Javanese people

The Javanese (Wong Jawa), 100 million people of central and eastern Java, are Indonesia's and Southeast Asia's greatest nation, speaking Javanese, the largest Austronesian and regional tongue. Ngoko and krama speech levels order every encounter; courts, mosques and mountain villages share one etiquette of deference. Historically dominating Indonesia's and the region's social, political and cultural stage, Javanese kings built Borobudur and Prambanan, Mataram sultans ruled the interior, and Javanese presidents have ruled the republic. Rice terraces, batik workshops, gamelan orchestras and wayang shadow plays order Javanese time. Yogyakarta sultans, Solo batik masters and the diaspora from Suriname to New Caledonia keep Java's centre holding. One hundred million speak the region's greatest tongue. Largest regional language still grows yearly. Other Indonesian provinces hold Javanese majorities. Social, political and cultural stages still answer to Java. Diaspora communities span three continents. Javanese is studied in every Indonesian school. Central Java's courts still set the etiquette.