Age of the Kingdom in Indonesia

1. Kingdom Tarumanegara (358M-723M)
Tarumanagara or Taruma kingdom is a kingdom that once ruled in western Java in the 4th century until the 7th century AD Taruma is one of the oldest kingdoms in the archipelago who left the historical record. The king who once ruled and very famous in the annals is Purnawarman. In 417 he ordered the excavation and Gomati River Candrabaga (Kali Bekasi) along the 6112 spears (approximately 11 km). Finished digging, the king held a safety with menyedekahkan 1000 cows to the Brahmins.

Proof of the existence of the Kingdom of Taruma known through sources originating from within or outside the country. Sources from within the country of seven stone inscription found four in Bogor, one in Jakarta and one in Lebak, Banten.

Tugu inscription at the National Museum:




2. Sriwijaya Kingdom
Sriwijaya is ancient Melayu kingdom on the island of Sumatra that much effect on the archipelago. Initial evidence of the existence of this kingdom from the 7th century; a minister of China, I-Tsing, wrote that he visited Srivijaya in 671 for 6 months. The first inscriptions of Srivijaya also in the 7th century, the inscription Kedukan Hill in Palembang, Sumatra, in the year 683. This kingdom began to fall in the year 1200 and 1300 due to various factors, including the expansion of Majapahit kingdom. In Sanskrit, sri means "shining" and wijaya means "victory".

After Srivijaya fell, the kingdom is forgotten and historians do not know the existence of this kingdom. Sriwijaya existence is officially known in 1918 by the French historian George Coedes of the École française d'Extreme-Orient. Around the year 1992 to 1993, Pierre-Yves Manguin proved that the center of Srivijaya in the Musi River between Bukit Seguntang and Sabokingking (located in South Sumatra province, Indonesia).

Sriwijaya territory map:



Although historical records and archaeological evidence is rarely found, but some states that in the 7th century, Srivijaya had made colonization of the whole of Sumatra, West Java, and some areas in the peninsula Malays. Domination of the Straits of Malacca and Sunda straits, Srivijaya as a controller to make the trade routes of spices and local commerce charge for every ship that passed. Palembang accumulate wealth as a trading port and warehouse market serving China, Malays, and Indians.

In the year 902, the new king sent tribute to China. Two years later, the last king of the Tang Dynasty conferred the title of the messenger of Sriwijaya.

In the first half of the 10th century, between the fall of the Tang dynasty and the rise of the Song dynasty, with foreign trade is rampant, especially Fujian, Min royal and the rich countries of Guangdong, the kingdom of Nan Han. Srivijaya undoubtedly benefited from this trade. In the year 903, the Muslim writer Ibn Battuta was impressed with the prosperity of Sriwijaya. Urban areas include the kingdom of Palembang (especially Hill Seguntang), Muara Jambi and Kedah.

3. Kingdom Medang (Mataram)
Medang Kingdom is the name of a kingdom that stands in Central Java in the 8th century, then moved to East Java in the 10th century, and finally collapsed in the early 11th century. Mataram term then commonly used to name the kingdom as a whole, although not always this kingdom centered there.

Mantyasih inscription on behalf of the 907-year Balitung clearly mentions that the first king of the Kingdom of Medang (Rahyang Medang ta ri ri rumuhun Poh Pitu) is Rakai Mataram The Queen Sanjaya. Sanjaya's life story at length in the new Parahyangan Carita written hundreds of years after his death, which is about the 16th century.

Besides leaving the historical evidence of inscriptions scattered in Central Java and East Java, the kingdom of Medang also built many temples, be it a Hindu or Buddhist patterned.

Heritage temples Medang Kingdom, among others, Temple Kalasan, Plaosan Temple, Prambanan Temple, Temple Sewu, Mendut, Pawon, and of course the most colossal is the Borobudur Temple. Magnificent temple built by this Sailendrawangsa established UNESCO (United Nations) as one of the world's cultural heritage.
Borobudur:


4. Majapahit
Majapahit was an ancient kingdom in Indonesia that had stood from 1293 until around the year 1500 AD This kingdom reached the peak during the reign of Hayam Wuruk, who ruled from 1350 until 1389. Majapahit control other kingdoms on the peninsula of Malaya, Borneo, Sumatra, Bali and the Philippines.

Kingdom of Majapahit was a Hindu-Buddhist kingdom that controls the last Malay Peninsula and is considered as one of the largest country in the history of Indonesia. Power lies in Sumatra, the Malay Peninsula, Borneo, Indonesia to the east, although still disputed territory.



Heritage:
Architecture
Majapahit have a real impact and sustainability in the field of architecture in Indonesia. Depictions of the pavilion (pavilion) of buildings in the capital of Majapahit in Negarakretagama book has become the inspiration for the architecture of the palace buildings and the Temple in Java and community housing complexes in Bali today.

Armament
At the time of Majapahit happened development, preservation, and dissemination techniques following keris social functions and rituals. The use of the keris as a sign of aristocratic greatness also grew during this period and extends to all around the country, especially in the west.

Global Handwashing Day

At this time in the world , mortality and morbidity rates are still high due to diseases related to water, sanitation and hygienic behavior and healthy habits such as low washing hands with soap at critical moments. Therefore, the United Nations has set year 2008 as International Sanitation year.

Public-Private Partnership for Handwashing with Soap (PPP-HWWS) or KPS-CTPS consisting of Unilever (Lifebuoy), WSP, UNICEF, ESP, HSP, Aman Tirta, Reckitt Benckiser, and several other international bodies have set October 15 as Day Handwashing Worldwide (HCTPS) which will be celebrated together by the millions of children in 52 countries, on 5 continents, for supporting and ensuring the International Sanitation year 2008. This is also done to attract attention and raise public awareness about the importance of washing hands with soap.

Efforts to improve the behavior of acceleration washing hands with soap (CTPS) is necessary because the facts show that is still low at CTPS habits important in a society that is 14.3% before eating, after defecation 11.7%, after 8.9 babies menceboki %, prior 7.4% of feeding the child and before preparing food only 6% (Baseline survey data Environmental Services Program (ESP-USAID) in 2006. Hand is one of the transmission path of diseases such as diarrhea, respiratory infection, Kecacingan, Hepatitis A.

"We must admit that until now most of the health condition of Indonesian society is still very alarming. One indicator of low health status in Indonesia is the high number of infant & toddler death caused by diarrhea and respiratory infection. Based on data from Sub Diarrhea, Directorate of Direct Transmitted Disease Control, Ministry of Health of Indonesia (in 2003), diarrhea is still the number two cause of death in Toddlers, number three in infants, and number five in all age groups. "Said dr. Alkadri Wan, M. Sc, Director of Environmental Health, Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia.

Nationally, rates increased morbidity due to diarrhea from year 2003 to year 2006, from 347 per 1000 population to 423 per 1000 population. Extraordinary incident in 2006 occurred in the province with 16 cases more than doubled compared to the year 2005, ie 10.980 patients, and 2:52% mortality rate. While kecacingan year prevalence in 2006 elementary school children, in 27 Provinces are 32.6% higher than in 2005, namely 28.4%.

From various research, the risk of disease transmission can be reduced by an increase in the behavior of clean and healthy living, hygiene behavior, such as washing hands with soap at critical times. According to research Fewtrell L, Kaufmann RB, et al, (2005) behavior of washing hands with soap is the best health intervention cheap and effective compared with the results of health interventions with other ways of reducing the risk of contracting various diseases including bird flu, and diarrhea kecacingan primarily on infants and toddlers.

Department of Health through the KPS-CTPS that one partner is Unilever, the Lifebuoy brand, will celebrate the Day Handwashing World First (HCTPS) on October 15, 2008 in four cities, Jakarta (Wisma Aldiron, Jewel), Bandung (Field Gasibu ), Yogyakarta (Town Square), and Malang (Kanjuruan Stadium). This activity will be followed by more than 40.000 primary school students and parents. UNICEF, also a partner in one of the KPS-CTPS, which will organize similar activities in 22 districts, in six provinces.

North Sumatra

Batak hometown



Data and Statistics


Tari Tor-Tor, North Sumatra. Photo: tanobatak

North Sumatra Province officially established on April 15, 19 April 1948 under Law No.. And Law No. 10/1948. 24/1956. North Sumatra Province practically Batak homeland, but there are ethnic Malays, Indonesians, Javanese, and Nias.

North Sumatra Province is located on the island of Sumatra, bordering the territory of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam (NAD) in the north. While in the west, it borders the province of West Sumatra and Riau. Geographically located in North Sumatra between 1-4 degrees north latitude and 98-100 degrees east longitude.

Location coordinates: 1 ° -4 ° N 98 ° -100 ° E
Basic Law: Law 10/1948, Law 24/1956
Anniversary of the province: 15 April 1948
Mother City: Medan
Area: 72,981.23 km ²
Population: 13,319,525 (2007)
District: 25
Municipality / City: 8
District: 325
Sub District / Village: 5456
Tribe: Tribe Batak (Silindung, Samosir, Humbang, Toba), Malays, Nias tribe, tribe Pakpak, Karo, Interest Simalungun, Angkola Interest, Interest Padang Lawas, Indonesians, Javanese people
Religion: Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Parmalim, Confucianism
Languages: Indonesian, Batak, Karo language, the language Pakpak, language Simalungun, Angkola language, the language of Padang Lawas, language Mandailing, Nias, Malays, Javanese
Time zone: WIB (Western Indonesia Time)

Batik Indonesia Punya Ciri Khas

BATIK, merupakan kain tradisional Tanah Air yang keberadaannya pun telah diakui badan internasional PBB melalui UNESCO yang menangani pendidikan, ilmu pengetahuan, dan kebudayaan.

Karena itu, seharusnya masyarakat Indonesia tidak perlu khawatir akan adanya klaim batik oleh negara lain. Terlebih karena sebenarnya batik Indonesia mempunyai ciri khas tersendiri, bahkan berbeda dengan batik yang dimiliki Malaysia ataupun China.

"Batik asli Indonesia bukan produksi pabrikan (printing/kain bermotif batik). Selama ini, batik khas nasional diproses secara tulis atau dikenal dengan sebutan batik tulis. Ada pula batik cap yang juga termasuk batik khas Indonesia," kata Ketua Asosiasi Tenun, Batik, dan Bordir Jawa Timur, Erwin Sosrokusumo.

Menurut dia, sebenarnya batik Indonesia sudah dikenal bangsa lain sejak zaman Kerajaan Jenggala, Airlangga, dan Majapahit. Namun, saat itu bahan utamanya didatangkan dari China. Penyebabnya, kain sebagai bahan dasar membatik sulit diperoleh di Indonesia.

"Untuk itu, batik memang harus diklaim negara ini dan bukan negara lain yang mengaku-aku," ujarnya.

Sementara itu, ia menjelaskan, pengakuan UNESCO terhadap batik negeri ini pada 2 Oktober 2009 adalah peluang utama mempertahankan kebudayaan bangsa.

"Apalagi, selama ini batik Indonesia sudah memiliki pasar di berbagai negara di dunia, seperti di sejumlah negara Eropa dan Asia," katanya.

Menanggapi hal tersebut, Kepala Bidang Perdagangan Dalam Negeri, Dinas Perindustrian dan Perdagangan Jawa Timur, Arifin T Hariadi, merasa bangga karena batik sebagai warisan nenek moyang Indonesia bisa memperoleh pengakuan internasional.

"Kebanggaan ini wajib disyukuri dan didukung secara penuh oleh seluruh masyarakat Indonesia," katanya.

Di sisi lain, ia menyatakan, kerajinan batik Indonesia sudah sepantasnya diangkat menjadi warisan budaya dunia. Untuk itu, bangsa Indonesia tidak perlu khawatir jika negara lain mengakui batik menjadi miliknya.

"Klaim yang dilakukan Malaysia dan China, keduanya sama-sama memproduksi batik, tetapi produk itu bukan batik sebenarnya alias printing (kain bermotif batik produksi pabrik). Kami bersyukur konsep batik kita sulit ditiru karena memiliki ciri khas tertentu," katanya.

Ketika batik Indonesia sudah resmi menjadi warisan budaya internasional, ke depan, pihaknya mengimbau seluruh lapisan masyarakat di Indonesia supaya lebih mencintai produk batik dan produk dalam negeri. Apabila hal tersebut bisa direalisasikan secepatnya, ia optimistis, pertumbuhan angka penjualan perajin batik baik industri kecil menengah (IKM) dan usaha kecil menengah (UKM) kian meningkat. (Koran SI/Koran SI/nsa)