Istana Mempawah Putting On Napak Tilas Festival

Yogyakarta, Melayuonline.com – The Istana AmantubillahPalace, Mempawah, Mempawah, Pontianak, West Kalimantan, is holding a series of events in a festival namely “Napak Tilas Berdirinya Keraton Mempawah (Tracing Back Festival of the Founding of Mempawah Kingdom) 2010 (Robo-robo)”, on 7 – 10 February 2010. The whole events are going to be held in certain areas around the Istana Amantubillah and several other associated places. Eleven programs will be brought out in this year’s annual event.

Starting on 7 February 2010, there will be Individual Sampan Race Contest. On 8 February 2010, 3 programs will be run, namely Parade of Keraton Amantubillah’s Heirlooms, Keraton Amantubillah’s Heirlooms Washing Procession and Haulan. On the next day, there will be 2 line-ups, which are Pilgrimage to Bukit Rama and Toana Procession. The last day will feature 5 programs, Makan Syafar, Napak Tilas Procession, Welcoming Ceremony at Muara Kuala Mempawah and Makan Saprah Podlok, Group Sampan Race Contest and Gala Dinner, in which there will also be a launching of the King of Mempawah’s songs, title awarding and an auction of original CDs of songs written by the King of Mempawah.

Amantubillah is a Malay kingdom existing since 6 centuries ago, precisely since 1380. The kingdom’s history splits into two phases, i.e. Hindu period and Islamic period. In the Hindu period, it was known as the Kingdom of Mempawah Dayak, while in the Islamic period, it began to be called the Sultanate of Mempawah Islam. The kingdom’s territory covered the area which is now a part of Pontianak Sub District.

As the history says, the kingdom moved its capital five times, starting from Pegunungan Sidiniang, Pekana, Senggaok, Sebukit Rama, up to Mempawah. Their first king was Patih Gumantar, who was on the throne in the Hindu period, and the last king, who already used the title Sultan because of Islamic influence back then, was Gusti Muhammad Taufik or Panembahan Muhammad Taufik Accamuddin (1902 - 1944).

The Sultanate of Mentawah was considered as over after the Mandor Incident, a massacre of Malay kingdom royalties in West Kalimantan by the Japanese army in 1944. Among the victims was the last Sultan of Mentawah.

Prince Muhammad, who was only 13 at that time, was actually to be made a king by the Japanese. Yet, he refused. Likewise, he snubbed an offer from the Dutch colonial to crown him to become the Sultan of Mempawah. (An. Ismanto/brt/19/01-2010)

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