SUMBAWA’S rich and colourful traditions have won new expression from the decision of the new Sultan to reactivate his palace, the Istana Loka, as the focal point of Islamic and social life in the territories of the ancient Sultanate.Sultan Muhammad IV Kaharuddin officially took up residence at the palace on 5 April after being sworn into the historic office. The Istana Loka had been unused since 1934 when the then Sultan moved to a new brick-built palace built by the Dutch colonial authorities.
The new Sultan, the first since the Sultanate lapsed 36 years ago, has pledged to use his traditional powers to revitalise Sumbawa’s Islamic and cultural life but made it clear his authority was separate from that of the province (West Nusa Tenggara – NTB) and the democratic administrations that govern West Sumbawa and Sumbawa regencies today.
The heritage palace, a proud component of NTB’s rich inventory of traditional buildings, was built of sturdy teak in 1885 in the reign of Sultan Jalaluddin Muhammad III (1883-1931). Today it stands as a fine example of the enduring nature of ancient local architecture and building practice.
It’s now superseded successor, the Dutch colonial built brick palace, is today known as the Regional House.
Istana Loka (the word “loka” means “parent” and the palace is customarily known as the Old Palace) is inseparable from local Islamic symbolism and practice. It features a decorative pole in the court building that displays the Asmaul Husna, the 99 names of Allah.
The palace itself contains many ornamental carvings in varying shapes, such as the pineapple, describing Habluminanas (human relations) and – on the roof – Habluminallah (man’s relationship with God). Elsewhere in the palace other carvings depict the essence of the human relation with Allah based on the central tenets of Islam.
History records that before the Istana Loka was built 126 years ago the Sumbawa Sultans had their headquarters in several places over the lengthy years of the Sultanate, including at Gunung Setia Palace, Bala Balong Palace and Bala Sawo Palace.
Istana Loka was built with teak from vast surrounding teak forests. In the pre-colonial and colonial eras, when the Sultans exercised political as well as religious and cultural power, the palace was the centre of government.
Istana Loka therefore contains many historic chambers dedicated to specific political functions. These include the Lunyuk Agung space at the front of the palace, an indoor venue for meetings, receptions and other activities that were important in the life of the kingdom.
This history is replicated in the famous Taman Mini Indonesia Indah in Jakarta, a popular tourist attraction that depicts the diversity of cultures, traditions and architecture of the archipelago.
After independence in 1945 and the war with the Dutch that continued until 1949, prevailing views were against the feudalism embodied in the old Sumbawa Sultanate. In 1959 the Dutch courts ruled that the colonial era 1934-built brick palace should be handed over to the Sumbawa regional government, ending a lengthy dispute about the powers and purposes of the Sultanate.
Sultan Muhammad Kaharuddin III, the last Sultan to exercise formal powers of kingship, and his family had long before moved their residence to another palace, the Bala Kuning, which also contains significant relics of the ancient Sultanate and is now a popular tourist attraction. Visitors can see a well maintained collection of ceremonial clothing worn by the kingly Sultans, their consorts and the Sultanas; and banqueting and ceremonial equipment.
The Bala Kuning remains the official residence of the Sultan and is where Sultan Muhammad IV Kaharuddin and his family live.
The sidelining of the Sultanate did not diminish the strong emotional bond between the Sultan and the people of Sumbawa and West Sumbawa and this tradition was revitalised in April this year when the last crown prince, Daeng Muhammad Abdurrahman Kaharuddin, was crowned as the 17th Sultan, taking the name Muhammad IV Kaharuddin.
Sumbawa regency Youth, Sports, Culture and Tourism chief H Naziruddin says the new Sultan is working to re-establish a personal relationship with all the indigenous peoples of Sumbawa and has set out to revitalise interest in traditional arts and culture – to ensure these are not lost to modern art and cultural expression.
“The Sultan has revived the Flag War and other colourful traditions,” Naziruddin says. In a special ceremony at Bungin Island mosque recently, the Sultan handed over a traditional flag to the heirs of Commander Mayu, a warlord of the Sumbawa Sea in ancient times, whose heirs now live in the Alas district of Bungin.
source:enchanting-lomboksumbawa.com
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