Preserving the tradition of fruit gardens in Indonesia<\/p>\n
By Amir Sidharta<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The opening of the extensive Taman Buah
\nMekarsari fruit gardens in Cileungsi, Bogor, yesterday
\nillustrates the significance of fruit in many cultures of the
\nIndonesian archipelago.<\/p>\n
Various fruit trees have been cultivated for centuries by
\ncultures throughout the archipelago for purposes ranging from
\nceremonial rituals to house building material. The significance
\nof fruit in various cultural traditions is evident across
\nsociety, from common compounds to royal courts.<\/p>\n
\"No region of the earth, can boast an equal abundance and
\nvariety of indigenous fruit,\" remarked Sir Thomas Stamford
\nRaffles early in the 19th century.<\/p>\n
The overwhelming lushness of the Indonesian environment has
\nled to cultures based on the clearing of forests to make way for
\ndwellings, vegetable gardens, orchards and rice fields.<\/p>\n
The fruit trees used in everyday life as well as traditional
\nand religious rituals are found in designated orchards near the
\ndwelling compound. In Bali, fruit with ritual importance are
\ngrown in a teba orchard adjacent to the house. Recent discoveries
\nsuggest that the Dayak of Kalimantan also have walled enclosures
\nin which they grow a selection of trees, among them fruit trees.<\/p>\n
Communities often found that their land was conducive to
\ncultivating a particular fruit. As a commodity fruit has
\ntherefore been organized for centuries in groves and orchards in
\nIndonesia. Not surprisingly, fruit is used to name areas once
\nfamous for their specific groves. The port of Jakarta, was once
\ncalled Nusa Kelapa and now Sunda Kelapa, \"The Land of the
\nCoconut Trees\".<\/p>\n
Other areas, like Duren Tiga (Durian \"Three\") and Mangga Dua
\n(Mango \"Two\"), include numbers, perhaps indicating the number of
\nprominent fruit trees which existed in the area. Some others are
\nmore descriptive. Kampung Rambutan may refer to a village once
\nknown for its rambutan trees and Kebon Nanas was most likely a
\npineapple grove. Mangga Besar was once either a vast mango
\norchard or an orchard of large mango fruits.<\/p>\n
There are also places with fruit connected to the place name,
\nlike Cipinang Cempedak. Other places, like Menteng, Kemang,
\nGandaria and Jeruk Purut, only indicate the kind of fruit.<\/p>\n
Fruit is found in names in other parts of the country as well.
\nJambu Air Bay in Aceh, Kotapinang in North Sumatra, Telukdurian
\nand Pisang in Riau, Semangka Bay and Blimbing in Lampung, Mount
\nSalak and Mount Ceremai in West Java, Sukun Island in East Nusa
\nTenggara, Cape Kelapa in North Sulawesi, Pisang Island in Maluku,
\nand Valse Pisang Islands and Pisang Islands in Irian Jaya are
\nexamples.<\/p>\n
The most important name based on a fruit is the Kingdom of
\nMajapahit in East Java. Its territory once encompassed the
\npresent-day Indonesian archipelago. The name Majapahit, which
\nmeans \"bitter maja fruit\" comes from a tale of Madurese laborers
\nwho were working under the instructions of Raden Wijaya, the
\nfounder of Majapahit in 1294. They found the luscious fruit to be
\nbitter, contrary to their expectations.<\/p>\n
According to Slametmuljana, an authority on Majapahit history,
\nit is common toponymical practice to name a village after trees
\nor other elements found in the area, and notes that aside from
\nthe legend, maja trees were common and therefore the region has
\nmany villages bearing the word maja, like Majakerta, Majawarna
\nand Maja Agung.<\/p>\n
History<\/p>\n
Historically, the importance of fruit and fruit trees in
\nIndonesia can be traced back to the Sriwijaya period. The
\ninscription of Talang Tuwo, dated 684 A.D., contains the mention
\nof the creation of the parlak or taman (gardens) of Sriksetra as
\na pranidha (act or vow) of Dapunta Hyang ri Jayanaga, the ruler
\nof Sriwijaya, after the successful military expedition on
\nMinanga.<\/p>\n
Rejoice, on the Saka year of 606, on the second of the half-
\nfull moon of the Caitra month, this is the time the gardens of
\nSri-ksetra was completed,
\n according to the orders of Hyang Sri Jayanaga. This was the
\nvow of honor of His Majesty. Everything which was planted
\nhere, coconut, pinang, enau, sago palm,
\n along with other trees, the fruits of which are edible; as
\nwell as bamboo buluh, betung, and so forth; and other gardens,
\n which have ponds (and) lakes, and everything that can be used
\nfor good deeds, (shall) be used for the welfare of all living
\ncreatures, both which are mobile and immobile, so that they can
\nachieve,
\n happiness; and if hunger ever occurs in their journey, they
\n(shall) get food to eat along with water to drink. (Shall) every
\ncrop from the fields and gardens be sufficient
\n to sustain all types of animals, especially so that they will
\nbe able to reproduce and multiply...<\/p>\n
From the inscription, which contains a clear description of
\nthe kinds of the fruit grown in the garden, it is known that this
\npleasure garden was a royal philanthropic institution which was
\nopen for public enjoyment. Meant to provide advice and guidance
\nto acts of merit and piety reflecting Mahayana Buddhist
\nteachings, this archaeological artifact offers a glimpse of the
\nmeaning of fruit and fruit trees in the 7th century court in the
\nSumatran kingdom.<\/p>\n
The creation of special pleasure gardens as places of retreat
\nhave significance of spirituality and sovereignty.<\/p>\n
In contrast to the Taman Sriksetra, many court gardens were
\ncreated specifically for the use of the Sultan or his immediate
\nfamily. The Taman Sari of Yogyakarta, for example, was
\nconstructed by Hamengkubuwono I in 1758 originally for his
\nprivate use. It was planted with flowers, vegetables as well as
\nmany varieties of fruit, like mangoes, jambu and bananas,
\narranged in 18 extravagant gardens.<\/p>\n
There are at least 10 varieties of mangoes, including
\nlalijiwa, arum manis, si manalagi, kweni, golek, sungir,
\nsantok, pakel, and gedong or gadung. There are also different
\nvarieties of bananas, such as kepok, klutuk, rojo, mas, ambuan,
\nsusu, tanduk, and mangka. Among the varieties of jambu there
\nare klutuk or biji dersono, dersono kecut, bol, and mede or
\nmonyet.<\/p>\n
The Langen Harjo estate south of Solo, the pleasure gardens of
\nthe Sunan of Surakarta, is also planted with numerous varieties
\nof fruit. The number of varieties of fruit trees planted in the
\ngardens signify the status and importance of their proprietors in
\nthe political circle of the kingdom.<\/p>\n
However, it is not only in pleasure gardens that fruit plays
\nan important role. In certain Indonesian kingdoms, gardens
\nsustained the notion of the kraton as a microcosm. In the kraton
\nof Yogyakarta, fruit trees were planted in a distinct spatial
\norder.<\/p>\n
The Northern Kemandungan court is planted with keben trees. To
\nthe south of this court, other kinds of fruit trees are planted
\naround the Bangsal Sri Manganti and the Bangsal Trajumas
\npavilions, within walled enclosures. Around the central Bangsal
\nKencono or \"Golden Throne Pavilion\" symbolizing the sacred Mount
\nMeru, towering sawo kecik trees are planted in a sea of dark
\nsand. While the sawo is associated with prosperity, the canopy of
\nthis particular sawo tree, believed to have the natural
\ncapability of avoiding structural obstacles, also offers shade.
\nIt common for the trees to serve both practical and spiritual
\npurposes.<\/p>\n
A number of the royal gardens have been transformed into
\ncharitable institutions for public enjoyment, like the Taman
\nSriksetra of Sriwijaya. The Kebon Rojo, a court garden initially
\ncreated as an extension of the Keraton of Surakarta, was opened
\nto the public as the Taman Sriwedari at the end of the 19th
\ncentury. It later became the top amusement part of Solo.<\/p>\n
The opening of the extensive Taman Buah Mekarsari fruit
\ngardens in Cileungsi, Bogor, yesterday, continues a 14 century
\ntradition of providing pleasure gardens to the public enjoyment.<\/p>\n
Designed to foster the cultivation of fruit from Indonesia,
\nthe Taman Buah Mekarsari is believed to be the first of its kind
\nin the world. The creation of this extensive gardens reasserts
\nthe importance of fruit and fruit trees in the numerous cultures
\nof Indonesia.<\/p>",
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