A jukung was seen splitting the stream of water. A man calmly rowed the canoe. He was around 30 years old. His face radiated serenity. His eyes were calm, even with a sign of weariness on his face. A dog stood firmly in the forefront of the canoe, watching around while wagging his tail like a commander that observed his soldiers. The dog was proud to be the guardian of his master. The golden …
For the Kompeni or VOC or Kompeni, the Battle of Diponegoro is the most damaging war they have ever fought. The battle itself only lasted for five years, from 1825 to 1830, but costed the Kompeni a huge fortune, both money and troops. It is by far the biggest loss in the history of Kompeni colonization in the Indonesian archipelago. Battle of Diponegoro killed about 200,000 Javanese, but als…
Bangka was a peaceful, beautiful, and prosperous country surrounded by forests and jungles inhabited by all sorts of flora and fauna. The land was ruled by a wise king who was loved by his people. His name was King Mahmud Malim Demawan. He had a very beautiful queen, Queen Malika Seri Purnama. During his reign, the King had established a peaceful, prosperous, and rich Bangka with abundant na…
It is told that the earth was once filled with mountains and mountain ranges. Some reached dizzying heights while others looked no bigger than a hillock. It was a peaceful and quiet time and all living beings were living together happily without disturbing each other. They lived in harmony and the nature was well cared for. The land of Minahasa was no different. It was a fertile area surroun…
His name was Nirarta. He was a Brahmin descendant, the brother of Dhanghyang Angsoka, and a son to Dhangyang Asmaranatha. Like any other children who were born to Brahmin families, Nirarta spent his childhood and adolescence learning so many different things from several masters. As a student, Nirarta always based his actions and behaviors on certain moral principles: always worshipping and set…
It was called Nusa Penida, a small island to the south of Bali Island. In order to reach this island from Kusamba, Klungkung, any mainlanders of Bali would need to pass through two more islands, namely Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan. The northernmost reaches of Nusa Penida were marked by coastal slopes that grew higher, wavier, and hillier as it went south, with Mundi Hill as the highes…
Bontang City, that is located in East Kalimantan, was once only a small village. At the time, villagers of Bontang Village mainly lived as fishermen. Those who were not fishermen worked the fields as farmers; planting rice, banana, vegetables, and a variety of secondary crops. They all lived comfortably and peacefully, with all the fields that produced crops and rivers that provided fish. Th…
A very diligent young man lived in a thick and eerie forest in the region of Bangka. Every day, he caught fish in the Kepoh River using the fishing rods or scoops. He did that to meet his daily ends. In addition to catching the fish, he also put traps to catch the deer, rabbits, and birds. He did such all activities every day by himself since he had been an orphan since he was only a child. …
Long ago in Lampung, in a village at the edge of a forest, there lived a very poor family with seven stunningly beautiful daughters. The seven sisters lived with their parents in a humble little house. Though it was a far cry from luxury, their tiny abode lay at the edge of a forest on the breathtaking slopes of the Bukit Barisan Mountains. The forest was lush and green and the air was fresh. …
The long dry season had come. The rain had not fallen in Batu Sangkar for a very long time. The well water had totally run out and river water had subsided. Field earth cracked and rice plants withered. Most plants in dry fields had withered too and leaves had totally dried and fallen off. In Limo Kaum village, in the region of Batu Sangkar Minangkabau (currently is included in the Province o…
Once upon a time, in a remote village of Tanjung Lalung in West Kutai in the hinterland of Kalimantan lived a woman and his son named Kerongo. The woman just lived with her only son Kerongo, since Kerongo's father had passed away when Kerongo was only a little child. Kerongo's mother was a humble woman who made a living for her and her son Kerongo by cultivating a field. Kerongo was a dull bo…
Who was that man? Where did he come from? Many people talked about the man, and many were curious about him. The young man of Tidung lived in a village right on the banks of Sibuku River, an area around Tawau. He was known for his good looks and gallantry. That was how he later came to be known by the name of Betawol, which means “man”, or more precisely, a handsome and gallant young man.…
Once in Minahasa, North Sulawesi, lived an old widow with her two daughters. They lived in a rickety shack beneath a shady tree. They were so poor that they did not have sufficient food, adequate clothing, and other basic necessities. However, poverty did not make them live in despair. They were still eager to fill the days. The old widow and her two daughters never complained and lamented th…
Once upon a time, the Kingdom of Surakarta was led by a just and wise king named Raja Dalem Solo. The king was highly respected and revered by his people. King Dalem Solo had three sons and one daughter; they were all very handsome and beautiful. The children were called by their order of birth, the First Son of Dalem Solo, the Second Son of Dalem Solo, the Third Son of Dalem Solo, and the yo…
The middle-aged man was usually called Polem Mahmud. His thin body made him look like a hungry grasshopper, with thin beard growing on his pointed chin. The white color of the shirt he wore had faded, looking duller than the original color. Several patches of stitches overlapped around the collar and the buttocks of his pants. He walked in between rice fields, occasionally hopping to avoid th…
Once upon a time there was a banjar or hamlet under Tabanan Regency, Bali Province. The hamlet was located six kilometers to the north of Soka Beach. The hamlet was still pristine and the weather was cool because it was surrounded by hills. There were indeed many large trees around the hamlet. The view of the rice field was a feast to the eyes. The villagers lived harmoniously, and they dilig…
Once upon a time, there was a king who had three sons. The eldest son’s name was Rhaden, the second Kiemas, and the third Fayyadh. The three sons were always cheerful. Their bodies were healthy and strong, attracting admiration and pleasure of those beholding them. As the days turned into months and months into years, the theree princes grew into teenagers. On a bright morning, just as the …
Unce upon a time, in East Java, lived a youth, named Bambang Widyaka, the son of an invulnerable resi (ascetic), Resi Jati Pitutur. Being a resi’son, Bambang Widyaka was unquestionably skilfull in martial art and knowledgeable in asceticism. His father brought him up in asceticism, so he frequently and regularly secluded himself as a hermit for his spiritual enlightenment. One early morning…
The wooden raft moved slowly upstream Sungai (River) Kandilo. Small hands rowed the raft with long bamboo poles vaulted on the shallow bottom of the river. The hands belonged to a boy with fair coloured skin and hair falling apart on the shoulder. His body was not a large and well-built one, neither did he seem too powerful to steer the raft. The boy’s name was Pego. Like most children livi…
The lullaby was heard from a small hut on the hill’s foot, sung by a mother to make her child asleep, with a voice hardly heard from a distance. The house was so peaceful with the faint voice as the sun set behind the hill on the west. The child was swayed in the pukungan, a sway made of clothes hung on a hanger, the sway commonly used by the people of Banjar. The mother’s heart is so gen…
In front of the lanting (house on a raft) was a pile of wicker, ready to be used. There were also tanggui, mats, and baskets, well piled up, ready to be marketed. On the sides of the house were seedbeds in lines and various seedlings: tree seedlings, medicinal herb seedlings, and cooking spice seedlings. A young woman was busy separating the roots of water hyacinth from their stems. Beside he…
The local people of Sungai Silam (Silam River) narrate that the river is a forbidden fishing spot for a certan period. They may catch the fish in the river only with the consent of the adat leaders and the elders of the community. This tradition is named maawuo. Maawuo is one of the unique traditions of Melayu people in Riau. In the beginning, the prohibition by community leaders to catch fis…
Once upon a time in Lopian, a village in Central Tapanuli, lived a princess named Lopian. Princess Lopian is the daughter of a wise king, King Lopian. The king loved his only child very much. Every afternoon the king played with the princess in palace garden. One afternoon, as usual, Princess Lopian was running around in the garden. Her father was also there. Then, her father asked her to sit…
The sky on the Middle of Nowhere Kingdom was clear with white clouds stroking like a painting. A breeze winded up the leaves and flowers in the garden. King Kasmidun used to enjoy the beautiful ambience together with his daughter, but it was not so that afternoon. His only daughter named Princess Kumalasari fell ill. In her pavilion, Princess Kumalasari had been lying listless on her bed. The…
Once upon a time there was a small village named Tanjung Batu. There were not many people lived there. No one ever thought if the village would become one of trading centers of Berau Kingdom. Generally, it was a quiet village. There would only be a little hustle in the morning. When morning came there was indistinct sound of kitchen utensils used coming from the houses that were a little dist…
The bright sky and the fresh air had ornamented Bukit Arbi village, turning the nuance into the comfort and freshness. All the birds joyfully tweeted within the trees, which was so nice to be listened to. All the tweets touched everything near the river. There were some ladies who were enjoyable washing clothes. Many children also enjoyed the nuance by playing rope and chasing each other. The…
It was told that once upon a time, there lived a Sultan (common addressing for a leader at an Islamic kingdom), named as Sultan Maulana Hasanuddin. He was the first sultan in Banten who was very influencing for Islamic proliferation in Banten area. He was granted a title as Pangeran Sabakingking (Prince Sabakingking) or Seda Kinkin, from his grandfather named Prabu Surasowan, who used to be t…
Without any further consideration, Syekh Akhmad steadfastly packed all his stuff. His willingness and determination had perfectly said so. In the morning, after Subuh prayer (praying in dawn), he had all his children to get prepared. He was going to meet all his friends, the administrators of Masjid Al-Madani, the biggest mosque in the village. All his friends had been waiting for him in fron…
One day, alongside the tweets of the birds, the morning looked a bit flawless. The people around the kingdom were still falling asleep. At the bench on the terrace in front of his palace, there remained Ahwanda Jaya, sitting down and gazing at very thoughtfully. In that palace, he lived with his father and younger sister. His mind wandered. He recalled his mother, Queen Pani, who had just pas…
It was told, on Bukit Napo (Napo Hill) in West Sulawesi, there was a kingdom named as Balanipa. The Balanipa Kingdom was under the leadership of King Balanipa. He was the one with the firmly tough body. Also, he would like to take a lead for the kingdom forever. Everyone, furthermore, put respect to the king. In fact, Balanipa Kingdom was built around the composted area of land. The natural s…
It had been midnight, yet Panembahan Senopati was remained silent in the terrace of the kingdom. Once, he took a deep breath, looking around the darkness of the midnight. He was feeling a serious anxiety that remained in the deepest of his heart. “I’m sorry, Your Majesty. You don’t need to be concerned with this matter. I agree with your planning of making an expansion for the Mataram K…
It was told that, a long time ago, there was a country named as Barasa. In the 17th century, all the rich in the Barasa Kingdom were dealing with a very difficult situation; they are about to choose to which side they should be into, Gowa or Bone Kingdom. At that time, Bone Kingdom would like to proclaim for independence from Gowa. If they kept putting faith to Gowa, Barasa Kingdom would, end…
Once upon a time, in Tanah Parahyangan, lived a beautiful princess named as Nyi Dewi Retna Rengganis. She was born as the one and only princess of Djamin Kingdom. Unfortunately, since her birth to the world, Nyi Rengganis, never knew how her mother was. Her mother actually had kicked the bucket right after bearing her. Only her father remained to look after her since childhood. The King of th…
In a little island, which is currently familiar as Kalimantan (Borneo), there was flowing many wide rivers, one of which was Kapuas River located at West Kalimantan and CentralKalimantan – this story was said to happen in the latter. Once upon a time, the fame of Pulau Kupang was unquestionable. The exotica that overlaid between wide the jungle and Kapuas River was truly pampering. The wild a…
A thousand years ago, it was told in Palangka Kingdom, located at nearby a downstream of Teluk Miri (Miri Bay). It was led by a king that was named as King Anua. There were only a few of people living out there, but almost all of them lived very well under the leadership of King Anua. King Anua was the very wise and non-discriminatory king. Also, he was known as the tough king. Therefore, all …
Dawn had just broken. All over the village, roosters were crowing loudly, waking the people up. The cool morning air in the highlands of Gayo was resfreshing. From the mosques, azan began to sound, calling people to pray. However, a young boy named Nome was still curling under his blanket on his bed. A woman opened his bedroom door and walked towards the bed. Seeing that Nome was still fast as…
Sukau Village was suddenly gripped by terror. This afternoon, a wood gatherer reported to the village chief that his friend had been lost in the forest. This was not the first time someone was lost in the forest. Several months ago, a middle-aged man who lived at the farthest corner of the village, near the border, also disappeared. The man lived alone and according to his neighbors, he had b…
The sun had just risen. The morning light spread all over the land, chasing away the darkness of night. Its soft rays were warm, touching the leaves and trees along the banks of Indragiri Hilir River. Cool breeze blew around a peaceful small village. Birds got out of their nests and hopped on the branches. Some flew on the top of the trees, chirping merrily. In the middle of the village, a mo…
The sun was about to rise in the east, shining upon a small beautiful village on the north side of Nurweda Village, Weda Sub-district, Central Halmahera Regency. The small village was called Pulau Imam, a three-hectare village. Pulau literally meant ‘island’ dan Imam was an Islamic leader. Amidst the roosters’ crows, the sound of a man reciting Al Quran pierced the cool morning air. It w…
Once upon a time, there was a village called Laut Jauh. The name literally meant Far Sea in English. The people named it that way because the village was located on seashore, at what is now known as Batu Berdaun, in Dabo Singkep District, Lingga Regency, Riau Islands Province. Since they lived near the sea, the people of Laut Jauh earned their living by being fishermen. The men went to the sea…
Once upon a time in Japan, reigned a tyrant Emperor. His cruelty was well known all over the land. Practically everyone, both his subjects and his staff, was afraid of him. Anything the emperor commanded had to be done. Anyone dared to disobey him would face a severe punishment. The Emperor loved art performances, particularly dances. He never got up from his seat during a dance performance, n…
Once upon a time, at the banks of Batanghari River (located in what became Mersam Sub-District, Batanghari Regency nowadays), there was a village called Paseban. It was one of the villages with strong Melayu Jambi culture. Paseban was a prosperous and peaceful village. It was rich with natural resources, particularly from fishing and farming. The people lived harmoniously, always respecting e…
Once upon a time, there was a village on the banks of Komering River’s confluent. It was called Perigi. Perigi was located in what is now Kayuagung City, Ogan Komering Ilir (OKI) Regency, around sixty kilometers to the southeast of Palembang, South Sumatera. It was a peaceful, lush, and beautiful village. Huge trees with wide dense leaves grew all over the village. The people got clear wate…
Palakka was a prosperous kingdom, ruled by Arung (King) Palakka. He was a wise and just king. All people of Palakka always loved and praised their king. However, behind his greatness as Arung, there was something that worried him. He was getting old and he had no heir to his throne. The King had a daughter, We Tenri Lawi. She had married La Tompiwanua, a prince from Cinnotabi Kingdom, but she h…
Once upon a time, there was a village in Pangguruan area. Its name is Lobu Sotartaban. In order to keep the enemy away, around the village was planted bamboo densely as fence. Twigs and leaves intertwined and hooked each other. The king who ruled Lobu Sotartaban Village was King Parsahala Sotarihuthon. In his father’s regime, the village would often be conquered by the enemy. However, the ene…
Far away, in Kampung Gunggung of Tanah Karo, North Sumatra, there lived a group of people headed by a campong headman. The headman of Kampung Gunggung had a handsome son. After his son had grown up, he wanted to marry his son with his niece. Such marriage according to the custom of Bataknese, where the headman lived, was common. The wedding was also held very luxurious. Many friends and relati…
In a village lived two siblings named Cendana and Cendini. They lived as orphans for a long time. Cendana loved his younger sister very much, Cendini. Even though Cendana was a kid, he had been able to plant paddies, fruits, and vegetables for food. Bananas and papayas were planted on the sidelines of the paddy fields. All foods were available from their fields and gardens. His body was so st…
Once upon a time, on Java Island, there was a place named Silanegara. It was a very prosperous and fertile land. The people live in prosperity. The land was led by a king named Mangkunegara. Mangkunegara was a very fair and wise king. He was also very concerned about his people. Because of that, he is respected and loved by his people. King Mangkunegara had a Queen and one adolescent son. His…
The cool night air was bone-chilling. Heavy rain accompanied by strong winds poured down continuously since this afternoon. Inside the hut, Lemang sat stretch out his hands, hiding behind his armpit to withstand the cold. His eyes fixed on the wooden window swaying hit by the roaring wind. Beside him lay an old man dressed in black with a sarong tied around his fat body. Since afternoon he wa…
In a garden full of flowers and grasses, the twilight sky glowed gold. There sat a man and a woman. The man was handsome and his face showed wisdom. He was none other than Baginda2 Hasyim, the ruling king of north Bangka. Next to him sat a very beautiful woman.