A Simple cultural park in Central Lombok regency houses dozens of books written by famous Sasak cultural specialist and prolific author Lalu Gede Suparman (1945-2004).
Gede Suparman’s writings, of cultural and historical significance to the indigenous Sasak people of Lombok, include stories from the ancient kingdoms of the island, ever-popular children’s tales and a Sasak-Indonesian dictionary.
All was quiet when we arrived at the park in Jelantik village in the Jonggat district, only two kilometres from Praya, the regency capital.
Sometimes known as Jingga Park, the location was formerly the office of the Jonggat community head who was Gede Suparman’s father, Lalu Wira Jingga.
For most Sasak people, the garden represents a place in which a prominent figure wrestled with world culture and art. It was where Gede Suparman devoted a large part of his life to preserving Sasak tradition.
The author’s family keeps more than 50 of his original works, some handwritten and many of them already printed, and a small typewriter. The originals are bound in the customary manner and many are in quite shabby condition as they have not been well protected.
His significant, high-quality works also include a complete history of Lombok and a complete history of the kingdoms of East Lombok.
“I have been the guardian of these books since before the author’s death,” said Palmaeni Zohara, the third child of Gede Suparman. Palmaeni said her father had asked her to reproduce his hand-written works by typewriter.
The author’s complete histories are the result of him tracking down ancient writings on papyrus leaf. His history of Lombok dates back to the island’s oldest kingdom, of Laeq. In another of his works, the history of Suwung, he chronicles the establishment and rule of the Suwung Kingdom by Betara Indera until its decline which led to the rise of the Kingdom of Lombok.
The Sasak Kingdom of Lombok reigned through the 9th to 11th centuries when it was conquered by Balinese expansionists. Other Lombok Kingdoms chronicled by Gede Suparman include Pejanggik, Langko, Bayan, Sokong Samarkaton and Selaparang.
The Selaparang Kingdom ruled for two separate periods: In the Hindu and pre-Islamic period from the 13th century until the arrival of the Kingdom of Majapahit in 1357; and in the Islamic period that emerged in the 16th century and ended around 1740 after a joint conquest by forces from Bali’s Kingdom of Karang Asem and Banjar Getas.
Gede Suparman also chronicles a history – written by Raden Barak, of Kuripan village – of the political administration of the East Lombok village of Sakra.
It is recorded that young and headstrong ruler Raden Surya Jaya, ignoring the advice and experience of his elders and religious leaders, dragged Sakra village into a complex and ultimately fatal situation in which it suffered defeat.
The long and complicated story eventually results in a massive uprising by the Sasak people.
Oral story-telling is still the dominant means by which Sasak people pass down their history and culture. The work of Gede Suparman is therefore highly important o Sasak public record.
Many academics have examined his writings and combined them with oral stories, said daughter Palmaeni. “Researchers routinely come from the University of Gajah Mada in Yogyakarta and we’ve also had students from Kyoto in Japan,” he said.
Gede Suparman had three wives and several children. Born in 1945 to Lalu Wira Jingga and Rumisah, he started elementary school in 1957 and went on to train as a teacher. He studied law at Mataram University from 1973 and in 1978 studied bagong art in Jogjakarta.
After retiring as a teacher, he focused on writing. His family says he was also talented at painting, sculpture and dance. He coached the traditional Lombok dance style of Rudat, which is a historical presentation involving dancers dressed in the colourful costumes of soldiers with Arabic influences such as the fez.
Gede Suparman’s family has agreed to establish a foundation in his memory and to preserve his efforts to perpetuate Sasak culture. In the past, cultural and educational practitioners conducted a seminar to review his works.
Sasak cultural specialist Lalu Jalaluddin says Sasak people are born to a destiny which is dictated by Sasak wisdom. They are born into a life which is simple and uncomplicated but principled and responsible, he said.
In the social context, Sasaks should help build a spirit of unity and mutual assistance, and the Sasak community should be able to transmit its wisdom to other peoples.
source:http://www.enchanting-lomboksumbawa.com
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