Unique Fiction Story
Embara, The Unspoken Legend
Prologue
Let me tell you a story, of
how my great-grandfather, and his best friend, Made a great legend. Oops, I
forgot to introduce myself. I’m Kalimah. My profession isn’t like my ancestors'
job. I’m a journalist.
And one day, I met this guy,
open-minded, good looking, special, not like any other young man that focuses
on having good career, dignity and want their names on magazine lines – he
focuses on changing people’s perspective, he’s an activist. And now, we’re
preparing our marriage. My father is Sultan Sintang Muhammad Ikhsan Kesuma
Negara V.
I was forced to be a
politician, but I denied my father’s request. I still think that being a
politician especially in Indonesia, I think that being a politician nor making
you happy or making people happy. I decide to escape from my hometown and study
at a university. Then I decided to be a journalist for my career.
But suddenly my home town,
Kesultanan Sintang (kesultanan is Islamic Kingdom) had a crisis economy. But on
my way rushing to my hometown, I met him, Made Pradita.
Around a few months ago, I
found a note in my attic. That turned out to be my great-great-great-great
grandfather. And I found a different story from what I’ve heard in every
literature about a national hero from Kalimantan Barat named Bardan Nadi. My
great grandfather fight with him against colonialists, but I never heard of my
ancestors' name in any literature or information. And I’m going to tell the
truth, to the public.
And the greatest thing that
I realized is my husband’s ancestor and my ancestor are best friends, almost
like brothers. Is this a coincidence, or the universe’s plan?
Chapter 1
Just
another day in Batavia and I’m prepared to study. I’m grateful that I was born
in a royal family. Let me introduce to you where I’m studying right now. I’m
studying in School tot Opleiding van Indische Artsen, and many people know that
this school is called STOVIA. I live in a boarding house. As many people know,
only the royal family that are allowed to study in a school built by the
Netherlands.
“Hoe
gaat het vandaag met je lui varken? weer laat wakker worden? How’s your day
lazy pig, waking up late?” Bu Wati shouted at me in Netherland language.
“Come
on, why don’t you help me prepare breakfast, stop met me uit te lachen, stop
laughing at me” I shouted back.
Even
though she’s only an old woman that married a Netherland worker, she’s a nice
and fun person to chit-chat with. She has a boarding house, where many students
live there. She’s only a village girl and her parent almost sold her as a
slave, and suddenly a kind-hearted Netherlander businessman.
“Jonge
mensen zoals jij moeten actief zijn, Embara, a young man like you should be
active, Embara.” Said Defras, Wati’s husband.
Yep,
my name is Embara. And it means an explorer. And base on the name that is given
by my parents, I love to explore European culture. I think that Indonesian
people are primitive. I’m confused why a lot of student that studied in
Netherland school instead of helping them, they resist them. Such as Raden Mas
Soewardi Soeryaningrat.
“Son,
I think there’s a letter for you.” Said Wati
“Who
sent the letter?” I replied.
Wati
gave me the letter. And I still hold two slices of bread, and one on my mouth.
And when I read this letter, I almost got choked, it’s my father. I immediately
wrap this letter and throw it to the trash bin.
“What’s
in the letter, son?” asked Wati.
“Gewoon
een brief van een oude vriend, just a letter from old friend.” I replied.
“Off
you go, then.” Replied Wati.
Fuh,
I hope that wati don’t really take it seriously. Fyuuuhh. Just forget it.
And
just another day, where I walk, accompanied by my European suit, and my
suitcase that I always bring that including health journal and any other things
that I need to study biology. Yep, I’m studying to be a doctor. And soon, I’ll
be working for the Netherlands, and I’m waiting for the moment of me, invited
to Netherland, especially Holland. Ohhh, Holand.
Chapter 2
I
nearly open up my suit, and suddenly someone that I recognize, an old friend of
mine, Bardan Nadi
“Lazy
pig, how many times have you sleep?” asked Bardan to me.
“Bardan?
When did you arrive in Batavia?” I replied.
“Actually,
around 2 hours. It took a long time to find a place where you live. I can’t
find anyone that is called “lazy pig” replied Bardan, continued by an annoying
laugh. I hit his arms and also laughed.
You
must know, that Bardan is a bit older than me. He’s an old friend of mine, and
he was different from any other kid in my hometown. He has a high sense of
humanity. That is why, we called him Bardan, in Arabic it means cool as the
wind. Because, he can communicate with almost all children in my hometown,
without feeling any disgusted, or anything. And once, there was a fight between
two child, and I don’t know how to explain it, but Bardan can easily bring
peace to everybody.
And
now, he has a family, with one child, a girl. And now, she’s two years old.
As
we walk through the walking path, and the street, we make a little conversation
and chit chat of course. And he kept talking about his idea of making Indonesia
free from colonialists. I also gave some suggestions on his Party called
Parindra that this party will work together with the Netherlands. And he
accepted it.
“Why
don’t you just go back home, and help me discussing our party? I think this is
the right time for you to take a rest from study, study and study, and inhale
fresh air.” Said Bardan.
“Nah,
sorry my friend, not this time. But, I can help you by sending some letters to
you.” I replied.
“And
there’s one thing that I need to tell you. I think that the Netherlands are not
one path with us right now. And yesterday I just resist my party to work with
them.” He said.
“Wow,
wow, wow, did you say that you resist them? And now, what will happen to you,
you’re putting yourself in trouble, idiot!” I replied.
And
he said, “That is why, me and my daughter are running away, escaping from NICA,
and hoping peacefulness upon us. Don’t worry about me.
But,
in case I was captured, your name is erased from this Party document. You’ll be
safe. You need to spend your time wisely. Reach your dreams. Don’ worry about
me. Because you, are my dearest best friend, almost like a brother to me.”
And
I replied with wet eyes, “Why did you do this, why don’t you tell me about this
thing?”
And he replies, “That’s okay
buddy, it’s my choice, for this beloved country. And on this evening, I’m
coming back to my hide house in Pontianak. Don’t follow me, I just want you to
be safe.”
I replied, “Please, just
stay with me until you’re on your way back home.”
He accepted it and followed
me into my boarding house. Right after we arrived, I introduced him to Wati,
and she let him stay for a while. And due to my tired body, I fell into the
comfortable bed.
“Just like old times, lazy
pig.” He said when I almost closed my eyes.
And when I woke up, I look around,
searching for Bardan, he’s gone. I directly run and chase him. But he rides a
horse-drawn carriage, and he waved me his last goodbye.
And I’m stressed, thinking
of many possibilities that may happen to him. I nearly can’t sleep.
And the next day, I receive
a letter from my hometown, Sintang Kingdom. Fuh, I guess I need to open it, it’s
fine I guess if I open it once. And I’m shocked by what written in the letter.
This morning, Bardan was
caught by NICA, and his daughter died, he failed to save her due to this cruel
Netherland. And he got shot as punishment.
At the same time, tears fell
from my eyes. And for nearly 24 hours, I lock my room. Spending a lot of time
for myself, remembering all the moments that we spend before his death, our
childhood, and his words yesterday, still screaming in my head. And at the same
time, I receive a letter from my school, and I got dropped out. At that time, I
was shocked, but all I wanted to put my mind on is Bardan.
And I realized, I haven’t
take a shower for one day. And the next day, I decide to go back to my
hometown, to forget the past, forgive all mistakes that have been made by my
father.
Chapter
3
And, now, I’m preparing my
suitcase and prepare myself on my way to my hometown. And I don’t forget to
tell Wati and Mr. Defras, that I’m leaving for my hometown.
At 04.30 am, I directly ask
the horse-drawn carriage driver to go to my destination, the dock. There, I was
on a ship that is heading to Pontianak.
Right now, I’m looking at
the sky, its orangey color, and seagulls that fly beautifully, accompanied by
hot coffee, and some memories that flash in my head. Tears, can you please,
only for today, don’t come out from my eye.
“Greetings, meester, hoe
gaat het, how are you? May I know, what drive you to visit Pontianak?”
Wow, just a second I take a
look at the beautiful, this young man suddenly disturbs my moment and shows up,
acting like he know me already.
“What’s in it for you?” I
asked him back.
“Hahahahahah, chill buddy,
just searching for someone to talk with. Anyway, I saw your face look a little
sorrow. Maybe I can offer you some help.” He replies.
At first, I think that he’s
showing off. But I think, worth a try.
Fyuhhh. “Okay young man, just
missed my hometown. How about you?”
“Just looking for a job. And
my island is full of colonialist there. Those bitches, oops, my mistake…..”
“No problem buddy. Go on.”
“Okay, hierarchy is a huge
thing in my island. And due to that huge gap, I think I should go and search
for more fresh air.”
And we continued until I
finally think that this guy is fun to talk with, and I should tell him my real
destination. I told him all the problem that I face, and he’s interested to
help me finish my problem. I thought that Indonesians were primitive, and he
thought that technologies only bring a plague upon humanity. But we respect
each other’s opinions.
Chapter
4
I finally arrive in my
hometown. And I felt a different atmosphere here. The wind was waving around,
swinging through my face. But, the heat on my stomach, fyuh, it’s so
uncomfortable. And him, Made Pastika, still walking around observing the new
land that he steps on. He made me chuckle.
“So, which direction are we
going to?” he asked.
“Heheheh, a friend of mine
will come to pick us up. Eeepppp, there he comes. Long live, I just mentioned
you in a conversation before.” “Yes, tuan
mude (Young Master)” he replies.
“Chill buddy, we’re friends
right?” I reply.
And we get into the
horse-drawn carriage. And there, we continued our chit-chat. And suddenly we
debate each other, but then we change our conversation and laugh together.
Finally, we arrive at
Kesultanan Sintang. My father suddenly comes and hug me.
My father said, “Long time
no see, son.”
And I hug back to my father.
“So, what’s your plan, my
son?”
“We need to attack the
military base that is located around this region. Then, we work together with a
person that I know, that will make this country free, Soekarno. I will
contribute to this country. For this country’s freedom.”
And we, with a lot of
people, together attack the NICA’s and Netherland’s military base. At first,
Made doesn’t want to use any guns, but suddenly, in the middle of the war, his
spear got to break. And finally, I handed him some guns. And he, enforced to
use those guns. We finally succeed in pushing back colonialist.
I finally realized, even
though our weapon is not advanced as colonialist, but we have many kinds of
people all around Nusantara, unity in diversity. And now, I’m in love with my
culture and the most important thing is, I want Nusantara to reunite and
become a free country.
A few months after these
incidents, I’m invited by Soekarno to discuss what the country symbol will be,
with any other educated people all around Nusantara. I was accompanied by my
best friend, brother-like best friend, Made Pastika to Batavia.
We fought together at that
time. Each of us has our own family. I’m lucky that I was alive, escaping from
many threats from colonialists. From the first time I stepped my feet on
Batavia, I made this note. At first, I do it only to have fun and express my
feelings. At last, I dedicate this note to my descendants. On my way of
building my new family, me and Bardan separate apart, doing our own activities.
I hope that we can meet
together soon. I tried many things to search for him. Finally, I think that I
should stop and continue life. Maybe the universe has a plan.
I want my descendant to
know, that there’s one thing that colonialist can’t take from us. Unity and
diversity. In case in the future, Nusantara is in a crisis or facing many
problems, read this note.
Epilogue
And I, Kalimah, the descendant
of Embara, are going to tell the truth to the public. About the erased legend,
of my ancestor.
