The place of myth and legend in Indonesian history

The place of myth and legend in Indonesian history

By Soe Tjen Marching

MELBOURNE (JP): The idea of postmodernism has begun to become
familiar in Indonesia. A number of books on postmodernism have
been translated and published in Indonesia, and the names of
Roland Barthes and Michel Foucault are starting to become quite
familiar in this country.

One of the main characteristics of postmodernism is the
blurring of dichotomies, such as the difference between fact and
fiction. Postmodernists question the "truth" in texts which are
considered to reveal the facts, such as history texts. And they
question the "fictiveness" of genres considered untrue, such as
mythology.

Postmodernists believe that what is considered fictive is
actually fact which has not yet been proven. On the other hand,
they think that what is considered fact is not immune to
mediation, interpretation and even manipulation. Thus, the truth
is unavoidably distorted. They begin to see the reality of
fiction and the fictiveness of reality.

The coming of postmodernism has been received with different
reactions by Indonesian critics. Some Indonesian critics happily
welcome the movement. Others consider postmodernism a Western
ideology, and believe its existence is a kind of colonialism of
Indonesian writing. Others consider postmodernism as too
difficult or complicated to suit Indonesian writing.

However, the idea of postmodernism is not new to Indonesian
literature. In the Indonesia of pre-Western colonialism, history
and literature were inseparable. In works such as Babad and
Hikayat, history mingled with fiction, literature, creativity as
well as imagination.

While some Indonesians still saw history in the form of myth
and legend, Western cultures differentiated history from
literature. History was seen as an activity which dealt with
proof, real events and facts. On the other hand, fiction was
related to the imagination and creative skills.

The Western perception of history consequently differed from
that in Indonesia. During colonialism, more and more Western
scholars who learned about the history of Indonesia through
Hikayat and Babad found that there were some events in the text
which corrupted the learning of history. The Western colonizers
were quite confused whether they should include Hikayat and Babad
in the genre of history or literature.

Finding that fiction interfered too much in the text, the
Western colonizers tried to reconstruct Indonesian history by
separating myth and legend from the events which were considered
real. In the period of Western colonialism, Indonesians were
considered irrational by the colonizers; people who believed in
mythmaking and dreams. The colonizers thought such beliefs needed
to be changed to more standard Western values.

These Western colonizers were not aware that myths and legends
were essential parts of the texts. They explained the beliefs and
metaphors in Indonesian history in accordance with the social
conditions of the time.

Consequently, the Western colonizers educated Indonesians to
see fact in their colonizers' standards.

The long period of colonialism made Western values influential
in Indonesia. Because the idea of rationalism became wide-spread
in Indonesia by the end of the 19th century, Indonesians began to
question the writing of history through myths and legends.

Instead of treating history as literature, modern Indonesians
prefer to have a clear distinction between the two. Some
Indonesians who consider themselves "educated" mock the belief of
dreams and myths as silly.

So, as Western colonizers used to do to Indonesian values,
some educated Indonesians try to rationalize myths and legends.
Thus, instead of accepting myths and legends as an unavoidable
part of history, some Indonesians try to reconstruct history from
a scientific and logical point of view.

They do not realize though, that some myths and legends
predict nature and often coincide with or precede scientific
explanations. The story of the dancing Shiva which explains the
dynamic universe precede all astronomical explanations. The Greek
myths of gods and goddesses accurately explained astronomy long
before scientists such as Ptolemy and Copernicus came around with
their telescopes and tools.

The belief in Nyai Roro Kidul and her temper often protected
locals from natural disasters. Through this myth, people often
learned about the power of the sea and how to avoid its dangers.
It may have been too late for them if they had to wait for
scientists to tell them about the nature of the ocean.

Perhaps it should not be forgotten that the ancient Javanese,
whose culture was filled with myths, could erect Borobudur, while
modern science still cannot explain its construction. The ancient
Egyptians had pyramids which combined magic, metaphors and dreams
with science.

Modern and logical people may have some knowledge which
complements myths and dreams. However, it does not mean myths and
dreams are inferior to scientific knowledge, and vice versa.

While Western rationalism has been integrated and its
influence is still quite strong in Indonesia, particularly among
people who consider themselves educated, this rationalism has
come into question with the birth of postmodernism. And
surprisingly, postmodernism can be found in Indonesia's literary
history. Perhaps it is time for us to question the hidden
messages behind the dichotomies of fact and fiction, inferior and
superior, rational and irrational, Eastern and Western.

The writer is a Ph.D student in Asian Studies at Monash
University, Australia.