Property of PUSAKAUnfortunately the last time several of important and well-known,or lesser well-know rajas and sultans of Indonesia had died.
5 days ago one of the most important kings of the Rote-Ndao islands in East-Indonesia; being known for his preservation of the history of this archipelago, where the kings in fact continued to rule the longest in Indonesia(until ca. 1970) had died.
He was one of the most important and most active dynastychiefs from a total of 19 dynastychiefs;from the Rote islands;an archipelago of ca.
1.200 km2 lying west of Timor.
It seems, that most of his life was dedicated one way,or another to the well-being of Thie; one of the more bigger principalities of the Rote-islands, or of the Rote-archipelago in general.
When he was born in the 1930-ies His grandfather Manek Jeremias Wilhelmus Messakh was king of Thie;a royal power, which the Dutch had to reckon with, because of the consistent nationalistic performance against the Dutch government. Because of that his grandfather was deposed in 1948 after 17 years of rule.
After 2 tempory-rulers, his son Jusuf Nicolaas Messakh became manek,or king of Thie and ruled from 1949-1951. Then it was totally the end of Dutch rule in Indonesia (in fact in 1949) and Manek Jeremias W. Messakh could be installed as king of Thie again. He ruled for another 2 years.
Then the vice-manek,or fettor of Thie:Fettor Hermanus Haning ruled temporarily from 1953-1956.This ruler is the father of them present
bupati(districtchief) of Rote-Ndao:
Drs. Leonard Haning.
Then in 1956 the son of Manek Jermias W. Messakh and the father of the just deceased Manek of Thie Drs. Benjamin Messakh;Manek Jeremias Arnoldus Messakh became king of Thie. As such he ruled until 1962.Then this father was elected as subdistrict chief of West-Rote and his younger brother Thobias Arnoldus Messakh then was the last official royal ruler of Thie by being the caretaker of the royal dignity of manek from 1962-69.
The father of Manek Drs. Benjamin Messakh died in 1985.His uncle ex-Manek Thobias A. Messakh died in 2004.
When this uncle died the functioning of the dynasties were also revived in Rote-Ndao:as preservers of a big part of the local traditions.
In the mean time a lot had happened in the area. The Rotenese people;although having strong contacts with their brother peoples on nearby Timor;wanted to form their own seperate district.
Manek Benjamin Messakh would become the last assistant-bupati of Rote-Ndao in the transition period. After that period from 1998-2003 the new kabupaten of Rote-Nado was proclaimed.
Prince Drs. Benjamin Messakh was then officially proclaimed as the new king of Thie.
Officially they called it the chief of the manek,or royal clan BuralaE;named after the first king of this branch of the dynasty (who ruled continuously for nearly 300 years from then on):Manek Messakh Mbura (ruled 1674-1694).
This dynasty delivered 23 kings.
Manek Drs. Benjamin Messakh was the first dynastychief to be recognized again in the modern time as such.
As a assistant-bupati he already was known for his dedication to the well-being of his own and the people of the total Rote-Ndao archipelago.
He was very interested in history and preserved by all means the old historical stories from the area.
His dream was to publish his own book about the history of the 19 monarchies of the Rote-Ndao archipelago:being known as the area settled with the biggest density of monarchies of total Indonesia.
When I did in 2000 for the first time fieldwork concerning the dynasties of Rote-Ndao he did all, what was in his power to help me.
Although already being one of the mayor princes in the dynasty then, he was very humble in the acting towards other people.
And most of all:his rule was always clean!
He chared his historical interest for the principalities of Rote-Ndao with his wife, who is a princess of the Johannis dynasty of Landu(according to the traditional view the most important oldest kingdom of Rote-Ndao).
Apart from the politics his historical research was his lifework.
The last time he suddenly had problems with his heart and suddenly on the 25th of januari he died.
That the government will publish his bookmanuscript about the history of the principalities of Rote-Ndao;an area,which is also called because of his big density of dynasties:the archipelago of the kings.
That his succesor as manek,or dynastychief of Thie (also written as Ti'i) (unknown until nowto us,who will succeed him) will have the same wisdom, warm heart and dedication in live.
May the soul of this symphatic king,who had a well-spend life with his several dedications; rest in peace and that his family and dynasty will feel the comfort of the Loving God in Heaven during this difficult time.
From Lampung and Holland we send hereby also our sincere condolences.
5 days ago one of the most important kings of the Rote-Ndao islands in East-Indonesia; being known for his preservation of the history of this archipelago, where the kings in fact continued to rule the longest in Indonesia(until ca. 1970) had died.
He was one of the most important and most active dynastychiefs from a total of 19 dynastychiefs;from the Rote islands;an archipelago of ca.
1.200 km2 lying west of Timor.
It seems, that most of his life was dedicated one way,or another to the well-being of Thie; one of the more bigger principalities of the Rote-islands, or of the Rote-archipelago in general.
When he was born in the 1930-ies His grandfather Manek Jeremias Wilhelmus Messakh was king of Thie;a royal power, which the Dutch had to reckon with, because of the consistent nationalistic performance against the Dutch government. Because of that his grandfather was deposed in 1948 after 17 years of rule.
After 2 tempory-rulers, his son Jusuf Nicolaas Messakh became manek,or king of Thie and ruled from 1949-1951. Then it was totally the end of Dutch rule in Indonesia (in fact in 1949) and Manek Jeremias W. Messakh could be installed as king of Thie again. He ruled for another 2 years.
Then the vice-manek,or fettor of Thie:Fettor Hermanus Haning ruled temporarily from 1953-1956.This ruler is the father of them present
bupati(districtchief) of Rote-Ndao:
Drs. Leonard Haning.
Then in 1956 the son of Manek Jermias W. Messakh and the father of the just deceased Manek of Thie Drs. Benjamin Messakh;Manek Jeremias Arnoldus Messakh became king of Thie. As such he ruled until 1962.Then this father was elected as subdistrict chief of West-Rote and his younger brother Thobias Arnoldus Messakh then was the last official royal ruler of Thie by being the caretaker of the royal dignity of manek from 1962-69.
The father of Manek Drs. Benjamin Messakh died in 1985.His uncle ex-Manek Thobias A. Messakh died in 2004.
When this uncle died the functioning of the dynasties were also revived in Rote-Ndao:as preservers of a big part of the local traditions.
In the mean time a lot had happened in the area. The Rotenese people;although having strong contacts with their brother peoples on nearby Timor;wanted to form their own seperate district.
Manek Benjamin Messakh would become the last assistant-bupati of Rote-Ndao in the transition period. After that period from 1998-2003 the new kabupaten of Rote-Nado was proclaimed.
Prince Drs. Benjamin Messakh was then officially proclaimed as the new king of Thie.
Officially they called it the chief of the manek,or royal clan BuralaE;named after the first king of this branch of the dynasty (who ruled continuously for nearly 300 years from then on):Manek Messakh Mbura (ruled 1674-1694).
This dynasty delivered 23 kings.
Manek Drs. Benjamin Messakh was the first dynastychief to be recognized again in the modern time as such.
As a assistant-bupati he already was known for his dedication to the well-being of his own and the people of the total Rote-Ndao archipelago.
He was very interested in history and preserved by all means the old historical stories from the area.
His dream was to publish his own book about the history of the 19 monarchies of the Rote-Ndao archipelago:being known as the area settled with the biggest density of monarchies of total Indonesia.
When I did in 2000 for the first time fieldwork concerning the dynasties of Rote-Ndao he did all, what was in his power to help me.
Although already being one of the mayor princes in the dynasty then, he was very humble in the acting towards other people.
And most of all:his rule was always clean!
He chared his historical interest for the principalities of Rote-Ndao with his wife, who is a princess of the Johannis dynasty of Landu(according to the traditional view the most important oldest kingdom of Rote-Ndao).
Apart from the politics his historical research was his lifework.
The last time he suddenly had problems with his heart and suddenly on the 25th of januari he died.
That the government will publish his bookmanuscript about the history of the principalities of Rote-Ndao;an area,which is also called because of his big density of dynasties:the archipelago of the kings.
That his succesor as manek,or dynastychief of Thie (also written as Ti'i) (unknown until nowto us,who will succeed him) will have the same wisdom, warm heart and dedication in live.
May the soul of this symphatic king,who had a well-spend life with his several dedications; rest in peace and that his family and dynasty will feel the comfort of the Loving God in Heaven during this difficult time.
From Lampung and Holland we send hereby also our sincere condolences.
I. Festivana
D.P. Tick gRMK
(pusaka.tick@tiscali.nl )
We also like to thank HRH Raja Leopold Isu Nisnoni of Kupang/Timor, who informed us about the passing way of the manek of Thie.
