Taman Sari and Demang Tegis

While I agree with Laretna that Demang Tegis of Portugal never existed (The Jakarta Post, April 27, 2002), I don't think Demang Tegis is a mystery.

About 15 years ago, I wrote in a newspaper published in Yogyakarta refuting that Taman Sari had been built by a Portuguese architect as told in a brochure on tourism in Yogyakarta.

Dutch library sources say that in about 1755, Sultan Hamengkubuwono I sent the regent of Mangundipuro to Batavia to look at modern buildings there. He met with a Bugis building contractor experienced in constructing modern buildings in Batavia. Mangundipuro took this contractor to Yogyakarta along with a number of artisans from the contractor's area. This made sense. The contractor did not speak Javanese and would have difficulty communicating with artisans or laborers from Yogyakarta.

These Bugis people, who hailed from Makassar, stayed in a village later called the Bugisan village. For their services in the construction of Taman Sari, these Bugis people were later appointed as royal staff and were given the rank of demang, an equivalent to a district head.

In this context, I would also refute that Vredeeburg Fort was built by Sultan Hamengkubuwono I. It was built by the Dutch. If we look at the walls of the fort carefully, we'll find that there are holes in these walls which would be large enough for the barrels of cannons directed toward the palace and Taman Sari. They were never intended to drive away enemies coming from outside the city.

SUNARTO PRAWIROSUJANTO

Jakarta