Cultural History In Focus | “A Real Seafaring People”: Evocations of Sailing in Malay Literature by Pierre-Yves Manguin

 

Anonymous 16th century Portuguese illustration from the codex known as the Códice Casanatense, or Casanata Codex. The inscription reads: "Gentile people from the Kingdom of Malacca they are called Malayos". Circa 1540. Album di disegni, illustranti usi e costumi dei popoli d'Asia e d'Africa con brevi dichiarazioni in lingua portoghese, Biblioteca Casanatense, Rome

 
 
 

“A Real Seafaring People”

 

Evocations of Sailing in Malay Literature

by Pierre-Yves Manguin

 
 

This article is generously provided by Pierre Yves-Manguin and Archipel.

 

De Bry, Johann Theodor, (1560-1623) and Johann Israel de Bry (1565-1609). Part III, Plate 28, Ships of Those from Banda and Ternate. From the "Little Voyages,” 1601.

 

De Bry, Johann Theodor, (1560-1623) and Johann Israel de Bry (1565-1609). Part III, Plate 27, Small Indian Galley and Boat. From the "Little Voyages,” 1601.

 
 

De Bry, Johann Theodor, (1560-1623) and Johann Israel de Bry (1565-1609). Part V, Plate 16, Ships of Those from Banda and Ternate. From the "Little Voyages,” 1601.

 
 
 

Woman's Ceremonial Skirt | Tapis
1983.68
The Steven G. Alpert Collection of Indonesian Textiles
Gift of The Eugene McDermott Foundation
© Dallas Museum of Art

 

Ceremonial Banner Cloth | Palepai
Gift of Alan L. Wolfe
1962-233-23
© Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

Ceremonial Weaving | Tampan
Promised gift of Thomas Jaffe, B.A. 1971
ILE2012.30.63
© Yale University Art Gallery

Ceremonial Cloth | Tampan
2000.357
Dallas Museum of Art, Textile Purchase Fund
© Dallas Museum of Art

Ceremonial Banner Cloth | Palepai
Costume Council and Museum Associates Purchase
M.77.107
© LACMA

 

Army fleet with various Indonesian vessels from the inhabitants of the island of Ambon. Coenraet Decker, 1676. RP-P-OB-50.046
© Rijksmuseum

View of Melaka on the coast of Malaysia during Dutch rule, visible at the V.O.C. ships with Dutch flags in the foreground. Coenraet Decker, 1676. RP-P-OB-50.043
© Rijksmuseum

Storming and capture of the fortress of Tidore from the Portuguese by the Dutch, May 14, 1605. Part of the illustrations in the report of the second voyage to the East Indies for the VOC under Steven van der Hagen, 1603-1608, No. 13. Anonymous, 1644-1646. RP-P-OB-75.445
© Rijksmuseum

The ship is a warship from Madura, an island located northeast of Java, 1601. The spears of the crew can be clearly identified. The ship has 3 breech-loading cannons (cetbang) at the bow, and 1 at the quarter. Cornelis Claesz.

View of the City of Palembang with its three Fortresses, which was besieged in 1659 by the VOC, led by Jan van der Laan. In the foreground ships firing cannons at the city. Joan Nieuhof, 1682. RP-P-OB-47.419
© Rijksmuseum

Fighting with Javanese in the Bay of Bantam, 1596. The ships are attacked by Javanese in small boats. Prints of the reprocessed plates for the original illustrations in the travelogue of Cornelis de Houtman's First Schipvaert to the East Indies in 1595-1597. No. 13. Anonymous, 1597-1598 and/or 1646. RP-P-OB-80.242
© Rijksmuseum

Arrival and reception of the ships at Ternate, May 22, 1599. Two Dutch ships anchored in the bay, surrounded by many small boats. Part of the illustrations in the travelogue of the Second Shipping to the East Indies under Jacob Cornelisz. van Nes and Wijbrant van Warwyck in 1598-1600. No. 23. Anonymous, 1600 - 1601 and/or 1619. RP-P-OB-75.399
© Rijksmuseum

Four Javanese vessels, at Bantam, (Banten), 1596. Prints of the reworked plates for the original illustrations in the travelogue of Cornelis de Houtman's First Schipvaert to the East Indies in 1595-1597. No. 31. Anonymous, 1597-1598 and/or 1646. RP-P-OB-80.260
© Rijksmuseum

 

Colophon

Author | Pierre-Yves Manguin
Publication | Archipel, 103, pp. 7-32
Date of Publication | August 30, 2022

Cultural History In Focus, News 15Pierre Yves-ManguinArt of the Ancestors, Steven G. Alpert, Asian Art, Island Southeast Asian Art, Oceanic Art, Asiatica, Ethnographica, Ethnographic Art, Art Collection, Fine Art, Primitive Art, Indonesian Art, Tribal Art, Eyes of the Ancestors, Dr. Reimar Schefold