This Post is About the Jambi Province Coat of Arms (lambang).*

Click Here for the Indonesian Translation

1. The shield has a green boarder with five sides.

Jambi Province Shield

  • This shield symbolizes the spirit and soul of the Jambi people who fully embrace Pancasila  (5 principles).
    • Belief in the one and only God.
    • Just and civilized humanity
    • The unity of Indonesia.
    • Democracy guided by the inner wisdom in the unanimity arising out of deliberations amongst representatives.
    • Social justice for all of the people of Indonesia.

2. Two Layers of Bricks

  • On January 6, 1957 the Jambi Province was established as an area of autonomy in the Republic of Indonesia. This date is reflected in the Jambi shield with two layers of brick stones. The first layer has seven stones and the second one has five. These two layers are symbolic of the date 1957.
    • The one knife (keris) is symbolic of the first month of the year—January.
    • The six holes in the mosque are symbolic of the sixth day of January 1957.

3.  A Mosque

  • This mosque reflects the belief and obedience of the Jambi citizens towards their religion.

4.  Knife (Keris Siginjai)

  • The Keris Siginjai is an ancient heirloom that symbolizes the heroism of the Jambi people during their opposition to colonialism  and tyranny. It is also used to reflect the number “one,” meaning the first month of the year—January—when the Jambi Province became an autonomous region of the Republic of Indonesia.

    Keris Siginjai: the famous knife that was a symbol of Jambi Sultan’s power and authority.

5.  Bowl for Serving Sirih (type of leaf that was offered to honored guests in the distant past—used today for highly honored guests at city or village celebrations).

  • The red bowl that has nine ridges is covered with a yellow cloth.
    • This symbolizes the sincerity and greatness of the Lord which gives life to all.

6.  Gong (read more about the gong by clicking this link)

  • The gong reflects the spirit of democracy which is reflected in the ancient Melayu poetic sentence (pribahasa–maxim/proverb): “Bulat Air Dek Pembuluh, Bulat Kato Dek Mufakat.” It means:
    • Bahasa Indonesia: Bulat air di bambu, Bulat kata di sepakati. (Kesepakatan yang diambil dalam musyawarah.)
    • English: As a bamboo tube was traditionally used as a container to hold and retain water (fluids), so a joint meeting for discussion can receive all input and lead to consensus.

7.  Four Lines

  • The four blue lines at the bottom of the shield illustrates the Jambi Kingdom history from the time it was small until it became a province.

8.  The Ribbon Below the Shield

Ribbon Below the Shield

  • Below the shield is a ribbon with three flat sides. Both ends of that ribbon has a “v” cut into it. The wording on the ribbon is:
    • “Sepucuk Jambi Sembilan Lurah.” The translation of which is: “One Jambi Composed of Nine Areas.”
    • There are several explanations as to what this parable/maxim (pribahasa) means.
      • The First: The wording on the ribbon symbolizes the unified greatness of the nine areas of the Jambi Province, all areas of which have rivers which flow into one main river.  (9 DAS— Daerah Aliran Sungai: “nine areas drained by the river”).
        • Below is listed the name of the river in each of these areas, all of which flow into one major river, the Batanghari  (also called Alam Barajo River). The nine rivers are as follows:
          • Asai
          • Bungo
          • Jujuhan
          • Masumai
          • Merangin
          • Pelepat
          • Tabir
          • Tebo
          • Tembesi
      • The Second: The wording on the ribbon symbolizes the nine areas that were ruled over by the legendary Jambi King, Orang Kayo Hitam.
        • Those nine areas were:
          • Petajin—There is one village in the Jambi Province with this name. It is located in the Bajubang Kecamatan, in the Batang Hari Kabupaten.
          • Maro Sebo—there is one village with this name in the Maro Sebo Kecamatan of the Muaro Jambi Kabupaten.
          • Jebus—There one village with this name, one of which is located in the Kumpeh Kecamatan of the Muaro Jambi Kabupaten.
          • Air Hitam—There is one village with this name (Air Hitam—Laut) located in the Sadu Kecamatan of the Tanjung Jabung Timur Kabupaten (it’s located on the far eastern coastline). There is also a Kecamatan with this name in the Sarolangun Kabupaten.
          • Awin—There is a village with this name in the Pemayung Kecamatan of the Batang Hari Kabupaten.
          • Pemayung—There is a village named Pemayungan in the Sumay Kecamatan of the Tebo Kabupaten. There is also a Kecamatan in the Batang Hari Kabupaten with this name.
          • Miji—There are no villages, Kecamatan, or Kabupaten with this name in the Jambi Province.
          • Tujuh Koto—There is no village or Kecematan with this name in Jambi.
          • Pinokawan—There are no villages, Kecamatan, or Kabupaten with this name in the Jambi Province.
      • The Third: The wording on the ribbon symbolizes the nine ethnic groups, (some people say it’s 12) or nations (suku/bangsa) that makes up the area of the Batanghari River. This specifically refers to the ethnic groups of the Melayu Kingdom after Hinduism was eclipsed by Islam.
        • Another parable, or ancient phrase used to describe these nine areas: “Pucuk Jambi Sembilan Lurah Batangnyo (tujuan—goes in the direction of) Alam Barajo.”  Translated this phrase means:
          • Bahasa Indonesia Translation: “Pucuk (yaitu hulu dataran yang paling tinggi) Jambi Sembilan Lurah”: Sembilan negeri atau wilayah daerah Batangnyo (tujuan/alihiran—goes in the direction of) Alam Barajo yaitu teras (nucleus) Kerajaan 12 Suku /Bangsa.
          • English Translation: Nine areas (or ethnic groups) from the highest upstream elevation all flow in the direction of the Alam Barajo River (Batanghari River), namely (built upon) 12 different ethnic groups or nations.
            • These nine, or twelve ethnic groups are listed below. The list is confusing because some of the locations couldn’t be found. (the ethnic groups are listed by the names of the areas in which they lived):
              • Petajin—There is one village in the Jambi Province with this name. It’s located in the Bajubang Kecamatan, in the Batang Hari Kabupaten.
              • Maro Sebo—there is one village with this name in the Maro Sebo Kecamatan of the Muaro Jambi Kabupaten.
              • Jebus—There one village with this name located in the Kumpeh Kecamatan of the Muaro Jambi Kabupaten.
              • Air Hitam—There is one village with this name (Air Hitam—Laut) located in the Sadu Kecamatan of the Tanjung Jabung Timur Kabupaten (it’s located on the far eastern coastline). There is also a Kecamatan with this name in the Sarolangun Kabupaten.
              • Awin—There is a village with this name in the Pemayung Kecamatan of the Batang Hari Kabupaten.
              • Pemayung—There is a village named Pemayungan in the Sumay Kecamatan of the Tebo Kabupaten. There is also a Kecamatan in the Batang Hari Kabupaten with this name.
              • Miji—There are no villages, Kecamatan, or Kabupaten with this name in the Jambi Province.
              • Tujuh Koto—There is no village or Kecematan with this name in Jambi.
              • Pinokawan—There are no villages, Kecamatan, or Kabupaten with this name in the Jambi Province.
              • Pinokawan 2—There are no villages, Kecamatan, or Kabupaten with this name in the Jambi Province.
              • Kebalen—There are no villages, Kecamatan, or Kabupaten with this name in the Jambi Province.
              • Mestong—There are no villages with this name, but there is a Kecamatan with this name in the Muaro Jambi Kabupaten.

9.  The entire region follows Jambi’s customs and culture, and this is encapsulated in the proverb/maxim (pribahasa): “Sialang Belantak Besi Sampai Durian Batakuk Rajo dan Di Ombak Nan Badabur, Tanjung Jabung,” which means:

  • Bahasa Indonesia:  Dari daerah barat, namanya Sialang Belantak Besi, dan Durian Batakuk Rajo, sampai ke daerah timur bernama Ombak Nan Badabur, di kabupaten Tanjung Jabung.
  • English:  From the western side of the Jambi Province, in the areas known as Sialang Belantak Besi and Durian Batakuk Rajo, and over to the eastern side of the Jambi Province to the area known as Ombak Nan Badabur (Tanjung Jabung Kabupaten).

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* It took a lot of time to dig up enough information to adequately translate and explain the shield. Several of the sentences are parables which few local people understand, and cannot be easily translated. There are also a number of opinions as to what different aspects of this shield means. This translation nor its content is infallible. It should be understood that great effort was exerted to accurately translate and reflect its true meaning.

To translate the parables we obtained first-hand information from civil servants (PNS) at Taman Budaya, as well from the Jambi historian, H. Junaidi T. Noor.