The Madurese (, Pegon script: أَوريڠ مادْوراْ; ; ) are one of the Austronesian ethnic groups native to the Indonesian island of Madura and northern part of Eastern salient of Java, off the northeastern coast of Java. They speak their own native Madurese (with diverse varieties), sharing a common history, traditions, and cultural identity. Nationwide, the Madurese are the fifth-largest ethnic group in Indonesia, and one of the well-known Indonesian national dishes, Satay, is associated with the Madurese as part of their rich culinary heritage. They are also known as the largest owners of traditional grocery shops in Indonesia.
About six million native Madurese are living on their ancestral land, Madura Island, and around half a million reside in eastern Java, mainly in the regencies of Jember, Banyuwangi, and others. The Madurese population in Java forms a subgroup called the Pandalungan Madurese, who speak a blend of Javanese and Madurese.
The Madurese are not only known as the inventors of satay but also as the creators of the Karapan sapi bull race. The group have historically been pioneers of classical Islamic religious movements in Indonesia, with the Pondok Pesantren serving as a vital center for Madurese Muslims to study Islam, particularly Indonesian Islam. In addition to being merchants, the Madurese diaspora is traditionally known for farming and practicing the Pencak silat martial art. The Madurese men often work with their cultural Clurit sickles, wearing distinctive cultural clothing characterized by red and white stripes derived from the Majapahit naval flag (a historical eastern Javanese empire that once controlled Madura Island). Other colors like black, red, yellow, white, green, and blue are also considered cultural symbols, as seen in their traditional Madurese-style batik.
Population and distribution
Official and academic data on the population of Madurese people vary considerably. During the nationwide population census conducted in Indonesia in 2010, the Madurese people made up 3.03% of the country's population, that is 7,179,356 people. In any case, the Madurese people are among the largest ethnics of Indonesia, thus, according to the statistics of the 2010 census, they occupy the fourth largest ethnic group after the Javanese people, Sundanese people, and Batak people. There are also small Madurese communities in the countries of Southeast Asia adjacent to Indonesia, particularly, in Singapore.
Language
thumb|left|300px|The area of the [[Madurese language on Madura Island and north eastern of Java Island is marked with green.]]
thumb|Distribution of Madurese language in Madura and eastern part of Java.
The Madurese people speak the Madurese language, which belongs to the Austronesian family, more specifically the Malayo-Sumbawan group. It is divided into several dialects. Linguistically, there are different points of view regarding the dialects of the Madurese language. Older works would normally identify two or four dialects, but modern specialists have concluded that there are six dialects. The most developed dialect in the lexical terms is the Sumenep dialect, which underlies the literary Madurese language. The most common variety is Bangkalan dialect, which often functions as a lingua franca between Madurese people from different localities. In addition to these native languages, many are also fluent in Indonesian, the national language.
Religion
The majority of Madurese practice Sunni Islam. Characteristically, unlike a significant part of their fellow religious Indonesians, Madurese people enjoy a reputation as very zealous adherents of Islam. Muslim theologians play an important role in their spiritual and social life. A significant part of the Madurese people is trained in traditional Pesantren Muslim schools, which play an important role in their spiritual and social life. preferably to a first or second cousin. If the proposal is accepted, the bride's parents are then presented with the "bride price", which is usually cattle. The groom's parents then set the date for the upcoming wedding. Newlywed couples often live with the bride's family. Islam is an integral part of the social, political and economic life of the Madurese.
The main traditional occupations of the Madurese are animal farming, which mainly includes breeding of cattle, goats, horses, poultry and fighting cocks. The Madurese are known for herding cattle, hence they are often referred by a common nickname as the "cowboys" of Indonesia. Cattle are an important part of the culture, and bull-racing is one of their favorite sports. where agriculture is practiced more widely and have developed to a lesser degree. The main crops are such as corn, cassava, rice, tobacco, beans and cloves. Among craftsmen, tanning, pottery, batik manufacturing, blacksmithing, as well as small vassals and boat builders are also important occupations. In coastal areas, the Madurese are actively engaged in fishing, Lastly, the Madurese people also enjoyed a reputation in the region as skilled seafarers. Madurese residents of large cities, particularly in eastern Surabaya are actively involved in modern economic sectors. As a result of this program, more than half of the ethnic Madurese people currently living outside of their customary homeland had settled in many regions of Indonesia, where communities of former transmigrants and their descendants that still maintain their Madurese identity.
Madurese people have lived on the territory of Java for several centuries, forming the ethnic majority in some of the north-eastern regions of the island. They tend to get along well with the Javanese people about language, culture, and way of life. Mixed marriages between Javanese and Madurese people are also common. Moreover, in some areas of eastern Java, there are significant communities of descendants of such pendalungan marriages, which are distinguished by their unique cultural traditions that combine Madurese and Javanese elements to varying degrees. In the Sambas conflict, both Malays and Dayaks people massacred the Madurese people. Tens of thousands of Madurese people from Kalimantan were forced to move to Madura and Java. By the mid-2000s, the situation has somewhat stabilized and enabled the return of most of the Madurese resettlement back in Kalimantan.
Folk art and traditional attire
thumb|upright|left|Traditional Madurese dancers, circa 1890–1917
Culturally the Madurese people are close enough to eastern Javanese that they share similar forms of folklore, music (including gamelan), dance, and shadow theater or wayang. The traditional attire, however, is very specific to the Madurese people. Men would wear a completely black long-skirted coat with a wide belt, which most often hooks under a shirt that comes in broad red and white stripes, along with a checkered sarong. While women would have donned a dark blue or mottled jacket over a sarong. Such competitions are typical of Madura, where they serve as its main tourist attraction. Races are held annually in August and October in different localities, after which their winners compete in the final round, which is traditionally held in Pamekasan. Races are usually accompanied by gamelan performances and folk festivities.
By the end of the 1980s, the popularity of Madurese bull racing had grown so much that the winner of the competition would be awarded with a prize on behalf of the president of Indonesia.
Brawling
Traditionally, in terms of the socio-economic life of the Madurese people, there had been a visible impact on their national character. They are often characterized as hard workers, stubborn, courageous, possessing integrity, loyal, generous, fair; and, at the same time, sharpness, resentment, extreme frugality, isolation, arrogant, hot-tempered, prone to violence and distrust towards strangers - especially against the backdrop of kindness and sociability of their neighbors such as the Javanese people.
In rural areas, the Madurese still practice an ancient tradition of vendetta, called ' (also spelled charok), which literally means "battle of honor". In the 1990s, law enforcement agencies in each of the four districts in Madura recorded dozens of cases each year. The killing may provoke resentment, quite small by the standards of ordinary European or Indonesian. According to local criminal statistics, most of the reason for such attacks are usually molestation of women or property dispute, but it often happens that the Madurese's cruel revenge is motivated by an insufficiently polite treatment or insult in public places to one's honor.
The instrument of revenge used in this dueling is often the traditional Madurese crescent knife, celurit which is the most common peasant weapon and in some areas and also the attribute of traditional male attire. In such cases, the avenger usually prepares the celurit in advance in an event of dueling by casting special spells on the weapon.
Sometimes, in the "battle of honor" are involved several people from each side are involved - relatives and friends of the offender and the offended- and then it turns into a bloodbath. Such massive bloodshed has repeatedly occurred in Madura, even in the 21st century. The most famous incident in recent years, a mass carok occurred on 13 July 2006 in Bujur Tengah village, Pamekasan Regency, East Java, Indonesia, resulting stabbing and killing of seven men and seriously injuring nine people.
Notable people
Halim Perdanakusuma, national hero of Indonesia
Bhante Jayamedho Thera, Theravada Buddhist monk who was born in Surabaya
Marissa Haque, Indonesian actress and politician of partial Madurese ancestry
Muhammad Noer, former governor of East Java and former ambassador of Indonesia to France