarang, Haurgeulis, Patrol, Karangampel, and Terisi.
Although Indramayu is located in West Java which is known as the land of Pasundan which is cultured and speaks Sundanese, most of the people of Indramayu use the Cirebon dialect of Indramayu, the local people call it Basa Dermayon, which is a Cirebon dialect which is almost similar to the Cirebon language used in the central area of the Cirebon Palace in Cirebon City, in the Cirebon dialect of Indramayu the grammar is divided into two namely Basa Besiken (used to speak in formal settings and respect the interlocutor) and Basa Ngoko (used daily in social interactions). In the southern and southwestern parts of this district, several areas use Sundanese, considering the history of Indramayu district which was once included in the territory of the Galuh and Sumedang Larang Kingdoms in the Southern Region, thus influencing the people to speak the Sundanese language typical of Indramayu which is called Sunda Parean.
The name Indramayu comes from the name of Nyi Endang Darma Ayu, one of the founders of Indramayu.
Indramayu Regency is traversed by the main Pantura route, the number one route as the economic lifeblood of the island of Java, the Indramayu Pantura route starts from the Patrol-Lohbener-Jatibarang-Kertasemaya section. There is also an alternative route north of Indramayu-Karangampel-Krangkeng which heads towards Cirebon. As an alternative route, one can go via the Lohbener route then to the city of Indramayu then to Karangampel and continue towards Cirebon. Because Indramayu is traversed by the main Pantura route, the Indramayu region has become a stopover and migration point for people from areas in the east of Java. From these Javanese immigrants in Indramayu, a variety of Javanese conversations can be found in addition to the Cirebon dialect of Indramayu or what is commonly called basa dermayon which is the native language of this region.
The bustling north coast region also led to Sundanese immigrants from the southern region, commonly known as the Priyangan people, bringing the Priyangan dialect of Sundanese into the Indramayu region. According to Indramayu cultural expert Mr. Supali Kasim, the Sundanese language, especially the southern dialect, which entered Indramayu, especially in the Karangjaya block, Mangunjaya village, Anjatan district, Indramayu regency, which is located not far from the trading centers in Patrol and Sukra districts, originated from a family from Bandung in the early 20th century.
Indramayu Regency is also served by a railway line. The largest train station is in Jatibarang, one of the major stations in Cirebon Operations Area 3.
The following are sub-districts that have different dialects based on research information and the 2011 West Java Province Cultural Map:
Single organ
One of the arts in Indramayu is the Organ Tunggal art, namely musical performances on stage using an organ, a large musical instrument like an electronic piano. This Organ Tunggal is usually performed at almost every event and event, such as the seventeenth celebration, also on religious holidays such as Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, although it is more often performed at celebratory events, such as weddings and circumcisions. In addition to on stage, this organ music art is also performed around the village at certain times, such as during the month of Ramadan. Two of them are quite well-known and their artists are: the Rolani Electone single organ with Aas Rolani and the Puspa Kirana single organ with Dewi Kirana. It is not uncommon for these groups to get gigs outside Indramayu, even across provinces.
Mask dance
Another traditional art form is the mask dance, native to the Cirebon region, including Indramayu. The mask dance is a traditional dance from the Parahyangan region. It's called a mask dance because the dancers wear masks. The mask dance itself has many variations, evolving in terms of movement and the story it conveys. It's sometimes performed by a single dancer, or it can also be performed by several people.
Another type of masked dance is the Kelana Kencana Wungu masked dance, a series of Parahyangan-style masked dances that tell the story of Queen Kencana Wungu being pursued by King Menak Jingga, who is infatuated with her. Essentially, each mask represents a character. Kencana Wungu, with its blue mask, represents a lively yet graceful character. Menak Jingga (also called Kelana), with its red mask, represents a fierce, temperamental, and impatient character. This dance was created by Nugraha Soeradiredja.
The graceful hand and body movements, as well as the musical accompaniment dominated by drums and rebab, are other characteristics of the mask dance.
This mask dance art still exists and is studied in existing dance studios, and is still often performed at official regional events, or at other regional traditional moments. One of the mask dance studios in Indramayu is the Mimi Rasinah mask dance studio, located in Pekandangan Village, Indramayu. Mimi Rasinah is one of the mask dance maestros who still actively dances and teaches the art of mask dance even though she has been paralyzed since 2006, Mimi Rasinah passed away in August 2010.
Shadow Puppets
Like Javanese and Cirebon society in general, Wayang art remains deeply embedded in the Indramayu community. Indramayu Wayang Kulit is actually no different from Cirebon Wayang Kulit, the only difference lies in the language used, namely the Cirebon dialect of Indramayu, or what is commonly known as basa dermayon, which is unique in its speech, both in the plays and in the jokes.
Indramayu shadow puppets are a unique variety of Cirebon shadow puppets, where in fact Cirebon shadow puppets are still similar to Purwa shadow puppets, but have their own characteristics when viewed from the perspective of craft art, Cirebon shadow puppets are made quite differently from the carvings and sungingan of Purwa shadow puppets, while the shape of Cirebon shadow puppets is somewhat similar to Balinese shadow puppets but their size is slimmer.
Wayang Kulit performances are still frequently held at special occasions, such as celebrations, or as part of other traditional ceremonies, such as Mapag Sri, Ngarot, Nadran, Ruwatan, and so on. At these traditional events, wayang kulit performances are a must, an integral part of the event itself.
Some of the famous Indramayu Wayang Kulit puppeteers are H. Anom Rusdi with the Langen Budaya Group and H. Tomo with the Langen Kusuma Group.
Mapag Dewi Sri
According to local belief, the Mapag Dewi Sri folk festival is a mandatory annual event. It is said that in the 1970s, this event was canceled due to a low harvest. This resulted in many local residents becoming ill. Since then, no matter how small the harvest, the Mapag Dewi Sri folk festival must continue.
Sintren
One of the Javanese cultural traditions inherent in the Indramayu community is Sintren. Sintren is a traditional Javanese art form, particularly in Pekalongan. This art form is famous on the northern coast of Central and West Java, including Pemalang, Pekalongan, Brebes, Banyumas, Kuningan, Cirebon, and Indramayu. Sintren is also known as lais. In Indramayu itself, Sintren art is performed at special events, such as celebrations or thanksgivings, or traditional art performances. In the past, there were Sintren art performances that toured the villages, but now they are very difficult to find because they are increasingly being replaced by modern stages and entertainment.
Tarling
Tarling is a musical and song art which was originally performed in the form of singing (kiser) accompanied by guitar and flute only.
In keeping with the times, the art of Tarling has undergone rapid development and change. Today, Tarling is equipped with modern musical instruments. Nevertheless, classical Tarling remains popular with tourists. One classical Tarling maestro well-known among the people of Indramayu is the late Hj. Dariyah, with her group Cahaya Muda.
Acrobatic stunt
One type of traditional art from the Indramayu community is a performance in the form of acrobatics/attractions using ladders, unicycles, and so on. The Genjring Acrobatic art is presented accompanied by the Genjring/Rebana musical instrument and the Rudat dance.
Drama
A play is a staged performance of a story, also called a lakon in Cirebon. The plays performed in the Cirebon cultural areas are the result of European acculturation brought by the Portuguese in the 16th century, as evident in their stage settings.
The drama in Indramayu is similar to the masres performing arts in the Cirebon region and is almost similar to the ketoprak performing arts in the Central and East Java regions, the similarity with the masres performing arts is because masres and Indramayu drama come from the same Cirebon cultural roots but only differ in the use of language, the Cirebon language of the Indramayu dialect or what is usually called basa dermayon is more dominant in Indramayu drama performances, in Indramayu drama art mostly tells about legends and history.
A play may or may not be scripted. If not, it's performed spontaneously with a lot of improvisation.
Berokan
The Berokan is a dance-like dance performed every Eid al-Fitr, specifically after the Eid prayer. The berokan typically wears a scary mask and a cage-like costume, though some also feature comical designs. There are two accompanying performers: one begging for rice from the villagers, and the other a group of people playing musical instruments. They are summoned by shouting "galak, gloak," and the berokan will chase whoever is called. The berokan will roam the village from the first day of Eid al-Fitr until two or three days afterward.
Depok Lion & Angry Buffalo
This art form, which is similar to sisingaan from Subang, has begun to be modified with the addition of "Kebo Ngamuk" and "burok".
Paoman hand-drawn batik
Coastal batik has distinctive patterns that distinguish it from other regions. The combination of coastal beliefs, customs, art, and lifestyle, coupled with external influences such as Chinese, Arab, Middle Eastern, Hindu-Javanese, and European influences, have all influenced the motifs and character of coastal batik.
This hand-drawn batik craft industry is located in Paoman Subdistrict, Pabean Udik Village, Indramayu District, and Terusan, Sindang, Indramayu. The quality of this batik, which has approximately 200 motifs, has penetrated the international market, especially among batik collectors from abroad.
Embroidery crafts
Embroidery crafts are developing quite rapidly in Indramayu, located in Sukawera Village, Kertasemaya District, approximately 6 kilometers from Jatibarang City or 22 kilometers from Indramayu City. Well-known motifs include seruni, tapak kebo, tulip, and lunglungan, and their products are able to meet regional and national market demand. Indramayu is a very attractive area to visit, due to its strategic location along the north coast of Java Island.
Indramayu cuisine is not much different from Cirebon cuisine. In addition to having typical Cirebonan cuisine, which is typical of the Indramayu and Cirebon regions, Indramayu also has several typical Dermayonan cuisine, which is typical of Indramayu.
Spicy Duck
This culinary specialty is from Dermayonan, made from duck or entog meat mixed with special spicy spices;
Indramayu Porridge
This porridge is originally from Dermayonan, this porridge combines chicken porridge with soto, therefore this porridge is often also called soto porridge;
whisker
Rumbah is also called urab, pecel or rujak, in Indramayu rumbah is vegetables that have been boiled, then coated with sour chili sauce, can be added with lontong, noodles and typical Cirebonan poor crackers;
Nagasari
This Dermayonan specialty cake is made from rice flour filled with banana and wrapped in banana leaves. Nagasari is also known as pipis.
Coach
Similar to Nagasari, kue koci is made from rice flour wrapped in banana leaves and can be filled with peanuts, brown sugar, or grated coconut. What distinguishes it is its conical or pointed shape, hence the name pipis monyong.
Mango Chips
This typical Dermayonan processed food is made from Indramayu's famous agricultural product, namely mango, this is the latest innovation in processing mango which was previously only enjoyed in its fruit form.
Burbahcek
Rumbah Cecek Porridge which combines chicken porridge, rumbah and cecek (steamed skin) from cow or buffalo, this food is now almost extinct.
Prawn crackers
Prawn crackers are a type of cracker made from a mixture of wheat flour dough with prawns and other spices, resulting in a delicious and tasty taste.
Terraces
Terasi is made from rebon, which is small, finely ground shrimp. Terasi is perhaps worthy of being an additional food that must be processed into chili sauce first to make it taste delicious.
Cimplo, a type of apem, is commonly used for traditional ceremonies before planting or harvesting rice. This food is usually mixed with brown sugar and coconut milk.
Melinjo Chips
Mango Dodol
Indramayu's agricultural product is rice, although it is not the largest rice producer, the people of Indramayu generally make a living as farmers, and most of the Indramayu area is agricultural land, you can even find rice fields even in the center of Indramayu city.
Besides rice, the most famous agricultural product is the mango. The locals call this particular variety "Mangga Cengkir" (Cengkir Mango). Known for its delicious and sweet taste, this mango is often found along Indramayu's main roads, selling it as a souvenir. This particular crop has earned Indramayu the nickname "Mango City." A visit to Indramayu wouldn't be complete without buying or sampling an Indramayu mango.
Indramayu is also known for its rich oil and gas resources, one of the large oil refineries in Indramayu is the Balongan Oil Refinery which is located in Balongan District.
Source: Indramayu Regency Website, Wikipedia
Get in touch with us by filling out the form. Whether you expanding your business to West Java or buying goods from West Java, our team is ready to assist you every step of the way.
Online and Offline 
Ind
Eng