Taman Sari and Demang Tegis

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