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Traditional literature, or 'the deed of the reed pen' as it was called by its creators, is not only the most valuable part of the cultural heritage of the Malay people, but also a shared legacy of Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and Brunei. Malay culture during its heyday saw the entire Universe as a piece of literature written by the Creator with the Sublime Pen on the Guarded Tablet. Literature was not just the creation of a scribe, but a scribe himself, imprinting words on the 'sheet of memory' and thus shaping human personality. This book, the first comprehensive survey of traditional Malay literature in English since 1939, embraces more than a millennium of Malay letters from the vague d...
‘The basis of our historical imagination is the intellectual’s (or historian’s) critical thinking and their solidarity with the people, with their destiny and predicament, with the consistent aim of emancipating and liberating the subjugated, the oppressed, and the marginalised.’ History conditions the way that society discusses its problems. Treating history as a form of ‘imagination’, Azhar Ibrahim invites readers to probe the colonialist and nationalist tampering, suppression, and distortion of narratives on the Malays. In this thought-provoking book, the author encourages contemporary historians to move beyond the practice of Orientalist scholars: collecting data and describing facts. Instead, he promotes an alternative reading of history, one that departs from mainstream versions. Reflecting a strong understanding of classical Malay texts, the author also touches on broad themes such as psychological feudalism, orientalism, and the contestation of nationalist and colonialist perspectives on the community. Azhar’s book is a welcomed contribution and a must-read for those interested in alternative discourses in Malay Studies.
The Islamic kingdom of Aceh was ruled by queens for half of the 17th century. Was female rule an aberration? Unnatural? A violation of nature, comparable to hens instead of roosters crowing at dawn? Indigenous texts and European sources offer different evaluations. Drawing on both sets of sources, this book shows that female rule was legitimised both by Islam and adat (indigenous customary laws), and provides original insights on the Sultanah's leadership, their relations with male elites, and their encounters with European envoys who visited their court. The book challenges received views on kingship in the Malay world and the response of indigenous polities to east-west encounters in Southeast Asia's Age of Commerce.
The Routledge Handbook of Contemporary Brunei presents an overview of significant themes, issues, and challenges pertinent to Brunei Darussalam in the twenty-first century. Multidisciplinary in coverage, the contributions cover topics relating to philology, history, religion, language and literature, geography, international relations, economics, politics and sociocultural traditions. The Handbook is structured in eight parts: Foundations History Faith and Ethnicity Literature Language and Education Economics Material Culture Empowerment Chapters focus on the recent past and contemporary developments in this unique country which has remained a Malay Muslim sultanate, sustaining its religious...
For the last century and a half, the name of Padang Lawas, in the present province of North Sumatra, Indonesia, has been associated with a number of isolated Hindu-Buddhist remains located in the interior of the island. These remains are all the more remarkable because they form the largest Indianised archaeological complex known so far in the northern half of Sumatra, This book follows the recently published volume on archaeological researches conducted at the Si Pamutung site from 2006 until 2010. Its two main purposes are ?rstly to present and reappraise all the available sources for the ancient history of the region and, secondly, to provide an initial synthesis of the history of Padang ...
This is a detailed, narrative–based history of Classical Malay Literature. It covers a wide range of Malay texts, including folk literature; the influence of the Indian epics and shadow theatre; Panji tales; the transition from Hindu to Muslim literary models; Muslim literature; framed tales; theological literature; historical literature; legal codes; and the dominant forms of poetry, the pantun and syair. The author describes the background to each of these particular literary periods. He engages in depth with specific texts, their various manuscripts, and their contents. In so doing, he draws attention to the historical complexity of tradisional Malay society, its worldviews, and its place within the wider framework of human experience. Dr. Liaw’s History of Classical Malay Literature will be of benefit to beginning students of Malay Literature and to established scholars alike. It can also be read with benefit by those with a wider interest in Comparative Literature and in Southeast Asian culture in general.
The current political events surrounding the Iranian nuclear crisis, the precarious situation in Lebanon, as well as the still unsettled fate of Iraq have resulted in a renewed interest in the Shi'ite dimension of Islam among political observers. This volume covers the phenomenon of political assertiveness among contemporary Shi'ite Muslims in the Middle East, as well as among converts in Southeast Asia. It argues that Shi'ite identities are often based on local cultural heritage and history and are - contrary to what is usually assumed by the wider public - not to be considered monolithic. Christoph Marcinkowski, award-winning Professor of Islamic Studies and Interreligious Relations at Germany's Catholic University of Eichstatt-Ingolstadt and the author of "Religion and Politics in Iraq," is currently working for Germany's Federal Interior Ministry and CIBEDO (the Christian-Muslim dialogue forum of the German Catholic Bishops' Conference) on a survey of Shi'ite organisations in Germa
This festschrift - dedicated to Bernd Nothofer - contains twelve contributions which comprise studies on linguistics and the cultural history of insular Southeast Asia. The lingustic studies range from an overview article to analyses of very specific linguistic features. James Collins and Alexander Adelaar discuss the positions of several languages and dialects of West and East Kalimantan. Karl-Heinz Pampus introduces an almost unknown linguist of the Mentawai language. Waruno Mahdi's article about the beginnings of the Commissie voor de Volkslectuur examines aspects of literary history as well as linguistic aspects. Some of the cultural studies have a historical approach. Wilfried Wagner an...
Buku ini memberi fokus kepada warisan sakral sama ada yang masih wujud serta diamalkan, mahupun yang telah lama ditinggalkan oleh masyarakat, umumnya di Nusantara. Sakral secara khusus bermaksud suci, mempunyai kuasa khas malah ajaib serta luar biasa, sering dikaitkan dengan hal yang bersifat kudus, transenden, misteri, sempurna dan mempunyai kesan transformatif kepada kehidupan dan takdir masyarakat yang mengamalkan dan menganutinya. Biarpun dunia kini telah semakin maju dan menjunjung tinggi nilai sains dan teknologi dalam kehidupan dan pembangunan negara, hakikatnya masyarakat yang menjadi asas kemajuan itu adalah manusia yang pernah tinggal dan merasai pengalaman sakral yang dilaksanakan...
Ayutthaya was known among 17th century foreign mariners under the Persian epithet of Shahr-e Nav. Utilising parts of the Ship of Sulayman, and works by European explorers, the writer unfolds the circumstances, influences and impact resulting from contacts between the Safavid and Siamese Kingdoms and the visible effects in present-day Thailand.