Bima
The earliest document mentioning the kingdom of Bima was found in the 14th century Majapahit script of Nagarakretagama. Bima was the eponymous capital of the Sultanate of Bima, which seceded after Islamisation in the early 17th century from an ancient Hindu kingdom on the eastern seaboard of the island of Sumbawa. Islam came to being in Bima due to Islamic expedition coming from the Makassar Sultanate of Gowa in the seventeenth century.
Although genealogical records and historical sources confirm the origins of the family, detailed written records and dates are only available after the kingdom became an Islamic Sultanate in 1640 following the inauguration of the 2nd sultan, Sultan Abi'l Khair Sirajuddin.
The presence of Sang Bima in the 11th century AD helped in advancing the institution of Ncuhi. Subsequently, Ncuhi Dara and others began to recognize the form of the royal government. Although Sang Bima returned to the kingdom of Medang in East Java, he still kept contact with Ncuhi Dara because his spouse came from the land of Bima Mbojo.
Before the founding of the kingdom, all Ncuhis agreed to form a union territory under the leadership of Ncuhi Dara. The decades in East Java,Sang Bima sent two of his sons, named Indra Indra Zamrud (literally: Indra the Emerald) and Indra Kumala to be the Sons of Ncuhis. Indra Zamrud Ncuhi was adopted by Dara, while Indra Kumala was adopted Ncuhi Dorowoni. All Ncuhis agreed to nominate Indra Zamrud to become King Sangaji or the King Bima Mbojo, while Indra Kumala was nominated to become Sangaji in Dompu.
Indra Zamrud received the title of "Indra Zamrud di tuha ro lanti" for being the 1st King of Bima. At the end of the 11th century AD, when Indra Zamrud became an adult and had an extensive knowledge in the areas of government, he was titled by in tuha ro Ncuhi Lanti by Ncuhi Dara and with the approval of all Ncuhis, to be Sangaji of Bima. Thus ended the Ncuhi era. The Mbojo community of Bima entered a new era, that of the kingdom. Government leadership was no longer held by the Ncuhi, but held by Sangaji or King. Since the establishment of the kingdom in the mid-11th century AD, Dana Mbojo has had two names. At the time the new kingdom was founded, the common people and the Ncuhis made Mbojo the official name, from the word 'Babuju meaning mountain. But the Javanese kingdom named the land Bima, taking the name from Indra's father's name who pioneered establishment of the kingdom. Even today Mbojo has two names:'Mbojo and Bima'.
Once inducted into Sangaji or King, Indra Zamrud strived and fought in earnest to promote his new kingdom. In building the kingdom, he was aided by the Ncuhis, especially Ncuhi Dara, Ncuhi Parewa, Doro Ncuhi Dorowoni, Bolo and Ncuhi Banggapupa. Historians have not found any evidence or written statements about the existence of such officials, the prime minister and other officials at the Indra Zamrud. Positions such as Tureli Nggampo or Ruma Bicara", Tureli (Minister), Rato, Jeneli, Gelarang and other positions, became popular during the rule of Sangaji Manggampo Donggo (the 10th King). At that time, Tureli Nggampo or brother of Sangaji Bilmana named Manggampo Donggo.
As a new Sangaji or king, Indra cretaed some developments in various fields, such as among others: 1.Belief: Though the influence of Medang was very large, Indra Zamrud didn't want to impose Hindu on his people, as a religion professed by the royal Medang. The people still adhered to a belief in makamba makimbi, the indigenuous animistic belief of Bima Mbojo, which means the sparkling of heart. The focus of its teaching was on the making of good heart or ade locally called ba'e ade" or taho ade.
The Ncuhi served as the leader of the religion. In running the government, Sangaji still based his leadership on the philosophy of the Indra Zamrud's Maja Labo Dahu, and Karawi Mbolo ro Dampa kaboju. Sangaji should act as Hawo ro Ninu or the protector and patron of the people. In building the country, the people must stand together with Sangaji for being resilient, in accordance with the philosophy of "Su’u sa wa’u sia sa wale" (though how heavy duty upheld and carried, the people must do the tasks).
Economics: Indra Zamrud worked to increase the prosperity and welfare of his people. To implement these goals, he was keen to promote agriculture and animal husbandry as well as shipping and commerce. The agriculture and livestock growth increased prosperity and welfare. The dangers of poverty and hunger were not present. Shipping and commerce were growing forward as well. Bima's port was then visited by merchants and travelers, from all over the archipelago. They came to buy products of the Kingdom, such as horses, buffalo, yellow wood, sopang wood, rattan, etc. In addition to selling his products, people could also buy different kinds of goods from the merchants and travelers. Various trade or industry results were beautiful and expensive, they bought from the merchants who came to Bima. Goods they bought included various types of ceramics, jewelry of gold, silver, silk and various kinds of weapons.
Indra Zamrud, with the assistance of Ncuhis and popular support from the people, had successfully laid a solid foundation for the life of the kingdom. After his death, the struggle was continued by his descendants. Indra Sangaji Bima, Batara Bima, as well as the Maha Raja Terati continued the struggle, building "Dou Labo Dana Mbojo".
During the reign of Sangaji Manggampo Jawa, around the 14th century AD, the kingdom of Bima progressed very rapidly. Manggampo Jawa was the son of Indra Sangaji Terati who is from the Majapahit aristocracy. That is why Manggampo Jawa meaning he who united Jawa or java cooperated in founding the kingdom of Majapahit. In order to enhance progress in the field of science and technology, Manggampo Jawa brought experts from Majapahit, under Ajar Panuli. Ajar Panuli and his friends, taught Javanese literature to princes and people of the palace. From them, people were familiar with writing, according to the historian, at that time also Sangaji Manggampo Jawa, pioneered the writing of manuscripts named "Bo". Unfortunately Bo manuscripts written in Manggampo Jawa eras had not survived. In addition to contributing to the field of literature, Ajar Panuli was successfully advancing the science of technology. He taught his people how to manufacture bricks and make Kris and spear.
In the reign of Indra's son Manggampo Jawa, the relationship with Majapahit was still intimately entwined. Similarly, in the reign of King Maha Indra Sangaji Series, the son of Indra Luka. When the government Sangaji Ma Wa'a Longge Paju, a son of Maha Raja Indra Series, had a severe links with Majapahit, because at that time Majapahit had suffered a setback. Due to the prolonged civil war, after the death of Gajah Mada in 1364. Ma Wa'a Paju Longge who, ruled in the 15th century AD, improving relations with the Kingdom of Gowa. At that time the Kingdom of Gowa, was at the golden age, under the King of Gau Imario Palangga Tumi.
Ma Wa'a Paju Longge went to Gowa to study the science of government and other sciences. Then he sent two of his brothers, named Bilmana and Manggampo Donggo, to Gowa. Since that time, the political system of government, agriculture, trade, shipping and commerce has followed the prevailing system in Gowa. Gowa also impacted the culture and arts of Mbojo Bima.
After Ma Wa'a Paju Longge Sangaji died, according to the applicable provisions, if Sangaji who died had no son, then the position would be given to the oldest brother. That provision had been violated by Bilmana and Manggampo Donggo. With great sincerity, Bilmana handed his position to his brother Manggampo Sangaji. He himself holds the Tureli Nggampo. This is known as Bilmana Oath or Sumpah Bilmana meaning the willingness of Bilmana to give up his crown or Sangaji position to his younger brother, Manggampo Donggo. This was done on behalf of the people of Bima. Because Bilmana had the talent and expertise to become Tureli Nggampo in administering internal affairs of the kingdom. Since that time, the descendants of Manggampo Donggo have been the successors of the Bima Sangaji. In contrast, children and grandchildren Bilmana was chosen to become Tureli Nggampo or Ruma Bicara. Manggampo Bilmana together with Manggampo Donggo, shoulder to shoulder to build the kingdom. They fought without giving up their familial ties (Sila, 2012). Agriculture and livestock developed. Farm and ranch expanded. Both print new fields were fertile. Most of rice for the sake of the kingdom and partly to the people. Areas not suitable for agriculture were made into ranches.
The system of government they used was enhanced and adapted from the system prevailing in the Sultanate of Gowa. Besides Sangaji and Tureli Nggampo, well appointed Tureli, local kings also adopted concepts of Jeneli (subdistrict) and of Gelarang" (village head). Shipping and commerce were growing rapidly. Ships and boats increased in number and quality. Follow the navigation and commerce of Gowa. This cooperation also enhanced security of the two kingdoms as well. Army and Marine facilities are updated. War commander was held by Renda, who served as commander of the army. Navy was led by an admiral who called Pabise. At the end of the 15th century, the Kingdom of Bima involved into a crowded commercial center in the eastern archipelago, except Gowa and Ternate. At that time, the kingdom of Bima was a rice warehouse in addition to Lombok.
Developments in the field of literature and art and culture was quite bright. Manggampo Donggo introduced characters which he learned from Gowa. It eventually became the character Mbojo alphabet. Manggampo Donggo continued writing the script Mbojo Bo. The word Bo is derived from Makassar, "Bo' Bo'" meaning book. Local community studied concepts of arts and culture from Gowa. It is most likely that the Malay and Arabic scripts came to the fore after the Islamization of Bima. All manuscripst in Bima are written in Malay language and Arabic script called jawi, and most of them kept at the Museum Samparaja of Bima. Michael Hitchcock (1996: 43) said that Bima had its own script which resembles the Lontara’ of Makassar manuscript but this was replaced by jawi as the Malays became responsible for compiling the Bimanese chronicles known as Bo.
At that time, in order to communicate with other Sultans and also with the Dutch, the Bimanese had to use Malay which had been used as a lingua franca in the archipelago. It seems that the Malay influence has been more dominant in the literary culture of Bima people rather than the Makassar. Although the Makassar sultanate of Gowa was vital in Bima, it is clear that Malay influence was evident in the institutionalization of Islam and of written tradition in Bima. The Malay influence was derived from the role of Malay datok coming from Sumatra having also an important role in the Islamization of Gowa kingdom of Makassar.
The Sulawesi Sultanate of Gowa, Makassar embarked upon an evangelical expedition to convert the rulers and people of Sumbawa. Although successful in converting the local king to Islam in 1609, a subsequent ruler, Ruma-ta Mantau Bata Wadu La Ka'i, failed to placate his relatives and people, who revolted and deposed him after the Gowanese forces withdrew in 1632. A 2nd expedition returned in May 1633, and after considerable bloodshed, restored Islamic rule. The king assumed the title of Sultan together with an Arabic reign name, Abdul Kahir, and installed Islam as the formal religion of Bima kingdom.
When the two Mubaliq were called back to Makassar, they left their sons Ince Nara Diraja and Ince Jaya Indra in Bima, and the latter gathered a local community of Malay migrants around them. Abdul Kahir’s successor, Sultan Abi’l Khair Sirajuddin, signed a contract with the descendants of the venerated Islamic teachers granting the Malays autonomy in religious and political affairs with their own Islamic marriage magistrate called Lebe or penghulu (Indonesian), imam, and land. During the reign of Abi’l Khair Sirajuddin various Makassar institutions and titles were adopted in Bima and incorporated according to local needs. These included the six officers of the Jeneli (Makassar: Jennang) who acted as the local regents of the various districts in the sultanate, and the gallarang â€" the principal government officials at village level. Bima's relations with Gowa and Tallo remained very close for the next century and a half. Bima forming part of the unofficial confederation of states under the influence of the Makassar sultanate. Relations with the Dutch remained minimal until the late eighteenth century. Sultan 'Abdu'l Hamid Muhammad Shah was persuaded to sign a definitive contract in 1792, becoming a protectorate of the VOC thereafter (Noorduyn, 1987: 312-342).
Thanks to the Malay preachers' introduction of Islam sent by Gowa Sultanate, Bima sultanate gave a portion of land to the descendants of the Malay preachers which is today called Kampung Melayu. Prager noted that the existence of Kampung Melayu in Bima is attributed to the Malays over the contribution of the legendary two Malay Datok to the Islamization of Bima people. This kampung meaning off street settlement, is located in northwestern Bima in the site of the land that was donated. Today, Kampung Melayu is renowned for its an essential role in the annual Maulid ceremonies (the Prophet Muhammad festival) when the so-called Ua Pua (B., M. sirih puan) ritual is performed. The ceremony culminated in a procession by which the Qur’an â€" covered with a bucket of colorful eggs â€" and the Sirih Puan (M. betel leaves container) was carried on a large platform ‘house’ called Uma Lige from Kampung Melayu to the sultan’s palace. The festival of Hanta Ua Pua has become a yearly commemoration seen as the gift of Islamisation to the region(Sila, 2012; Prager, 2010: 13-14).
It was in the periods of the 2nd Bima sultan, Abi'l Khair Sirajuddin, the festival was created in reference to the legacy of the two Malay datok who introduced Islam to Bima people. This festival was abandoned in the early 1940s probably due to the sensitivities of Islamic modernists who were increasingly dissatisfied with royally sponsored ritual practices that to them seemed ‘backward’ and ‘feudal’, or worse, ‘pagan’. Prager found that Muhammadiyah members discontinued the Ua Pua because of its pagan overtone (the Qur’an covered with flowers), and that dances performed on the wooden platform house by four Bimanese girls and four boys from Kampung Melayu were considered ‘erotic’. However, the U’a-Pua was revived in 2003 following the foundation of a body for upholding local customs called Majelis Hadat Dana Mbojo led by two children of the last Sultan, Muhammad Salahuddin namely Putra Kahir and Siti Maryam. The festival found its significance more profoundly in 2005 due to the election of Ferry Zulkarnain, the son of Putra Kahir, as the regent head of Bima (Sila, 2012). As Islam became common religion, Hitchcock’s ethnographic details clearly show a strong social, political, and cultural affinity of Bima Muslims to their fellow Malay and Makassar Muslims (1996: 173).
Until early in the 17th century when the entire island of Sumbawa including Bima was Islamized and controlled by the Sulawesi Sultanate of Gowa of Makassar. Makassar and Bima sultanates even created a joint military cooperation in the battle against the Dutch for monopoly of the spice trade in the eastern archipelago. At that time, Gowa rivaled the Dutch East India Company for control over the Moluccan spice trade (Andaya 1981). Makassar grew so large during the mid-seventeenth century that its population can be estimated at 100,000 inhabitants, and its status as a major rice exporter during the early seventeenth century changed to one of major rice importer (Reid 1983 and 1987). In 1667, the Bugis noble Arung Palakka (later Sultan Sahaduddin) and his Bone and Soppeng rebels, the other two kingdoms of Sulawesi, joined forces with the VOC and defeated Sultanate Gowa of Makassar during the battle known as the Makassar War. The new overlords then divided up greater Gowa’s empire while retaining Makassar as South Sulawesi’s effective capital. In this new arrangement the VOC superintended Makassar’s trade, while Sahaduddin settled in Makassar to rule South Sulawesi’s internal affairs (Andaya 1981; Bulbeck 1990).
Due to its association with Gowa Sultanate, in 1792 the Dutch persuaded Sultan 'Abdul Hamid Muhammad Shah of Bima to sign a definitive contract, making Bima a protectorate, 1st of the VOC and later of the Dutch Indies, but the colonial hand weighed lighter than in most Indonesian princely states.
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