Trenggalek: Bright in Deep Heart

By Suparlan *)

In the September 13^th 2015, I receive an invitation to attend a reunion meeting of IKAT (Family Organization of Diaspora from the District of Trenggalek). I was very glad, same with the two years before, the meeting was held in TMII (Taman Mini Indonesia Indah). Yes, I was very glad to receive the invitation. I felled as an own family. That was a big family from Trenggalek.

Even I do not know what is the objectives of the meeting yet. I felled to be an own family. The meeting, off course is very important to be held. As a personal, I felled that the meeting is an effort to build a project of happiness, like a book that was I read. As an old people like me, the activity made me happy. The activities are like (1) MC (caring grandchildren), (2) moving from a mosque to other mosque, (3) what’s up group connection, (4) lightly sport such as Senam Tera Indonesia (STI), and more else.

Become happy is a super easy. This is said by Ippho Santosa in his book entitled Success Protocol. Ippho is a young author, the same old with my son. His writing is very important to read. His book is a mega best seller. I suggest you to read this important book. The photo of my son and my grandchildren we can look at page 114. His book is already sold one million exemplars. His book is soled also in the shop of Gramedia.

Remember with my own kampong

One of the factors that influenced to come to the meeting of IKAT reunion is for remembering the own kampong. The name of my village is Tawing, Sub-district of Munjungan, District of Trenggalek. Because of that, I remember my beloved mother and father. Remember with the kampong when I was a child and when I was live in the kampong. Some information of the kampong or village is downloaded in my personal website www.suparlan.com.

Really, the reunion meeting is the important time to make remembrance, to remember the village, the sub-district, and the district of Trenggalek, When I was in Elementary School of Tawing I, and when I was in Junior Secondary School of Trikora. Trikora is the name of my Junior Secondary School. I still remember with my principal of SMP Trikora, Mr. Sumaji. The name of the district is Trenggalek. The old meaning of Trenggalek is “Clear as the place of the bed people.” This meaning is not the best meaning. Right now I want to change the meaning in to the new meaning as the bright in the deep heart (terang ing galih).

The new meaning of Trenggalek is so good and really right. All people from Trenggalek are good people. I do hope so. Factually, there are many successful people from the district. Such as, Mr. Eko Sutrisno is from Trenggalek.  He is the head of the State Employment Agency or BKN (Badan Kepegawaian Negara). Of course, the head of all the councils from all provinces in Indonesia know him very much. Yes, I do hope that all people from Trenggalek are good citizenship of our beloved country Indonesia.

Local Ellection

At the end of this year of 2015, Trenggelek also follows this process of election to choose the Regents and Mayors. Who is the candidate for the Regent and the Vice Regent? Emil Elistianto Dardak is the candidate of Regent, and Muchamad Nur Arifin is the candidate of Vice Regent. They are one of the best people from Trenggalek. The candidate for the Regent and the Vice Regent are already inducted in February 17^th 2016.

I heard that Mr. Emil is S3 graduated from a university in Japan, and I know that Mr. Mochammad Nur Arifin is the youngest Vice Regent according MURI record. But, I do hope that the Regent and the Vice Regent are already knows about the condition of the village of Tawing, and the Sub-district of Munjungan. I do hope that they understand about the damaged roads from Kampak to Munjungan. Yes, I know more about the damaged and uphill road from Kampak to Munjungan, because I am from the village of Tawing and Sub-district Munjungan. When I was a student of Junior Secondary School of Trikora, I have to walk by foots for six hours from Tawing Village to Kampak. My father has to bear copra almost fifty kilograms. The many from the selling the copra is for paying my school fee in State Teacher Training School in Trenggalek or SPG Negeri Trenggalek.

The Best Memory

The best memory when I was live in Trenggalek is about the thiwul rice. At that time, most people of Munjungan eat the thiwul rice. But, almost people of Munjungan eat sea fish from the Indian Ocean. When you go Munjungan or the Indian Ocean, you will listen and hear the roar of the wave of the ocean. I think that, actually, this is the real spirit of the people of Trenggalek.

For the closing remarks, as the reflection, I want to sing a Pucung (Slendro). I have this song from my grandfather AMAT SALIM. My name is Suparlan Abdulbasir Salim. Salim is from the name of AMAT SALIM, my grandfather.

My grandfather sang a song when he wants to sleep their grandchildren. The title of the song is knowledge. Here is the full song and the translation in English.

Laman: http://www.suparlan.com. Surel: me@suparlan.com.

Depok, June 2^nd 2016