By: M. Farid W Makkulau
PALONTARAQ.ID – In the Netherlands, who does not know Vondel? I think all Dutch people recognize this name, complete Joost van den Vondel, well. His name is immortalized to be the biggest park name in Amsterdam, Vondel Park.
The statue of the Dutch poet and playwright who lived in the 17th century (1587-1679) stands proudly in the northern part of the park. Vondel’s portrait was also photographed on a five-note Dutch bills from 1950 to the end of 1990.
Compare with in Indonesia, especially in South Sulawesi. Does anyone know the name Pattingaloang or Karaeng Pattingaloang? The great scholar who lived in the golden days of Gowa Tallo Kingdom (Makassar) was highly admired by Joost van den Vondel and other western scientists of his lifetime (1639-1653).
Karaeng Pattingaloang is King of Tallo VIII who also concurrently Pabbicara Butta (Prime Minister) Kingdom of Gowa during the reign of King of Gowa XV, Sultan Muhammad Said. He is an example of modernist nobility, master of Politics and Constitutional Law, able to communicate in various foreign languages (Dutch, English, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic and Latin) at a very young age, 18 years old.
The workroom of Pattingaloang is a private library with thousands of books from Western Erofah in the XVII Century.
For the services of Karaeng Pattingaloang, the Kingdom of Gowa has a glorious peak and is able to establish friendly relations with the King of England, the Castilian king in Spain, the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, the Portuguese King, the Spanish Governor of Manila, the Portuguese Youth in Goa (India) and the Merchante in Masulipatan ( India).
Like his father, Karaeng Matoaya, Karaeng Pattingaloang is also a worship specialist, able to read the bald scripture and explain his tafsir. In the days of Gowa Kingdom, he was known abroad for his scholarship and wisdom.
Joost van den Vondel, the famous Dutch artist and writer of the 17th Century was also ‘enchanted’ by his scholars. Vondel’s admiration is embodied in a poem he wrote specifically for Karaeng Pattingalloang:
Wiens aldoor snuffelende brein
Een gansche werelt valt te klein
The Meaning is:
People whose minds are always and constantly searching
so the whole world seems too narrow for him.
Thus Karaeng Pattingaloang, as depicted vondel in his poem we must have been able to imagine how he was a thirst for knowledge in his lifetime. Karaeng Pattingaloang is a scholar of the golden age of the Kingdom of Gowa, until today is still difficult to find a match, a figure of great scientists taught the local wisdom of Makassar and the spirit of knowledge in his day. (*)
