mandalawangi  –  pangrango *

[by soe hok gie -- activist in 1960s indonesia movement]

senja itu ketika matahari turun kedalam jurang-jurangmu

aku datang kembali

kedalam ribaanmu dalam sepimu dan dalam dinginmu

walaupun setiap orang berbicara tentang manfaat dan guna

aku bicara padamu tentang cinta dan keindahan

dan aku terima kau dalam keberadaanmu

seperti kau terima daku

this evening, whenever the sun goes into your valleys

i come again

into your arms, in your silentness and your coldness

even though anybody speaking about aim and purpose

i talk to you about love and beautifulness

and i accept you in your existence

just like you accept me 

aku cinta padamu pangrango yang dingin dan sepi

sungaimu adalah nyanyian keabadian tentang tiada

hutanmu adalah misteri segala

cintamu dan cintaku adalah kebisuan semesta

i love you cold and silent pangrango

your river is an eternal song about emptiness

your forests are all mysterious

my love and yours are about universe’s silentness

malam itu ketika dingin dan kebisuan menyelimuti mandalawangi

kau datang kembali

dan berbicara padaku tentang kehampaan semua

hidup adalah soal keberanian menghadapi yang tanda tanya

tanpa kita mengerti tanpa kita bisa menawar

terimalah dan hadapilah

this evening whenever coldness and silentness spreading in mandalawangi

you come again

and tell me about all emptiness

life is about how brave you are to face all questions

nothing about understandable things nor bargain at all 

just accept it and show your braveness

dan di antara ransel-ransel kosong dan api unggun yang membara

aku terima itu semua melampaui batas-batas hutanmu melampaui batas-batas

jurangmu

aku cinta padamu pangrango

karena aku cinta pada keberanian hidup

and amongst the empty backpacks and bonfire

i accept all of them over your forests and your valleys

i love you pangrango

‘cause i love the bravery of this life

* soe hok gie, july 19th, 1966

mount gede and mount pangrango national park or shortly addressed as gede-pangrango national park is the nice getaway for weekend. not so far from jakarta, can be reached from lido, sukabumi within 2 hours drive then continuing with trekking for 1 hour. there's a nice dormitory by department of forestry. nice accommodation, delicious food and unpredictable 'guests' such as frog over our matresses and owa jawa [javanese macaques] in front of the camp.

when the mist is strolling in beyond its forests, or sunrise and sunset moments and walking through canopy trails are always beautiful. no wonder if a poem [by soe hok gie as written here] had been made in this sanctuary.

pictures (c) ukirsari