Yogyakartan troops gear up for war game

Yogyakartan troops gear up for war game

Text and photos by Tarko Sudiarno

YOGYAKARTA (JP): All humans despise war but it is sometimes
unavoidable. Therefore, each community has its own troops to
defend itself from enemies.

On Sunday evening (Sept. 9), the Yogyakarta Kraton (palace)
guards lined up in the northern square of the palace. People
wondered if Yogyakarta was under attack. Apparently not. It was
all just part of Yogyakarta's Tourism Promotion Week in which the
troops presented the Gladen Perang.

Gladen Perang is a war game carried out by a thousand soldiers
of the Kraton and the Pakualaman palace (formerly subordinate to
Yogyakarta's palace). This program attempted to simulate the
practice of war maneuvers during the time of Sultan
Hamengkubuwono I, the first ruler of Yogyakarta.

The war game demonstrated how the kingdom's founder
constructed his war strategy. According to Yogya palace troop
manggala yudha (commander), Yudhaningrat, the martial drill
methods and combat maneuvers applied were handed down by and
based on the experiences of Pangeran (prince) Mangkubumi when
fighting the Dutch conquerors before they ruled over Yogya.

In the simulated war game -- with thousands of spectators also
crowding the square -- the soldiers of the palace presented Supit
Urang, a lobster-claw tactic to besiege enemy forces, and those
of the Pakualaman palace displayed Garuda Nglayang, a flying-
eagle maneuver for hit-and-run attacks.

Yogyakarta's troops also featured the Emprit Nebo (flocking
birds) and Dirodo Meto (furious elephant) offensives, which were
ended with Manyar Sewu (a thousand birds), requiring an assault
from all directions at the same time. Enemies, represented by two
effigies placed in the middle of the square, were overwhelmed in
this event by both palaces' soldiers.

The soldiers used rifles, arrows, spears and swords as their
weapons. Commanders were on horseback while soldiers had to march
or run.

Yudhaningrat said that when Sultan Hamengkubuwono I was in
power this exercise was conducted regularly because, in 1755, the
sultanate declared Yogya a military based kingdom, with the
monarch being both a commander and religious leader.

"This is obviously contained in the royal title assumed by
Pangeran Mangkubumi, with the word senopati (commander-in-chief):
Ngerso Dalem Sampeyan Dalem Ingkang Sinuwun Kanjeng Sultan
Hamengkubuwono Senopati ing Ngalogo Ngabdurrakhman Sayidin
Panotogomo Kalifatullah Ingkang Jumeneng Kaping Sapisan," said
the son of the late Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX.

In this position, the first ruler designed his defense and
security strategies on five levels.

The first was the population of Yogya, with the state bearing
responsibility for popular defense and security. The second
comprised Masjid Pathok Negara, in the form of four mosques in
the four corners of Yogya's outskirts, including their provisions
and clerics, who were appointed by the sultan and expected to
provide guidance for Muslims and surrounding communities in
religious and security matters.

Housing facilities for soldiers and palace personnel were
designated as the third level. They received houses and land
around the palace, which finally led to the development of
kampongs (villages) now still found in Yogya, such as
Mantrijeron, Nyutran, Patangpuluhan, Wirobrajan, Daengan, Gamelan
and Siliran.

The fourth level was the residential areas for high-ranking
officials involved in administrative and cultural activities
including the governor, princes, city regents, rural regents,
district chiefs, subdistrict heads and village heads. This level
also served as the final filter before the royal family.

The highest level was the palace administration. It became the
center for administrative control, where the whole territory's
defense and security were managed.