Pekalongan Regency

Pekalongan is a regency (Indonesian: kabupaten) on the north coast of Central Java province in Indonesia. Its administrative centre was formerly at Pekalongan city, but since that city was administratively separated, the regency's capital is now Kajen. Pekalongan residents are well known for their pursuit of perfection regarding the Indonesian traditional clothing called Batik.

The Dutch name of the regency is 'Pacalongan'.

History

The word Pekalongan is believed to be derived from the Javanese word, Topo Ngalong, which means "bat-like meditation".

Geography

The northern part of the Pekalongan Regency is lowland, while the southern part of the regency is highland. Pekalongan regency consists of 19 districts, which are divided into 285 villages. Kajen, the regency capital, is located in the middle of the regency, about 25 km south of Pekalongan City.

Tourism

In the southern part of regency there is a mountainous tourist area named Linggo Asri, which includes bathing area, relics of lingga and yoni, playground and pine forest. There are also Pekalongan Hindu communities here.

Traditional foods

Pekalongan offers several traditional foods, such as:

Sego Megono (Megono Rice)

Sego Megono is rice with sliced young jackfruit and grated coconut. It is savory and spicy, it's usually served while still hot with an additional menu of fresh vegetables and fried fish. Sego megono is usually wrapped in teak leaves or banana leaves. Some people also call it "Sego Gori" (Jackfruit Rice). Cite your Sources

Soto Tauto Pekalongan (Pekalongan Tauto Soup)

Soto tauto is a kind of meat soup with thick sauce made with tauto (fermented soy), buffalo meat and bowel.

Pindang Tetel

A kind of soup, where the seasoning sauce are processed with ripe pucung fruit.

Iwak Panggang (Smoked Fish)

This food is made of fish that is processed by smoking the fish, the fish will change its color, flavor and aroma. This food can be found in Pekalongan traditional markets.

Wajik Kletik

Wajik Kletik is some kind of cake with diamond shape made from glutinous rice plus brown sugar and grated coconut mixed together.

Kopi Tahlil

Kopi tahlil is made from a blend of pure coffee with spices like ginger, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, pandanus leaves, lemongrass, and nutmeg.

Apem Kesesi

Apem kesesi is made from rice flour and palm/red sugar, the food was pretty famous in pekalongan surrounding areas particularly in the western part up to the Comal, because it also markets to Comal traditional markets, many people also recognize this food as Apem Comal.

Education

There are several college and academy in Pekalongan Regency

• College of Islamic Studies (STAIN) Pekalongan
• Muhammadiyah Polytechnic Pekalongan, Kajen
• College of Health Sciences (STIKES) Muhammadiyah Pekajangan
• Academy of Health Analysis (AAK) Pekalongan
• STIKAP (Islamic High School Kyai Ageng Pekalongan) YMI Wonopringgo Pekalongan

Health Facilities

There are several health facilities in Pekalongan Regency

• Pekajangan Islamic Hospital (RSI) in Ambokembang, Kedungwuni District
• Kajen General Hospital (RSU) in Karanganyar District
• Kraton General Hospital (RSU) in Pekalongan

Natives

• Adi Kurdi (Indonesian Actor)
• Dharsono Hartono Rekso (1st ASEAN Secretary General)
• Abdul Hakim Garuda Nusantara (lawyers, human rights defenders)
• Zainal Abidin Domba (Indonesian Actor)
• Rudy Hadisuwarno (Professional Hairdresser)

Dialects

Pekalongan people have their own dialect, the dialects usually ending an order sentence with the word "ra". For example: "ojo koyo kui ra" (don't be like that). On the southern regency the dialect differs a little, where most possibility sentence is followed by the word "ndean", other typical southern pekalongan dialect is the use of word Cok-e which means "maybe". Some example are: "wis mangan, ndean!? wis mangan, cok-e!?" ("have he eat? maybe he has?"). There are other typical dialect like the use of the word "pak ora si" which means "It doesn't matter".