by Penelitian Arek | Aug 12, 2023 | Kelana Masa
Anugrah Yulianto Rachman | Peneliti Arek Institute
Pagesangan is an ancient village. Its existence has been recorded since the Majapahit era, as evidenced by the Canggu Trowulan 1 inscription. According to its cataloging, this inscription was found in the Trowulan area, Mojokerto. It was then read and translated by J.L.A. Brandes—a Dutch archaeologist (Pigeaud, 1960:137).
The Canggu inscription itself concerns the granting of sima by King Hayam Wuruk. This sima was given to riverside areas that had aided the accessibility of the Majapahit kingdom through ferrying (prakāraning naditira pradeça sthānaning anāmbangi) (Pigeaud, 1960:110). The inscription was written in 1280 Saka in the month of Shrãwaṇa (July-August)—which corresponds to 1358 A.D. (Pigeaud, 1960:108; 1960:138). Among the mentioned areas is gsang—now known as Pagesangan.
Gsang or di gsang (Read: Pagesangan) appears on the fifth plate’s back (verso) from lines 3 to 4. This inscription is written in a series of copper plates. It is carved in Old Javanese script (Kawi script) and formatted in a front-back (recto-verso) manner. Each part describes areas that played a significant role in ferrying or crossing (anambangi). In the English translation, Pigeaud refers to it as the Ferry Charter.
Several other areas mentioned in the Canggu inscription include: Sarba, Waringin-Pitu, Lagada, Pamotan, Tulangan, Panumbangan, Jeruk, Terung, Kembang-Shri, Teda, Gsang, Bukul, and Shurabhaya. Among the mentioned areas, Gsang is one of the influential ones. This means these areas had a role in ferrying. In this context, ferrying means river crossing.
Due to their roles, these areas were granted sima by Rãjasanegara (Hayam Wuruk). The sima made these areas independent or exempt from taxation by the Majapahit kingdom at that time. Furthermore, the river was the center of Majapahit civilization. This means that the port and river were a complete package of trade and transportation routes. Therefore, the granting of sima was a form of gratitude from the kingdom.
The legacy of crossing does not only stop in the Majapahit era. Physical evidence of ferrying can still be found. Boatmen still pull ropes that connect two riverbanks. They continue to help the community shorten distances and time. The work of the ferrymen shows an ancient job that is still preserved neatly in Pagesangan.
On one hand, the ferrying service is still widely used by many people. Its presence is indeed real evidence of the ancient existence of this village. Because, in the Canggu inscription, Pagesangan village is known for its ferrying service. On the other hand, traces of the village’s antiquity can also be seen from three shrines scattered throughout the village.
There are three graves believed by the Pagesangan residents to be shrines. However, now, only two shrines remain. Because one of the shrines has been affected by the density of settlements. The location of one of the shrines has been overtaken by a kindergarten building.
According to one of the Pagesangan residents, the shrines were originally in the form of paired graves. The community believes these graves were known as: mbah Gede, mbah Punosani, and mbah Zakaria. Unfortunately, these shrines cannot be historically traced. Because the tombstones of these shrines have been renovated.
However, at least, these shrines can be another piece of evidence of the village’s antiquity. Because the community believes that their presence dates back a long time. Furthermore, shrines are always associated with respected individuals or the local legends of a certain area. Although these shrines have not yet undergone serious tracking, now the residents of Pagesangan should be proud.
Because, the depiction of their village can now be seen through the Canggu Trowulan I inscription. Its existence has been recorded therein. Even this area also holds a long history about ferrying services. Based on the tracing from inscriptions, this can indeed help the residents of Pagesangan to determine their founding day. Because, according to residents, the founding day of Pagesangan is always celebrated with an earth alms ceremony based only on heroes’ day. They still do not have a strong reference regarding the founding day of their village.
Therefore, through the discovery of the name Gsang in the Canggu inscription, the Pagesangan community can celebrate their founding day based on historical and archaeological sources. This source further cements the image of this village as a cultural village—aside from actively having Ludruk art within it.
In short, the residents of Pagesangan village should be proud. Because they, as the bearers of its culture today, have a long history regarding their village. Its identity has been rooted since the Majapahit era through its ferrying service role (anambangi).
*This article initiative taken by the residents of Pagesangan, the Ludruk Warna Budaya Group, and T.P. Wijoyo from Begandring Surabaya. It is a part of a long discussion before heading to a cultural seminar in Pagesangan village.
by Penelitian Arek | Aug 2, 2023 | Kidung
Sugar factories always hold a variety of collective memories regarding colonialism, as their presence was initiated by the colonial regime. These memories can manifest in both bitter and sweet recollections, which, of course, are not as sweet as the sugar produced. One research discussing these memories is by Wawan Yulianto titled “Memory Studies of Sidoarjo Sugar Factory” (2020).
His article reviews a collection of short stories published by the Sidoarjo Arts Council. The short stories reviewed include:
- “Kisah Budi dan Sebutir Gula Pertemuan Beda Alam”;
- “Seorang Gadis di Teras Rumah”;
- “Kopi Tanpa Gula”;
- “Hitam di Kuku Ayah”;
- “Keputusan”;
- “Di Bawah Pohon Kersen”
- “Seruan dari Cerobong Asap”;
- “Gula dan Darah”;
- “Titik Pembalasan”;
- “Pertemanan di Pabrik Gula”;
- “Sesaat Kemudian Hal Aneh pun Terjadi pada Diriku”; dan
- “Rumah di Sudut Pabrik Gula”.
The notes on collective memory written in the article explain that there are three points of memory touched upon. These are sweet memories, bitter memories, and lastly, horror memories. From these memories, the authors present a sort of traumatic burden as a reflection in the present time. Especially for sweet memories, which paradoxically become a utopian escape for the authors as a form of cathartic effort.
In these sweet memories, there is one short story titled “Gula Tanpa Kopi” by Ruri. In the article, the author discusses the wise way of consuming sugar to avoid the impact of death. Additionally, there is an interesting quote from the reviewed short story, which is “something sweet is needed sweetly”. This means the short story provides an effort of reflection on the dark past memories transformed into a resurgence towards progressive change.
This recalls the Cultuurstelsel (forced cultivation) policy conducted by colonialism. Furthermore, in 1870, this policy shifted to a land lease system as a political strategy by colonialism (Tricahyono, 2020:3). Thus, the industrial land became increasingly developed, especially as the native population experienced exploitation no different from the previous policy.
On the other hand, the bitter memories present a number of past events wrapped in current conditions through several conflicts, mainly involving sugar factories. This means there are artifacts of dark memories, such as issues around the very minimal wages of factory workers and the problematic situation of employee salaries being sent too late, causing economic problems. Moreover, a character described as too consumptive actually represents a sort of dependency on the sugar factory.
Not only that, but there is also a kind of ambivalent mentality, especially in the short story by Niswahikmah titled “Hitam di Kuku Ayah”. According to the article’s explanation, this short story talks about a father figure (a factory worker) who dresses like an office worker. There is a sense of shame shown by the father character towards his child. The shame shown is his unwillingness for the child character to know that his father is a rough laborer in the sugar factory.
Furthermore, there is a memory of horror recollections. This means a climax tragedy where physical torture and horrifying and taboo things are told within a sugar factory setting. The short story discussed in the article showcases the sad story of Marlinah, who died tragically due to a sugarcane milling machine. Not without reason, this also explains a form of bloody memory. That the presence of sugar factory industrialization also provides a dark impact on the indigenous community.
From the various tragedies mentioned in Wawan Yulianto’s research article, it certainly provides a response regarding the memory of a conflict in the past. Furthermore, the industrialization of sugar factories in Sidoarjo, especially Tulangan, gives an illustration of land appropriation and forced cultivation. Therefore, the expansion of the residency area to Sidoarjo resulted in the transition of the farming community into factory workers.
On the other hand, the dependence on wages from the sugar factory labor later sparked the formation of labor unions. To improve the welfare of the workers in terms of wages conducted by the sugar factory industry (Nugroho, 2015: 67-79). Although in 1870 the forced cultivation system (cultuurstelsel) was abolished and shifted to independent land development by the sugar factory industry, this impact caused the farmers to lose their land and face a crisis with inadequate income.
From the various memory tragedies discussed in the article, it reflects on historical moments. This means the condition of Tulangan as an agrarian area has changed into a sugar factory industrial area with land appropriation and oppression by colonialism. Furthermore, the current writers’ memory of Sidoarjo’s history is the result of a form of catharsis in an effort to improve oneself from escaping the dark events that occurred in Tulangan as a historical tragedy.
The article written by Wawan Yulianto certainly explains various phenomena about the memory of the past of the Tulangan Sidoarjo sugar factory. However, this cannot be separated from the historical aspect present. In addition to the memory phenomena experienced by the writer today, there are still various artifacts from each different perspective. Nonetheless, this serves as a form of change over time from every experience regarding the memory of sugar factory industrialization.
Moreover, this memory becomes an excavation towards a new perspective in addressing past events. This perspective becomes an effort on how the community subjects can learn from historical phenomena. Furthermore, it is empowerment for future progress. Additionally, in this collection of short stories in the article, it becomes a form of Dark Tourism, a wise revelation in viewing historical facts.
In short, the reading of memory history presents a dark fact of history. This memory is neatly stored in the collection of short stories published. Indeed, it can explore the crimes of colonialism through bitter and horror memories in the narrative imagination of the short story.
by Penelitian Arek | Apr 14, 2023 | Kidung
M.A. Haris Firismanda was the magister student of Literature and Cultural Studies, Airlangga University.
Adnan Guntur published a collection of plays. He titled this publication “Body at 11:11”. This work was published by Pagan Press. Adnan compiled five play titles. “Eyes” is one of the titles that is intriguing for a deeper review. This work features a narrative with a forward and backward movement. It also implies a story about the life of urban society.
The narrative is embedded in the symbolism of body and time. These two symbols depict human life thrown into the daily world (lebenswelt). This causes both entities to become the central narrative in this play. The body is depicted as stopping amidst the whirl of time. Because of this, the body experiences an absence within itself.
Implicitly, absence and cessation are part of the modern human (subject) being thrown into their life. Moreover, urban society has been devoured by time due to being very busy. The exploration of symbols in Adnan’s script also provides meaning over the completeness of existence bound by time.
Besides, the script does not show a clear division of characters. The story is driven only by the figure of a Narrator. Their presence seems to hold three roles at once. The narrator acts as both the antagonist, protagonist, and mediator in the story. Their presence is very ambiguous and holds uncertainty in character and position within the story.
Centralizing characterization in the narrator makes the script’s exploration very broad on stage. This means, the director can choose one or even more players depending on the stage needs to fulfill the characterization in this story. Further interpretation of the narrator in this script allows readers to interpret more deeply from the narrator’s point of view as the driver of the story.
Moreover, from the three divisions of character roles, each has its conflicts and tensions. The narrator character positions their effort to achieve self-fulfillment towards the body, namely “Eyes”. However, they must confront the character from the antagonist’s perspective to claim that part of the body. Besides, the time, at 11:11, marks a cessation as a manifestation of incompleteness.
On the other hand, the narrator driving from the mediator’s perspective instead provides a kind of reflection on positioning through that body organ, and time with a religious view. They represent a condition that exists in absence except for the return to God. This gives meaning that the body (eyes) and time are a form of incompleteness.
The resolution of conflict in the script is concluded with the main character finding the “eyes”. However, this also provides reflection on the character’s subjectivity towards a value on its completeness. They attempt to show acceptance towards the position of the body as ownership of another, namely God.
Furthermore, the subject narrator character is also faced with a kind of darkness dimension. This dimension is marked by their non-existence following 11:11—as a representation of rush hour symbol. Therefore, the narrator character then reinterprets their body organ as the starting point of seeking God.
Further reflection from the script “Eyes” provides a view on the life of urban society experiencing an unfree condition due to time control. Besides, eyes as a body organ cannot be separated from time. Both are intertwined. However, the script shows symbolic symptoms of the subject’s condition shackled by the material world.
On one hand, this materiality becomes the departure point of the subject towards non-existence in empty space. On the other hand, the analogy of body organs like eyes and time symbolized by 11:11 is interpreted as the poet’s effort to capture the human condition shackled by the urban social structure dimension. From here, humans are likened to time machines that continuously move in their non-existence towards their original body.
The script “Eyes” implies a relationship between the body and time. Both intertwine, leading the subject to be thrown into their everyday world. There is a paradox stored between 11:11 and the stopping body. Among the hustle and bustle of people, the subject tries to reflect on themselves. It is a transcendental effort within themselves to escape the shackles of time.
Therefore, this script holds a deep reflection on human life, especially urban society. Because they have been occupied with activities and work. Humans no longer reflect on themselves as human beings. They are just like gears among the machines of industry.
In short, this work aims to deliver a wake-up call to modern humans. The Poet attempts to invite readers or audience members to reflect again on their existence amidst their dissolution.
