A brief introduction to one of the Islamic kingdoms in Fakfak, West Papua: the Rumbati kingdom. Here is the history of Islam spread in the Rumbati kingdom and the kings who once ruled.
The Beginning of Rumbati Kingdom
Famous for the majority of the population being Christian, in its history, West Papua has several Islamic empires that once ruled. There are three categories of Islamic kingdoms in West Papua: the Islamic kingdom in Raja Ampat, the Islamic kingdom in Kaimana, and the Islamic kingdom in Fakfak.
Approximately, Islam entered Fakfak around 1502. Based on the journal by the Jayapura Archaeological Center, Islam clout in West Papua came from Ternate and Tidore. Geographically, the Fakfak area is close to Maluku island, where the locations of the kingdoms of Ternate and Tidore are.
Moreover, The Ternate kingdom is one of Indonesia’s first Islamic kingdoms. In the spread of Islam, the kingdom of Ternate has a big role in introducing Islamic laws in the eastern region, including West Papua.
Apart from the geographical proximity, one of the most substantial pieces of evidence that Islam in Fakfak originated from Ternate and Tidore is the similarity of titles used in naming the king’s subordinates, such as Sangaji, Kapitan, and Mayor.
The Spread of Islam in the Rumbati Kingdom
For the Rumbati kingdom itself, Islam began to enter around 1506 and continued to grow until 1724. This fact is supported by the discovery of debris from mosque ruins in the Rumbati kingdom area.
One of the kings who introduced Islam in the Rumbati Kingdom was King Patipi. King Patipi ruled in the second dynasty of the Rumbati kingdom. In his power, he introduced Islam to the people in the Rumbati Kingdom in a good way.
Rumbati Kingdom’s Kings
There is no clear information about who the first king of the Rumbati kingdom was, but the king who was quite famous from this kingdom was King Newarisa Bauw. In historical records, Newarisa Bauw became king from 1851 to 1875. During his reign, Newarisa was a king who was quite prominent among other kings on the Onin peninsula.
King Newarisa Bauw has vast influence. The influence of the king of Newarusa extended along the southern and northern coasts of Mac Cluer Bay, or what is now known as Berau Bay, to the interior of Bintuni Bay.
On November 8, 1872, Residen Coorengel from the Dutch colonial government confirmed the appointment of Newarisa as a king of the Rumbati Kingdom. After Newarisa died, there was a lot of drama over the king’s throne in the Rumbati kingdom.
Based on history, the future king who will replace King Newarisa is Kalalat, Newarisa’s eldest son. Unfortunately, Kalalat was poisoned by his half-brother Tadjam. After Kalalat died, Tadjam ruled as the Rumbati Kingdom King.
Tadjam Bauw filled the position of king of the Rumbati Kingdom quite briefly from 1875 to 1880. In 1880 Tadjam was killed during the war between the Ati-ati kingdom, the Fatagar kingdom, and the Rumbati kingdom.
The position of the king of the Rumbati kingdom then fell into the hands of Kalalat’s younger brother, Ismail Bauw. When Ismail died, his son was still too young to rule as a king. Therefore, Abdul Jalil, the youngest son of king Newarisa, ascended the throne and became king of the kingdom of Rumbati.
The Current King
Today, the king who leads the Rumbati kingdom is Hamrad Pitupuwah Bauw. King Hamrad, the 19th king of the Rumbati kingdom, ascended to the throne, replacing King Abu Bakar Saleh Bauw, who died on January 28, 2018.
King Hamrad Pitupuwah Bauw officially became king of the Rumbati kingdom after his official inauguration on May 2, 2009.
