THE STORY OF BUJANG BEJI AND BUKIT KELAM
The Story of Bujang Beji and Bukit Kelam
West Kalimantan is not only famous for its natural beauty, but also for its rich cultural heritage and fascinating legends. One of the most well-known folktales from this region is the story of Bujang Beji and Bukit Kelam. This legend tells about jealousy, greed, and how evil intentions can lead to one’s downfall. At the same time, it explains the mythical origin of Bukit Kelam, a giant hill in Sintang that has become a popular tourist destination.
The Folktale
Long ago in West Kalimantan, there lived two fishermen: Bujang Beji and Tumenggung Marubai. They were very different in character. Tumenggung Marubai was humble, kind-hearted, and wise. Bujang Beji, on the other hand, was arrogant, greedy, and always wanted to be better than others.
Both made their living from fishing, but they had different fishing spots. Tumenggung Marubai preferred the Melawi River, where fish were plentiful. Bujang Beji fished in the Simpang Kapuas River, where fish were scarce. It was no surprise that Tumenggung often brought home more fish than Bujang Beji.
Tumenggung caught fish using a big trap called bubu. When the trap was full, he kept only the big fish and released the small ones back into the river. His wise method ensured that the river always had plenty of fish.
Bujang Beji, however, became jealous. One day, he decided to catch fish using tuba, a poison made from the derris root. This method killed many fish, making them easy to catch. At first, he was proud of his success. But over time, the number of fish in his river decreased drastically.
Even with fewer fish in the Kapuas River, Tumenggung Marubai still caught a lot in the Melawi River. This made Bujang Beji furious. He shouted, “No one is better than me! I must be the best!” Determined to beat Tumenggung, Bujang Beji made a wicked plan.
He decided to block the Melawi River by placing a huge stone upstream so the fish would no longer flow to Tumenggung’s fishing spot. He went to the hills of Nanga Silat to get the biggest stone he could carry. On his way back, he suddenly heard the sound of heavenly goddesses laughing at him from afar. Distracted, he stepped on a poisonous thorn and dropped the stone.
Enraged, he blamed the goddesses for his failure and vowed revenge. He decided to reach the land of heaven using a magical tree called kumpang mambu, a giant plant that could grow tall enough to touch the sky. He planted it, and within days it grew so high that the top was invisible.
Before climbing, Bujang Beji performed a ritual to ask for protection from the holy spirits of the land and animals. However, he forgot to honor two creatures: the termites and the bears. Offended, they plotted against him. The bear suggested that the termites gnaw the tree until it broke, and they agreed.
Bujang Beji climbed higher and higher, almost reaching the heavens, when suddenly the tree snapped. He fell from a great height and died instantly. His evil plans failed, and Tumenggung Marubai remained safe.
The huge stone that Bujang Beji dropped became Bukit Kelam, now a famous tourist attraction in Sintang, West Kalimantan. It is surrounded by beautiful scenery and is part of a protected forest area.
EXERCISES!1. Who were the two main characters in the story?
2. Where did Tumenggung Marubai usually catch fish?
3. How did Tumenggung ensure the river always had fish?
4. What method did Bujang Beji use to catch fish in large quantities?
5. What was Bujang Beji’s first evil plan?
6. Why did Bujang Beji drop the stone?
7. What magical tree did Bujang Beji plant to reach heaven?
8. Which animals destroyed the tree, and why?
9. What happened to Bujang Beji in the end?
10. What is Bukit Kelam known as today?
Please, click the link below (LISTENING SECTION) to listen the exercise.
(Tolong klik link di bawah ini (LISTENING SECTION)) untuk mendengarkan latihan)
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