PALEMBANG
Palembang City
is the oldest city in Indonesia at least 1382 years old if based Srivijaya
inscription known as Notch Hill. According to the inscription which dates to
the year June 16, 682. At that time the ruler of Srivijaya established Wanua in
the area now known as Palembang city. According to the topography, the city is
surrounded by water, even submerged by water. The water is sourced either from
rivers or swamps, rain water also. Even today there is still a city of
Palembang 52.24% of land were flooded by water (based on 1990 statistical
data). Likely because the condition is that the ancestors of the people of this
city named this city as Pa-dent in the Malay language as the word Pe Pa or
appoint a place or situation, while coquettish meaning valley or low ground,
valley swollen with long roots submerged in water (according to Malay
dictionary), while according to the Malay-Palembang, dent or coquettish was
puddle. So Palembang is a place that was flooded by water.
Water becomes a
vital means of transportation, economical, efficient and got the coverage and
have a high-speed. In addition to natural conditions, as well as the strategic
location of Palembang city, within a single a network capable of controlling
traffic between the three union territories:
High Land West
Sumatra, namely Bukit Barisan Mountains.
The area of foot
of hill or piedmont and meeting children when entering lowland rivers.
The area of
northeast coast.
Third unitary
local region is that determine factor in the formation of cultural pattern that
is civilization. Local factors such as network and commodities with high
frequency has been formed first and managed to encourage local people create
growth pattern of high culture in South Sumatra. Local factors that make Palembang
city, the capital of Srivijaya, which is a political and economic power in the
classical era in Southeast Asia. Triumph Sriwijaya Palembang Darussalam
Sultanate taken by the imperial era as a respected associate Nusantara region.
Srivijaya, as
well as other forms of government in Southeast Asia at that time, the form
known as Port-polity. Understanding Port-polity simply began as a
redistribution center, which is slowly taking over some form of increased
progress contained in the broad spectrum. Growth center of the Polity is
entrepots generating additional wealth and cultural contacts. These results
were obtained by local leaders. (in terms of pr Srivijaya was datu), the result
is a basis for the use of economic power and political control in Southeast
Asia. There are interesting posts from Chinese chronicles Chu-Fan-Chi, written
by Chau Ju-Kua in the 14th century, tells the story of Srivijaya as follows:
The country is located in the southern sea, master foreign trade traffic in the
Strait. In ancient times the port using an iron chain to hold the pirates who
intend evil. If any foreign boats came down the chain. Once the coast was clear
again, the chain was removed. The boats that pass without a stop in port
surrounded by boats owned by the kingdom and attacked. All the crew-boat crews
brave death. That is why the country into a shipping center.
BANDUNG
Bandung is the capital of
West Java province. The city is the fourth
largest city in Indonesia after Jakarta, Surabaya, and Medan, according to Central
Bureau of Statistics. The city is also the second
largest metropolitan city in Indonesia after Jakarta. Bandung also gave birth to
many famous musicians, so the Bandung got the nickname City of Musicians. In ancient times it was
known as Parijs van Java (Dutch) or "Paris of Java" and never
intended to be the capital of the Dutch East Indies. Bandung is located in the
highlands, so that more cool air when compared to other big cities in
Indonesia.
Bandung save history is
important for Indonesia. In this city stands the first engineering
college in Indonesia (Technische Hoogeschool, now ITB), a site of battles
during the Revolution of Independence, and also become the venue for the
Asian-African Conference in 1955, a meeting that voiced the spirit of anti-colonialism,
and even the Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru in his speech said that Bandung is the
capital city of the Asia-Africa. Bandung is one of the main destinations of tourism and education.
The word "Bandung" is derived from the word weir
or dam because terbendungnya Citarum river by the lava of Mount Tangkuban
Perahu ago to form a lake. Legends
told by old people in Bandung, said that the name "Bandung" is taken
from a water vehicle which consists of two boats tied up alongside a boat
called bandung used by the Regent of Bandung, RAWiranatakusumah II, to navigate
to the Ci Tarum in finding the locus of a new district to replace the old
capital in Dayeuhkolot.
Another interesting activity that is currently the latest
style of its own in the community is to visit the center of used goods in Pasar
Gede Bage, Dalem Kaum area, and several shops that specifically provides
second-hand goods at cheap prices, such as: Babe, Rasek, etc. . And
there are also places that provide goods at a price that is cheaper and usually
the goods can be purchased in bulk, such as: New Market (around the Square of Bandung),
Andir Market, Etc.It also can visit the shops shoes and bags in Bandung, such
as Elizabeth, Edward Forrer, Regions Cibaduyut, etc.
BANGKA BELITUNG
Bangka Belitung Islands Province region consists of two
large islands of Bangka and Belitung islands and small islands. Before the
capitulation Tutang Bangka and Belitung islands are conquered area of
Sriwijaya, Majapahit and Mataram. After that, Bangka Belitung became the
British colony and later implemented handover to the Dutch government in Muntok
held on December 10, 1816. In the Dutch colonial period, there was no
resistance incessantly by Barin Depati then continued by his son, named Pangkal
Pinang and ended with the exile to Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara by the Dutch
Government. During the colonial period was a lot of wealth in the island is
taken by the colonizer.
Bangka Belitung Islands Province established as a
province to 31 by the Government of the Republic of Indonesia in accordance
with Law No. 27 Year 2000 on the Establishment of Bangka Belitung Islands
Province was previously a part of South Sumatra Province. This provincial
capital is Pangkalpinang.
Another interesting thing is the story about the
background history of independence. The founders of the Indonesian people had
thrown to first turned out to Bangka. Bung Karno, Bung Hatta and his friends
had time to live life as an exile in the city Muntok. Recorded traces of their
struggle is still strong among the public with the presence of two historic
buildings namely Wisma Ranggam and Pesanggrahan Menumbing. In this two-building
visitors can see relics such as the former's room, Bung Karno and is often used
when their car was in Bangka.
To see the development of tin mining there in
Pangkalpinang Tin museum and the Museum of Geology at the Pacific Islands who
also presents a collection of various weapons and Pacific Islands cultures.
Culture of Bangka Belitung province
Besides beaches, Bangka is also known by its cultural
diversity. From local culture to the culture of "Import" which
brought the settlers. Cultural diversity is what would later become important
assets for developing tourism.
Bangka island surrounded by ocean, like a paradise-a
paradise for fishermen. That piece of mirror on the cultures of fishermen on
the island once known as producer of tin.
During its development, the community background of
Bangka, mostly fishermen, apparently also influence the growth of the local
culture. Although the current lifestyle of the people of Bangka has begun to
shift, which contains elements of local culture still remains strong coloring
fishermen life aspects of the society. At least this time there are two major
cultural events associated with the fishermen, that is, the ceremony marked
kasan and dispose jong.
In addition there are cultural rituals are influenced by
religious elements, while the lion dance performances representing the cultural
arts community entrants (Tionghoa)
But among the many cultural rituals in Bangka, sedulang
sepintu ceremony may have special meanings. This is a ritual that illustrates
the unity of the people of Bangka.
MAKASSAR
Formerly called Ujung Pandang, the city of Makassar is
the largest city in east Indonesia. Capital of South Sulawesi, Makassar enjoys
a central location in the Indonesian archipelago and today Makassar is
Indonesia’s busy air hub, connecting Sumatra, Java, Bali and Kalimantan in the
west with Sulawesi, the Moluccas and Papua in the east.
In fact, ever
since the 14th. century Makassar was already known as a thriving sea port where
merchant vessels from far away China, India and Cambodia called regularly to
trade in silks, tea and porcelain in exchange for cloves, nutmeg and pearls
from the Moluccas and gold and forest products from Makassar and its
hinterland. And when in the 16th century
the Europeans discovered the sailing route to the coveted Spice Islands, the
Spanish and Portuguese made Makassar their important entrepot to store valuable
spices before shipment to Europe.
Meanwhile, in this southern peninsula of Sulawesi, the
Bugis, Makassar and Mandar ethnic groups, known for their seafaring prowess and
boat building skills, had already developed powerful kingdoms that encouraged
trade, fishery, rice cultivation as well as literature and the arts. The Bugis
epic poem I la Galigo is a recognized masterpiece in Bugis literature, as are
the graceful dances and bright silk costumes of court dancers with their richly
decorated accessories of wide gold bangles, opulent necklaces and tiaras.
In 1667 however, through the Treaty of Bungaya, Dutch
merchants succeeded to oust the Portuguese and Spanish from Makasssar to make
this port their stronghold, banning other Europeans from trading in
Makassar. The Dutch destroyed the fort
of Ujung Pandang built by the king of
Gowa in 1545, and fortified this into Fort Rotterdam, which today still stands
prominently on the waterfront of Makassar, while the king of Gowa was allowed
to stay at Fort Somba Opu.
Many Makassar aristocrats who refused to be dominated by
the Dutch, left the city and settled in Kalimantan , the Riau Islands and
present-day Malaysia. The sultans of
Selangor and Johore are Bugis descendents as are the sultans of Kutai
Kartanegara in east Kalimantan.
Located on the busy trading route along the deep Straits
of Makassar, the city of Makassar is a bustling cosmopolitan town with
settlement of many races and ethnic groups, of Chinese, Europeans, Javanese,
Balinese, Ambon and others, where local and international cargo ships continue to
call at its busy port. While at its traditional port of Paotere, Bugis pinisi
schooners can be seen lining the quay to unload goods from near and far away
islands, and various types of fishing prahus, such as the pantorani, the
lepa-lepa and the sandeq unload the day’s catch.
Today Makassar is also a university town, where youth
from all over the islands, especially from the eastern archipelagos gather to
gain higher education.
MEDAN
Medan has had several major incarnations. The plains were
once used as a battlefield between the kingdoms of Aceh and Deli (the word
medan translates as ‘field’ or ‘battlefield’) from the end of the 16th century
to the early 17th century.
But more importantly, Medan was a planter’s trading post,
a civilised district of tidy lanes and open-air cafés for society-deprived
plantation owners. An enterprising Dutch planter named Nienhuys introduced
tobacco to the area in 1865, which ushered in prosperity, imported Chinese
labourers and investment in infrastructure. In 1886 the Dutch made it the
capital of North Sumatra and by the end of Dutch rule the population had grown
to about 80, 000.
Once the Dutch were kicked out, Medan tossed off its
starched uniform and grew as it pleased. A wealthy merchant class, mainly of
ethnic Chinese, dominates the cosmopolitan side of town, while a handful of
ethnic tribes from all over Sumatra make do in the run-down remainder.
Animosity towards the Chinese erupted into violent rioting on Medan’s streets
on several occasions during the 1990s.
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