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Datu Kalaka

Datu Kalaka >> Edisi Bahasa Indonesia

Folklore from South Kalimantan

DATU kalaka... Datu Kalaka, the Dutch are coming!"

"Really? Where did you see them?"

"Over there! They are about to enter our village."

"Now, tell all the villagers to go inside their houses. Don't go out. They're looking for me, so tell them not to worry!"

"Alright Datu, I'll tell the villagers now!" the man immediately ran and told the villagers to stay inside their houses.

Who was Datu Kalaka and why were the Dutch looking for him? Well, Datu Kalaka was a leader. People named him 'Datu' as a symbol of respect to him. Datu Kalaka was a strong man.

He mastered great martial art skills. Also, he had a supernatural power. People said he could change himself into anything! And Datu Kalaka used all his power to protect the people.

Recently, their lives were disturbed by the dutch. At first they came in peace. They wanted to do some business with the local people. The area was fertile. All kinds of trees grew very well. And the Dutch were interested in buying the harvest. The business ran well.

However slowly the Dutch tried to cheat the business, they wanted to steal and occupy the area. They wanted to have all the harvest!

Luckily, the Dutch's plan to occupy the place was stopped by Datu Kalaka. He used all his power to make sure that the Dutch would not set their feet in their place.

The Dutch knew that Datu Kalaka lived in the village. But they were never able to find him. Why? It was because Datu Kalaka was always hiding and moving from one place to another place. And the villagers always let him hide in their houses. They helped him because Datu Kalaka also helped the villagers.

The Dutch had lost their patience against Datu Kalaka. And they came to the village with a full force. They came with lots of soldiers equipped with their guns! They came to the village and asked the villagers about Datu Kalaka. And when the villagers said they did not know where he was, the Dutch hit them!

"Hey, look! It's Datu Kalaka!! Get him now!" said one soldier.

Datu Kalaka ran very fast. He did not want to fight in the village. He was afraid that the villagers would become the victims.

"Hey stop! Or we'll shoot you!" said the Commander.

"Ha ha ha... catch me if you can!" said Datu Kalaka.

He ran very fast and the Dutch followed him. They did not want to lose him. They knew how dangerous he was. And that was why they brought guns! They were ordered to catch Datu Kalaka dead or alive.

Datu Kalaka was cornered. All the Dutch were everywhere.

"Ha ha ha... We will catch you now. You cannot go anywhere else," said one soldier.

"I don't want to give up!" said Datu Kalaka.

He climbed a big tree and later jumped from that tree. The soldiers chased him. They saw the direction where Datu Kalaka jumped. And when they arrived they did not see anyone. Instead they found a swing.

When they approached the swing they found a baby inside the swing. But the baby was different from any other babies. The baby was so big. It was a giant a baby! The soldiers were scared.

"Hey look! The baby is so big. If the baby is big like this one, how about the parents? They must be giants! "

They did not know that Datu Kalaka had changed himself into a giant baby. The soldiers ran away and they did not come back to the village.

When Datu Kalaka was dead, he was buried in the village. The village was then named as Kalaka village. Until now, the tomb is still in Kalaka South Kalimantan. The grave is so big. The local people believe that Datu Kalaka is buried there. ***










Moral Message:

The story of Datu Kalaka teaches us that true leadership involves self-sacrifice and courage. Datu Kalaka, despite his supernatural powers and martial arts skills, prioritizes the safety of his people over his own. His willingness to use his abilities to mislead the enemies and protect the villagers from harm highlights the importance of using one's strengths for the greater good. Ultimately, the story reminds us that the essence of leadership lies in putting the well-being of others first and standing up against oppression, even at great personal risk.



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