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International Journal of Marine Science 2014, Vol.4, No.22, 197-209
http://ijms.biopublisher.ca
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Karimun seems like one island which is only
separated by a small river. Thus no longer separation
between Wong Karimun and “Wong Pulau” because
their identity seems more absorbed to identity as
“Wong Karimun”.
"Wong Karimun" refers to people who are lived in
Karimunjawa island, viewed by having a more
sophisticated and advanced civilization when compared
to people in the other small islands. Meanwhile,
concept of "Wong Pulau" is a stereotype which
symbolizes of underdevelopment and cultural
inferiority. Despite the cultural dichotomy is socially
constructed by Karimun people, it is recognized and
realized by people in small islands. Karimunjawa
Islands history has noted that there has been a cultural
hegemony among people in Karimun to people in the
small islands. Apparently, to reinforce and perpetuate
the domination of the economy, "Wong Karimun" has
been constructing a cultural hegemony puts of the
small islanders as subordination. Thus economically
as well as culturally make dependency among ‘Wong
Pulau’ to Wong Karimun. This phenomenon probably
can be explained by theory of Robert Redfield on
cultural relations between large and small tradition
(Redfield, 1956). Karimunjawa evolves culture which
can be viewed as "the great tradition", while the small
island culture can be seen as 'the little tradition’. In its
development, little tradition-oriented and the great
tradition both are closely related. The great need of
support and recognition of the little tradition, while
the little tradition requires a supply of cultural
elements to develop it. However, on the one hand
"Wong Karimun" wants to perpetuate economic
domination and cultural hegemony of "Wong Pulau”,
then on the contrary" Wong Pulau' try to escape from
subordination of "Wong Karimun".
B. The mystical world on Parang Island
One of interesting remark for "Wong island" cemented
by ‘Wong Karimun’ is a mystical world. In is
represent as a symbol of power which is inherited
from generation to generation. Small island
community which is well-known as the world center
of mystical and magical thing is in Parang. Parang
island situated to the west of the Karimunjawa island.
It took about two hours away by speed boat from
Karimunjawa island to Parang island. There is no
regular shipping between the two islands. Thus the
economic relationship between the two islands is not
well developed. Similarly, because nothingness server
communication with a cell phone so Parang island is
also very difficult to be accessed.
Historical background describes of the early people in
Parang is pirates. It is increasingly armature
impression. "Wong Karimun" up to now believe that
Wong Pulau still do many things related on mystical
scented to solve problems in relation with social
traditions such as witchcraft. It may be as "social
technology" inherited from generation to generation of
traditional society.
Image of the mystical world is still preserved in
collective memory, even though it is no longer widely
used by Parang people anymore. It is interesting that
some people enjoy stigma precisely as a machete
community surrounded by mystical world including
wizards, it is because of predicate "Wong Pulau" still
have a supernatural powers and witchcraft as a
"physical destruction technology or even to kill
somebody”. Until now, this stigma is given by "Wong
Karimun" to "Wong Pulau".
C. Education: sharpening dichotomy
As the small islands, Karimunjawa has long history of
modern and advanced educational achievement when
it compared to the other small islands in Indonesia.
Since 1911 the Dutch colonial had already established
a primary school in Karimunjawa. Recently, the
education development among the islands are quite
different, it is visible by number of schools in the
Islands (Figure 3).
Figure 3 Number of education facilitates in Karimunjawa
Islands in 2014
Based on the data above, it is clearly gives an
overview of disparities in modern education services.
Historical background shows that Karimunjawa island
since 17th century had been grown into a center of