The Thousand Mask Warrior

Hulubalang Sea Tiger

Jung who was ruled by King Nio had entered the waters of the Riau archipelago which became part of the territory of the Sultanate of Johor. In the past, coastal Malay cities on the island of Samudra was a trading port area controlled by kings from Minangkabau. Minangkabau traders established trading villages along the Siak River, Kampar, Rokan, and Indragiri. While the locals also set up a half-standing joint that was given the freedom to manage its domestic affairs although still obliged to pay tribute to the Minangkabau kings. One of the many famous villages is Senapelan in Riau.

There were several independent kingdoms in power in Riau before the arrival of the Caucasians. The earliest kingdom named Keritang Kingdom, is thought to have appeared in the 6th century AD. This kingdom was once the conquered territory of Majapahit, but along with entering the teachings of Islam, the kingdom was also controlled by the Malacca Sultanate. In addition to this kingdom, there is also the Kingdom of Kemuning, the Inner Kingdom of the Six Tribes, and the Kingdom of Indragiri.

That is why, after the fall of Malacca by the Pranggis, the small Malay kingdoms that were previously under the Malacca region began to try to establish an independent kingdom from its mother.

Jambi for example, for years tried to continue to harass Pranggi by working with the Sultanate of Johor-Riau, although not much showed results.

The Sultanate of Johor-Riau itself also recently welcomed the offer of the hand of the Walanda from Betawi in facing Pranggi, creating further complexity in its relations with other Malay kingdoms and regions.

As a result, Jambi became quite vigilant and wary. Because after all, if the Sultanate of Johor-Riau with Walanda can succeed in conquering Malacca, then the relationship between Jambi and Johor and Riau will be strange. From the beginning the two have decided the sovereignty of their respective countries but still remain upset with Pranggi who has subdued Malacca. Thus, if the Johor Sultanate took over Malacca with Walanda, the kingdom would reappear as a successor ruler of Malacca. It is very possible, Johor-Riau to annex other Malay countries that used to be under Malacca, including Jambi of course.

The tension behind the scenes between the rulers, namely the Datuk, while this was not observed by the rulers of both sides. This was only to make the plan of conquest of Malacca by the cooperation of the Sultanate of Johor-Riau and Walanda can run smoothly without the interference of other Malay kingdoms, including Jambi who has helped fight against Pranggi Malaka for a long time.

Bule Pranggi doesn't know anything about this. Walanda and the Johor Malays continued to carry out many attacks and all guile in order to bring down the power of Pranggi, so they also did not stay silent.

Through pirates and mercenaries, Pranggi infiltrated and inserted them into the waters and seas of the Riau archipelago to break their attention and unity. Pranggi also spread the word of birds about Johor's evil plan to control Jambi to the fishermen and the coastal community of Jambi. Not until there, Pranggi also instigated the Minangkabau community group from the kingdom of Pagarruyung to try to regain control of the Malay kingdoms they once controlled a century before, a century earlier, that is the 16th century AD by reporting the chaos experienced by the Malay kingdoms due to the split.

Once a mesh, many fish are caught. Like the Bugis, for example. Who live on the coasts of Johor, Riau and Jambi and become sailors, as if given a fresh breeze with the news that they are entitled and worthy to have power over the countries and territories they inhabit, rather than being destroyed by the king and the government itself.

All the turmoil that is ready to explode later today is not represented on a clear morning in the waters of the Riau archipelago. Small islands seen from a distance float solidly above the ocean. But the scene was confused by the screams of a crew of jung Raja Nio who saw the ships speeding in front of them. All of them were equipped with weapons and troops.

Three pirate ships were seen spurring their wooden bodies avoiding the pursuit of four outrigger ships belonging to the Bugis people. Two large junks, almost as big as King Nio's junks, were also scrambling to catch up with the pirates. Both belong to Jambi Malays and Riau Malay sailors respectively. Right in front of the ships of the pirates who were chased, two ships containing a mixture of sailors and warriors Pagarruyung and Malay Rejang or Bengkulu has been blocked.

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One desperate pirate ship did not stop the speed of his ship, even when two cannon shots erupted from the ship of the Minangkabau and Bengkulu Malays.

One of these pirate ships hit one of the sailors ship Minangkabau and Malay Bengkulu. A loud crash was heard, accompanied by the destruction of the front of the smaller pirate ship.

The gunfire was also immediately unpretentious from the deck of the Minangkabau-Bengkulu ship, trying to beat up the pirates who jumped on their ship.

Only two bodies of pirates were penetrated by pe*lor and fell dead at sea, the rest, dozens of pirates, managed to climb quickly onto the ship. They have bitten various weapons in their mouths such as badik, mashed pepper, keris, even swords and lemurs.

Loud cries of orders were heard from the top of the decks of the hulubalang and warriors of Minangkabau and Bengkulu Malays to prepare themselves for the fight of life and death.

The Minangkabau warriors immediately passed the kelewang and their swords were grasped in the right hand, and the kerambit in the left hand. While the Bengkulu Malay champions wielded a type of dagger weapon called Sewar.

Sewar is known by various names on this Malay island such as Sewah by the Gayo people, Seiva by the Minangkabau people, Siva by the Alas and Shiwaih by the Acehnese.

Similar to keris or badik, Sewar is usually carried by tucking in a belt. This short-eyed dagger weapon is used in close combat style for snatching, although it is also very good with puncture attacks. Sewar has a single-edged or double-edged blade that is slightly curved. From the base of the handle, the blade narrows or widens at the end, depending on the type. The double-edged Sewar has a sharp edge back that extends from the end of the blade all the way to the base of the handle.

The sarong is usually made of wood, with an oblong cross section, and is decorated with carvings. Sewars owned by wealthy and well-respected people were often decorated with precious metals or gems. The sarung consists of two pieces of wood joined together by a bond of rattan or silver and gold.

When looked at carefully, Sewar is similar to a chopping and mashing pepper, but the blades are longer, heavier and have very different sheaths.

Both groups of Minangkabau-Bengkulu warriors call themselves the Hulubalang Sea Tigers. This is understandable, because the kingdoms in the Bengkulu Malay region are strongly influenced by the Kingdom of Banten in Java, and of course Minangkabau. Jurus-jurus and fighting style of Bengkulu Malay warriors are also similar to the style of the origin of Pagarruyung.

Bengkulu Malay silat also imitates the movement of the fight of two tigers, so that the low horses, jumps, the safest deadly attacks with claws are also a mainstay. The difference, Bengkulu Malay tiger silat cikak known as silat pekak in Minangkabau language, more emphasis on catch and lockdown, and, as well as short sharp and deadly attacks with elbows and knees when the enemy is in a state of entangled lockdown and catch.

Fighting was immediately unavoidable, especially when one other pirate ship also landed on their other ship.