RELATIONSHIP STUDY BETWEEN THE EMERGENCE OF FOOD STALLS AND SMOKING BEHAVIOR IN KUDUS MOSQUE’S INTERSECTION AREA

Abstract

Kudus, known as "The City of Santri", is a historically significant town in Central Java, Indonesia, celebrated for its rich cultural heritage and deep-rooted Islamic traditions. At its core stands the Menara Kudus Mosque, an architectural marvel that embodies the town's enduring Islamic history, influenced by the Hindu acculturation. Over time, the vicinity of this iconic mosque has undergone transformations to accommodate the burgeoning number of visitors, evolving into a bustling hub teeming with shops, restaurants, and food stalls. Yet, beneath the layers of religious importance lies another facet of Kudus' identity – its prominence in the tobacco industry, housing some of the largest cigarette manufacturers within its city limits. Amidst this intricate tapestry of culture and industry, local eateries and food stalls have evolved into social epicentres for both residents and students in the area to socialize and smoking. This research endeavours to unravel the underpinnings of smoking practices within this locale, shedding light on how a place of such cultural importance has become linked with the habit of smoking. The approach taken is by taking place-centred observation in the area. From the data, a further analysis will be conducted by examining the observation result and the relation of each aspect that influence it. After that, it is expected to find out which factor contributes in the emergence of the smoking behaviour and determine the role of food stalls there on this phenomenon.