Adithya Teguh Wicaksono

Channel News Asia Insider, an English-language news channel based in Singapore, created 46 minutes documentary about Majapahit Empire. Their host, Peter Lee, explored the history of the kingdom and took us through the ruins, legends, and vibrant tradition that marks its rise and fall. His firsthand interviews, stunning video graphics, and in-depth narration made this documentary worth watching.

Several less-known facts that I could cite from the video:

1. Bhinneka Tunggal Ika, or ‘unity in diversity,’ which is Indonesia’s national motto, came from the “Serat Sutasoma.” The documentary showed the 700-year-old poem, which was written on dried palm leaves. The story went like this: Sutasoma was an Indian prince with no interest in ruling, so he left his kingdom to travel. One account records a clash between religions. An evil king, called Purushada, lived off the flesh of his people. To help them, Buddha reincarnated and transformed into the body of Prince Sutasoma. Purusha called on Lord Shiva, the Hindu God of Destruction. The Buddha and Lord Shiva battled. Both were equally strong. The battle went on until the priests told them to stop fighting. The Gods were convinced that although they looked different, in reality, they were one. (‘Bhinneka Tunggal Ika’). The story became a parable of religious harmony during the 200-year rule of Majapahit, where Buddhism and Hinduism were practiced side by side.
2. Majapahit was a true cosmopolitan kingdom. The secret of its wealth was born from Java’s treacherous terrain. Volcanic ash is rich in minerals that stimulate plant growth, making Java the most fertile of all of Indonesia’s islands. The land also gave the Majapahit Empire massive rice harvests, more than enough to feed the local population. Its strategic location also enabled tradings. Merchants would travel here on monsoon trade winds that blew from the east between June and September. Their boats were laden with spices like clove and mace that they traded for rice. The same merchants would sail home when the winds changed direction three months later. These west winds also brought a different set of merchants, who came to Java to trade their porcelain, beads, and textiles for spices. This trade turned Java’s coastline into thriving trade ports, which one of them now called Tuban.
3. Wayang Topeng was performed at the Majapahit court to entertain and impress foreign guests from all over Asia. Many times the King himself would play on the stage. Wayang Topeng actually means ‘masked dance.’ One of the most famous tales of the dance was the fabled Javanese Prince Panji. He traveled to get hold of a heavenly flower, only given to the pure of heart, a gift for the lady of his dreams (Candra Kirana). However, his archenemy, King Klana, has other plans. His minions try to steal the flower, and a battle ensues. Finally, King Klana is defeated and becomes Panji’s disciple. The dance and story summed up the human experience: love, loss, despair, endurance, and happiness. The story is written on the State Temple of Majapahit: Candi Penataran. On the relief, you could see the story of Panji. He is holding his scroll, his love letter, which he is about to hand over to a pigeon. On the other relief, an image of turbulent waters and the pigeon flying above it. The bird delivers the love letter to Candra Kirana. These acts are stories of Panji’s struggles to reunite with his one true love, which came from different kingdoms. A Nusantara taste of Romeo and Juliet.
4. The relationship between the Majapahit center of power in Java and the other islands is different from the national government we know today, or the British Empire and its colony. It was more of a relation of vassal states, with trade and tributes exchanged. In Lake Matano, on the island of Sulawesi, there is a settlement sunk by earthquakes. There lies an old iron workshop hidden 15 meters under the water. The ruins have artifacts from the 8th-century , well preserved without rusts as it was made of nickel. The island’s name, Sulawesi, means “The Island of Iron.” The ore is believed to be a mark of the friendly trade relationship between different kingdoms and islands. (To Be Continued) #historynerds #majapahit #nusantara #documentary #nonfiction