Latest / Majapahit: The Empire That Once Ruled Indonesia — Fexingo History / Mpu Prapanca's Negarakertagama: The Lost Poem That Revealed Majapahit
Transcript
- Lucas: So we've talked a lot about Majapahit's big moments — the trade, the canals, the keris — but one thing we haven't touched is how we actually know so much about the empire. A lot of what we discussed comes from a single poem written in 1365, called the Negarakertagama. Luna: Wait, the Negarakertagama — I've heard that name. That's the one by Mpu Prapanca, right? Lucas: Exactly. Mpu Prapanca was a court poet under King Hayam Wuruk. And he wrote this long poem in Old Javanese, in the kakawin style — which is a form of verse adapted from Sanskrit poetics. It's essentially a praise poem for the king and the empire. Lucas: But here's the thing: for centuries, the poem was completely lost. Nobody in the 19th century knew it existed. It was just sitting in a palace library on the island of Lombok, about 400 kilometers east of Java. And it almost got destroyed in a war. Luna: A war? How did it survive? Lucas: So in 1894, the Dutch colonial government sent a military expedition to Lombok. The local ruler in Cakranegara was resisting Dutch control, and the Dutch went in with full force. During the chaos, the palace was looted and burned. But a Dutch philologist named J.L.A. Brandes was part of the expedition — his job was to salvage any manuscripts he could find. Lucas: Brandes managed to rescue a whole stack of palm-leaf manuscripts from the flames. And among them was this one — the only surviving copy of the Negarakertagama. He brought it back to the Netherlands, and it was eventually translated and published. It completely changed how scholars understood Majapahit. Luna: So before that, what did people think they knew about Majapahit? Lucas: They had some other sources — like the Pararaton, which is a Javanese chronicle from the 15th or 16th century. But the Pararaton is more of a mythic history, full of legendary figures and events. The Negarakertagama, by contrast, reads like a detailed report. It describes the geography of the empire — listing tributary states from Sumatra to New Guinea — the layout of the capital Trowulan, the royal ceremonies, even the agricultural taxes. Lucas: For example, Prapanca describes a grand royal hunt, a festival at a temple complex, and a tour the king made through East Java. He names villages, hills, temples — it's incredibly specific. Luna: So it's almost like a census or an official record, but written as poetry. Lucas: Exactly. And that's what makes it so valuable. It's not just a literary work — it's a primary source for the administration, economy, and culture of Majapahit at its peak. But it's also a piece of propaganda. Prapanca was writing to glorify the king, so you have to read critically. He might exaggerate the extent of the empire or the glory of the capital. Luna: Right, so it's like a court historian's version of events. But still, it's the best we've got for that period. Lucas: Yes. And interestingly, the Negarakertagama is where we find the phrase Bhinneka Tunggal Ika — 'Unity in Diversity' — which is now Indonesia's national motto. It appears in a passage about religious tolerance between Hindus and Buddhists. So the poem has had a huge second life as a symbol of national identity. Lucas: But the manuscript itself has had a complicated journey. After Brandes brought it to the Netherlands, it was kept in a library in Leiden. Then in 1973, Indonesia requested its return. It was repatriated in 1978, and now it's in the National Library of Indonesia in Jakarta. Luna: I'd love to see it someday. So the poem covers Hayam Wuruk's reign — what about after? Does it mention Gajah Mada or the Palapa Oath? Lucas: It does mention Gajah Mada, but not the Palapa Oath directly. The oath is from the Pararaton. In the Negarakertagama, Gajah Mada is described as a powerful prime minister who expanded the empire. But the poem was written after Gajah Mada's death, so it's more of a retrospective. Lucas: One of the most vivid sections is a description of a festival at the main temple in Trowulan, where the king distributed gifts to priests and nobles. Prapanca names specific types of cloth, gold ornaments, even the number of attendants. It's a window into the material culture of the time. Luna: And all of that was almost lost in a fire in Lombok. That's wild. Lucas: It really is. And it makes you think about how much history depends on chance. There are probably other manuscripts still hidden in temples or private collections across Indonesia, waiting to be found. Luna: For sure. And speaking of preserving history, something I've been thinking about — this show is kind of like that, isn't it? We're keeping these stories alive, piece by piece. Lucas: That's a good way to put it. And in that spirit, if you enjoy these conversations and want to help us keep the show going ad-free, you can support us at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. It's a small way to ensure that stories like Prapanca's don't fade away again. Luna: Yeah, every bit helps, and it's really appreciated. Now, back to the Negarakertagama — you mentioned that scholars debate its reliability. What are the main criticisms? Lucas: Well, some argue that Prapanca was more of a propagandist than a historian. The poem was written to celebrate the king, so it may downplay problems — like the infamous Bubat incident, where Gajah Mada's actions led to a massacre of a Sundanese royal party. The Negarakertagama barely mentions it, while the Pararaton gives it more attention. Lucas: There's also the question of how much territory Majapahit actually controlled. The poem lists many places as 'tributaries', but modern historians think that might have been more of a loose sphere of influence than direct rule. So you have to balance the poem against archaeological evidence — like the distribution of Majapahit-style ceramics or temple architecture. Luna: So it's a starting point, not the final word. Lucas: Exactly. And that's what makes studying Majapahit so fascinating — you're constantly piecing together different kinds of evidence. The Negarakertagama gives us the big picture, but it's the combination of archaeology, inscriptions, and foreign accounts that fills in the details. Lucas: For example, Chinese records from the Ming dynasty mention Majapahit envoys and describe the port of Tuban. European travelers like Tomé Pires wrote about the spice trade. So we can cross-reference Prapanca's claims with those sources. Luna: It's like a historical jigsaw puzzle. And the Negarakertagama is one of the biggest pieces. Lucas: Definitely. And it's a piece that continues to inspire — not just historians, but also artists and nationalists. The poem's rediscovery in the late 19th century coincided with the rise of Indonesian nationalism. It gave people a proud sense of their pre-colonial past. Luna: So in a way, the Negarakertagama helped shape modern Indonesia. Lucas: Exactly. It's a living document, not just a relic.