International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Volume 7 Issue 4 Special Issue : Volume 2 of Papers Presented at 10th International Religious Article 10 Tourism and Pilgrimage Conference 2018, Santiago de Compostela 2019 Rediscovering the Walisongo, Indonesia: A potential new destination for international pilgrimage Pierre Fournié University of Paris-Est Marne-la-Vallée-France, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://arrow.tudublin.ie/ijrtp Part of the Tourism and Travel Commons Recommended Citation Fournié, Pierre (2019) "Rediscovering the Walisongo, Indonesia: A potential new destination for international pilgrimage," International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage: Vol. 7: Iss. 4, Article 10. doi:https://doi.org/10.21427/g00f-qd76 Available at: https://arrow.tudublin.ie/ijrtp/vol7/iss4/10 Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License. © International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage ISSN : 2009-7379 Available at: http://arrow.dit.ie/ijrtp/ Volume 7(iv) 2019 Rediscovering the Walisongo, Indonesia: A potential new destination for international pilgrimage Pierre Fournié Dicen IDF - University of Paris-Est Marne-la-Vallée-France [email protected] The current paper explores the tradition of Walisongo, the nine saints or nine friends of God, that according to tradition initiated the islamisation of Java in the XV and XVI centuries. Largely unknown outside of Indonesia, the Wali Songo pilgrimage remains unfamiliar in the archipelago as well. Besides allowing a deeper understanding of the roots of Indonesian religious history and of the spread and acceptance of Islam, rediscovering the Wali Songo may help to reintroduce a peaceful image of the Muslim world. In such a way, reactivating the tradition of Wali Songo outside of the country but also inside, may support the idea of a peaceful religion of traders, of scholars and culture lovers open and able to integrate the traditions of other cultural groups. The Wali Songo are said to be at the origin of pesantren (Muslim religious schools) and largely used local arts and culture in their teachings. In an area of Central and East Java where minority groups may tend to impose the views of a reformist not to say a rigorist Islam, the Wali Songo teachings may offer a ‘new common vehicle’, a synonym of understanding, peace and cultural respect. If the development of international pilgrimage activity would suppose the setting up of proper infrastructures, to do so, may also boost new areas of services that would definitely support regional developments in the largest archipelago of the world and in a country that, besides being laic and governed by the principles of Pancasila, is before all the country worldwide with the largest number of Muslim citizens. In a planet currently governed by globalization, the origins of the Wali Songo, which are still relevant, if discussed, would demonstrate that ideas and religions can be shared, peacefully, across the land and seas. Key Words: Walisongo; Indonesia; pilgrimage; religious tourism, territorial development Introduction The ancient history of South-East Asian countries can be approached from two sides, the Indian and the Chinese, or better still from The current paper explores the tradition of the both at the same time. Walisongo, the nine saints or nine ‘Friends of God’ th th that Islamised Java in the 15 and 16 centuries. In territories rich with spices, camphor, various Largely ignored outside Indonesia, those pilgrims essences, precious woods and even gold, large remain unfamiliar in the archipelago as well. We will Indianised kingdoms appeared starting from the 1st detail the heritage of the Walisongo and examine if it century AD in Funan (Cambodia) and between the 4th could justify the creation of international pilgrimages. century to 6th century across the Malay states and We will also question how those pilgrimages could Indonesia. affect the image of Indonesia and analyse the possible impacts at regional level. In Cambodia, Champa, the Malay Peninsula, Indonesia (Sumatra, Java, and Bali), Burma and Thailand, Hindu The South East Asian Mediterranee: a and Buddhist rulers took power and developed either space for trade and cultural exchanges inland-agricultural or coastal-trading states. Their capacity to integrate animist and local beliefs explains Geographically, Indonesia, one of the largest the success of Hinduism and Buddhism (Rahman, archipelagos in the World, constitutes a natural barrier 2014) although ‘most of the population preserved the and the sole sea route between modern India and essentials of their own culture’ (Nicolas J.Krom in China. As stated by Coedes (1964:2) Coedes, 1965a:33). However: ~ 77 ~ Fournié Rediscovering the Walisongo: A Potential New Destination For International Pilgrimages Hinduism has always been and still is the Without any doubt, the diffusion of Islam is related to culture of the upper classes, but never became the development of trade routes. Muslims controlled completely that of the masses, that were most of them: in the Middle East starting in 1250 by attached to Indonesian animism and to the the Mameluke Sultanate and in South East Asia by ancestor cult (W.F. Stutterheim cited by Muslim Indians from Gujarat (Pringle, 2010). Coedes, 1965b:33). When it comes to Islamic penetration in Indonesia, the Marco Polo (Polo, et al., 1993:III, 284) confirms the picture is more blurred. During the colonial period and proselytism of the Muslim traders: the early years of the Indonesian Republic, historical … This kingdom (Ferlec), you must know is so and archaeological research, probably influenced by much frequented by the Saracen merchants that political considerations, concentrated on Hindu and they have converted the natives to the law of Buddhist heritages. The entry point of the religion and Mahomet. the process of Islamization, whether through conversion or adhesion, contact of traders with Arab, The Dawa’h obligation requires any Muslim to Persian, Gujarat traders or Chinese diplomats are still propagate and spread the religion of Mahomet. The debated. Contradictions exist between Chinese and commercial interest of Hindu and Buddhist elites ready to convert to facilitate trade; the miscibility between Marco Polo sources. Evidence of early Islamic presence remains questionable as gravestones might Islam and local beliefs, in addition to the peaceful have been imported to Indonesia. For Geertz (1960), attitude of traders probably created fruitful conditions Islam came from India. However, a Chinese origin for the dissemination of Islam across the archipelago. might not be excluded: Islamic faith is present in Besides a tombstone dated 1082 found in Leran, East Canton starting from the 7thcentury. A Muslim admiral, Java and still considered with caution by scientists, the Zheng was in command of the Chinese fleet that usually admitted first known Muslim kingdoms were interacted with Indonesia (1405-1407). Muslims were Lambeh and Pasai (Basma, a land of animism for also leading some embassies sent by the court of China Marco Polo) in which were found the tombstones of to Malayu (Sriwijaya) in 1281 (Coedes, 1965c:202) or Malik Al Shaleh (died 1292) and of his son Malik Al by the king of Samudra (North Sumatra) to China in Dahir (died 1326). Both locations are close to the 1282 (Ricklefs, 2008). entrance of the Malacca Strait. Table 1: The nine Walisongo, names, aliases, place and date of birth (Work in progress) Spiritual name Name Alias Born /In Gujarat / Turkey / Persia / Ouzbekistan ? Maulana Malik Syekh Maghribi According to J.P.Moquette (1912) and Sunan Gresik Ibrahim Kakek Bantal based on grave inscriptions origins from Kashan (Persia) Sunan Ampel Raden Rakhmat ?/1401 Raden Paku Blabangan (Banyuwangi) – East Sunan Giri Maulana Abdul Yakin Sultan Abdul Fakih Java /1442 Joko Samudra Sunan Bonang Raden Makhdum Ibrahim Surabaya/ ? Sunan Drajad Syarifuddin Raden Qosim Surabaya ?/ 1470 Sunan Kalijaga Raden Mas Said ?/1460 Sunan Kudus Ja’far Shodiq ?/? Sunan Muria Raden Umar Said ?/? Muhammad Nurrudin Sayyid Sunan Gunung Kamil Syarif Hidayatullah Pasai (North Sumatra)/1448 ??? Jati Syekh Nurullah Faletehan ~ 78 ~ International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Volume 7(iv) 2019 Recently, researchers have identified new Acehnese religion spread across Java is even more hazardous. tombstones from the 11th century. The oldest one, dated However, tradition recalls the particular place of nine 1007 AD was found in Kuta Lubhok, Lamreh, at the saints or ‘Friends of God’ that by their actions extreme North East part of Aceh. (Suprayitno, 2011). converted a large number of Javanese: the Walisongo. However, Pr Edwards Mc Kinnon stressed during a conference in Perlak, Aceh that local legends claim In the Suma Oriental, the Portuguese sailor Tome Pires that Islam arrived during the 9th century (Center, 2012). reports that ‘the king of Java is a heathen’ (Pires, 1515a:174) and that the Vice-Roy, Guste Pate is Spread of Islam and modern politics always at sea fighting against the moors in particular from Demak sultanate. The dissemination of Islamic Three conferences on ‘The Coming of Islam to faith as represented in these reports appears far from Indonesia’ (Medan 1963, Jakarta 1982 and Aceh 1983) idyllic and peaceful: challenged the studies of European scientists from the 19th and 20th centuries: they suggest that Islam reached At a time when there were heathens