Portal:Indonesia/BOTW/49, 2006

Gajah Mada (d. circa 1364) was, according to Javanese old manuscripts, poems and mythology, a famous military leader and prime minister (mahapatih) of the Majapahit Empire, credited with bringing the empire to its peak of glory. He is said to have delivered an oath called Sumpah Palapa, in which he vowed not to eat any food containing spices until he had conquered all of Nusantara. In modern Indonesia he serves as an important national hero and nationalistic symbol.

Not much is written about Gajah Mada's early life. Some of the first accounts mention his career as commander of the Bhayangkara, an elite guard for Majapahit kings and their family. When Rakrian Kuti, one of the officials in Majapahit, rebelled against the Majapahit king Jayanegara (ruled 1309–1328) in 1321, Gajah Mada and the then-mahapatih Arya Tadah helped the king and his family to escape the capital city of Trowulan. Later Gajah Mada aided the king to return to the capital and crush the rebellion. Seven years later, Jayanegara was poisoned to death by Rakrian Tanca, one of Rakrian Kuti's aides.

Gajah Mada's legacy is highly visible in Indonesia. In the early days of the republic, leaders such as Sukarno cited Gajah Mada's oath as an inspiration and "proof" that the nation could unite, despite its vast territory and various cultures. Thus, Gajah Mada was a great inspiration during the Indonesian National Revolution for independence from Dutch colonization.(Read more...)