cirebon cultural tourism 
Tegalwangi Village, located in Weru Sub-district, Cirebon Regency, West Java, is a village with extraordinary cultural richness and tourism potential. Sprawled across 125 hectares of land at an altitude of ±21 meters above sea level.
The village is inhabited by more than 10,000 people, most of whom work as rattan craftsmen, laborers and traders.
History of Hidden Paradise
During the time when Sunan Gunung Jati spread Islam in Cirebon, there was a figure named Ki Gede Buyut Sasmita who lived in Wadas Block. He had a beautiful daughter named Nyi Mas Semantra.
Because of her beauty, many men proposed to her, so a competition was held with the condition of making lampit from rattan to cover the gedeg (bamboo wall).
One of the participants was Pangeran Kejaksan, a servant of Sunan Kalijaga. He brought rattan (called penjalin in Cirebon language) from Pekalongan, Cirebon, using a pedati. Due to the narrow terrain in the Sikere area, some of the rattan was unloaded there and is known as Blok Jalinan.
Lampit making was done at Kebon Suro, where Nyi Mas Semantra lived. However, because Nyi Mas Semantra felt that she was going to lose, she performed a meditation and manipulated time by creating the sound of chickens and birds in the middle of the night.
As a result, Pangeran Kejaksan stopped his work because he thought it was morning, even though it was not yet finished. His attempt to propose to Nyi Mas Semantra failed.
However, from this story, Pangeran Kejaksan declared that “The women here will marry with lampit-lampit penjalin.” His words became a reality, the Tegalwangi area (formerly called Tegalmantra, after Nyi Mas Semantra) is now known as a center for rattan (penjalin) craftsmen, whose products are widely marketed and even exported.
Until 1904, Tegalwangi consisted of four villages: Tegalwangi Timur (Tegalmantra Timur), Tegalwangi Barat (Tegalmantra Barat), Wadas village, and Asinan village. In 1905, these four villages were merged into one village under the name Tegalwangi Village.
Tegalwangi Local Language and Culture
The local language of people Tegalwangi village speak two main languages: Indonesian and Cirebon, which reflect the local cultural identity. The culture that is still preserved includes various unique traditions such as:
- Curakan: Commonly referred to as saweran, this involves the sowing of small objects, usually pennies, to other villagers as an expression of gratitude.
- Sedekah Bumi: Performed as an expression of gratitude for the abundant crops of the earth. This tradition is carried out to maintain cultural continuity.
- Ngapem: The tradition of distributing apem cakes to the community in the month of Safar before the maulid of the prophet Muhammad SAW.
- Bubur Suro: Cooking porridge to welcome the Islamic New Year on the 10th of Muharram, then distributing it to local residents.
- Arak-arakan (Carnival): The community organizes a carnival featuring various cultural elements. Such as traditional music, dances, and regional costumes. Usually associated with mass circumcision celebrations or other traditional events, but this activity is not only a form of celebration but also an effort to preserve existing culture.
Economic Potential of Tegalwangi Village: Rattan Craft Center
The village is known as the center of rattan handicrafts that not only meet the local market, but also penetrate the international market.
The large number of rattan factories and craftsmen has made this sector the backbone of the village economy. Rattan products from Tegalwangi such as chairs, tables and home decorations have a high aesthetic value and can become a featured icon in the promotion of village economic tourism.
Nature Tourism Potential: Old Wells and Small Plantations
Although, agricultural land such as rice fields has been converted into settlements. Tegalwangi Village still has a historic old well that has the potential to be used as educational and religious tourism. In addition, the yards of residents’ houses planted with cassava can be used as part of simple agricultural tourism (agro-tourism).
The answer from the village head is that the well cannot be used as a tourist spot. Because, there are still differences of opinion between residents. So it is not yet possible to make it a tourist attraction. But this could still be a potential for the future.
Artificial Tourism Potential: Afternoon Market and Handicrafts
Tegalwangi Village has an afternoon market that is an attraction in itself. Many visitors from outside the village come to shop for specialty foods and household appliances. This activity opens up opportunities to develop the village as a culinary and handicraft tourism destination.
Infrastructure and Development Challenges
The infarstruktur of public facilities such as mosques, primary schools and soccer fields are available. However, some road infrastructure is still in poor condition and requires repair to support tourism activities.
The village also faces challenges such as:
- Intense furniture industry competition.
- Lack of regeneration of rattan craftsmen.
- Digitalization and online marketing are not yet optimal.
Recommendations for the Development of Tegalwangi Tourism Village. To optimize the potential of the village, several strategic steps can be applied:
- Increased digital promotion through social media and the village website.
- Digital marketing training for rattan MSME players.
- Collaboration with government agencies and the private sector to support infrastructure and exhibitions.
- Organizing regular gotong royong to strengthen village solidarity and cleanliness.
Author: Evania Sema
