History Of Banyuwangi

The Origins

Of

Banyuwangi

Translated  by  :  Safri Wisesa

The  Original Story From  :  East Java

East Java located in a beautiful country called, Indonesia.  Every parts of this country has lots of legends and folktales.  As usual, folktales and legends told to all people in Indonesia from their former parents.  One of folktales is this story.

Actually, the origins of Banyuwangi has 2 versions circulating in the society. I just take one version for this blog. 

The point of these 2 versions are the same to not easily to be leery of someone.  Especially, if that someone we know their honesty to us.

Suspicion is simply bring disaster

Our real eyes can not read the hearts of each person

Always using the presumption of innocence

Investigate, find strong evidences then we speaking are the key to truth

Because we never knew who are we hurting because of our suspicion

Once upon a time,  at the eastern end of Java Island, there was a kingdom called, Blambangan.  The kingdom led by wise and prudent King.  The King and his beautiful pretty wife has a son. Because, he has the one and the only son, so automatically, his son will replacing his place to be a King.  The King's son named Raden Banterang.

Raden Banterang is a handsome guy. He has athletic body and supported with his handsome face, the legacy from his father. His body always expel of fragrancy.  So, each of person in the kingdom knows he's real the king after his father.  Besides of his handsome face and good body,  Raden Banterang was known to be very intelligent and has quite capable of martial arts to protected himself. He and his father, The King, always did practiced their martial arts for test martial arts abilities of each other.

" Ha ha ha ha.....haaaa...I think I am getting old and old more now, son ! "  said The King in a beautiful afternoon.

" No..no..no..Pap, you always great man in my eyes..."  Raden Banterang replied.

Every afternoon, they always did that with accompanied by The Queen.  After practiced, The Queen always served the best drink for them.

Raden Banterang also has one hobby, hunting deer.  Not rarely, he came into the dark forest to fulfilled his hobby without controlled by Palace Soldiers. This thing always made his mother worried of his safety. But, everytime his mother reminded him about this, instantly he just laughed and tried to calm down his mother.

One day, The Blambangan Kingdom involved enmity with Klungkung Kingdom in Bali.  Peaceful path was taken, but unsuccessful.  So, Raden Banterang's father as The Blambangan King chose a war.  He sent the best soldiers and guards from his palace to Bali.  Raden Banterang pointed by his father being as warlords to led his troops.

In a short time,  Klungkung Kingdom conquered by troops of Blambangan Kingdom was led by Raden Banterang.  Meanwhile, The King of Klungkung was died at the war.  The King of Klungkung Kingdom has 2 children.  His son named Rupaksa and his daughter named Surati.  They ran to the forest when they saw their father's died on Raden Banterang's hands.

When they arrived into the forest,  Rupaksa asked to his sister waited for him in there.  He's starving and want to hunting deer for feeding them.  Surati, obeyed his order and awaited her brother.  She sat in roots of banyan tree. When Rupaksa hunting,  apparently, he fell down into a cliff.  Surati who waited too long, tried to search her brother.  She walked to westward day by day while called her brother.

" Rupaksa.......Rupaksa...where are you ?? "  Surati called.

In other part of that forest,  it seemed a man whom hunted a deer too.  The man is handsome and dashing.  Looked like he lost his hunted deer.  The man tried to chased his deer up to the riverbanks. When his eyes looking around, he saw a beautiful woman bathing in the river.

" Hey, who are you ? " the man shrieked.  " Are you a human or devil woman who keeping this forest and trying to bothering me ? "

The woman shocked when she heard shouting a man from behind of her.  She turned around her neck.  She's surprised when she saw a handsome man with royal family dress.

" Forgive me, My Majesty.  I am human being.  I am bathing in the river because already many days in the searching for my brother. My name is Surati, My Majesty.  I have no bad intentions. "  Surati gulped.  She's scared.

" No problem, Miss.  I suppose to say sorry because startle you.  You can continue your bath, Miss.  My name is Raden Banterang. "  That man replied.

Raden Banterang? The man whom killed my father, Surati mumbled.

" Where do you live, Miss ?? "  Raden Banterang continued.

" You don't have to call me miss, My Majesty. My name is Surati.  I have no family in here. They all died in a war.  I am alone in the world. "  Surati answered.

" Hmm....I have a kingdom not too far away from here.  My kingdom is Blambangan Kingdom. Have you heard about that kingdom? " asked Raden Banterang.

Surati nodded her head timidly.

" Good ! That is my kingdom.  I am a warlords from my kingdom. My father is the king of the kingdom.  I am not going back yet to the palace.  I could bring you to my palace if you want to.  But, I'll take you as my private servant. What do you think? "  said Raden Banterang.

Surati agreed.  Raden Banterang brought her with his troops going back to the palace.  When they arrived in Blambangan Kingdom,  The Queen heard that her son is safety without one wounds.  She ran to her husband and told to him that their son is back.

Raden Banterang welcomed by his parents.  He dropped down from his horse.  Then, he hold Surati's hands and brought her to his parents.


" Father, mother.......... "  said Raden Banterang hugged his parents.  " I wanna show you someone that I found when I was in Klungkung. I want make her to be my private servant in our palace. "


" Don't worry, my son. I give you my permit for her to stay in our palace. "  said The King.


Then, Raden Banterang ordered one of his guard to showed Surati's room.  And, Raden Banterang came into hall of palace and gives his father the war reports.


Day by day, Surati served The King's family very well. So, The Queen so easy to fell sympathy to Surati.  One day, The Queen getting closer to King.


" My love, what do you think if our son marry of his private servant, Surati? "


The King nodded his head.  He looked like agree with his wife's idea.  So, in one night, King and Queen called their son and his private servant.


" We have an idea to marry of you both. Because, we seeing all this time you working very well in here and looks like my son fall in love with you. "  said The Queen.


Raden Banterang blushed on his cheeks.  Actually, since the first time he saw Surati, he was fall in love already to her. That's why he asked Surati to followed him to the Palace.  Surati bowed her head. She really shamed with The Queen's statement.  But, she didn't refused of The Queen's order.


Surati was fall in love with Raden Banterang when she started working with him.


" My honey, I guess our son agree as well as his servant...ha ha ha ha..... "  The King laughed.


Finally, they married with big party and 3.000 invitations attended their wedding.


After some time their wedding,  Raden Banterang asked permitted to his wife because he want to going to hunting deer again.  When Raden Banterang went to hunting deer in the forest, there was a man with ragged clothes.  He has a dirty face and stinky. Looks like no bathing for months came into Palace garden.


" Surati.....Surati.....Surati......! "  he called Surati when she was deflower in the Palace garden.


" Surati.....Surati.....Surati......! "  he called many times.


Surati looking for a voice whom called her name. Her eyes looking around. Her body round and round while looking for that voice.


" Surati.....Surati....Surati.....I am here..........! "  said that man again with waved his hands.


Surati seeing a man in outside of the garden.  Timidly, she walked very slowly to approached someone who called her.


" Surati.....here.....! "  said that man with ragged clothes.


When Surati get closer to seeing very clearly, she's very shocked.


" Rupaksa?!?!?! "  she screak.


She ran to that man.  She looked right and left and make sure  none of palace guards around them.  Surati sad when she seeing her brother's dress.


" Oh my god.......are you still alive?!?! "  she screak.


They hugged each other.  Surati very happy to see her brother again.  She never imagine could hold and hugged her brother again as well as her brother, Rupaksa. Rupaksa hold Surati's hands and asked her to go with him.  Surati removed her brother's grip.


" What's wrong with you?! " asked Rupaksa.


" I am a wife from a man now, brother. "  Surati replied.


" Aaahh.....tell me, my little sister ! Who's your husband now? Does he a royal family or only commoners? You know, we are royal family. You have to marry with someone from the royal family too. "


Then, Surati told to her brother about her husband, Raden Banterang.


" Whaaaaat?!?! Are you nuts ?!?! You married with someone who killed our father ?!??! "  Rupaksa screak.


Surati just quiet.  She had already fallen in love with her husband. So, she easy to forgot about her pained of lost her father.


" Ok, I think you are nuts ! "  said Rupaksa as understood with his sister's feeling. " But, you know very well, I still vengeance with your husband and his family. So, you have to helping me to revenge, Surati. "


" What ? No...I couldn't. They treat me very well. No, I couldn't. " said Surati.


When Surati and her brother involved debates,  one of palace guards seeing Surati made conversation with stranger man.  The guard peeked them behind the gate of garden.  He heard that stranger man forced Surati to kill her own husband as revenge because her own husband murdered their father.  He shocked. Then, he left with rush and kept the secret in his heart.


In a beautiful morning,  Raden Banterang returned to home.  Before he came to the palace,  the guard who peeked Surati talked with a stranger man stopped him.


" My Majesty, when you went to hunting in the forest.  I saw your wife talked to a stranger man in the palace garden.  I think they are so close because they talked very intimate. And I didn't meant to heard their conversation.  That stranger man asked to your wife to kill you when you return to home. "


" Really?? "  asked Raden Banterang aflamed of anger.


Raden Banterang came into the palace with anger. Makes all palace servants fright.


" Surati.........Surati......where are you?! "  Raden Banterang shrieked.


All palace servants looked at each other.  Some of them tried to seeking for Surati.


" Surati..........Surati........where are you?!?! "  Raden Banterang shrieked again.


Then, Surati met her husband in the palace hall.  She gave a homage to her husband first.


" What's going on, my husband? "  asked Surati tried to made her husband calm down.


"  Are you talking with someone when I wasn't here? Answer !! "  Raden Banterang snarled.


Surati shocked when her husband knew about her brother.  She didn't answered at all.  She scared.  She just bowed her head.


" Answer !! "  Raden Banterang snarled nearby his wife's ears.


Surati kept quiet.


" Are you cheating behind me?! "  asked Raden Banterang.


Surati gasped in.  She shook hard her head.


" No, my husband. No.....I never cheating at all. I am too much in love with you. "  she answered.


" So, tell me. Who is that man ! "  said him sharply.


" My husband,  I don't know where do you get the bad wrong news about me. That someone is my brother, my husband....he....... "  Surati tried to explained but Raden Banterang cutting her words.


" He asked you to kill me, right ?! Answer !!! "  Raden Banterang screak very loudly.


" Yes....yes.....he asked me to kill you but I couldn't.  I said, I am too much in love with you.  I am the daughter of The King of Klungkung Kingdom, My Majesty. That someone is my brother, Rupaksa.  He forced me to revenge of our father's death. But I refused because I am too much in love with you......"  Surati answered with rainy of tears.


Raden Banterang shocked when he heard that his own wife is a daughter of his father's archenemy.


" I don't believe you. How come the daughter of my kingdom's archenemy could loving me so much.  I am sure you just deceived me since we met when you were bathing in the river last time, right?  That's why you just obeyed me when I asked you to followed me as my servant ! "   Raden Banterang accused.


Surati kept shook her head.  She cried.


" I never had any mean to deceived you, My Majesty. How can you have negative thinking like that about me ? I am your wife, My husband....."   Surati sobbed.


Raden Banterang still angry with his wife.  His eyes covered by his wrath so he couldn't seen any truth in his eyes.  Surati understood about this.  Her own husband will never trust on her anymore.


" Alright, My Majesty.  If it's so hard to believe in me, I can prove to you that I am not guilty.  You can kill me if you want. Come on, follow me to the river in the backyard of this palace. "  said Surati.


Because he's still wrath to his wife, without words, he grabbed his wife's hands and half dragged her to the river in backyard of the palace.  Arrived in the river,  Surati explained something to her husband.

" My husband, I was told you that I am too much in love with you. You can kill me in here so you don't have to wasting your time to making my grave. You can just encourage my dead body to this river.  But, one thing you have to know, if you kill me then my blood smells fragrant, it means I am not guilty.  If my blood reek, it means I am guilty and you right that I have mean to kill you. "

Raden Banterang  more get wrath with his wife's explaining.  Suddenly, he pulled out his Keris (traditional weapon from Java-red) and drew that Keris to her wife's stomach.  Fresh blood flow throughout the river.  Raden Banterang encouraged his wife's dead body to the river.


Not too long, Raden Banterang smelled fragrant surrounding him. From his Keris which traces of his wife's blood and the river. The King and The Queen ran out to backyard of the palace after heard quarrel of their child-law.  They smelled fragrant throughout backyard and found their son cried.


" No....no....I killed my own wife. I am guilty..... "  Raden Banterang wheezed.  " I am so sorry, my love.  You right. You're not guilty........the river smells fragrant.....I am sorry.....I am sorry.......... "


The King and The Queen get closer to their son and hugged him.


" Banyu ne wangi................banyu ne wangi...........banyu ne wangi....... " **




That's origins of Banyuwangi.  An expression of remorse from Raden Banterang to his own wife, Surati.
Banyu it means water and Wangi it means smells fragrant.





** Banyu ne wangi = Javanese Language it means " the river smells fragrant...the river smells fragrant....the river smells fragrant.... "