Zheng He festival, a reminder of a multicultural society
Harry Bhaskara, The Jakarta Post
When a one-week celebration begins on Monday in Semarang, many school children, university students and residents might ask who is Zheng He?
This is no surprise as youngsters are more familiar with explorers like Vasco da Gama and Marco Polo, but not Cheng Ho as Zheng He is locally known.
In fact, the Chinese admiral who visited the Central Java port city 600 years ago has an enduring legacy in the city. This weeks' celebration is held to remember this trade emissary from the Ming Dynasty.
Topping the agenda will be exhibitions, discussions on Zheng He's contribution to the island of Java, traditional processions, barongsai and lion dance competitions, dancing, music and acrobatic shows from China. There will also be seminars on the potential of Central Java as an investor destination and tourist destination.
The festival marks one of the latest discoveries of a lively part of history, previously buried or hidden from students growing up under the New Order just because it dealt with issue of "Chinese".
Arriving at Semarang at the start of 15th century, Zheng He made a cave of Simongan Hill as his temporary abode while repairing his ships. Historians believe it was common for people to live in caves in those days.
Being a Muslim, Zheng He built a mosque nearby and founded a Chinese Muslim community. The mosque was later turned into a temple by Semarang residents, now known as Sam Poo Kong.
A huge Zheng He statue stands in front of the temple. Semarang residents, awed by his bravery, empathy, compassion, generosity and wide knowledge, have elated him almost to a god-like status.
Later, another temple, Thay Kak Sie was built to show respect to him. The two temples have since become the city's important landmarks.
Zheng He made seven voyages to more than 30 countries over a span of 28 years from 1405 to 1433 that took him to Southeast Asia and Africa.
Our knowledge about his early encounters is sketchy because there are only a few local books available.
Some books described Zheng He's contribution to the development of Islam on Java. It would be interesting to know, for example, the link between Zheng He and the revered nine Muslim scholars known as Wali Songo some of whom were likely Chinese. Further disclosure around this theme will enrich the history of Islam's development in Indonesia.
One of Zheng He's interpreters, Ma Huan wrote in 1433 in his book entitled Ying-yai Sheng-lan (The Overall Survey of the Ocean's Shores) that Zheng He did not only visit Semarang, but also many other places such as Tuban, Surabaya, Timor, Aceh, Lampung and Palembang. Whatever impact his visits had on those places remains largely speculation.
Fast forward 600 years, Indonesia is forging closer ties with China. Last week Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono visited China, reciprocating Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to Indonesia in April.
Relations between the two countries have improved by leaps and bounds following the restoration of diplomatic ties in 1990. But uneasiness in the relationship between indigenous Indonesians and Chinese-Indonesians remains. Partly, it is the legacy of the Dutch colonial government, which made a clear division between indigenous people and Chinese residents here (also Arab and Indian residents). The tension was increased during Indonesia's independence struggle in the 1940s, and further during the three decades under Soeharto when, save for a few of his Chinese- Indonesian tycoon cronies, he tried rid the country all things Chinese.
The biggest challenge today is to return to the days when Chinese-Indonesians lived alongside indigenous Indonesians in a genial climate the way they did hundreds of years ago.
As is the case following the end of a celebration, Zheng He's included, memories will soon fade away in people's mind. The task remaining is to enlighten the people about the tales of their land and to put it in school history books. Otherwise youngsters will be aliens in their own land. And if this comes about, it would be an alienation that is self-inflicted.