T

he article in The Jakarta Post on Sunday, Nov. 23 deserves some additions and corrections.

The royal palace Pagarruyung (not Pagaruyung, pagar: fence, ruyung: bamboo) was established in the early second half of the 14th century in the 'heartland' Luhak Tanah Datar by King Adityawarman of the Hindu Kingdom (with Buddhist influence) Dharmasraya.

The term 'Menangkabwa' referred at that time to the adjoining northern areas up to Muara Taku and appeared for the first time in the Nagara-Kertagama list not before 1365, in a poem written on palm leaves in honor of King Hayam Wuruk of the Javanese Kingdom of Majapahit.

The claim in the Post's article 'Pagaruyung ['¦] was set afire by the nation's Dutch colonizers in 1804' is a distortion of historical fact. At that time there were no Dutch in this area.

It was the time of the Padri wars under Imam Bonjol with the aim of Islamizing the Minangs.

There are historical eye-witnesses. In 1818 Sir Stamford Raffles with his wife Sophia and with an entourage of more than 100 attendants undertook an expedition from then Bencoolen (Benkulu) to Central Sumatra.

When they arrived at the site of Pagarruyung they were told that the troops of Imam Bonjol had just destroyed the royal palace for the third time.

Because they refused to convert, among other things, most of the royal family was killed. However, a few succeeded to escape and fled to Padang where the Dutch were. They asked for armed support. The Dutch consented gladly subject to the condition that they could build a fort at Batu Sangkar close to Pagarruyung.

Imam Bonjol's troops were pushed back to the north and another fort was built in Batusangkar. Finally, Imam Bonjol was captured and imprisoned.

Although the Minangs became devout Muslims they always had a friendly relationship with the Dutch.

Herwig Zahorka
Bogor, West Java