• The Southeast Asian review
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.39-80
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• 2019

This article examines the reason why Indonesian Javanese are using their traditional medicine jamu. Tracing the cultural logic of Javanese, this study observes the space and the process in which the demand on jamu is culturally constructed. In order to address this, the article focuses on Javanese family and their royal court, the spaces where jamu originated from and has been used. Then, the discussion proceeds to identify jamu as a medium to construct rukun(harmony) and tentram(peace), as well as to express and ensure Javanese cosmology. Along with the research, the article argues that: 1) jamu is an embodiment of Javanese local knowledge system into which Javanese consciousness, notions, knowledge, and techniques integrate; 2) the health achieved by using jamu is what Javanese call tentram, which encompasses physical, mental, spiritual and social dimensions of health; 3) the health of tentram has the value of a resource that becomes the foundation to build a good, prosperous society.