JAKARTA - The existence of a dragon statue at Yogyakarta International Airport (YIA), Kulon Progo, Yogyakarta Special Region (DIY) was questioned by Mustofa Nahrawardaya. Mostofa's question was asked back by netizens. The politician from the Ummat Party is considered to have carried out opinions that lead to sentiments towards certain ethnicities. Even though the archipelago, especially Java, also has dragons in its history and mythology.
"A new view at Yogyakarta International Airport (YIA) today, Thursday (30/12/2021). Still fresh... A giant dragon statue at the airport exit. Why not the Garuda Statue or the Hero Statue installed here? Does anyone in Yogyakarta know?" Mustofa wrote on his Twitter account, @TofaTofa_id.
Mustofa's tweets received a critical response from many people. The @mazzini_gsp account, for example, wrote: Guess what Topa's brain is all about. He wanted to find a provocation that dragons are usually identical with one ethnicity, do not symbolize Java. Even though Java also has dragons. As a marker of the inhabiting of the Yogyakarta palace and a marker of renovation. People of Yogyakarta know it, ethnic sentiment can't lead them.
A new view at Yogyakarta International Airport (YIA) today, Thursday (30/12/2021). Still fresh...a giant dragon statue at the airport exit. Why not the Garuda Statue or the Hero Statue installed here? Does anyone in Yogyakarta know? pic.twitter.com/uWfCYx3XZx
— MUSTOFA NAHRAWARDAYA (@TofaTofa_id) December 30, 2021
The dragon statue that Mostofa was referring to was right in front of the exit of the YIA arrivals terminal. The metallic dark green statue is about two meters high, about 2.5 meters long, and 1.5 meters wide.
The temporary acting general manager (PTS) of YIA Agus Pandu Purnama explained the existence of a dragon statue at the airport. The statue, said Pandu, was named the Silk Road Dragon Statue. The creator is a local artist, Tri Suharyanto.
According to Pandu, the Silk Road Dragon Statue represents the maritime power of the Indonesian nation in the past. The Indonesian people were once known to be able to explore remote corners of the earth. That's why we can see small ship-shaped statues surrounding the dragon figure.
"Well, that's the strength we want to try to show. Because in the last two years, frankly, we in aviation are not doing well with the pandemic. Now, in 2022, we want to hope that there will be strength, especially the dragon here is a symbol of strength, because in the past our maritime sector is now able to explore the world," said Pandu, quoted by Detikcom.
"Perhaps the presence of this statue can inspire the whole community that we must be strong in 2022 and Yogyakarta in particular, YIA is prepared for the G20 so that international flights can later direct flights to Yogyakarta."
"2022 our momentum is rising. I want this dragon statue to be a momentum for all of us to be enthusiastic about facing a positive future, and I believe 2022 will be a time of our awakening," added Pandu.
Dragon in Java
Dragon is a mythology that is widely owned by people in various parts of the world. For people in the archipelago, especially Java and Bali, the most well-known dragon figure is Antaboga. Based on the belief that developed in the era of Hindu-Buddhist teachings in the archipelago, the Javanese-Bali people have the same understanding about the figure of Antaboga.
"Antaboga is the embodiment of the dragon in Javanese wayang mythology," wrote Dani Akbar Rizaldi in his thesis entitled Information Design About Sang Hyang Antaboga's Character Through Comic Media (2018), quoted by National Geographic.
Sang Hyang Antaboga has a number of powers, including one of them bringing back bodies that have died. Antaboga is told to live in Saptapralata, a place in the seven layers of the earth in the ground. Antaboga married another dragon named Dewi Supreti. The two later had two children, namely Bambang Naga Tatmala and Dewi Nagagini.
Nagagini is the mythology that inspired the character Nagini in JK Rowling's wizarding universe. This is explained by Jacob Stolworthy in an article entitled JK Rowling says she left one major clue about Nagini's backstory in 'Harry Potter,' long before 'Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald' which was published in 2019.
"Nagini is inspired by the Naga in Indonesia, which is sometimes depicted with wings, sometimes human half-snake."
The Javanese belief in dragons does not only apply to Antaboga. In the reliefs of Majapahit relics also found the appearance of depictions of dragon figures: Relief of Nagaraja Anuhur Surya in 1396 AD The relief was found at Sawentar Temple, Blitar.
The relief visualizes a dragon eating the sun. Archaeologists believe that the relief is a picture of the dark era of Majapahit. The sun or sun is a symbol of Majapahit being eaten by Nagaraja. The story of the collapse of the Majapahit Kingdom.
*Read other information about HISTORY or read other interesting writings from Yudhistira Mahabharata.
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