Glenmore

Glenmore
Many times I dream about jobs consist of far away journey, enjoyable outdoors, observing hidden places, and privileges to meet as many communities I can find. It has become my usual practice to search articles related with heterogeneous society and googgling about certain community with its own uniqueness. I ain’t study about the anthropological side of a society, but I’d rather sneak-in to those society to learn about their language. To find out more how a certain language developed within a society. And the word sneak-in I chose, indeed gives misleading impression, sounds like a thief or clandestine lover. But it is true that I ain’t invited guest, who has indirect watchful eye to any single words flowering their lips. One by one, I captured any single phrase, terms, diction, within their chosen words used to explain something for me. Since they didn’t realize that one more term already transfered into my comprehension, that’s how I begin to feel like sneak-in to somebody mansion.

Glenmore, is my recent destination. Don’t bother to assume that it’s located near Virginia, US or even in Scotland, since it’s not far from part of earth where I put my slippers on. Glenmore is a district in Banyuwangi, East Java, or perhaps the edge of this island and close enough to Bali. This place offer its own uniqueness, not forget to mention the scenery but also the heterogeneous community inside of it.

The famous Mount Raung crater offer its beauty, and the eminence of the peak mentioned in the top-12 mountain in Indonesia. Precisely how a climbers chosen term to explain top of mountain which is 3.000 above the sea level or more. The challenge to reach Raung’s peak becomes a dream of every climber, which you can pull me out from it. Most of the climber usually only able to reach at the edge of the crater, but to climb higher perform greater risk which most people have to calculate wisely on. Glenmore offer the easier passage to reach the top, but for a beginner like me, I’d rather lingering to a brief story the adventure team give to me. Once again, trekking isn’t my biggest interest of my journey. Long hours conversation will satisfy me more, to learn different pattern of Javanesse language.

Fortunately, this journey allows me to meet few Glenmore’s resident talking in unique language, called Osing. My first impression hearing this language dragged me into a guess if it’s related with Madurese language. But the more I listen, the more uniqueness I captured, that the Madurese language only a tiny part of that language. Osing or Using is a community claimed to be the descendants of the Majapahit princes who refused to convert its belief in Islam in the 16th century. Majapahit as the biggest national kingdom which build Indonesia today, face dusk of its power as the Islam era reach Java, while Majapahit still uphold its precious Hindu religion. They’d rather run to a far away places, like Banyuwangi, and Tengger, and the society developed by this refugee called the Osing.

This language are commonly speak in Banyuwangi region, and sometimes called as a Blambangan language regarding to the name of Banyuwangi centuries ago. Within the language, also be found big influence of Balinese language, Madurese, Javanese, and some of them also influenced by English. Osing, refer to the word Tusing in Balinese language, which means, not.

Its dialect sounds more like ancient Javanese language, which is also similar to Balinese language. Though in this region, Javanese language is easier to be found, but we still easily find people who still speak Osing language in their daily conversation. English influence also be found in this language, such as Sulung refer to So long, and Nagud which is refer to No good in English, which also means not good.

The Dutch colonialism also bring influence within the society, specially in converting Osing community to Islam and Christianity to tame the fighting spirit of this community. But converting someone belief isn’t as easy as a blink of an eye, that’s why large Hindu population still prevail among the Osing society till this very moment. And the Glenmore, also came from Dutch colonialist to name one of their tea plantation there. My next post will describe their unique activities, and amazing thoughts which come out as their way of life. Hope you’re not be bored :)