The Tales of Sangkuriang

Recomanded music by Us to accompany you when reading the blog:

The Picture of Mount Tangkuban Perahu.The Mountain
which created because of Sangkuriang act.

      Welcome to our second English Language blog.In this blog,We going to tell you about Indonesian fammous folk tales called Sangkuriang.What is Sankuriang folk tale?Sangkuriang is a Sundanese culture folk tale that tell how the Tangkuban Perahu mountain,Burangrang mountain,Lake Bandung and  Bukit Tanggul Mountain.Sangkuriang folk tale was previously as story of oral tradition that not yet being written.Then,in end of 15 century AD or begining of 16 century AD.Prince Bunjangga Malik write about the Sangkuriang legand in his manuscript which written on a palm leaves after doing a trevel across Java and Bali to visit all Hindunese scared site at the end of fiveteen century.The manuscript were letter put in Bodleian library, Oxford by an Englishmen in 1627.

Here are the report written by Prince Bujangga Malik about Sangkuriang folk tales (NOTE:This report written in a Sundanese languange and translate into English language:

Leumpang aing ka baratkeun (I walked forward to the west)

datang ka Bukit Patenggeng (arriving at Mount Patenggeng)

Sakakala Sang Kuriang (where the legend of Sang Kuriang is)

Masa dek nyitu Ci tarum (in which he would dam Citarum river)

Burung tembey kasiangan (he failed because a new day came)

Plot summary of Sangkuriang folk tale:

Cartoon Ilustration of the Sangkuriang story

 

The picture of Boar.The animal which Celeng
become during his Punishment on earth.

     A long time ago,in Svargaloka (Hindu version of heaven).A God and Godess (female version of God) do a terrible mistake which cause them being kicked out from Svargaloka and incarnated them on earth as animals by an order from  Batari Sunan Ambu (highest mother goddess also the queen of heaven in Sundanese mythology).Then,the God becoming a Dog called Tumang and the godness become a boar called Celeng Wayungyang.One day,the Sundanese king is doing a hunting in the forrest and accendently being seperated from his guards.The king still dont relise that he has been seperated.In the middle of the forrest,the King is urianted in bushes and Cleng Wayungyang which at that time being thristy was accidently drinking the King urine which caused her to pragment and born instantly a female baby.She have born instantly ability becasue she basicly a Godness.The the female bay is being found by the king.Unknown by the king that the female baby is his son,the female baby is taken by the King to Keraton and being raised just like his own child.

 

  The female Baby was latter named as Dayang Sumbi and grew up as a very beautifull girl.Because of her beautifullness,many Nobleman and Prince are getting fall in love with her and trying to court her.Unfortunetly,Dayang Sumbi were not intrested in any Nobleman or Prince.She have a favorite things to do which is weaving and most of her time was spent on creating numerous beautifull clothes and textiles.One day,  the terompong (bamboo or wooden cylinder to spin the threads) fell out into the palace ground.Because her nobility as the King Daugther,She was forbidden to leaves the Palace on foot and must carried around without anyone can hear her help.Because of this,she getting anxious and make a promise in her anxiesty that sound  "Whomever picks the terompong for me will be rewarded, if she is a female, I will treat her as close as my own sister, and if he is a male I shall marry him." Suddently Tumang who is comeing suddently from nowhere,pick up the terompong and give it to Dayang Sumbi.Princess Dayang Sumbi was feel obliged to fullfill her promise and decide to maried Tumang,even Tumang hisself was a dog.This action caused an uprorar in the Nation and a scandal at the Palace which cause the king to be ashmed and decide to banish Dayang Sumbi and Her Husband into the woods.. Feeling sorry for their princess, the king's subjects built her a modest cottage in the forest and left her alone with Tumang.During the full moon,Dayang Sumbi relise that Tumang is a supernatural because He change become Handsome Godness as once He was.One day,Dayang Sumbi dream that one day,a handsome men appear to her and they make a passionate love.The dream was true as  Dayang Sumbi having a love with Tumang which cause Dayang Sumbi to be pragmgent and letter born a child called Sangkuriang.


       Sangkuriang was letter grow up and becoming a very active and strong boy.One day,when He was ten years old.Her mom ask Sangkuriang to hunt a deer to get his (The Deer) liver.During his (Sangkuriang) hunt at Forrest.He suddently see a wild boar (The boar is actually Celeng Wayungyang,her grandmother).He chase the boar and tried to shoot it with his arrow but stopped by Tumang which He relised that the boar is actually Her wife.This action cause Celeng successfully manage to escape and make Sangkuriang mad at Tumang.Sangkuriang anger causing him to accidently hurts Tumang.Tumang later died because His injury.Because Sangkuriang dont want to bring empty handed to His Mother.Sangkuriang decide to cut Tumang liver and bring it to her Mother.Meanwhile,Tumang finally go back to Svargaloka after He finish His punishment on Earth.


        Unknown to Dayang Sumbi that the liver Who Sangkuriang bring to her is Tumang meat.He cook the liver and sereve it.After the meal finished,Dayang Sumbi asked Sangkuriang to bring Tumang to give the rest of the meal.Sangkuriang cannot hold the lie that He already killed Tumang so He decide to admit to Dayang Sumbi that He killed Tumang.Dayang Sumbi then become angry and cannot control her emotions so Her is hitting Sangkuriang so hard at the head using cangkok (rice spoon) which causing Sangkuriang bleed and leaving a scar in his head.Sangkuriang was so horrorfied with his Mother so He decide to leave his House and never come back which cause Sangkuriang now lives alone to survive in the woods.Meanwhile,Dayang Sumbi finally can calm his emotion,but failed to find Sangkuriang in the woods.Then her is praying to gods that She want to meet with Her son again and promised to not eat any meat again.

Pencak Silat,one of the knowledge
which given to Sangkuriang by
the powerful hermit.

    Sangkuriang was suffered an amnesia as a result of a hit by His Mother which causing slowly forgeting His Mermory.After He running away from Home,He was found by a powerful wise hermit who latter decide to adopt his and teach Sangkuriang Pencak Silat (Martial Arts) and a Sundanese supernatural skill called Gayangan (a type of Hayang spirit).When Sangkuriang become a adult men.Sangkuriangf become more handsome and strong men.He now have occupaid a job as a crime-fighter and non permanent job as a helper to the villager.One day,Sangkuriang accidently meet Dayang Sumbi (Which He dont remember because of her Amnesia).They starting to chating to each other and then begain to fell in love and plan for married,.

  
  
         
          One day before there married.When Dayang Sumbi was brushed Sangkuriang Hair.He find out his scar.Dayang Sumbi then starting to relised that the Men who She feel fell in love is Her own Son. Dayang Sumbi know that She cannot married her own Son.So She decide to tell the truth that He is Her own Son to Sangkuriang and asked to cancel the marrige.But unfortunetly,Sangkuriang dont belive it and refuse to cancel of the marrige.Then Dayang Sumbi thinking of another tactic to cancel the marrige.She challenge Sangkuriang to create a great lake by filling the whole valley with water and create a boat so they can sail to lake and they must to finish it on one night.Sangkuriang accept that challenge.With the help of Gayangan,Sangkuriang start to create the lake.First,He dammed the Citarum using a landslide which later,the river water rose and fill the plain which latter creating a lake.After the first task finished,He started to creating abot with cut a massive tree to make a boat.


   When the dawn broke.Sangkuriang are almost finished his boat.Dayang Sumbi who has been convicted that He attempt will fail.Make his one final move to make sure that Sangkuriang attempt its fail,which is She pray to God for help.She wove her magic shawl and filled the eastern horizon with flashes of light. Deceived by what appeared to be dawn, cocks crowed and farmers rose for a new day.

The Picture of Gunung Putri.Where
angred Sangkuring nearly capture
again Dayang Sumbi

     Sangkuriang thought He already been failed so He becomely angry.Unable to control her emotion,He kick the boat that he already built.The boat then is fell down an turn aside.The boat where latter becoming Mount Tangkuban Perahu.The wood which is left over from the boat is becoming Mount Burangrang.The rest of the tree becoming Mount Bukit Tanggul and The Lake becoming Lake Bandung.He then forced Dayang Sumbi still to married her.Latter,Dayang Sumbi managed to braked free and run away from him.Sangkuriang chase Her and when Sangkuriang is nearly capture her at Gunung Putri.Dayang Sumbi prayed and asked one more help.The Almighthy then help her as she transform becoming Jaksi flower.This cause Sangkuriang cannot find her again and becoming insane in the jungle.

We provided a YouTube link of cartoon about Sangkuriang (in Indonesian language):



Relevance of the story plot with the geographical fact


You can check Mount Tangkuban Perahu location in Google maps we provided below (and probally other location):


   
 

Picture of Mount Burangrang

     According to some geographical expert,the story in relevance with the creation of Bandung basin and Mount Tangkuban Perahu.According to recent Geographical investigation.The oldest lake deposits has been radiometrically dated as old as 125 thousand years. The lake ceased to exist at 16000 Before present (BP).According to Geographical investigation and record,There had been two Plinian type of eruptions of ancient Mount Sunda dated respectively at 105000 and 55000–50000 BP. The second plinian eruption which happening in 55000 - 50000 BP cause The Mount Sunda caldera to be collapsed which create Mount Tangkuban Perahu,Mount Bukit Tanggul and Mount Buragang (Mount Sunda).According to Geographical possibility,that its more likely that the ancient Sundanese already been live in the Bandung Basin long before 16,000 years BP and witnessed the second Plinian erouption which caused the settlement west to the Cikapundung river (north and northwest of Bandung) was wiped out.This era was also recorded as the era of homo sapiens; they have been identified in South Australia as old as 62000 BP, while on Java the Wajak man has been dated about 50000 BP.

Sundanese Philosophy on Sangkuriang folk tales

The picture of Hidayat
Suryalaga

    According to Hidayat Suryalaga.The legend of Sangkuriang contains a philosophy enlightening (Sungging Perbangkara or sun) for anyone (plant Cariang) who is still doubt of his existence and wants to search his humanity identity / spirit (Wayungyang). The result of this search will bear enlightened consciousness (nurani) as real truth (Dayang Sumbi, Rarasati). But if the search was not accompanied by carefulness and awareness (toropong or binocular), then he will be mastered by continuing anxiety (mastered by Tumang) which will bear egos, that is, the soul which has not been enlightened (Sangkuriang). When the conscience annoyed again by the anxiety (Dayang Sumbi ate the heart of the Tumang) then the real awareness will lose. The compunction of the conscience is wreaked by beating arrogance of Ego Ratio (the head of Sangkuriang is beaten). The arrogance also force the Ego Ratio to leave the conscience. And the arrogance of the Ego Ratio which despairingly seeks for science (intellectual intelligence) during its adventure in the world (eastward). At the end, the Ego Ratio returns westward consciously or unconscious seek for the conscience (the meeting of Sangkuriang and Dayang Sumbi).


       Thats all information that We already give to You.Critics,Comment and idea can you give to Us in the comment post below or at gerrytulong@gmail.com .We sorry if We make a mistake such as word misstyping or the content dont accurate with the real fact.Thank You and JESUS BLESS YOU.