A week full of awesomeness ever! This week I became a liaison officer for ASEAN event "Trip to Historical Site For ASEAN Unity 2013", FYI this is their first time! This is also the first time for me as liaison officer. I've got so many things to learn, and I think it'll change my perspective about many things after our daily conversations with all LOs, Pak La Ode, Mas Arya, Mas Ryan, Mas Rojil (who looks like Ramon Y. Tungka.... wait for it.... from distance! :D and combination with Mas Breng's face, our senior at English Department) and all the extraordinary things that we experienced everyday and also learn about how to handle an event that might gone out of expectation. I learned a lot especially from Pak La Ode who deserves great gratitude for saving this event. I couldn't imagine how this event turned out to be without him. Well, he's really a funny person and calm, he's a history lecturer at our campus and so is Mas Arya while Mas Rojil is a lecturer at Ciputra. Suddenly I remember, before I decided to choose English Department as second choice in university, I really wanted to learn history and my parents wasn't really agree about me study in history major, but then my father always supports me to find history books I want to read or just having such talk. My father was born in the very late 40s, so he often tells me about many things. This event is perfectly right for me since I love history. Unfortunately, I couldn't attend the lecturing session because it was only for the delegates. Well, here are just some snapshots that I took.
Well, the very first briefing was on Sunday and I had no idea we were going to Trowulan sub-district, Mojokerto. So, yaayyy! First time I went there with my father when my lecturer gave final assignment about Majapahit Empire. I was so excited and I asked my father to go with me. I couldn't imagine about their life or appearance in Majapahit era until I went to the museum. I was speechless, my imagination went through how they dress, their activities, their ceremony, etc by looking at the collection of the museum. Lately I can picture it more by reading Pram's Arok Dedes (not yet finished reading it!) about the life of East Java's kingdoms. I like how people called our province as mystical, indeed. So, this is my second time to went there, and everything seems better. There is a renovation by building a roof for the remaining trace of Majapahit site near the museum, so that the tourist can see better from the height. Although the guide said that it wasn't fully 100% yet and still in a process.
Trowulan is the former capital city of Majapahit Empire. The territory of the empire were including Malay Peninsula and some part of Phillipine's territory (they are all now Singapore, Brunei, Phillipines, Malaysia, and Thailand). Well, the popular trivial thing about the name of the empire is, maja is a fruit, and pahit means bitter. Maja is a typical fruit that grows in Mojokerto. The establishment of the empire itself started from Raden Wijaya who was given a territory in Tarik Forest, Mojokerto. Then, he established a village named Majapahit which the territory was increasingly widespread under the throne of Hayam Wuruk and assisted by Gadjah Mada as his chief minister. Majapahit was also considered as wealthy trading state that took control over the trade in the South East Asian's well-known and influential strait of Malacca. We also visited some sites like temples that spread near the museum.
Trowulan Museum, Mojokerto
 |
| We can see the site of Majapahit Empire from such height |
 |
| Arca from Majapahit Era |
Gapura Bajang Ratu
 |
| Some historians believe that this temple was the main gateway to enter an important building in Majapahit Empire |
 |
| Actually the Reog and Jaranan dance wasn't performed as complete as in the annual Faculty of Humanities Airlangga University's Culture Festival. |
 |
| Reog, although it is originated from Ponorogo, East Java, sometimes it is showed along with Jaranan or Javanese traditional horse dancing |
Candi Tikus
 |
| It was a 'pertirtaan' or ritual pool bathing, the concept of this temple, there is several filter as they believed that it made water became pure and holy. |
Candi Brahu
 |
| This temple was believed as cremation place of Majapahit's kings |
Gapura Wringin Lawang
 |
| gapura: gateway, wringin= banyan, lawang= gateway |
After visited Trowulan Museum and Majapahit sites in Mojokerto, the next day we explored some historical places in Surabaya. Before that, we also went to Porong, saw the Lapindo mud flow. When I go to Malang or anywhere else via Surabaya-Gempol Freeway where the center of explosion is near to the freeway. I see high mound next to the railway but I've never gone up stair to see the mud behind the mound. It really in vast area and also terrifying. I also talked to some inhabitants that selling some documentary CD of Lapindo mud flow. The ironic part is, according to them, the government has already provided settlement for them as long as they pay for about 200 million Rupiahs. There are about 16 villages, 3 sub-districts and more than 10 millions units of house drowned. Since the area was dominated by factories and became the inhabitants' livelihood, when it's gone, so is their job. But I think it cause more troubles because they only eking a living by selling documentary CDs, ojek or take tourist around the site by motorcycle, and also beggar :(
After a sad story, we moved to the north part of Surabaya! I love these part, it's like we're trapped in the past. The first destination in Surabaya was Hong Tiek Hian temple. It is the oldest temple or kelenteng in Surabaya. Located near Kembang Jepun's Chinatown, the temple is also near to inhabitant's houses. It is considered as Ku Bhi Lai Khan's inheritance, it was built by his troops called Tar-Tar. First we entered the kelenteng, we were welcomed by Hio's aroma, statues and huge candles. The main building is actually divided in to two by a small alley. This alley connects the main street to inhabitants' settlement. We were welcomed by the performance of Wayang Potehi or Potehi Puppet on stage. This performance is originally derived from China. The word Potehi comes from poo-tay-hie, poo: fabric, tay: pocket or pouch and hie: puppet. Overall, the meaning of Potehi is a puppet from fabric clothe and has a pocket played by the puppeteer. If there's no special visit, the Potehi Puppet Show usually performed in the afternoon. Sometimes we can find funny things inside the kelenteng too, such as laundry or sun-dried clothes, magic jar (jar to cook rice), but most of people who live there are not Chinese.
Kelenteng Hong Tiek Hian, Surabaya's Chinatown
 |
| The oldest klenteng in Surabaya! Klenteng in English means worship place or temple of Confucianism, Buddhist, and Taoism's adherents |
 |
| There are many altars in this temple |
 |
| Dragon becomes symbol of demon repellent |
 |
|
Next, we visited Ampel as one of historical site in Surabaya and influential as the starting-point of the Islamic spread in East-Java. Before entering the area of Ampel Mosque, there is a long road of market that sells equipment of worship, clothes, foods. When I was in Junior High School, there were still many Arabians in the market sold perfumes, but I think there were none of them last week in this trip, or probably because it's a weekday. Unfortunately, we couldn't have the chance to walk around Kampung Arab. Kampung in Surabaya is a typical of neighborhood that live very close, side by side. My last walk in Kampung Arab was with Manic Street Walkers (a street walkers community in Surabaya) in collaboration with House of Sampoerna's program. There is a tradition in Kampung Arab's house that they need to apply sun-shade in front of their door so that strangers can not see inside the house. For further info about Kampung Arab near Ampel area, you can read some articles from Ayorek! project by hitting these links about An Afternoon Walk in Pasar Pabean and Kampung Arab and One Morning in Kampung Arab.
And those trip and sleepless nights was super awesome!
 |
| My Selfie, 9th Floor (literally it's 4th!) of The Empire Palace Hotel |
|
|
This is how to drying up wet sneakers in your hotel room using the air conditioning's breeze #lifeguide :))
|
Meanwhile, last night I went to
C2O Library & Collabtive since today Ayorek! SUB Festive is held at Balai Pemuda, a festival to celebrate Surabaya's people, culture, uniqueness, places, and everything! Super excited, last year there was Ayorek! Treasure Hunting, kinda' collaboration research about Surabaya citizen. Inyongski and me wrote about Pasar Gembong, we also made some doodles like the maps, the people, and things you can find there, the concept is pretty much like
They Draw & Travel. It will be published as a book entitled SUB Versi! :D Well, I'll tell you more about it later, the festival and launching will be held today!
