An ethnomathematics study of the days on the Javanese Calendar for learning mathematics in elementary school

Abstract

Ethnomathematics is a mathematical value that presents in a culture. Calendar as a system oftime periods is ethnomathematics. The calendar has days, dates, months, and years. Likewise, theJavanese calendar has years, months, dates, days (7 cycles on a week), and also pasaran (5 cycles on aweek at the Javanese). The use of days in the Javanese calendar can be used as contextual and enrichmentmaterial in learning mathematics. This study aims to reveal the ethnomathematics values on days ofJavanese Calendar as mathematics learning material. It uses qualitative methods that follow theethnomathematics study framework. We took data from the indigenous community at Yogyakarta,Indonesia. Data collection techniques use interviews with traditional elders, and document analysis ofJavanese Primbon (the special of Javanese Book) and mathematics curriculum content. The data analysisis determined by relational ideas of the days on Javanese Calendar, and the mathematics curriculumcontent. The result shows the ethnomathematics value of the remainder and modulo associated withdays in the Javanese Calendar. Based on the results, the days on Javanese Calendar can be incorporated inmathematics learning material. Elaborating the days on Javanese Calendar is the potential for connectingculture and mathematics in the classroom. The days on Javanese Calendar contain mathematics values,and close to students' thoughts, so it can be used in elementary school mathematics class to makelearning mathematics more meaningful.