The webmaster was born in Vlaardingen/Holland in 1960, a son of a Dutch woman ( with German ancestors) and of a father, (Malang-Java born) who was son of a Jewish sub-officer in the Royal Dutch East-Indisch Army and a Javanese mother, from Salatiga.
Saturday, January 01, 2005
PUSAKA - up, close and personal !
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After highschool (Atheneum) he wanted to study Arabics in Leiden, but later decide to work. He did a lot of different works such as working in the flower industry in Holland and Germany and in the kitchen galleys on board ships.
From his youngest days he was interested in lives of presidents, kings and other heads of states. Later he restrict his interest only to the Sultan, Rajas and the like of the ca. 300 dynasties of Indonesia and some noble semi-sovereign ruling families.
After being part of a Holland based Indonesia Royalty Institute, he decided to make his own documentation centre about the Indonesian principalities called "Pusaka" (ca. 8 years ago). For chosing the name he asked God to give him one, and that became "Pusaka" for him a sign, that God also protects and blesses this initiative a bit.
His first name (Donald=Scottish) means "rulers of the world"= his old hobby: rulers of the world.
From then on he could take from time to time to harvest the fruits of his long searchings, which began with a hobby, when he was ca. 13 years old. That was more than 30 years ago now!
Apart from contributions and advises to scholars, local Indonesian book publishers, historical photoarchives, he also could put for the first time in history nearly all the ca. 300 Indonesian dynasties with lists of it's rulers in one book: a revised edition of the reference book "Regents of the Nations" /part Asia;by Dr. P.Truhart,Sauer Verlag/München/2003.
Later he also contributed to two television series (made in 2002/2003) for TROS TV about the Indonesian Kings in the present time (Koninklijke Reistafel); made by the popular Indonesian TV cook in Holland, Lonny Gerungan. These 13 films later also appeared on DVD.
On the Indonesian National Royal Festivals (Festival Keraton Nusantara III in Tenggarong Kutai and FKN IV in Yogyakarta), he introduced the first Christian Indonesian King ever been on an Indonesian National Festival: Raja Leopold Isu Nisnoni of Kupang/Timor (FKN III), Gusti Khairul Saleh; the chief of the traditional Council of Sultan's dynasty of Banjarmasin/S.E.Kalimantan and all other royals he helped to find the way to really participate to one of the Indonesian National Royal Festivals(FKN's). On these Royal Festivals he always tried to contribute with a part of his hugue collection (ca. 6.500) of old and new pictures of Indonesian Kings,Royalty and Royal objects).
Many prints of old pictures found it's way to the courts, sometimes the original one (f.i. for the Sultan of Kutai). It was quite common, that you could see on FKN's many historical pictures, which originated from the collection of "Pusaka".
His main activity now lies in Nusa Tenggara Timur Province (from Timor-area to Flores-area), where he also gave f.i. ca. 500 prints to the local provincial state archive. Also he became more interested in East-Kalimantan, when he got into contact with the Sultan's dynasty of Kutai and later married a Princess from Banjarmasin (from the S.E of Kalimantan).
Gusti Yulianitha Spd binti Gusti Uster,who is a direct descendant of the foremost last Sultan and last great Sultan of Banjarmasin: Sultan Adam Alwassikh Billah.
Together until now they have one son,who is also entitled to have a nobility title:Andin.His names are Adam Arya Suryansyah Leopold.
n 2003, for all his services to the Royal dynasty of Kupang; he was given the honorific title "Raja Muda Kuno" by the Raja/Usif of Kupang: HRH Raja Leopold N. Isu Nisnoni (also Liurai of Sonbai Kecil).
Andrew Tani Publishers in Jakarta made a book after request from Sidomuncul company about the dynasties of Indonesia from East to West. (Indonesia; land of a thousand kings/semi-photobook in English), to which Donald Tick contributed also. In 2005 an Indonesian version of the book was published(Indonesia, negeri seribu raja).
Now he hopes to see a book published (also with his contribution) about the crowns, regalia, royal jewels and royal state daggers (keris2) of the Kings of Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei; semi-photobook with very much illustrations called: Royals Jewels of S.E.-Asia(Pepinn Press-Amsterdam/Singapore); made by the biggest crowns and regalia specialist in the world: Mr. René Brus from Rijswijk/Holland.
The big dream of Donald Tick is to visit all ca. 300 Indonesian dynasties and write down the info of the dynasties from the time of independence to present time; or sometimes,from the time some minor dynasties had to merge with other more bigger principalities.
Also fill the gap on the historical writings of some dynasties and to share his info with them. The last thing has happened a lot of times and is still happening. Many Indonesian dynasties could gain old and sometimes very old historical printings for their palaces,that are partly turned into museums.
The info and old pictures and contacts Donald Tick gained, he hopes to use for films about the present situation and also the history of the many Indonesian Royal -and Princely dynasties and also for an encyclopaedia like book. This is of prime importance today, because the Indonesian government had introduced in 1999 the local autonomy laws and that meant a revival of the dynasties in social and political life. So also good historical writings are needed.
Royalty makes a part of Indonesian history. If you take it out, you take out their cultural values.
That is his motto, together with: " Always using the good things of every culture and time".
To make the modern youth interested in this item is a challenge for him and many others. Luckily many are interested in it. Maybe in the future there can be created a network of royalty,who exchange and coöperate abou the Kingdoms and Principalities of Indonesia.
The next FKN will be held in 2006 in Surakarta. He hopes to be present there as well.
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