Religious and Cultural Embodiment in the Land of Osing: A Portrait of Hadrami Community in Banyuwangi, East Java

Abstract

This paper investigates the portrait of Hadrami community in the land of Osing in Banyuwangi, East Java. Banyuwangi is one of the legendary towns where the Majapahit kingdom’s heritage was well preserved. This town is associated with indigenous ethnic people known as Osing, who have their own traditions, language, customs, and culture. Madurese, Javanese, Sundanese, Chinese, Europeans, and Hadramis are among the other ethnic groups that inhabit this region. Its diversity of languages, ethnic groups, and religions made Banyuwangi a welcoming place for Hadramis for centuries. During the Dutch East Indies, Hadramis conducted extensive trade via the island’s South Sea; this area was a trading port in East Javat. Hadrami community have permanently lived in the land of Osing since the early 18th century, bringing their livelihood, inter-ethnic marriage, Islamic teachings, and Arab culture. Therefore, this research examines religious and cultural embodiments between native people and Hadrami community in the land of Osing. The findings of this research show that Hadrami community in the land of Osing adopted local language for Islamic da‘wah. Furthermore, the Hadrami community has had a cultural impact on fashion, food, music, and religious tourism, with umrah and hajj becoming increasingly popular among native people since the late nineteenth century.