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:''This article is about the city of Cirebon. For the regency, see Cirebon Regency.
'Cirebon' (formerly 'Cheribon') is a city on north coast of the Indonesian island of Java. It is located in West Java province, approximately 297 km east of Jakarta, at .

Contents

Etymology

Demographics & Culture

Administration

History

Notable places

References

Etymology

Its name is often said to be derived from the Sundanese words of "Cai" (or river) and "Rebon" (or "shrimp"). (Indeed the main production of the city is fishery including shrimps.) The alternative Javanese derivation is from "Caruban", meaning "mixture"--a reference to Cirebon's complex mix of Javanese, Malay, Sundanese, Chinese and Arabic cultural elements. While Indonesians from outside of Cirebon pronounce the name CHEE-ray-bone, locals say Cher-BONE.
Aside from fishery, its harbour, Tanjung Emas, to the Java Sea has been a major hub for timbers from Borneo. A small landing site "Penggung" also serves for the AURI. The city also lies on the major connection road in the north coast of Java, spans from Anyer passing through Jakarta and ends at Surabaya. This road called Jalur Pantura ( 'Pan'tai 'U'ta'ra' Jawa ).

Demographics & Culture

The city population is 223,776. Similar with other coastal cities in Indonesia, a large population of ethnic Chinese flocked in the city as a result of long-term China immigrants since the seventeenth century.
Cirebon itself is known as ''Grage'' in the Cirebon dialect of Javanese language, which came from the words "Ne'gara' 'Ge'de", meaning "Great Kingdom."
Although surrounded by Sundanese speaking areas in West Java, linguists have stated clearly that Cirebon (and the historically related region of Banten) are Javanese language areas. In addition, this is supported by Cirebon people referring to themselves as "wong Jawa" ("Javanese people"), and to their language as "basa Jawa" ("Javanese"). However, the Cirebon dialect is sufficiently different from the dominant south central Javanese dialect that it is sometimes assumed to be non-Javanese by outsiders.
See also: Java, languages map.
As a coastal city, Cirebon's main production is fishery industries. Its products include ''terasi'' (shrimp paste), shrimp crackers and salted fish. Cirebon is known for local foods, such as ''nasi lengko'' (rice mixed with bean sprouts, fried tofu and fermented soybean cake), ''nasi jamblang'' (rice of various side dishes), ''empal gentong'' ( a kind of curry ), ''tahu gejrot'' (fried tofu with red sugar topping), ''tahu tek-tek'' (fried tofu topped with peanut sauce and mixed with vegetables) and ''ayam panggang'' (barbecue chicken). Other native food is "Docang" (rice cake with sour vegetable soup).

Administration

Cirebon is divided into five subdistricts: Harjamukti, Kejaksan, Kesambi, Lemahwungkuk, and Pekalipan.

History

A major event in Cirebon's colonial history was the massive famine of 1844, apparently triggered by a combination of drought and the shift from subsistence agriculture to cash crops, particularly indigo and sugarcane, that had begun as a result of Dutch colonial policy in the 1830s.

Notable places

Wali Songo, especially Sunan Gunung Jati, is known to have influenced the city history. Sunan Gunung Jati's grave is located several kilometres outside the city, in a district called Gunung Jati. There are two temples and a cave system built by two Chinese architects around 1880s, decorated by Chinese and Western porcelain. Trusmi village, about five kilometers outside of Cirebon, is famous for batik production. Plangon is an inhabitant of monkeys.
Kraton Kasepuhan, Kraton Kacirebonan, Kraton Kanoman are Sultan Palaces in Cirebon.

References

★ Graaf, H. J. de (Hermanus Johannes), 1899-(?), "Chinese Muslims in Java in the 15th and 16th centuries : the Malay Annals of Semarang and Cerbon / translated and provided with comments by H.J. de Graaf and Th.G.Th. Pigeaud ; edited by M.C. Ricklefs. Publisher: [Melbourne] : Monash University, 1984. Description: xiii, 221 p. : folded map ; 21 cm. ISBN 0867464194 : Series: Monash papers on Southeast Asia ; no. 12