W a r u n g K o p i

[ganjawulung]

W a r u n g

Almost any Javanese – if not any Indonesian – is familiar with this word: warung. A special word that contains essential meaning of “simplicity” in its element. Also “fiendliness”, not formal like “toko” (shop), or “restoran” (restorant). Real warung will never be in formal places like mall or shopping centre.

But yes, warung exists outside in every campuses in Java, and maybe outside Java island. There are many warung makan (simple “eating place” or “coffee corner” for taking simple meal to fill the empty stomach, or even just taking coffee and chatting..) outside any campuses in Java. Yes, you may call such “coffeeing and chatting” corners such this as “warung kopi” too. Don’t say you’re Javanese, if you never drop in such warung.

In Yogyakarta, outside the campus of University of Gadjah Mada, there is a famous but simple warung, called “esgepece” (pls spell it, “es-gay-pay-chay”). This “coffeeing, eating and chatting” corner is not only for students – new or old – but sometimes is dropped by lecturers too. Some business-school students, even put off their daily ties in their necks, just to drop by this “esgepece” warung in Gadjah Mada campus, in Bulak Sumur, Yogyakarta.

Esgepece is an abbreviation of “SGPC”, because this warung is known from their menu “sego pecel”. Sego means nasi, and “pecel” is a very specific Javanese vegetable-food with “sambel” (not to spicy) of molded “kacang” (peanuts) and “lombok” (chilli). Friendly, cozy, and not a formal place…

I spent most of my child-hood in front of a small “warung” (selling many kinds of sweets, cigarettes, simple biscuits and also daily need such as petroleum for hot-stove, or sugar) in Solo, Central Java in the mid-fifties, and 1960-s. And also “warung kopi” (just to drink coffe, and light meals) about 50 meters from my home. No hypermarts, or shopping mall in Solo at that time…

This simple “warung kopi” that sells “bubur kacang ijo” (porridge of mung beans) not far from home, is owned by a kampung-woman, a villager, just like most of any warung in Solo or other cities in Java. And like in any warung, the woman-owner never behaves “bossy” to her guest. She never shows to her guess, that she is the owner of that simple warung. But she is always serving very politely. Sometimes, this warung owner becomes a good chatting friend for his lonely guess, who comes alone just to drink coffe and wants to chatt on anything. Every warung owner, respects their guess...

Warung kopi, is certainly a simple, cozy, not formal place for everyone to drink and chatt. Warung is for everybody. Even you are a “tukang becak” (bechak or tricycle driver). Chatting for tens of minutes in the long wooden bench with other “warunger” or the owner in a friendly tone, is always allowed. In “esgepece”, some serious students even sometimes talking “serious things” in a friendly and not formal tone in such long wooden bench, while eating “sego pecel”.

In the different atmosphere, in Europe, you may find such “less formal” places to drink coffee and chatt – sometimes – serious thinking in a friendly manner, like in café in Paris. I remember, Café Deux Magots and Café de Flor in Saint-Germain-des-Pres, at Le Quartier Latin. Yes, these are the most popular cafés in Paris and were known because of certain prominent French figures, such as Simone de Beauvoir and the existencialist Jean-Paul Sartre liked to drop by in these cafés. It is told, that they had been drinking coffee and chatting, talking their brilliant ideas too in their days, at this less formal places near Sorbonne…

This is just my simple sharing. I just share my simple opinion and small experience to you, but I don’t mean it as a reply to any certain post in this lovely forum…

Ganjawulung