Travel through history- time travel, dangerous, dirty, splendid Yogyakarta.
(This Post, written in September 2023, is part of a series written from Australia prior to commencing an adventure in Indonesia. The series explores my proposed travel destinations, whilst placing them in a historical context)
My previous Postcards introduced my time travel through history adventure in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Where exactly is it? Why would you, the reader, go there? Indonesia has a complex society with a rich history, Wikipedia Indonesia is certainly worth a visit for background.
Why do we choose to travel through history?
People have been asking this question for two thousand years. Answers time travel through history down to us from the great thinkers of their times. But we know nothing of the common men and women that frequented those bars, cafes, inns, and brothels along the Silk Road of 200BC. What if they could talk, what voice would we hear?
As a child my house and yard were my world, as I grew, my neighbourhood, my town etc. Yet in my parochial isolation, in say 1974, I never dreamt that Marco Polo, and many others, were part of an internationally connected world, centuries earlier, many of whom would travel through history
Would those common folk say:
- I do it for the adventure?
- Because I can?
- I’m searching for myself.
- It’s how I trade, and trading makes money!
Parts unknown – Time travel through history.
I am sure they would, perhaps all four. Would they reflect the voice of the USA’s Anthony Bourdain, common man, but not so common Chef, Restaurateur, and Author who said of his own travel through history:
“Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body.”
Anthony Bourdain
Well, I’m not delusional. And I’m 60 not back packing, nor on a back packer budget – I’m not expecting my trip to Yogyakarta to physically hurt all that much. However, I am hoping it changes me for the better, expands my mind, even just a little. As I move toward my actual final resting place, it would be great to think the trip gives me just a little more wisdom about my place in the world. I have specifically written of the spiritual aspects of Indonesia, you can explore my thoughts on this subject at this link.
What about Yogyakarta’s place in the World?
I believe you should know something about where you’re from in order to travel through history to where you’re going. So, what about my place, Australia’s place in the world? Put simply: Where you from Cousin?
Australia is the result of a transported Britain, in 1788AD slammed down in someone else’s part of the Planet. 788 men and women (convicts), Britain’s unwanted, plus 200 odd British Marines (The ones no Regiment wanted), sailors, and officers. It’s often thought these ‘convicts’ were the criminal underbelly of Britain: In reality minor pick pockets and knickers of pigs and chickens. Serious criminals: The rapists, and murderers – Well, they simply had their necks stretched on the end of the King’s rope.
Somewhere in this chaos my family arrived and commenced their Australian travel through history: Perhaps as pick pockets, more worrying for me as the unwanted trash of the British Marines, but definitely as Irish economic refugees in the 1860s.
In 2023 Australia is a country of 26.33 million people. Multicultural and generally accepting of all races, creeds, and political beliefs.
Travel through history with unconscious bias.
We tend to assess other Countries against what we understand of our own immediate world. IE: I think of myself as a citizen of a liberal democratic multicultural society. It’s easy to unconsciously compare other Countries against that base line – Perhaps even an unconscious bias.
The error and danger in this came home to me in Singapore last year. Singapore has always been criticized as autocratic, not genuinely democratic. With this bias Singapore should not be successful, right? Wrong! I found a society where most people have: Access to:
- Clean water;
- Education;
- Sewerage;
- Cheap first-class public transport;
- World class medical treatment;
- Time and money to shop, eat out and then do some more shopping; and
- high paid work and affordable public funded housing – Housing that as they ‘rent’, tenants create capital that belongs to them.
A form of Socialism? Yes! But socialism that actually works and is economically sustainable. Liberal Democracy may not be the perfect answer to all situations.
So, that’s a potted summary of my own time travel through history. What of Yogyakarta, Indonesia?
Origins of Yogyakarta:
Indonesian people are a mix of different genetic groups of modern humans whose travel through history from Africa arriving on the Indonesian archipelago around 50,000 ago. Descendants of this group continued to walk to Australia. Well, there’s a connection, at least some of the blood lines in Yogyakarta once walked alongside the First Nations People of Australia.
.
Travel through history to Yogyakarta – 1066 AD
I’m travelling back through history to 1066AD for two reasons: A quick snapshot has to start somewhere, and to establish a context benchmark against the British culture from where my genes continued their time travel. So, Britain 1066AD, what was happening:
1066, the Anglo-Saxon culture of England fell to the ‘William the Conqueror’s’ Norman Invasion in the ‘Battle of Hastings’, portrayed in the famous Bayeux Tapestry. It’s easy to believe that everyone simply shook hands after Hastings and went back to business but fighting continued until 1071. Was England then peaceful?
Yes, there was comparative peace, largely because North England was raped, burned, pillaged, depopulated, and devastated by the Norman desire for Peace.
To get some context on this: Think of your country’s largest city. Imagine if in a period of 5 years, all your neighbours in the – Aristocracy, government, military, church, or the business of land ownership: Were replaced by a Foreigners? Imagine what that would do too the place you call home?
I’ve always imagined the what ifs, should the gloriously, funny, silly, experiment we call Australia, simply be taken by force and moulded into something different. That’s what happened to England in 1066, and I suspect Yogyakarta as well. But,
Cultures fall, rise and continue their time travel.
A travel through history shows, that though cultures and civilizations fall, they often get up again. England did that after 1066. Then saw its culture change dramatically again, Civil War started in 1646AD, resulting in the execution of King Charles I, and the creation of England’s only Republic until 1660AD, when the Monarchy was re-established.
Cultures and civilizations fall, but life goes on. For those living it, the choice is acceptance or often death. For us centuries later, it’s usually the case that we have simply forgotten where we came from. Take the recent coronation of King Charles III: You would never think the Norman Invasion occurred or that English Republicanism ever triumphed! A fact brought home by considering that the new English King, Charles III is directly descended from William the Conqueror. (I should note that as an Aussie, dear Charles remains my King as well)
William The Conqueror’s Great ….. Great Grandson
So, what was happening in Australia in 1066AD? The First Nations People were continuing much as they had since walking from Africa, via Indonesia some 60,000 years previously – Living a spiritual life in profound connection with Country. So, they never fought? Well of course they fought amongst themselves. Most Indigenous people fought wars between clan groups, etc. But these were often ceremonial in nature, and certainly seldom wars aimed at elimination of another groups culture – Often they were culture affirming not culture destroying, whereas.
Year 1066 – Britian’s car crash
The 1066 Norman Invasion of England was car crashingly destructive of the Anglo-Saxon culture and civilization it conquered. Yet, England continued to grow and prosper, becoming the Planet’s dominant international Empire by the 20th Century, not waning until 1945, when the cost of World War 2, was more than even the plucky Brits could endure.
If history does not repeat but often rhymes, as suggested by Mark Twain, can we see such rhythms in Yogyakarta and the broader Indonesia?
So, what of Yogyakarta in 1066?
Yogyakarta did not exist as a notable identity. But as for the Island of Java where Yogyakarta developed – Fighting and conflict a plenty! I guess BBC documentaries inspired the desire for ‘How to build an empire’?
By 1066AD the ‘Melayu Kingdom’, had risen to dominance. The name time travels to us in the words: Malay, Malaya and of course Malaysia. Melayu is known as a grand international kingdom, centre of knowledge, power, trade, and wealth. It was connected to the rest of the world, much as Singapore is today.
In 1285AD it welcomed a great Italian traveller Marco Polo, who wrote extensively about his travels. Indeed, many suspect it was Marco’s writings that inspired the future rampaging European empire building in other people’s back gardens.
So, trying to build your own empire? Or, simply planning a relaxing holiday somewhere along todays Silk Road – Toss some Marco in your backpack.
Marco also said:
“I have only written half of what I have seen, as no one would believe the other half.”
Marco Polo
Which seems accurate as Marco claimed to have seen unicorns in Melayu! He may have been a busy traveller, but it seems he always had time for long liquid lunches.
Time Travelling Mongols.
In 1289AD the Melayu had a less welcome visitor, an envoy from Kublai Kahn. Kublai was following the travel recommendation of Marco – I suspect it was gold not unicorns he wanted. Recognize the name Kahn? Yes, Kublai was the grandson of the all-conquering Genghis Kahn. Since 16 million people are descended from the ‘busy’ Kublai, one can assume he had many grandsons. But,
This grandson conquered China forming the Yuan Dynasty – Whilst also remaining Emperor of Mongol. Now he set his sight on Melayu.
The Melayu promptly informed Kublai’s envoy that they had no interest in being vassals to Mongols. When he did not listen, and to improve his hearing, they promptly cut off his ear and sent him packing back to Kublai.
In 1293AD Kublai responded by sending more emissaries in the form of an invasion force of 1000 ships – Roughly the force that William used to take England.
Who Invited Marco Polo and his Drinking Mates?
Traitorous relatives, Kingdom lost
The people of Melayu fought well, Mongols were highly effective in battle, but the Sultan had a son in law, a traitorous one – Raden Wijaya. He joined with the Mongols – The Melayu were defeated, their Kingdom raped, burnt, and pillaged – The go to response of all would be conquerors. Young Raden then turned on the Mongols – He won! I suppose being a traitor to your dad, does not prevent you being a brilliant military commander.
The Mongols caught the monsoon winds and travelled back to China. All this travel seems remarkable, how did they know where they were going? After all, the legendary navigator, His Majesty’s Captain James Cook, only found Australia centuries later, by the expedient of running straight into it and wrecking the King’s ship. The answer is pretty simple, travellers in these Middle Ages were moving all over the place. No great secret, we simply in our contemporary smugness have forgotten.
What of Marco Polo? Well as you imagine Kublai was pretty cranky that Marco failed to mention, that as well as gold, spices, and perhaps unicorns – These Indonesians to be, could really fight! In grand Mongol tradition Marco’s last journey was to walk to a chopping block and a Mongol axe. See Marco had for decades been spying for the Mongols – No one taught me that in primary school!
Another Kingdom commences its Time Travel
With the destruction of the Melayu Kingdom, via force and treachery, a new Kingdom emerged – The Majaphit Kingdom. Known as the high point of Indonesian culture and civilization. Religion, government, legal systems, art, military arts, architecture, trade, and international connectivity, all prospered and developed through this Kingdom. Then,
Other great travellers dusted off their Michelin Guides, and the long-forgotten Silk Road Maps of the Sea – Sailed forth to see what Marco Polo had carried on about: The Dutch and English arrived – They weren’t much interested in culture and art, like Kublai they wanted gold! I sense another culture and civilization is about to fall!
When I reflect on my tiny little world way back in 1974, well? Well, I end up agreeing with Anthony Bourdain:
