cirebon cultural tourism March, 10 2025
History of Sunyaragi urban village
Prior to becoming an urban village, Sunyaragi was a portion of a village that expanded. The region was formerly part of the parent village of Geraksan, which made Sunyaragi an independent village. The separation of Sunyaragi Village from Geraksan Village marked a new administrative unit in 1969. which was an important change in the administrative history of the area. This division reflected the dynamics of population growth and changes in governance in the area.
According to its etymology, “panyepi” implies a place that is serene, quiet, or lonely, while “raga” alludes to the physical body or human self. These two words are the source of the term “Sunyaragi.” The villagers chose the name Sunyaragi because it was formerly a hallowed place for hermits, influenced by the philosophical and spiritual ideals they held at the time.
At the moment, Sunyaragi Urban Village is a subdistrict close to the city of Cirebon in Kesambi District, Cirebon City, West Java.. It is directly adjacent to the boundaries: to the north, it borders Pekiringan – Kesambi; to the south, it borders Karyamulya – Harjamukti; to the east, it borders Drajat – Harjamukti; and to the west, it borders Tuk Village – Kalikoa Village
Overview the background
From the interviews and observations conducted, the author found that the use of Cirebonese “bebasan” (a polite or formal version of the language) has become rare among the people in the Sunyaragi area. They primarily speak a hybrid language, which consists of Indonesian and Cirebonese “padinan,” an unpleasant dialect of the language, yet occasionally they simply speak Indonesian in daily interactions. This shows a decline in the identity related to language in the Sunyaragi region.
From a cultural perspective, not everyone in the Sunyaragi area experiences the existing cultural values; only a few places still maintain their cultural heritage to this day. For example, the Kinurakim community actively practices and preserves the Rajaban tradition, which takes place on the night of Jum’at Kliwon according to the Javanese calendar, coinciding with the month of Rajab in the Hijri calendar. In this tradition, all residents of the Kinurakim area participate by contributing food determined by the community leaders. They collect the food at one of the villagers’ homes, wrap it, and distribute it after a communal prayer event. This prayer gathering welcomes the holy month of Ramadan and honors the ancestors or the first people who lived in the area. The community named “Kinurakim” after their ancestors.
Potential to Development the urban village
Concerned about the potential loss of language and cultural factors in the Sunyaragi urban village, the head of Sunyaragi village is working to preserve this culture for future generations. To achieve this, they have established a monthly activity called “TOMPONIMI.” This program focuses on studying the origins of place names, rivers, and forests, while also exploring identity, history, culture, and the relationship between people and their environment.
Through this initiative, Sunyaragi village aims to create a “TOMPONIMI BOOK” that documents information about place names in the area. To make this book a reality, the village head organizes monthly TOMPONIMI activities in the village office hall. During these events, neighborhood heads from different areas in Sunyaragi share information about the history and origins of place names, rivers, and other local features. Each month, a different neighborhood head leads the activity.
