This study explores cultural fusion in architecture through the acculturation seen in Rumah Joglo. It examines how traditional Javanese culture influences and blends with modern architectural elements. Using architectural analysis and historical documentation, the research highlights how Rumah Joglo adapts to cultural changes and technological advancements. The findings underscore the house’s reflection of strong cultural identity and its role as a significant example of integrating traditional heritage with contemporary architecture through acculturations.
The Joglo traditional house (Rumah Joglo) comes from the word tajug loro which is abbreviated (Juglo) and the pronunciation is changed to Joglo over time. This name is taken from the shape of the roof which forms like two mountains in a row. Tajug loro itself means two mountains, which are sacred places for Javanese philosophy. The Joglo house has a unique design that combines the culture or acculturation of each traditional house.
Dating back to the 16th century, this traditional house from the provinces of Central Java and East Java shows off its beauty with a Tajug-shaped roof and four main pillars called “soko guru”. Joglo houses are usually used as residences and places of deliberation, generally built by people of high status. Joglo architecture has its own types and characteristics, such as the Joglo Pencu which has a combination of Javanese, Persian, Chinese and European architectural styles, but is dominated by Islamic culture as its main characteristic.
On every wall and pillar supporting it, there are many beautiful carvings. Usually in the form of tendrils, plants, animals and crowns. This is one of the specialties of the joglo house. However, because of its specialty, the joglo house began to be abandoned and forgotten. Why is the joglo house abandoned? What are the factors that make it no longer attractive to the public? This article aims to discuss the issues of why joglo houses are starting to be forgotten, and also remind them of their specialty so that they are not lost.
Rumah Joglo Pencu has so much philosophy and unique history. This traditional house, which was built around 1,500 years ago, uses 95% teak wood as its building material with various intricate carvings in every corner of the building. One of the factors that make traditional Kudus houses distinctive is the number of carvings on various elements of the house.
According to local lore, the art of Kudus carving was inherited by a Chinese named Telingsing, who is said to have lived in the current village of Sunggingan, long before the arrival of Ja’far Shadiq (Sunan Kudus) to Kudus. According to Solichin Salam, the name Sunggingan comes from the Chinese name Sun Ging An, a Muslim immigrant who came to Kudus with Kyai Telingsing. Apart from being preachers, they were also experts in carving. The place where Sun Ging An and his colleagues settled was later named Sunggingan. The word “Sunggingan” also means carving, and “menyungging” means carving. (Salam, 1994, p. 80).
The early appearance of traditional Kudus houses was characterized by pencu roofs and rich carved ornaments, this happened because of the increasing standard of living of the community. There is a relationship between the standard of living of the community and the number or lack of carved ornaments on traditional houses.
There are two main factors that influence the existence of traditional houses, namely the standard of living of the people and carved ornaments. The people of kudus improved their quality of life with the sugar factory and cigarette business. But unfortunately, all kinds of stability and wealth of the Kudus people did not last so long, especially when the VOC forced cultivation took place. The people of Kudus began to lose their property and income, this drastic economic change was burdensome for the people of Kudus and really broke down the caste of the people. This period of the house lasted only two or three generations.
The completeness of carvings and the shape of traditional houses in Kudus are determined by the economic level of the owners, whether they are in the upper-middle or lower-middle socio-economic strata. Based on the completeness of the carvings, traditional houses in Kudus can be categorized into houses with rich carvings and houses with simple carvings.
The shape of traditional Kudus houses can be divided into four types, namely the payon or kampung type, limasan, dara gepak (a combination of kampung and limasan types), and joglo. Based on the footprint pattern, traditional Kudus houses are divided into three types: single closed, single open, and row (Wikantari, 1994, p. 69). The carvings of each house have different meanings depending on the owner, depending on what the owner wants to convey and how rich the owner of the house is.
In the Joglo Pencu House, right in the family room, there are four pillars that support the room. The pillars are a symbolic reminder that families must be able to support or control their four emotions in the form of anger, lawwah, shofiyah, and murmainnah. There is also one pillar that stands in the living room is symbolic of “God,” a reminder to the residents of the house to always obey Allah SWT. On the roof, there are distinctive holes. The holes in the roof can be interpreted as the philosophy of the Holy People on life that is always open and accepting (advantages, disadvantages, happiness, pain suffering and also gratitude).
Apart from the carvings, Joglo Pencu has an unusual architecture. This building is designed to be earthquake resistant and can be dismantled. This aims to make it easier for residents to move around.
With all the cultural and historical richness, then why did Joglo Pencu begin to be abandoned by its residents and only built for two-three generations? This was influenced by the economy of the Kudus people which began to decline during the VOC forced colonization. Joglo houses use teak wood which is known to be strong but expensive. The difficulty of obtaining teak wood and its processing, makes teak wood an expensive wood. The complexity of the carvings and the disassembled design also makes this house unable to be done by just any craftsman.
Only experts can carve and build a Joglo house that is full of details. The safety factor of the Joglo Pencu house is also another factor why ordinary craftsmen cannot carelessly build it. The unassembled structure needs special attention so that the house is not easily damaged. The soaring prices of materials and builders coupled with the difficult maintenance of the house are the main factors why Kudus residents no longer build Joglo Pencu houses. Kudus residents can only maintain and pass down the house to their heirs.
Unfortunately, due to the old wood, some of the houses have lost their original shape due to weathering and remodeling.
The Joglo traditional house comes from the word “tajug loro” meaning two mountains, reflecting the Javanese philosophy of the sacredness of mountains.
This house, which emerged in the 16th century in Central and East Java, was usually built by high-status people for living and deliberation. The Joglo Pencu house, one type, blends Javanese, Persian, Chinese and European architecture, with the dominance of Islamic culture.
The specialty of Joglo houses lies in the beautiful carvings depicting vines, plants, animals and crowns. However, these houses are starting to be abandoned due to economic factors and the complexity of their manufacture, such as the use of expensive teak wood and intricate carving techniques.
The art of Kudus carving, influenced by the Chinese preachers Telingsing and Sun Ging An, adds to the cultural richness of this house. In the 19th century, the rising standard of living of the Kudus people made it possible to build houses with rich carvings. However, the VOC’s forced cultivation system worsened the economy, so these traditional houses only lasted two-three generations.
The Joglo Pencu house has a deep philosophy with four pillars symbolizing emotional control and one pillar as a symbol of God. Despite its innovative earthquake-resistant architecture and demountable design, economic factors and technical complexity have made the Joglo Pencu house less and less common.
Literasi :
– https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=id&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=sejarah+rumah+joglo+pencu&btnG=#d
=gs_qabs&t=1718633951930&u=%23p%3DIkrXGN9V4tAJ
– https://www.gramedia.com/literasi/sejarah-rumah-adat-joglo/
– https://chatnews.id/read/mengulik-joglo-pencu-bangunan-khas-kudus-hasil-akulturasi-hindu-budaya-e ropa
– https://lingkarjateng.id/news/kaya-akulturasi-budaya-begini-uniknya-rumah-adat-joglo-pencu-di-kudu s/
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