RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The West Java Provincial Administration has officially designated May 18 as Hari Tatar Sunda, a move intended to institutionalize the region's cultural identity and honor its historical foundations. Sunda is the name of origin people in the West Java.

Unlike the administrative anniversary of the West Java Province, this new commemorative day focuses specifically on the ethnic and historical lineage of the Sundanese people, providing a dedicated space for cultural reflection in a rapidly modernizing society.

The choice of date is rooted in the deep historiography of the archipelago, marking the transition from the Tarumanegara Kingdom to the Kingdom of Sunda. Historical records indicate that Maharaja Tarusbawa initiated this name change on May 18, 669 AD, a moment historians now view as the formal birth of Tatar Sunda or the Sundanese Lands.

Nina Herlina, a senior history researcher from Faculty of Cultural Sciences at Padjajaran University (Unpad), provided the scholarly basis for the decree. She noted that the founding of the Kingdom of Sunda served as the definitive starting point for the ethnic territory.

"By considering several sources, it can be concluded that the founding of the Sunda Kingdom was also the birth of the Tatar Sundanese people. This date, May 18, 669 AD, can be designated as Tatar Sundanese Day," she said in an official release received on May 1.

The historical validity of this date is supported by primary sources including the Pustaka Rajyarajya i Bhumi Nusantara and external Tang Dynasty chronicles from China. These references anchor the May 18 date as a significant historical milestone rather than a modern invention. The designation has been formalized through West Java Gubernatorial Regulation No. 13/2026, which outlines the implementation of the annual celebration.

Beyond its academic and legal framework, the day is intended to serve as a living catalyst for cultural preservation. Authorities hope that Hari Tatar Sunda will encourage residents across West Java’s 27 cities and regencies to actively practice and revitalize Sundanese values in their daily lives.

It is framed not merely as a tribute to an ancient monarchy, but as a strategy to ensure that Sundanese heritage remains a functional part of the province's social fabric.

A lecturer at Unpad’s Faculty of Law, Hernadi Affandi, noted that the designation creates a clear distinction between political governance and cultural heritage. He observed that while the province’s official anniversary celebrates the modern administrative state, May 18 serves a more profound sociological purpose.

"The commemoration of West Java Province's anniversary is more of a state administrative affair, while Tatar Sunda Day is more focused on strengthening cultural and historical roots," he explained.

With the first official observance set to take place later this month, the West Java administration aims to utilize the day to strengthen regional unity through a shared historical narrative, ensuring that the legacy of Maharaja Tarusbawa continues to resonate in a contemporary context. (Naura Sofia/Bambang MBKA)