Kujang Monument – The Pride of Bogor

There is an obelisk like statue near the Bogor Botanical Garden in the middle of crowded Pajajaran Street. On top of the obelisk, there is a figure of something like a sharp weapon. That is the icon of Bogor, Kujang Monument.

The statue was set up on its place in 1982. It is still young in term of age. However, it represents something older than its age. It has deeper meaning than its obelisk form.

The core of the monument is not in the tall obelisk cement pole. Actually the thing that makes this monument is considered very important for Bogor is located on the top. It’s the weapon like shape that means a lot to Bogor people. The shape is the form of Kujang, a traditional weapon of Sundanese people.

Kujang has been known to be a traditional weapon of Sundanese people back to 6-7th Century.

The people of Sundanese tribe who lived in West Java, Indonesia had been known to use this Kujang as a tool to harvest their rice field. It had also another function as an arm to fight enemy or wild animal that threatened their life while they were on rice field.

The image of Kujang as the representation of Sundanese people was strengthened in the 15th Century. It was when the famous Prabu Siliwangi (the King of Siliwangi) was inaugurated.

He was known to use Kujang as the symbol of his sovereignty. Furthermore during the first thing that he did after his inauguration was moving the capital of his kingdom to Bogor.

As you may have known, the majority of people who live in Bogor come from Sundanese ethnic. Even until now, it can be said 60% of Bogor citizen are Sundanese.

That’s why Kujang monument plays important role to the life in this city. It connects Sundanese society and ethnics in Bogor to the glorious Sunda Kingdom.

Well, how about people coming from other ethnics, do they have the same perception about the monument? Nowadays, it seems all people in Bogor have the same spirit and pride.  Even though they don’t come from Sundanese ethnic, they feel the same pride to know that the city once was the capital of the Sunda Kingdom.

The proof ? Every year the Kujang monument is cleaned. The people who want to be involved in this activity are coming from various ethnics in Bogor.

Probably I have been wrong to still say that it’s the pride of Sundanese people. Perhaps, I must say that Kujang Monument is now already the pride of Bogor citizens.