Reproducing the majapahit story in Aceh: collective memory and local narratives of <i>Patih</i> Gajah Mada

The story of Majapahit Kingdom and the figure of Patih (Prime Minister) Gajah Mada has been narrated differently in different socio-cultural and political contexts in the Special Region of Aceh, Indonesia. This paper investigates the reproduction of this story in the collective memory of Aceh’s Tamiang people as recorded in their oral tradition. The results show that the collective memory of this particular locality has different accounts of the existence and death of Patih Gajah Mada compared to the commonly accepted version of events that has been passed down, particularly in the region where Majapahit Kingdom was centered, namely Java. The specific socio-cultural and political contexts in which a narrative is told can influence the way it is remembered and passed down. In the case of Majapahit Kingdom and the figure of Patih Gajah Mada, the collective memory of these events has been reproduced through various historical artifacts and details, such as the names of places and objects. These factors have contributed to the creation of contextualized local narratives that differ from the dominant narrative. This study suggests the need for further research on the connections between ancient kingdoms in the region to better understand the relationship between the historical and ethnographic landscapes in Indonesia.