"Hang Tuah" - An Epic Poem By Amir Hamzah

As we are still in the Merdeka mood, let us go back about 500 years or so when the colonialist Portuguese first set foot & conquered the State of Melaka Sultanate. This was when we had been "enslaved" by the Western powers for the next 5 centuries or so - with about 3 years plus under the Japanese Empire.

The Portuguese's invasion had been depicted in historical journals and to a certain extent in the "Sejarah Melayu" (The Malay Annals")...

It was also depicted by the great Indonesian Poet Amir Hamzah in a poem entitled "Hang Tuah". This poem was first published in 1932...

The poem opens with the Portuguese armada closing in on Melaka, while the latter was in a state of disarray due to the illness of its admiral, Laksamana Hang Tuah. The Sultan notwithstanding still called upon the frail Admiral to defend the city of Melaka. Although Laksamana Hang Tuah managed to fend off the attack at the initial stage but Melaka eventually falls into the hand of the Portuguese.

I re produced herein part of the poem:

" Baju berpuput alun digulung
Banju direbut buih dibundung.

Selat Melaka ombaknya memecah
Pukul memukul rebah merebah.

Bahtera ditepuk buritan dilanda
Penjajah dihantuk haluan ditunda.

Tjamar terbang riuh suara
Alkamar hilang menjelam segera.

Armada Peringgi lari bersususn
Melaka negeri hendak diruntun.

Galjas dan pusta tinggi dan kukuh
Pantas dan angkara ranggi dan angkuh."

The translation of the above:

"The wind blows, the rollers are curled
The water is seized, the foam is flung.

The Straits of Malacca, its waves are breaking
Beating each other, splitting one another.

Ships are cuffed, sterns overrun.
Boats are pounded, bows are pushed.

Seagulls fly around, their cries are loud
The moon disappears, quickly dips in the sea.

The Portuguese armada advances in formation
Malacca is the country it intends to conquer.

Gallions and fustas, tall and strong
Swift and savage, haughty and arrogant."

The poem ended tragically with the fall of Melaka and the death of the ever loyal servant, Laksamana Hang Tuah:

" Dang Gubernur memasanag lela
Umpama guntur diterang tjuatja.

Peluru terbang menuju bahtera
Laksamana dijulang kedalam segara..."

The translation:

" The Governor fires the cannon
Like a thunder at the time of lightning.

The cannon ball flies towards the ship
The Admiral is hurled into the sea ..."

From then on, Melaka changed hands from Portuguese to the Dutch and lastly to the British ... Its fall signaled the first step in the colonial powers at that time invading the then Tanah Melayu which was later known as Malaya and Malaysia on 16 September 1963.

Let us cherish and embrace our Merdeka no matter how diverse we are in terms of race, religion and culture ....

Merdeka! Merdeka! Merdeka! ....