Before Indonesia became one big country, the islands all had their own kingdoms. Now, a few of them still exist within the country. Sekar kingdom is one of them.
The kingdom is located in Onin Peninsula, in Fak Fak District, West Papua, Indonesia. It is the kingdom of the Rumagesan Clan. The current king is Arief Rumagesan, but the most memorable ruler is perhaps his aunt, Rustuty Rumagesan.
A Brief History of Sekar Kingdom
Sekar Kingdom used to also be known as Kabituwar Kingdom. It stood at the entrance to Sekar Bay. The area, now known as Kokas, became a hub for merchants, mostly for people from outside of Papua.
Later, the settlement would become its own kingdom. The then-sultan of Tidore Kingdom, a nearby kingdom located in North Maluku, sent someone to watch over the settlement and gave him the title of Raja Kapitan Sekar. The power the title held was separate from the title of King Kabituwar. However, due to succession issues during the Dutch colonialism period in Indonesia, the one crowned king would hold the title of King Sekar instead of King Kabituwar or Raja Kapitan Sekar.
The Islamic Kingdom
Perhaps in part due to its history of being a settlement for merchants, Sekar Kingdom is one of the many Islamic kingdoms in Indonesia. It is also the kingdom that spread Islam in West Papua, and Papua in general.
Today, the majority of the people of Papua are Christians. Muslims in Papua makes for a minority, as opposed to nationwide, as the majority of Indonesian people are Muslims.
Sekar Kingdom was one of the reasons why Islam managed to enter Papua. A sultanate in Indonesia and no doubt having influences from Tidore Kingdom, it stood in contrast with other kingdoms in Papua at the time. If nothing else, the different religions and the strict clothing rules borne from the religion alone made the kingdom different from others.
Despite that, the Sekar Kingdom stood at peace with other kingdoms in Papua.
A Kingdom in a Nation
Indonesia gained its independence in August 1945. As a part of the country, naturally, the kingdoms in Papua no longer hold the same power they held before Indonesia’s independence.
However, that doesn’t mean they don’t exist anymore. While they may not hold the same political power anymore, the kings of the kingdoms in Papua still hold sway over the people and are still regarded as leaders. They stand not only as proof of hundreds of years of culture but also as notable figures for the people.
Sekar Kingdom is the same. Its king is still regarded as a notable figure, and the late Queen Regent, Rustuty Rumagesan, has also met President Joko Widodo in an audience with other kings throughout the nation.
Sekar Kingdom and The Only Queen
Rustuty Rumagesan stood as a notable figure in the long line of Papuan kings.
After the death of the previous king, a succession issue ensued that later led to the people asking Rustuty Rumagesan to take up the mantle of the leader. Meanwhile, she herself was conflicted because a king has to be male.
In the end, the title she took was Ratu Petuanan Tanah Rata Kokoda, essentially queen regent. It served as a middle road to let her lead the people while not crossing the cultural line of how a king should be male. She worked alongside her nephew, Arief Rumagesan who held the title of the king, in managing the affairs of the kingdom.
As of now, Rustuty Rumagesan remains the only queen to ever rule in Papua, particularly in Sekar kingdom. She died on March 14th, 2019, and Arief Rumagesan took the mantle of leader.
