The pagan tribes of Borneo - Get a Free Blog Here

—
20 PAGAN TRIBES OF BORNEO chap.
married his daughter. Thus the present royal
house of Bruni is derived from three sources—Arab,
Bisaya, and Chinese. The coronation ceremony as
still maintained affords an interesting confirmation
of this account. On that occasion the principal
minister wears a turban and Haji outfit, the two next
in rank are dressed in Chinese and Hindu fashion,
while the fourth wears a chawat over his trousers
to represent the Bisayas; and each of these ministers
declares the Sultan to be divinely appointed. Then
after the demonstration of loyalty the two gongs
one from Menangkabau, the other from Johore
are beaten, and the Moslem high priest proclaims
the Sultan and preaches a sermon, declaring him to
be a descendant of Sri Turi Buana, the Palembang
chief who founded the early kingdom of Singapore
in 1160 A.D., who reigned in that island for forty-
eight years, and whose descendants became the royal
family of Malacca.
The Arab Sultan who succeeded Akhmed assumed
the name Berkat and ruled the country with
vigour. He built a mosque and converted many
of his subjects, so that from his reign Bruni may
be considered a Mohammedan town. To defend
the capital he sank forty junks filled with stone in
the river, and thus formed the breakwater which
still bars the entrance to large ships. This work
rose above the water level, and in former times
bristled with cannon. Sultan Berkat was succeeded
by his son Suleiman, whose reign was of little
consequence.
Neglecting Suleiman, we come now to the most
heroic figure in Bruni history. Sultan Bulkiah, better
known by his earlier name, Nakoda Ragam. The
prowess of this prince has been celebrated in prose
and verse. He journeyed to distant lands, and
conquered the Sulu islands and eastern Borneo.
Over the throne of Sambas he set a weak-minded