FROM EUROPEAN EXPLORERS TO ANCIENT EAGLES

PROLOGUE

A few days ago, the secretariat of OPA DIAZ located at Terminal Landungsari in Malang City received a visit from an organization guest from MAPALA ASPAL Institut Teknologi dan Bisnis Asia Malang. Apart from the historical connection between OPA DIAZ and MAPALA ASPAL, it has indeed become a habit and even a tradition among nature-loving organizations in Malang City, where whenever an organization has conducted training or recruitment of new members, these new members will be accompanied by their seniors or mentors to visit or call on the secretariats of other nature-loving organizations. This is generally what we also call "secret wandering".

I, who happened to be at the secretariat at that time, also served them as befits a host's duty to guests, especially organizational guests. After some time spent in conversation about their training experiences, a question arose from one of the new MAPALA ASPAL members that made me curious as well.

"sir, what does DIAZ itself mean" he said while pointing to the OPA DIAZ logo drawn on the wall behind me.

I answered that question as written in the organization's bylaws. According to the bylaws of OPA DIAZ amended in 1998, it is stated that, "DIAZ is DIAZ itself, there is no meaning, abbreviation or other interpretation". However, afterwards, I was still curious so the idea came to me to conduct historical research.

After a long time, days and even weeks of exploring and researching from various primary and secondary historical sources, I found many differing opinions among historical witnesses regarding the naming and meaning of this organization's name. At least, until this blog was written, I found no fewer than 3 theories regarding the meaning of the name "DIAZ" in this organization.

---

EUROPEAN EXPLORER "BARTHOLOMEUS DIAZ"

The conquest of Constantinople by Sultan Muhammad Al-Fatih or Mehmed II of the Ottoman Empire in 1453 was a heavy blow to European nations. This was because Constantinople was a vital trading point that connected Europe with Asia, especially for spice commodities from the East (Asia). European nations that were heavily dependent on this sole land trade route faced great difficulty in obtaining commodities that were even more valuable than gold. Therefore, to avoid the monopoly of the Ottoman Empire and driven by the spirit of 3G (Gold, Glory and Gospel), European nations began to seek new routes, including sea routes.

The Conquest of Constantinople By Sultan Mehmed II

The Portuguese were no exception. Through a mandate from King João II, a sailor and explorer named Bartholomeus Diaz conducted a maritime expedition to find a route to the Indies. Diaz's expedition began from Lisbon in 1487 using 3 ships. Later, this expedition would greatly influence the maritime trade map and the economy of Europe.

By 1488, Diaz returned to shore after being battered by a sea storm that carried him far south. At that point, Diaz realized that he had circumnavigated the tip of the African continent. He named that place "Cabo das Tormentas" or Cape of Storms, which was later changed by King João II to "Cabo da Boa Esperança" or Cape of Good Hope because it opened hope for reaching the Indies by sea. Diaz's discovery simultaneously proved to the European people that Africa could be circumnavigated by sea and became the gateway for the next explorer, Vasco Da Gama, in his journey to reach the Indies in 1497.

Bartholomeus Diaz

For his achievement in discovering the Cape of Good Hope, we now know Bartholomeus Diaz as a great maritime explorer. The title of explorer that is attached to him is what made the seniors at OPA DIAZ believe that the name "DIAZ" was taken from his last name. This is also because OPA DIAZ has a tagline as an explorer.

"hmmmm,,, that makes sense"

---

AN ABBREVIATION

Apart from being taken from the last name of an explorer, there is another opinion regarding the meaning of "DIAZ", namely that it is an abbreviation. At least, there are 2 meanings or expansions of DIAZ according to several seniors.

Expedition Association is the most frequently mentioned as the expansion of DIAZ. This can also be seen from the Organization's Flag Banner from the first year of 1975 where on that banner it is written "DIAZ Expedition & Mountaineer ASSCTN". Taken from the word expe-DI-tion AS-sociation thus becoming DIAZ, is a natural thing because the ending AZ is ultimately still read as AS by our tongue.

 

First Pataka Flag 1975

In addition to Expedition Association as mentioned above, there is also a small group who believe that DIAZ is an abbreviation of "DIantara kita Adalah Sama" (Among us We Are the Same). It may sound like folk etymology or tend to be "othak - athik gathuk" (connecting or matching in Javanese terms) and unfounded, but that sentence at least has a deep meaning that within our family are members who mutually respect each other.

---

ELANG PURBA

When I was still a prospective member and was undergoing space education (DIKSAR RUANG) at that time, I read an educational module book on KEDIAZ-AN material where it was written that "the name DIAZ was taken from the name of one species of ancient eagle that once lived, but no scientific literature discussing it has been found" so at the end of the sentence it was written "to avoid descriptions that cannot be justified, .......... we agree that DIAZ is DIAZ itself with no other meaning, significance or interpretation". 

I attempted to re-research the existence of this ancient creature named DIAZ, but the results were nil. It is possible that the name "DIAZ" could be the name of the scientist who discovered its fossil, such as Dynatoaetus gaffe or Gaff's Powerful Eagle, which is a species of ancient eagle from Australia named this way to honor Jeanette Gaff, someone involved in collecting its fossils. Or it could also be a misspelling of a species name such as Hieraaetus moorei or Hast's Eagle, which was previously written as Harpagonsis moorei, a name that is no longer used today. However, from all the scientific research I found, none of them have or refer to the name Diaz.

Dynatoaetus gaffe or Gaff's Powerful Eagle

Hieraaetus moorei or Hast's Eagle

I then continued with cultural research, because my speculation was that DIAZ might not be an ancient eagle proven scientifically, but a legendary eagle or species of mythological eagle that developed in ancient societies in certain regions. However, it was not the diaz eagle that I found, but rather mythological creatures such as King of Eagles Thorondor (King of Eagles Thorondhor) from the Lord of the Rings book by J.R.R Tolkien including among them The Fellowship of the Rings (1954), The Two Towers (1955) and The Return of the King (1955) and other birds such as the legend of the Phoenix bird and Dragon. So, this means the cultural research also yielded nil results.

King of Eagles Thorondor (left) and Phoenix Bird (right)

Pteranodon Ancestor of Modern Birds

In that moment of impasse, it turned out I was unconsciously staring at the organization's logo on a scarf that had accidentally been brought to the library. Then for a moment I remembered when my parents bought me an Encyclopedia book as a gift for my 8th birthday. I remembered one of the chapters in that book that I never tired of reading even though I had read it repeatedly. That chapter discussed the prehistoric era where the earth was dominated by reptiles and dinosaurs whose traces can still be found by modern humans through fossil discoveries. Then I remembered one of the non-dinosaur animals written there, namely from the genus Pteranodon.

Pteranodon

If using a rough physical form approach, indeed Pteranodon has many similarities with the bird found on the organization's flag such as wing shape, leg shape and also head. However, in general Pteranodon does not have a specific kinship relationship with any species, even ancient eagle species (if we examine the flag which in this case we assume as a picture of an ancient eagle). Furthermore, Pteranodon is also not classified as an eagle bird, it is classified as a reptile or flying reptile, while eagles are the family aves.

Pteranodon and ancient eagles even from the oldest species ever discovered such as Archaehierax sylvestris and Aquila bullockensis,  did not live in the same era. Pteranodon is estimated to have lived during the late Cretaceous period approximately 86 - 84.5 million years ago, while Archaehierax sylvestris which is the oldest Ancient Eagle found is estimated to have lived only 25 million years ago during the Late Oligocene period. Nevertheless, although taxonomically (kinship) they are very distant, phylogenetically almost all bird species including modern birds share a common ancestor from Pteranodon and are stated as the closest relatives continued by crocodiles and alligators.

Archaehierax sylvestris 25 million years ago

According to revolutionary relationships, Pteranodon with birds are related within the clade Archosauria during the early Triassic period, then developed in different directions. Ancient eagles are included in the class Aves which originated from feathered Theropoda dinosaurs where they have physical characteristics such as wings consisting of bones and feathers, as well as warm-blooded metabolism (endothermic). While Pteranodon belongs to the order Pterosauria (flying reptiles) in the class Reptilia, they are neither dinosaurs nor birds but reptiles that evolved separately with wings shaped like a skin membrane extending from their four limbs and to the hind limbs. Therefore it can be concluded that both share a common ancestor in the clade Archosauria . 

Pteranodon Flying Explorer

Based on fossil findings, scientists suspect that Pteranodon engaged in the habit of exploring or migrating for several purposes including food sources, climate change and reproductive needs. This is shown by the presence of indirect evidence in the form of fossil distribution where early Pterosaurus fossils found in the southern hemisphere were previously only known to exist in the north. The existence of such findings simultaneously shows that Pteranodon may have even migrated between continents at a time when most of the land was still contained within the supercontinent Gondwana.

Furthermore, Pteranodon is estimated to have been capable of flying over very long distances. The flight pattern of Pteranodon was not by continuously flapping wings like pigeons, but rather like modern Albatross birds namely by utilizing air currents and thermals to fly efficiently. This behavior is reinforced by the discovery of fossils in the structure of the backbone and muscles of Pteranodon which provide clues about how they controlled their wings while flying.

Another reason for the suspected migration of Pteranodon is the discovery of fossils showing that they were a fish-eating species. Many of the fossils found are located near coastal areas and sea swamp regions, because they were buried in shallow sea floor sediments. Pteranodon did not have jaws and teeth but were replaced with a sharp beak identical to predatory bird species, possibly Pteranodon preyed on small fish, squid, and plankton. Some other fossils even show the presence of food remains such as fish inside their bodies. This becomes a suspicion that Pteranodon may have followed the movement of fish schools or sought areas with abundant food supplies along with seasonal changes or environmental conditions.

Nevertheless, the assumption regarding the migration behavior of Pteranodon is still a matter of debate among scientists. There is no direct or strong evidence that can explain that Pteranodon engaged in migration. All evidence found is indirect evidence that only raises scientific assumptions.

What About DIAZ

After a long time in literature research regarding the genus Pteranodon from several of its species, there is nothing related to the name DIAZ. The information I then dug into shifted to the existence of errors in the classification or naming stage of Pteranodon which also reached a dead end. Furthermore, the names of fossil discoverers or those involved in the arrangement of Pteranodon fossils that refer to Diaz also yielded nothing. Most likely, after I conducted this research, the assumption that the name DIAZ was taken from the name of the Ancient Eagle bird is something that is unfounded or cannot be scientifically justified.

This is what may have led to the 1998 session where we agreed that DIAZ is DIAZ itself, there is no other interpretation to avoid claims that cannot be justified. However, in any case Eagle is a symbolic meaning that has been maintained until now as a character attached to OPA DIAZ and by all its members. Even by some of its members and by some members of other nature-loving organizations describing DIAZ roughly the same "DIAZ is an Eagle, DIAZ is Golden Yellow, DIAZ is Pioneer and Inspirator, DIAZ is Home DIAZ is......., DIAZ is.... etc" 

---

EPILOG

Perhaps we have heard an expression like "What's in a name ? That's wich we call rose by any other name would smell as sweet" What is the meaning of a name? after all, no matter what it is called, the fragrance of a rose will still smell sweet. This legendary expression from William Shakespeare's romantic drama novel Romeo and Juliet may very well be true for DIAZ. When we ask about the meaning of the name DIAZ, it turns out that without realizing it we have already given it meaning by assessing its character.

From the names of European explorers, abbreviations to ancient eagles, there are actually many other theories that provide descriptions of the DIAZ name that I have not or did not mention. But from this research and writing, in my opinion it is sufficient to prove that DIAZ is an organization that has many colors. The tears that fall at every DIKLATSAR ceremony from year to year are not enough to explain everything.

This long and somewhat exhausting research, with the hope of finding an eagle name as explained in the module and by the seniors above may have reached a dead end, but it cannot be said to have failed. It turns out there was something else I found outside of articles, journals or books that I read. Where I found this from a simple house at the exit of the underground terminal (basement), which contains a family not bound by blood ties.

"DIAZ is Home, DIAZ is Family, DIAZ is Eagle, DIAZ is Golden Yellow, DIAZ is Pioneer, Inspiration, Explorer, Ancient Climber, Old Organization, DIAZ is... DIAZ is... etc/and so on" perhaps those words we find as the meaning of DIAZ from the perspective of people who know widely, as do I who have my own interpretation of DIAZ. But in any case, if we return to the legendary expression before "after all, no matter what it is called, the rose will still smell fragrant". 

What is DIAZ?, DIAZ is DIAZ itself, DIAZ is us 
"DIAZ IS DIAZ ITSELF, DIAZ IS US, WE ARE DIAZ" 

---

Cak/Yu Commander and friends, what do you think?, What do you think is the meaning of DIAZ? please write it yourself in the comments column.

For now, that is perhaps the writing that we can present to our readers. From the search and research of our brother above about our eagle, I became curious, what if next this blog also contains profiles of eagle species? Do you think it might be interesting?

That's all from us - VIVA DIAZ !!!