Scotch College

Meeting with the Sultan

As an Indonesian teacher at Scotch College I am always interested in furthering my language skills and cultural understanding. During a recent study and culture tour of Yogyakarta in the January holidays, I requested an interview with the Sultan of Yogyakarta, Hamengku Buwono X, who is also the Governor of the Special District of Yogyakarta. The Sultan is descended from a long line of Sultans beginning in the eighteenth century.

My aim was to write some articles on this respected and influential Indonesian leader to help redress the bias in the media, which tends to highlight crises and negative aspects of Indonesian politics. These aspects exist and must be reported, but there is also a complex and interesting cultural side to Indonesia. Numbers of tourists are well down on previous years, so I aimed also to give some publicity to the fascinating, ancient court city of Yogyakarta in Central Java.

The Sultan said that relations between Australia and Indonesia have been fluctuating and it is important to build on these relations and improve them. Hamengku Buwono X said he has travelled a lot in Australia, sent his daughters to be educated in Australia and has had dialogues with Ministers and Senators at the highest levels. He says that now, however, he has fewer friends in Australia than before.

‘The relationship fluctuates so much because it is so political. Politicians can only talk from a political point of view. What is needed is a cultural dialogue between the people of both countries. This will establish controls by the people. Both will learn from history, tradition and society. Based on a cultural dialogue, the people of our two countries can influence the politics of our governments,’ he said.

The Sultan also spoke of his symbolic and philosophical role according to Javanese tradition. His name comes from two words, which mean to gather the world in one’s lap. His role and duty is to take care of his world using five important principles. They are faith in God, intellectuality, loyalty, love and honesty.

He believes all the ethnic groups who make up modern day Indonesia must engage in cultural dialogue and improve themselves.

He believes that the government of Megawati Sukarnoputri had a much broader focus than the government of Suharto.

Sultan Hamengku Buwono X strongly believes that a leader should be with his people and not expect any rewards. In this respect he follows closely in the footsteps of his father, a former Vice-President of Indonesia who refused to be remembered in any books. It was enough that he had performed his life’s duties for his people. Hamengku Buwono IX was so respected that the nation declared a week of mourning following his death.

The present Sultan represents the continuation of values, culture and guidance for the people and in the carrying out of many ceremonies, adds a very colourful touch to the ancient court traditions in the Royal Palace of Yogyakarta.

Ms Irene Ritchie