Bima Sultanate Manuscript Designated as National Collective Memory

(MI/IN)

The National Library of the Republic of Indonesia (Perpusnas) handed over a certificate of designation of the Bo’ Sangaji Kai manuscript as National Collective Memory (IKON) for 2024 to the Samparaja Cultural Museum, Bima City, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB).

The handover was carried out by the Head of the Center for Library Information Services and Archipelago Manuscript Management, Agus Sutoyo, to the Head of the Samparaja Cultural Museum, Dewi Ratna Muchlisa.

Apart from Bo’ Sangaji Kai from the Bima Sultanate, this year, the National Library designated six other manuscripts as IKONs, namely Pustaha Laklak Tambar ni Hulit (North Sumatra), Manuscript of the Law of Simbur Cahaya (South Sumatra), Throw Sri Tanjung (Banyuwangi Regency, East Java), Kidung Bwana Winasa by Padanda Ngurah (Badung Regency, Bali), Lontara Attoriolong Bone (South Sulawesi), and Tengger Tribe Primbon Lontar (East Java).

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Agus Sutoyo explained that the designation of a manuscript as an IKON is one of the targets of the Nusantara manuscript mainstreaming program that the National Library is currently implementing. According to him, indicators of the achievement of the program for mainstreaming Indonesian manuscripts in a region are characterized by the existence of a good manuscript ecosystem, support from the regional government, and having proposals for superior ancient manuscripts that can be mainstreamed at the national level.

“In West Nusa Tenggara, we express our appreciation for the hard work of various parties, including the management of the Bima City Samparaja Cultural Museum and the Bima City Regional Government who have collaborated with the National Library of the Republic of Indonesia so that the Bo’ Sangaji Kai manuscript was selected to become the Collective Memory of the Archipelago,” he explained in National Seminar on Bo’ Sangaji Kai as National Collective Memory (IKON) which was held in Bima, NTB, on Wednesday (2/10/2024).

Further explained, manuscript Bo’ Sangaji Kai deserves to be recognized as an ICON because of its broad historical scope and impact across national borders. Manuscript Bo’ Sangaji Kai It is said to represent cultural riches and important events in world history, one of which was the eruption of Mount Tambora in 1815.

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In line with this, Dewi Ratna Muchlisa is the owner of the script Bo’ Sangaji Kai said this manuscript was an important document of the Bima Sultanate which described the progress of civilization. “This manuscript was copied or rewritten so that it becomes proof of the Bima people’s literacy progress in the use of organized writing,” he said.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the IKON Expert Council, Muchlis Paeni, explained that efforts to mainstream Indonesian texts still face serious challenges. The reason is that there are still many ancient manuscripts or manuscripts which their owners consider to be heirlooms left by their ancestors.

In fact, according to him, a manuscript sometimes contains not only historical records, but also various works on science. For example, about science in the fields of agriculture, trade, medicine, and government governance. However, because the manuscript was only stored and never opened or read, there is a lot of knowledge in it that is unknown to the current generation.

“So the task of the library is to restore the dignity of these manuscripts from being heirlooms back to being library items in the library,” he concluded. (S-1)