By Amru Khalid S.
Facing challenges of bureaucracy and administration is a typical process to go through as to make things happen nowadays. Nonetheless, we had found wondrous ways of dealing and overcoming them in order to position this exhibition at the most proper condition, for the contents we are about to deliver, by looking at the title ‘Nusantara Exhibition’, are huge. Therefore, to concretize these assorted routes that we had encountered in the making, this article is to articulate for further developments and basic guidelines.
— Defining Nusantara
The definition of Nusantara is practically referred to the Malay Archipelago. Despite of having some other definitions, some exclude the Malay Peninsula and Philippines, and some may refer to only modern national territory of Indonesia, however it is still accepted to some that it may refer to the Malayo-Polinesian speaking people of the region.
The word ‘Nusantara’ is found and taken in 1336 from an oath by Gajah Mada, in the manuscripts of Praraton and Nagarakretagama. It literally means ‘outer islands’ by a combination of two words of ‘nusa’, island and ‘antara’, within.
We have considered some other terms used as to refer the Malayo-Polinesian speakers of Lingua Franca, which are ‘Malayonesia’, ‘Pascabima’, ‘Maphilindo’ and others. Or the terms by which foreign people used to call the inhabitants of the archipelago and such. The terms ‘Kolan’ as the Greeks called, ‘Swarnabhumi’ or ‘Svarnadhipa’ as the Hindus called, ‘Jawi’ as the Arabs called, or also ‘Kunlun’ as the Chinese called.
But these terms may not precisely conform to the contents that is focusing more on the economic aspects of the history, which the author understood that the above terms may refer to the epistemological, or also social aspects of the people.
Therefore, by considering the contents of the exhibition in general, we choose ‘Nusantara’ as in the Malay Archipelago, or aptly in Malay, Alam Melayu.
— The Direction
The aims of an exhibition are usually wide, as the visitors may come from various types of background, of those who are already have the idea of what is going on, as well as those who come only for the purpose of sightseeing. Thus to make it specific, the aims are focused for the students of this particular Kulliyyah (of Economics), without denying that the impact made may include those outside the particular group.
The exhibition firstly aims to sway the commonly-accepted Eurocentric focus of the curriculum within the students’ minds, that is to shake the common belief of the superiority of the western education that is usually taught to us.
This is by exposing the previous prospered and convinced resolute systems of economics and trade that was operated in our society before. Not only that, the orientation of economic activities once ago was mainly focused on us here, the Malay Archipelago, as how it is to The US now. Hence, it is a huge loss for the economic students to not have such significant information in mind.
Besides that, the second aim is to provide a clearer picture and identity of a proud and great Malay Muslim. This is by showing and proving that we were never ethnically inferior before, in fact we were economically superior, as well as spiritually and may intellectually superior indeed.
These can be proven through the evidences of manuscripts and recent archaeological findings, as well as clear and meticulous rational conclusions made by the historians, by considering all the required discipline and tools of knowledge in attaining proper judgments.
As said by Taylor, 1976 “.. By some point in the first millennium BCE the Malay peoples were already intrepid sailors, travelling long distances … [they] were highly skilled navigators … navigated by the winds and the stars, by the shape and color of the clouds, and by swell and wave patterns on the ocean’s surface. They could locate an island when they still something like 30 miles from its shores by analysing the behaviour of various birds, the animal and plant life in the water, and the patterns of swells and waves.”
— Division of Era I – Pre-Islamic Period (500BC – 1200AD)
Since Nusantara Exhibition concerns more on the economic aspects of the history, the period is only dated back until the first ever archeologically traced civilization of the region, which is Sungai Batu. Therefore, we would not take further back because it is sufficient to state that the civilization in Sungai Batu, declared as the oldest civilization in Southeast Asia, had proven a lot, by looking at its advanced industrial activities long before other civilizations may had done.
This era includes all the significant empires and governments along the period from Sungai Batu 500BC to the period around 1200AD, which was when the coming and spread of Islam in the Nusantara region was started vigorously. ‘Pre-Islamic Era’ concerns to put in front the values and achievements of the people in that period, for we may learn (how) the way they had done and what they have done.
— Division of Era II – Islamic Period (1200AD – 1600AD)
To specifically draw a line to mark an end from the previous era to the next era is arguable. Nevertheless, by conforming to the objectives underlined, the second era, the ‘Islamic Period’ is set by the period 12th century to 16th century where, by evident, a group of missionaries came to the Malay Archipelago to spread Islam.
Prof. Syed Muhammad Naquib Al-Attas in his book ‘Historical Fact and Fiction’ elucidated on the vastness and firmness of a preserved and perfected science in Islamic tradition called the science of genealogy (ʿIlm al-Nasab). This entails a traced history into the line of descendants of Bani ʿAlawi, whose are the descendants of Husayn, the grandson of the Prophet (SAW), which have their direct relationship with the spread of Islam in the Malay Archipelago (Nusantara).
Therefore, the period divided, ‘Islamic Era’ is set as to show the influence of Islamization towards the economic activities in the region, for the worldview of the economic agents defined much on how the economic activity is operated.
— Division of Era III – Imperialism Period (1600AD – 2000AD)
Most of us should be well informed already on the period we were colonized by the Western economic powers that came to subjugate the nature, as well as the people in other countries, especially in Nusantara. They claim to have the rights to do so, without realizing the disgracefulness of their ruthless act for their own beastly interests.
The ideology of imperialism starts around 1500AD in the West, and set out to dominate and conquer other geographical regions of claiming political and economic power through colonization, use of military force or other means. J.A. Robinson even set out to justify on a general ground to say, “It is desirable that the earth should be peopled, governed, and developed, as far as possible, by the races which can do this work best, i.e. by the races of highest ‘social efficiency’.”
Therefore, as we know one that is obvious, the city of Malacca was conquered by Alfonso de Albuquerque in 1511AD which subsequently massacred the Muslim inhabitants or sold into slavery, sets the date for this period. ‘Imperialism Era’ concerns on exposing the shift of economic activity in Nusantara in the Imperialism period, whereby the competition and monopolistic or individualistic elements are practiced, which in the same time, the reciprocity elements and consolidated community were disintegrated and deteriorated.
— Division of Era IV – Independence Period (2000AD onwards)
This period divides by the emerging needs and urges to strive for independence of each nation. This is the period of struggle and fights to reclaim the lands and territories of the indigenous people, to have their own rights to command and rule by their own ways. This is the period where technological and modern scientific minds are developed, and less that we realized, the spiritual and metaphysical realms were getting abandoned.
Every nation in Nusantara wants their independence from the imperialists. Indonesia officially got theirs proclaimed in 1945, followed by Philippines in 1948, Malaysia in 1957, Brunei in 1984 as well as Singapore of merge and divide from Malaysia in 1965.
The ‘Independence Era’ marks significant events of shifting and re-making the economic systems in according to the new governments formed after attaining their independences. Generally, from the author’s view, the systems were still being baffled to conform with what has been left by the imperialists, and to subsequently go along the worldview and mindsets of the West.
While truthfully, the framework of ‘eurocentrism’ may not exactly fit into the culture and the very identity of Nusantara. Thus, towards the end of the exhibition, we are insisting the visitors to realize and re-think of the world we are living now, for the future depends on our hands.
— Conclusion
To conclude, this article is written as to set the guidelines of the chronology of the history of Nusantara Economy, besides trying to point out the objectives and the essence of the narratives of the history that we may not know. Of course the dates and numbers sometimes are simplified as to make the flow of the actualization of the upcoming Nusantara Exhibition can be realized.
Pray for us, and do support us. Thank you.
Amru Khalid Sazali – Bilal C1.5(d), IIUM Gombak.
11:32 am – 17th September 2016 – Nusantara Exhibition.
BELAJAR DARI ALAM 