Battle of Bataguh (The Most Epic Ancient Battle of Dayaks)
Once upon a time, Sempung’s daughter from his first wife Nyai Nunyang, the head of the village Tanjung Pamatang Sawang, who is Nyai Undang, made a problem because of her beauty. Many came to propose her, while she was already engaged to her other cousin Sangalang (Lintung’s son, grandson of Karangkang).
Nawang, brother of the King of Sulu - Mindanao (Phillipines) came to propose. He acted foolishly even though she already refused kindly. Because she was angry for being mistreated, Nyai Undang then stabbed Nawang with her Duhung (Dayak traditional spearhead).
Nawang’s death soon heard by his brother Sawang, and he intended to avenge the death of his brother. He prepared twenty-five pencalang (a kind of sailboat) with eight thousand troops on it.
Nyai Nunyang fell sick and died because of this incident. Nyai Undang then had to take over the leadership of her country Tanjung Pamatang Sawang.
Realizing the condition, Nyai Undang soon sent out Lunju Bunu (killing spear) as Totok Bakaka (coded message) to her whole family along the rivers of Kapuas and Kahayan, asking for help because an enemy will attack her village and the tribe.
Rambang and Ringkai soon went to Tanjung Pamatang Sawang. Along with Rendan from upstream Kapuas River who brought ironwood log with him, they then build a fortress; so Tanjung Pamatang Sawang also then known as Kuta Bataguh (toughened fortress).
While Bungai and Tambung stayed in Tumbang Pajangei, teaching martial art and combat strategy to a group of their family’s young warriors, from the ones in Tumbang Miri village in the Kahayan River upstream to Tumbang Rungan village in the downstream.
Far beyond the village of Tumbang Pajangei, on a hill, there Bungai and Tambun trained the young men of their families. The young men are no other than their first, second, and even third cousins, and their nephews who came from the upstream and downstream (Tumbang Miri until Tumbang Rungan).
Surrounding that area was a thick forest. On top of the hill was a flat and wide area used as a place for discussion and arranging the war strategy. While under it was caves with rooms used as bedrooms.
Cooking food for two hundred people was done in shifts. Rice was cooked in a big pot on a burner consisted of three big stones. That’s the one people call Batu Tungku, today still on top of the hill.
After a month of training, they all went to Tanjung Pamatang Sawang, catching up on Rambang and Ringkai who were already there. Bungai did all of this to help his sister Nyai Undang to counter the attack from the Sulu Kingdom.
Before departing, they asked the gods for direction by performing Manajah Antang (asking for help of the gods through the hawk). From the direction they had, from the landing of the eagle on top of the pole (patinju) set for him, they were convinced that they would win.
Rambang came to see Bungai’s troop. The entrance of the cave under the hill was covered with a big rock. He asked one of his loyal slaves to guard it. According to the stories of the elders, the slave guarded the cave all his life so that he went mystical and becoming a tiger. That is why the hill is called Bukit Guha Haramaung (Tiger Cave Hill).
Every one of Lambung’s, Lanting’s, and Karangkang’s descendants gathered becoming atroop lead by Bungai who was already in Kuta Bataguh. They could see the top of the sails (pencalang) of King Sulu’s troops after several days.
Outside the fortress, Panglima Latang, the commander representing King Sawang said that their arrival there was to punish the people of Kuta Bataguh, to surrender unconditionally. Rambang peacefully asked for a dialogue and he wanted to explain the cause. However, they refused and returned to their ships.
Numbers of pencalang docked and thousands of people jumped off it with spear, sword and copper shield as their weapon, then climbed the fortress’ wall. Nevertheless, when they reached the top, they were welcomed by the slicing mandau like grass being cut. Some fell without screaming for being shot by poisoned darts.
Hundreds of men lift a round wood as wide as a drum to hit the fortress’ door, but they could not destroy it because it was made by Ironwood (Eusideroxylon zwagerii) as thick as 16 inches.
Meanwhile, from the top of the fortress they also threw rocks as big as a coconut followed by rain of poisoned blowpipe darts. It was almost the end of the day, when they retreated to their ships. At exactly that time, Rambang and his men opened up the door and attacked, just like water flowing from a dam. They also went up the enemy’s ships and drowned them.
Nyai Undang and her fiance Sangalang also fought and deliberately looking for the King Sawang. She finally met the king. She was able to kill him and fulfill her oath to wash her hair in the king’s blood, person who caused the death of her mother. Finally, fortress of Bataguh with hundred of Dayak warriors can defeat more than eight thousand enemies.
Today, Tanjung Pamatang Sawang or Kuta Bataguh is located between handil Alai and Bataguh, in Pulau Kupang village, Selat sub-district, Kapuas district, Central Borneo Province, Indonesia.
Reference:
 |
| Illustration of Battle of Bataguh |
Nawang, brother of the King of Sulu - Mindanao (Phillipines) came to propose. He acted foolishly even though she already refused kindly. Because she was angry for being mistreated, Nyai Undang then stabbed Nawang with her Duhung (Dayak traditional spearhead).
Nawang’s death soon heard by his brother Sawang, and he intended to avenge the death of his brother. He prepared twenty-five pencalang (a kind of sailboat) with eight thousand troops on it.
Nyai Nunyang fell sick and died because of this incident. Nyai Undang then had to take over the leadership of her country Tanjung Pamatang Sawang.
Realizing the condition, Nyai Undang soon sent out Lunju Bunu (killing spear) as Totok Bakaka (coded message) to her whole family along the rivers of Kapuas and Kahayan, asking for help because an enemy will attack her village and the tribe.
Rambang and Ringkai soon went to Tanjung Pamatang Sawang. Along with Rendan from upstream Kapuas River who brought ironwood log with him, they then build a fortress; so Tanjung Pamatang Sawang also then known as Kuta Bataguh (toughened fortress).
While Bungai and Tambung stayed in Tumbang Pajangei, teaching martial art and combat strategy to a group of their family’s young warriors, from the ones in Tumbang Miri village in the Kahayan River upstream to Tumbang Rungan village in the downstream.
Far beyond the village of Tumbang Pajangei, on a hill, there Bungai and Tambun trained the young men of their families. The young men are no other than their first, second, and even third cousins, and their nephews who came from the upstream and downstream (Tumbang Miri until Tumbang Rungan).
Surrounding that area was a thick forest. On top of the hill was a flat and wide area used as a place for discussion and arranging the war strategy. While under it was caves with rooms used as bedrooms.
Cooking food for two hundred people was done in shifts. Rice was cooked in a big pot on a burner consisted of three big stones. That’s the one people call Batu Tungku, today still on top of the hill.
After a month of training, they all went to Tanjung Pamatang Sawang, catching up on Rambang and Ringkai who were already there. Bungai did all of this to help his sister Nyai Undang to counter the attack from the Sulu Kingdom.
Before departing, they asked the gods for direction by performing Manajah Antang (asking for help of the gods through the hawk). From the direction they had, from the landing of the eagle on top of the pole (patinju) set for him, they were convinced that they would win.
Rambang came to see Bungai’s troop. The entrance of the cave under the hill was covered with a big rock. He asked one of his loyal slaves to guard it. According to the stories of the elders, the slave guarded the cave all his life so that he went mystical and becoming a tiger. That is why the hill is called Bukit Guha Haramaung (Tiger Cave Hill).
Every one of Lambung’s, Lanting’s, and Karangkang’s descendants gathered becoming atroop lead by Bungai who was already in Kuta Bataguh. They could see the top of the sails (pencalang) of King Sulu’s troops after several days.
Outside the fortress, Panglima Latang, the commander representing King Sawang said that their arrival there was to punish the people of Kuta Bataguh, to surrender unconditionally. Rambang peacefully asked for a dialogue and he wanted to explain the cause. However, they refused and returned to their ships.
Numbers of pencalang docked and thousands of people jumped off it with spear, sword and copper shield as their weapon, then climbed the fortress’ wall. Nevertheless, when they reached the top, they were welcomed by the slicing mandau like grass being cut. Some fell without screaming for being shot by poisoned darts.
Hundreds of men lift a round wood as wide as a drum to hit the fortress’ door, but they could not destroy it because it was made by Ironwood (Eusideroxylon zwagerii) as thick as 16 inches.
Meanwhile, from the top of the fortress they also threw rocks as big as a coconut followed by rain of poisoned blowpipe darts. It was almost the end of the day, when they retreated to their ships. At exactly that time, Rambang and his men opened up the door and attacked, just like water flowing from a dam. They also went up the enemy’s ships and drowned them.
Nyai Undang and her fiance Sangalang also fought and deliberately looking for the King Sawang. She finally met the king. She was able to kill him and fulfill her oath to wash her hair in the king’s blood, person who caused the death of her mother. Finally, fortress of Bataguh with hundred of Dayak warriors can defeat more than eight thousand enemies.
Today, Tanjung Pamatang Sawang or Kuta Bataguh is located between handil Alai and Bataguh, in Pulau Kupang village, Selat sub-district, Kapuas district, Central Borneo Province, Indonesia.
Reference:
- Abdul Fattah Nahan & During Dihit Rampai. 2010. The Ot Danum From Tumbang Miri Until Tumbang Rungan (Based on Tatum) Their Histories And Legends.
- Legenda Nyai Undang dan Pertempuran di Kuta Bataguh. (http://www.infoitah.net/2015/12/legenda-nyai-undang-pertempuran-kuta-bataguh.html)
Comments
Post a Comment