A Gadjah Mada University (UGM) history professor has stated that\nLombok\u2019s history, which encompasses diversity and identity, has not\nreceived adequate attention in Indonesia\u2019s national narrative. Bambang\nPurwanto said that Nusa Tenggara Barat in general, or Lombok in\nparticular\u2014and more specifically the 1894 war\u2014is not only forgotten but\ndeliberately overlooked for the good of Indonesia. He made the remarks\nduring a focus group discussion titled \u2018Exploring New Futures for\nIndonesian Objects\u2019 at the NTB Museum in Mataram on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Bambang explained that he and a number of researchers from the\nNetherlands are currently using Lombok as a case study to understand the\njourney of the Indonesian nation\u2019s history. He noted that the public\ncurrently only knows Lombok\u2019s history superficially, limited to tales of\nkingdoms, the syncretic belief system of Watu Telu, or the Lombok War of\n1894. The history of Cakranegara, a colonial city of the Karangasem\nKingdom, is often understood merely as a conflict between the Sasak and\nBalinese communities, whereas there are many stories about the\ncommunity\u2019s ability to build togetherness amidst differences.<\/p>\n
The Taman Narmada area in West Lombok, typically associated with\nHindu worship, is in fact filled with activities by the predominantly\nMuslim Sasak people. In certain episodes spanning decades, people\nmanaged to build unity in diversity. Bambang also touched on the stories\nof Dende Fatimah and Dende Aminah as part of the social dynamics within\nthe Cakranegara Palace, the centre of the Karangasem Kingdom\u2019s\nadministration. He also noted the cultural practice of reciting the\nBarzanji or the Hikayat Nabi for newborns aged one month and seven days\nwithin the palace environment, which demonstrates a space for cultural\nand religious encounter. He emphasised that such a practice taking place\ninside a Hindu palace is not a simple matter, showing how people in that\nera managed to reconcile differences and build common ground.<\/p>\n
Various historical realities show that Lombok\u2019s cultural heritage is\nnot only in the form of historical objects but also values, social\npractices, and experiences of coexistence that remain relevant for\nIndonesia today. The ongoing collaborative research will be published in\nseveral formats, including a book and an exhibition planned to be held\nin Lombok in 2027.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ugm-professor-lomboks-history-neglected-in-national-narrative-1784026609", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }