Being Malay in Indonesia: Histories, Hopes and Citizenship in the Riau Archipelago (SEAPS)

303 Pages·2013·10.801 MB·English

by  Nicholas J. Long

AsiAn studies AssociAtion of AustrAliA
southeast Asia Publications series
Being Malay in indonesia
Histories, Hopes and Citizenship
in the Riau archipelago
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ASIAN STUDIES ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA
Southeast Asia Publications Series
since 1979 the southeast asia Publications series (seaPs) has brought some of
the best of australian scholarship on southeast asia to an international readership.
it seeks to publish leading-edge research by both young and established scholars
on the countries and peoples of southeast asia across all disciplines of the
humanities and social sciences with particular encouragement to interdisciplinary
and comparative research.
seaPs is now published for the asian studies association of australia by nUs
Press, a unit of the national University of singapore, in alliance with the University
of Hawai‘i Press in north america and the nordic institute of asian studies
(nias) in europe.
Editorial Board
Professor edward aspinall (australian national University) (editor)
Professor andrew Walker (australian national University) (editor)
Professor Barbara andaya (University of Hawai‘i and University of Hawai‘i Press)
Professor Colin Brown (Universitas Parahyangan)
associate Professor John Butcher (griffith University)
Professor (emeritus) david Chandler (Monash University)
associate Professor Helen Creese (University of Queensland)
Professor Robert Cribb (australian national University)
Professor Howard dick (University of Melbourne/newcastle)
dr Jane drakard (Monash University)
associate Professor greg Fealy (australian national University)
Professor Robert elson (University of Queensland)
Professor Barbara Hatley (University of Tasmania)
Professor Virginia Hooker (australian national University)
Professor Paul Hutchcroft (australian national University)
Professor Rey ileto (national University of singapore)
gerald Jackson (nias – nordic institute of asian studies)
dr Paul Kratoska (nUs Press, national University of singapore)
Professor Tim lindsey (University of Melbourne)
Professor (emeritus) Campbell Macknight (australian national University)
Professor anthony Milner (australian national University)
Professor anthony Reid (australian national University)
Professor Merle Ricklefs (national University of singapore)
Professor Kathryn Robinson (australian national University)
associate Professor Mina Roces (University of new south Wales)
Professor Krishna sen (Curtin University of Technology)
associate Professor Maila stivens (University of Melbourne)
dr Philip Taylor (australian national University)
Professor adrian Vickers (University of sydney)
Website: http://iceaps.anu.edu.au/asaa_publications/southeast_asia.html
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Being Malay in indonesia
Histories, Hopes and Citizenship
in the Riau archipelago
Nicholas J. Long

AsiAn studies AssociAtion of AustrAliA
in association with
nus Press and niAs Press
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© 2013 nicholas J. long
First published by:
nUs Press
national University of singapore
as3-01-02, 3 arts link
singapore 117569
Fax: [phone]
e-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.nus.edu.sg/nuspress
isBn 978-9971-69-769-3 (Paper)
Published in Europe by:
nias Press
nias — nordic institute of asian studies
Øster Farimagsgade 5, dK–1353 Copenhagen K, denmark
Tel: [phone] • Fax: [phone]
e-mail: [email protected] • Website: www.niaspress.dk
isBn 978-87-7694-133-8 (Paper)
The nordic institute of asian studies (nias) is a research and service institute
located at the University of Copenhagen and collaborating closely with the wider
nordic asian studies community. nias works to encourage and support asian
studies in the nordic countries as well as actively participating in the international
scholarly community in its own right. in so doing, nias has published books since
1969 and in 2002 launched nias Press as an independent, not-for-profit publisher
aiming at a premium reputation among authors and readers for relevant and
focused, quality publishing in the field of asian studies.
all rights reserved. This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or
any information storage and retrieval system now known or to be invented, without
written permission from the Publisher.
Cataloguing-in-Publication data for the book is available from the national library,
singapore and the British library.
Cover image: gobang dance, courtesy of adi Pranadipa
Printed by: Mainland Press Pte ltd
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For my teachers and my friends
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Contents
List of Maps viii
List of Tables viii
List of Illustrations ix
Acknowledgements xi
Chapter 1 Introduction 1
Chapter 2 Provincial Capital 30
Chapter 3 Poisoned Histories 63
Chapter 4 Marketplaces 98
Chapter 5 Neighbourhoods 127
Chapter 6 Hauntings 148
Chapter 7 The Human Resources Crisis 173
Chapter 8 Achieving Malayness 206
Conclusion 242
Glossary 252
Bibliography 256
About the Author 274
Index 275
vii
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List of Maps
Map 0.1 The Riau Archipelago xiii
Map 0.2 Tanjung Pinang xiv
List of Tables
Table 2.1 Tanjung Pinang’s population in 2010 by
self-declared ethnic group 43
Table 2.2 Riau Islands Province’s population in 2010 by
self-declared ethnic group 43
Table 8.1 A judging grid for a pantun competition 229
viii
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List of Illustrations
Figure 2.1 A harbourside billboard welcoming visitors to
“The pinnacle of the Malay civilisation,
Riau Islands Province” 31
Figure 2.2 Artist’s impression of Tanjung Pinang in the 1840s 34
Figure 2.3 Tanjung Pinang’s total population, 1983–2010 39
Figure 3.1 Aristocratic graves on Penyengat attract a regular
stream of local tourists and pilgrims 66
Figure 3.2 A graffiti mural of Raja Ali Haji. This picture
was drawn in September 2011, shortly before
the artist left Tanjung Pinang to study in Java.
“If anyone ever asks me what I’ve done for my
town,” he wrote on his Facebook profile, “I’ll
say that I painted a picture of Raja Ali Haji,
the author of Gurindam Duabelas. That’s how
much I love my homeland.” 69
Figure 4.1 The Gelanggang Klenteng in 1956 108
Figure 5.1 Independence Day races in Fadli’s neighbourhood 133
Figure 5.2 A neighbourhood arisan 135
Figure 6.1 A Chinese family burns offerings to ghosts in a
Tanjung Pinang shopping mall 164
Figure 7.1 A billboard advertising the 2006 MTQ
(Qur’an recitation contest). The slogan reads:
“Kepulauan Riau’s first provincial-level MTQ:
a means of increasing the quality of human
resources that are of good moral character.” 181
Figure 7.2 The Riau Islands pencak silat team training by
the roadside 191
ix
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