What’s in a Name?

Throughout history, Cirebon has called by a bewildering number of names and spellings by different groups of people: Charabom (Portuguese); Tjeribon and Cheribon (Dutch); Tjirebon and Cirebon (Sundanese); Tjaruban, Caruban, Tjarbon, Carbon, and Cerbon (Cirebon Javanese).

The official Indonesian spelling is currently Cirebon (CHEE-ray-bone), meaning ”shrimp waters” due to the abundance of small fresh water shrimp (“rebon”) found in local rivers (“ci”). These shrimp are the main ingredient in a popular fermented shrimp condiment (terasi) for which Cirebon is famous, accounting for Cirebon’s nickname of Kota Udang: “Shrimp Town”.

The Cirebon people refer to their area as Cerbon (CHER-bone), a word meaning “mixture” in reference to the mixture of Hindu, Buddhist and Islamic artistic and spiritual traditions that is the inspiration of Cirebon art and culture. I tend to use the Indonesian name, unless the context is in the Cirebon Javanese language.