Tuca: Contacting the Unseen world
Tuca
by Tom McLaughlin and Suriani Sahari
Long ago, there were sayings in the kampong which would tell us about the culture and history of the area. We are going to look at some of these sayings and how they could relate to history.
The Tuca Kerabat is an independent source that recalls the rulers of Santubong by name. Here, we have verses that verify our list of Santubong rulers. At the writing of this tuca, these former rulers exist as spirits in the unseen world. The Tuca is recited to call upon one’s ancestors spirits to seek for their protections and blessings and to allow one to proceed with whatever task without interference from other bad spirits. The Tuca can also act as a helper. This Tuca came to us through the Malay world as an undercurrent of Islam through adat.
We know there were Chinese, Bidayuh and Buddhists at Santubong so the Malays could have migrated from Java to Tanjungpura to Santubong. They could also have come from Sumatra establishing a Buddhist mission or they could have come from both places. The mission was probably a place where passengers could wait out the changes in monsoonal winds ,waited for the next boat to or from China or resided in Santubong to harvest the trade goods.
Before, the Malay culture blended together with indigenous people until the coming of Islam when the Malays and, later, some Ibans made a choice to separate their cultures with the Islamic Malays discarding the publically blended traditions. Although accepting Islam, the Malays quietly continued on with their adat, reciting the Tuca and continuing to blend adat and Islam together.
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These are the names and reigns of the Santubong rulers told to us by the dukun in Santubong. They are presented here as a reference.
Indrana Jang Sorgi aka Hyang Gi ~925-974 46
Sagenta Galam (Indra Galam real name) ~1011-1053. 49
Saganda Sarik (Indra Sarik ) ~1053-1096. 52
Saganda Leleng ( Indra Ragga) ~ 1096-1131. 53
Saganda Surik (Indhara Uteh) ~1131-1173. 54
Saganda Siga (Indraka Sigat) ~1211-1242. 55
Saganda Junjunan (Indrana Junjunan) ~1242-1277. 55
Saganda Manikam (Siagasangsana) ~1277- 1303. 60
Pangiran Tuanku Mahkuta Indra Lewang ~1303-1332. 67
Indra Daha (Raja Leok /Raja Elok) ~ 1332-1376. 68
Indranajakkiana or Pangiran Tuanku Mahraja Kanna ~1376-1408. 71
Indrana Rajian The First Raja Tengah ~1408 – 1447 72
Ismail Hasanuddin The Second Sultan Tengah (Indrana Ngemas) ~1462 – 1490 78
Sultan Abdul Jalil Muhammad Al Hafiz Zussalam ~1490 – 1512 86
The Tuca
Tuca Sapat
Dakan daka, Dakan daka, Dakan daka
Sapan Sapa, Sapan Sapa, Sapan Sapa
One faces one direction,arms stretched with the palms facing forward. Then the arms sweep right reciting the Sapan three times and recites Dakan to left three times. Then one turns to the right and repeats the process Then right again and repeats the process again until a square is formed. Sapan and Dakan are said to be the grandparents of Hyang Gi in Tanjungpura.
In searching for the names of Sapan and Dakan we were unable to find any references in the genealogies compiled by Dr. H. Gusti and the Matan royal family. We also searched other sources. These are the only two genealogies we could find. We know they were recited in the kampongs and still are by the elderly generation.
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Tuca Martabat or Tuca Kerabat created by Indera Lewang
If any of our readers has a different or better translation please contact us.
Heyyy Ha…
Ya Daya Selipat Dayu (used by the royal blood to the unseen world)
Merentang panji (to declare allegiance to the unseen world)
Sumpah menulah (the reciter has supernatural power)
Mintak jeraya Kerabat nok lalu (to request the unseen world to give the reciter the same privilege that the past leaders had)
Singgang janji turun sedarah (Whatever the promise(friendship) it has been passed down through generations)
Here the rulers are relegated as spirits in the unseen world. In this tuca the spirits of the said rulers are asked to help out and bless whatever is they asked for. Requests include clearing a forest of spirits before they entered and calming the sea before fishing or a voyage.
Heyyy Ha…(A command to tell the unseen world of the reciter’s presence)
Aksa turunan..(I am the descendant of…)
Sagenta Galam
Saganda Sarik
Saganda Leleng
Saganda Surik
Muasal Peraja Indera Ponek Indera Purik (The leaders of Indera purik (Santubong)
Heyyy Ha…
Saganda Pratima
Saganda Siga
Saganda Junjunan
Saganda Manikam
Ngelelang wanua buana (Wanua-Take control of the place)(Buana- In charge of the area, region or kingdom/government)
Aksalah susor peraja Sri Indera Purik (I am the descendant of Sri Indera Purik)*
*Puri is the original word possibly from Sumatra or Java. The name “purik” is the name with a Sarawak Malay accent. Purik then changed its name to Ponik which means “the place you were looking for but did not find.” The Chinese pronounced it as Poni because they could not pronounce the K. Poni became the name on Chinese maps.
An example would be sailing from Java to Tanjung Dato to Pulau Bruit. The path would be to bypass Santubong because it is tucked in under the main sailing route.
Nok puteh datang (The pure/good spirit that represent by white color had come)
batindeh (In big quantity/many/crowded)
Nok mirah datang (The strong spirit that represented by red color had come)
manungah (Welcomed by the strong spirit)
Nok kunin datang (The friendly spirit that represented by yellow color had come)
bamain (To play with)
Nok itam datang (The evil spirit that represented by black colour had come)
mangaram (To damage/destroy)
Tulongan Aksa (Helping me)
sumpah bepolah……..(The promise/curse that has been made)…….
(Baruk nyatakan apa perintah yang kita inginkan kalau dalam apa pun kesusahan sama ada di hutan atau di lautan) (After he took control of all the different kinds of spirits, the reciter would order/command them to assist on whatever help needed whenever and wherever the reciter might be, should he be in the jungle or in the sea)
Sagenta Salam (Sagenta Galam ialah anak kepada Indera Siak) (son of Indera Siak)
Saganda Sarik (Saganda Sarik ialah anak kepada Sagenta galam dan sarik bermaksud intipati) (son of Sagenta Galam and intipati means the essence)
Saganda Leleng (Gelaran ini diberi kepada Indra Ragga anak kepada Saganda Sarik) (Title given to Indra Ragga, son of Saganda Sarik)
Saganda Surik (Gelaran ini diberi kepada Indhara Uteh anak kepada Saganda Leleng dan Uteh bermaksud putih dan juga kacak) (Title given to Indhara Uteh, son of Saganda Leleng. Uteh means fair skin and also good looking)
Saganda Pratima (Gelaran ini diberi kepada Indra Simma anak kepada Saganda Surik)(title given to Indra Simma, son of Saganda Surik)(Pratima bermaksud berupa/berbentuk)(Pratima means shapy)
Saganda Siga (Gelaran ini diberi kepada Indraka Siga anak kepada Saganda Pratima) (title given to Indraka Siga, son of Saganda Pratima)
Saganda Junjunan (Gelaran ini diberi kepada Indrana Junjunan anak kepada Saganda Siga) (title given to son of Saganda Siga)
Saganda Manikam (Gelaran ini diberi kepada Siagasangsana anak kepada Saganda Junjunan dan manikam bermaksud bijak bermain senjata) (title given to son of Saganda Junjunan and Manikam means excellent in handling weapons)
Indra Lewang (Gelaran ini diberi kepada anak kepada Saganda Manikam) (title given to son of Saganda Manikam)
Raja Leok ( Gelaran ini diberi kepada Indra Dhaha anak kepada Indra Lewang) (title given to son of Indra Lewang)
The above Tuca independently verifies the names of the rulers as communicated to us by the dukun.
We have the following Tuca which calls on the spirit Jujunan only.
Tuca Nyeruk Nahaga Ngemas Mirah Kunin
Aiekkkk….(verse used to call upon spirit of…)
Heyyy Saganda (call upon spirit of Saganda)
Saganda Junjunan (call upon spirit of Saganda Junjunan)
Nahaga Ngemas (call upon spirit of “Nahaga Ngemas”golden dragon)
Nama di tunggah (the name that was to be called upon)
Mirah Kunin Rona di padah (“Mirah Kunin” the colour of red and yellow be called out)
Aiekkk…verse used to call upon the spirit
Kalengkang kalengkong (verse to be read of unknown language)
Kalengkang (verse to be read of unknown language)
Kalengkong(verse to be read of unknown language)
Pulang Tok/Pak Pulang (Ancestors/grandfather/father please come home)
Tulong Tok/Pak Tulong (Ancestors/grandfather/father please assist )
Tunok semilang barang di bilang (to burn a certain number of “semilang”,type of fish)
Pakey ngidang nok datang marejang (to serve for a guest that propel)
Tujoh mukun Si aik garam (seven plates of salt water)
Pakey ngibun nok rindu dendam (To take care of the longing one)
(baca berulang semuanya 7 kali berulang)(all to be recited seven times repeatedly)
We hope you have enjoyed this romp through the history of Malay Mysticism
