A Very Rough Guide To KUALA LUMPUR CHINATOWN

By Eric Lim

Introduction

As we all know, Federal Territory Day has been celebrated on 1 February every year since its inception in 1974 when Kuala Lumpur was transferred to the Federal Government. Of late, areas around Kuala Lumpur Chinatown have come under close scrutiny. Authorities have launched a security operation to curb the influx of foreigners to the area. The area is also affected by the increasing presence of homeless individuals and the worsening rubbish problem. 

The relocation of the popular Pasar Karat / flea market to a new location which was supposed to have been carried out at the start of the new year has met with objections from traders of both locations. 

I had the opportunity to participate in an early morning walking tour covering the heritage sites in and around Chinatown, and probably get a first hand impression of the issues as mentioned above. 

Construction site of Plaza Rakyat, photo taken on 17/3/2023 – Photo source : Wikimedia Commons

The first site was (1) Plaza Rakyat which is located on Jalan Pudu. When the project was first announced in 1993, it was to be a large-scale mixed use development in prime CBD location. Following the 1997 Asian financial crisis, the developer faced financial difficulties and the project was halted. In 2014, DBKL took over possession of Plaza Rakyat and in the following year, it was sold to a new developer. However, there has been little progress in the project until today. With the completion of commercial developments within the city like Tun Razak Exchange (TRX) and Menara Merdeka 118, Plaza Rakyat will have a huge task to market its office and commercial space, and that again, if the project ever sees the light of day.

Prior, the site was a football ground for the Selangor Chinese Recreation Club (SCRC). The club had produced many Chinese footballers who went on to don state and the black and yellow national jerseys. The most illustrious player was the late Wong Choon Wah. He was the first Malaysian player to play professional football in Hong Kong, from 1972 to 1974 and was a member of the national team that played in the 1972 Munich Olympic (the only time that we played in the Olympic). In all, he won 88 caps and scored 20 goals for the country. 

UTC KL (Pudu Sentral / Puduraya Terminal) / Photo source : Eric Lim

Sitting next to Plaza Rakyat is what is known today as the (2) Urban Transformation Centre KL (UTC KL). It is one of the initiatives undertaken by the government in providing the urban community with key government and private sector services under one roof. The building was originally built to be a bus terminal / interchange and was known at that time as Puduraya Terminal (Hentian Puduraya in Malay). It was officially opened in 1976 by the late Prime Minister Tun Hussein Onn, the third Prime Minister of Malaysia. It soon became the major transportation hub in the city and as a result, it created massive congestion in the area. Bus operators were then gradually moved to inter-regional hubs in other parts of the city, namely Jalan Duta bus terminal (or Hentian Duta) and Bandar Tasik Selatan Integrated Transport Terminal (BTS ITT) which started operation on 1 January 2011. In 2011, Puduraya was renamed as Pudu Sentral after it had undergone major renovations and upgrading works. The following year, it became the Urban Transformation Centre for Kuala Lumpur.

According to Teo Chee Keong, a researcher, architect and co-author of the book “The Disappearing Kuala Lumpur”,the site of the current UTC KL was once a dam. He backed this up with a photo of the dam which he believes to be taken in the 1910’s and an old map showing a stream that flowed from Bukit Bintang (near Jalan Alor) to the dam, and continued westward towards the Central Market area and finally merged into the Klang River. Later, the British built a railway track and a road next to the dam (right and left respectively). The road eventually turned  into an arterial thoroughfare connecting Jalan Pudu to Cheras. Further checking on the progress of the dam over the years, there are two historical records from Malaysia National Archives (see link below). The first document is a Minutes of Meeting dated 9/4/1903 which recorded the call for tenders for the Pudoh (the initial name) Dam Fish Farm. This confirmed the fishing activity that can be seen in the photograph taken from the book. And the second record is a document dated 17/7/1914 on the reclamation of Pudoh Dam which by this time, was downsized to a pond and accordingly called Pudoh Pond. 

Photo of the dam taken from the book “The Disappearing Kuala Lumpur” – Photo source : There once was a dam in KL | The Star

Kota Raya and Wisma Fui Chiu (building on the far left) / Photo source : Eric Lim

We walked across the busy Jalan Pudu intersection towards Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock and stopped in front of (3) Kota Raya. Tun Tan Cheng Lock was the first President of Malayan Chinese Association (MCA). It was said that the building was built in the 1960’s but this information could not be true as the first shopping complex built in the country was Ampang Park Shopping Complex which was built in 1973 (sadly, Ampang Park ceased operations on 31 December 2017). Boosted by its high street location, Kota Raya soon became a popular shopping complex when it was opened. Overtime and with the emergence of newer and bigger shopping malls particularly around neighboring Bukit Bintang, it saw a major shift in clientele and it faded into oblivion. Today, the retail podium and kiosks in Kota Raya are mainly operated by foreigners and the fifth floor has been repurposed and converted into a budget hotel. Kota Raya has acquired a reputation as the hub for workers and tourists from the Philippines and is tagged as “Little Manila’.

Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock was previously known as Foch Avenue. There were two landmarks along this road, and the first was the (4) Fui Chiu Association Building. The original building was four-storey high and was built in the 1930’s. One of the tenants during its early days was the Communist Party of Malaya (or Malayan Communist Party / MCP). The party stayed on until it was declared illegal in 1948. It also houses the Tsun Jin High School when its campus was destroyed by the Japanese during the war. In November 1985, the building was torn down for the construction of a new (4) Wisma Fui Chiu. The project was delayed and only received the Certificate of Fitness in 1992. The top two floors are being used by the clan association until today. 

Drawing of Foch Avenue in the 1970’s, showing the exact location of Kota Raya before it was built (1) which was then a bazaar with a row of stalls and next to it on the background was Fui Chiu Association Building (2) / Photo source : Eric Lim

The second landmark was the (5) Sultan Street Railway Station. It was the second station built in Kuala Lumpur, after the first Kuala Lumpur station which was nicknamed Resident Station. The line connecting the first KL Main Station to Pudu through Sultan Street Railway Station was opened on 1 June 1893, and was followed by the extension to Sungai Besi in 1895 and Kajang in 1897. The beginning track between the first KL Main Station and Sultan Street Railway Station ran across the Klang River and between two busy carriageways located at Foch Avenue. This railway  track was dismantled in the 1910’s and Sultan Street Railway Station became a terminus station. It remained until 1972 when it was closed for the construction of Puduraya Terminal. Some part of the old route is still being used by LRT Ampang Line

Sultan Street Railway Station in the 1950’s. Photo source : Asian Railways

1908 KL Map showing the railway track from the first KL Main Station to Sultan Street Railway Station (1) and location of the Pudoh Dam / Pond (2) / Photo source : Asian Railways

We have reached the intersection between Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock and Jalan Petaling, standing directly opposite the (6) arch / gate entrance to Petaling Street. This bustling section of Petaling Street has recently been given another boost when it was voted as one of the coolest streets in the world’s best cities by global magazine, Time Out. The last few years have seen a renaissance rollicking through this part of old Kuala Lumpur with the emergence of trendy, bold and creative food, drink, and nightlife scenes. We continued our walk on the other section of Petaling Street to its end point and at the junction, it connects to High Street that runs across and a bit further down the road, Pudu Street intersects and joins Jalan Petaling, forming a triangle of sorts. And rightfully, this area was known in the early days as  (7) The Triangle. However, for the Chinese, they called it ‘Ng Jee Dang’ (five lamps). This area encompasses mostly goldsmiths and pawn shops and the set up of these lamps had helped to improve visibility and security for the area. At that time, it was believed that it was the most brightly lit area in town.

(8) High Street was so named because of its elevated position above the average flood water level of the nearby Klang River and it stretches across old Kuala Lumpur. 

Colourised photo of The Triangle, circa 1920’s (Petaling Street on the left, High Street on the right and Pudu Street at the center) / Photo source : KUALA LUMPUR | OLD Pictorial Thread | SkyscraperCity Forum

Today, there are many changes to the name of the areas and the streets in Kuala Lumpur. Pudu Street at The Triangle is now changed to (9) Lebuh Pudu. Still, there are a rare few that still maintain its original names and a good example is Petaling Street. Of course, today it is Jalan Petaling. But still, the Chinese, until today, prefer to call it Chee Cheong Kai / Tapioca Factory Street (茨厂街) in reference to the tapioca factory that was owned by Kapitan Yap Ah Loy and was located along the street. The Triangle / Ng Jee Dang is today known as the (7) Historic Triangle. Most of the goldsmiths and pawn shops have moved out or ceased operations, and the area is strewn with rubbish. Many homeless folks are seen in the area too. Save for some newly planted trees and shrubs that add some greenery, the Historic Triangle will never catch up to the other triangle i.e KL Golden Triangle. High Street was later changed to Jalan Bandar, and followed by another change in 1988, to be known until today as (8) Jalan Tun HS Lee. It is in honour of Colonel Tun Sir Henry Lee Hau Shik who passed away in 1988 and he was our country’s first finance minister (1957 – 1959). He was one of the representatives of the Independence Group to London which met officials from the British Colonial Office to demand independence for the Federation of Malaya. 

Independence Group to London (Colonel Tun Sir Henry Lee Hau Shik, standing 3rd from right) / Photo source : MCOBs paved the way to Merdeka – Berita MCOBA

There are several historical landmarks particularly places of worship that are more than 100 years old, located along Jalan Tun HS Lee –

(10) Sin Sze Si Ya Temple(仙四师爷庙)

The temple that Kapitan Yap Ah Loy built in 1864 is believed to be the oldest Chinese temple in Kuala Lumpur. Last year, they started a museum on the top floor of the shophouses in front of the temple, that showcases the history of Kuala Lumpur and Sin Sze Si Ya Temple. The museum is open daily, from 10.00 am to 5.00 pm (effective 1 April 2024).

(11) Guan Di Temple (关帝庙) 

In 1886, Chinese immigrants from two prefectures namely Guangzhou and Zhaoqing, both in Southern China, got together and formed the Kwong Siew Association. The following year, Guan Di Temple was built and is dedicated to the God of War / God of Righteousness. Besides the temple, the association also runs a Library (now called Zhou Yu Library and Information Centre after one of its founding members) which started in 1924 and a  free school that provides tuition classes in Mandarin since 1927. One of the main attractions is the Guan Dao (Long Knife) which was brought in from China and is more than 100 years old. It will be on display at the centre court on certain festivals.

(12) Sri Maha Mariamman Temple

Initially used by Thamboosamy Pillai (prominent leader of the Tamil community during the pre-Independence years) and his family as a private shrine before it was moved to the current site in 1885. It transformed from attap structure to brick building in 1887 and to the current temple building in 1968. Visitors to the temple will be greeted by an impressive 5 tiered gopuram (temple gateway) which is 22.9m / 75 feet high, decorated with depictions of Hindu gods sculpted by artisans from southern India. During the annual Thaipusam festival, the silver chariot which is kept in the temple will be used to transport the statue of Lord Muruga and his consorts through the streets of KL to Batu Caves. The temple is open daily from 6.00 am to 9.00 pm.

(13) Madras Theater

Opposite Sri Maha Mariamman Temple is a small alley which used to be called by the name of Madras Lane. It was called in conjunction with the Madras Theater which was sited inside. The theater shows only Chinese movies despite its name and was run by Shaw Brothers. It was burned down in a fire in 1978 but was never rebuilt and has since turned into an open air car park. And this is the new site for the relocation of the Pasar Karat / flea market which was to be carried out at the start of the year but it did not happen. 

Madras Theater in the 1960’s / Photo source : KUALA LUMPUR | OLD Pictorial Thread | SkyscraperCity Forum

Moving ahead, we have arrived at another intersection where Jalan Yap Ah Loy is directly opposite where we stood. It is a short street and probably the most distinct structure located here is the (14) Maybank Tun HS Lee Branch. This corner lot, seven storey building is where Maybank first started its operations on 12 September 1960, becoming the first homegrown bank to serve Malaysian society. In its early years, Maybank was nicknamed ‘coffee shop bank’ because their branches mostly occupied shop lots that were formerly coffee shops or were situated next to one! Maybank Tun HS Lee Branch continues to operate, thus making it the oldest Maybank branch in the country. Opposite the bank and next to a red building is an alleyway called (15) Lorong Yap Ah Loy, and this is where a colourful information board depicting the life of Kapitan Yap Ah Loy is located. Lorong Yap Ah Loy was one of the laneways around the vicinity that was upgraded in a project in 2018 by DBKL and Think City (a community based organization) that aimed at creating clean, safe and vibrant spots for pedestrians and tourists. Also sited here is a pushcart lady offering cake, swiss roll and kaya puff; and farther down, a popular Chinese noodle eatery which was established before Independence.

Maybank Tun HS Lee Branch (left) and the red building (right)  / Photo source : Eric Lim

We stopped for a breather on Leboh Pasar Besar, before we continued on until we reached the front of Pacific Express Hotel. Looking across the street, we have a clear view of the (16) Medan Pasar Clock Tower. And it was here at Medan Pasar that the first few wooden huts, stalls and a market were set up and it soon developed to become the commercial hub of the town. During the late 1800’s, most of the businesses were controlled by Kapitan Yap Ah Loy and the street was then known as Hokkien Street or Macao Street by the Chinese community. In 1884, Kapitan Yap Ah Loy built the first two storey brick shophouses here and some of these buildings are still standing until today. Later, under the British administration, the street name was changed to Old Market Square. The clock tower at the centre of the public square was erected in 1937 in commemoration of the coronation of King George IV but the original plaques have been removed sometime after Independence. The structure was designed by Arthur Oakley Coleman who also designed a number of buildings in Kuala Lumpur including the Odeon Cinema which was designed in 1936. Returning to the (17) Pacific Express Hotel, it was believed that it was once the location of Kapitan Yap Ah Loy’s house and Leboh Pasar Besar was then called Market Street. Leboh Pasar Besar continues past the Klang River Bridge, to the west bank of the river until it meets Jalan Raja. At the right side of the Klang River Bridge, there is a platform that offers a wonderful view of the confluence of Gombak River and Klang River (left and right respectively) with Masjid Jamek Sultan Abdul Samad (renamed in 2017) nestled in-between. In 2011, both rivers were roped in to the River of Life project which aimed at transforming its river basin areas from a previously uncompetitive and dirty river to a dynamic and habitable waterfront icon with high economic value. In the evening, the fog and lighting effects will further enhance the vicinity by transforming it into a Blue Pool. This lookout point is fast becoming a popular area for locals and tourists to gather.

2 storey brick shophouses built by Kapitan Yap Ah Loy / Photo source : KL City Gallery

Confluence of Gombak and Klang river and Masjid Jamek Sultan Abdul Samad lookout point / Photo source : Eric Lim

We then returned to the other side of the road to Jalan Benteng that runs along the embankment of Klang River, to our next destination, (18) Central Market or now known as Pasar Seni. The Central Market was to replace the earlier wet market that was built by Kapitan Yap Ah Loy at Medan Pasar. It was built at the same location and still functions as a wet market. It opened in 1888. Since then, it had undergone many expansions and upgrades until it was declared obsolete in 1930. The new Central Market was moved to the current site and a new building was constructed and was ready in 1937. It is built in the Art Deco architecture which was trendy during that era. The two structures mentioned earlier i.e Medan Pasar Clock Tower and Odeon Cinema are also of the Art Deco style. Art Deco comes from the French word ‘Arts decoratifs’ which literally means Decorative Arts. It was used until the 1970’s, and due to the rapid development and the massive traffic congestion in the city centre, of which the neighbouring Puduraya bus terminal which was opened in 1976 contributed much to the traffic woes, a new market was deemed necessary, thus Pasar Borong Selayang (Selayang Wholesale Market) came into being. Plan was afoot to re-develop Central Market and the surrounding area by the new owner but it was saved by concerned citizen groups including the Heritage of Malaysia Trust (Badan Warisan Malaysia), and the building was saved and declared a heritage site. In 1985, it underwent renovations and transformed to a centre for Malaysian cultures, arts and handicraft. It was officially opened by Dato Seri Rafidah Aziz who was then the Minister of Public Enterprises in 1986, in conjunction with the PATA Conference. There are new additions made to this popular tourist attraction, which include added mezzanine floors in the main building, Central Market Annexe which is located at the back of the building and Kasturi Walk; a covered pedestrian sidewalk market which took part of Jalan Kasturi (thus the name) which was formerly known as Rodger Street (named after the first British Resident of Pahang 1888-1896, Sir John Pickersgill Rodger). The Central Market / Pasar Seni is a successful example of the adaptive reuse of a historical building.

Postcard showing the first Central Market that was built in 1888 at Medan Pasar. The description from this photo source also went on to inform that the rotunda (round building with a dome on top) in the foreground is the approximate location of the Medan Pasar clock tower. 

Photo source : Wikimedia Commons

Interestingly, there is an old British Colonial Post Box erected on the left side of the main entrance. According to the information available, it was placed there in 1989 and it is one of 27 such post boxes that still remain in our country. The cast iron pillar post box was made / crafted by McDowell, Steven And Company Limited, an iron foundry which was established in Glasgow, Scotland. It went on to say that the markings on the post box indicates that it was made during the reign of King George V i.e from 1910 to 1936. However the ‘GR’ insignia indicating the reign is missing. Pillar boxes were first installed on the island of Jersey, Channel Island on 23 November 1852 before it moved to the British mainland the following year. They were painted green and only changed to red in 1874 when people complained that they were difficult to find the green post boxes! By the end of the 19th century, red pillar post boxes were distributed to other Commonwealth nations.

The red pillar post box at Central Market / Photo source : Eric Lim

We are now coming to the last leg of the tour as we made our way through Jalan Tun HS Lee, passing by Guan Di Temple, Sri Maha Mariamman Temple and turning left at the MRT Pasar Seni Entrance A gate to Jalan Panggong, then to Kafei Dian for our lunch. This cafeteria is housed in an (19) old Post Office that was established in 1911. The cafeteria is conveniently located next to (20) Kwai Chai Hong which is just across the road and (21) Gurdwara Sahib Polis, located in front, on the connecting Jalan Balai Polis. And located just next to the Sikh temple is the Four Points by Sheraton Kuala Lumpur, Chinatown hotel.  

Kwai Chai Hong is in the Cantonese dialect which translates to mean ‘Ghost Lane’ or ‘Little Demon Alley’, was launched in 2019 and has since been attracting visitors with its insta-worthy interactive murals,many  instagrammable spots and interesting seasonal art installations. Incidentally, one can see a century old lamp post here, and it may probably be the same type as the ones installed at Ng Jee Dang!

Gurdwara Sahib Polis was originally known as Gurdwara Sahib Police High Street and it was built in 1898 by the Federated Malay States Police. At that time, more than half of the FMS Police were Sikhs. It is the second Police Gurdwara to be built in KL, the first being Gurdwara Sahib Police Jalan Parliament (previously Club Road). It was reported that there have been no major changes to the original structure of Gurdwara Sahib Polis.

Old Post Office @ Jalan Panggong / Photo source : Eric Lim

Gurdwara Sahib Polis / Photo source : Eric Lim

Now turning to the (22) southern end of Jalan Petaling which the Chinese community once referred to as Coffin Street due to the appearance of numerous funeral coffin shops along this section of the street. One of the participants remembered seeing one such shop in the 1980’s. It is the beginning point of Jalan Petaling for motorists coming in from Bulatan Merdeka. And situated at the corner, next to Lorong Petaling, is (23) Chan She Shu Yuen Clan Ancestral Hall. Looking at the facade, many would have guessed it is a Chinese temple but it is actually a clan association building. It is an association for Chinese people with the surname ‘Chan’, ‘Tan’ and ‘Chin’, all of which are written in the same Chinese characters. The association was founded in 1896 and in the following year, one of the founding members, Chan Sow Lin won a bid for seven adjoining shoplots (current location) from the Selangor Government. Construction of the building which follows the original association hall in Guangzhou, was delayed several times and was finally completed in 1906. In a recent restoration work, grey roof tiles were used in deference to the original model in Guangzhou.

Chan She Shu Yuen Clan Ancestral Hall (before and now) / Photo source : Chan She Shu Yuen Temple, Kuala Lumpurand Chan See Shu Yuen Temple Kuala Lumpur

Just a short distance away and situated on a hill to the right of Chan She Shu Yuen Clan Ancestral Hall is (24) Kuan Yin Temple. This temple was originally built by the Hokkien Chinese in the 1890’s and it served as a place to offer prayers for those buried in the graveyard that was once located on the hill. And right behind Kuan Yin Temple, is Menara Merdeka 118 which is currently the second tallest building and structure in the world, standing at a height of 678.9 m.

We made the last stop in front of the former (25) Rex Theater. It opened on 28 July 1947 and was operated by Shaw Brothers. It caught fire in 1972 and Golden Screen Cinemas (GSC) took over from 1976. Another fire destroyed the building in 2002 and it ended its glory days as a cinema. It came back to life in 2007 as a hostel but in the same year, fire again brought it down on its knees. In 2018, the building was repurposed into a cultural and creative hub known as REXKL. It also features F&B outlets, a bookstore and the newest addition of a digital art gallery on the first floor.

Rex Theater in its early days / Photo source : RXPKL

Location map

Reference

Resurrected Plaza Rakyat set to be new iconic landmark

Remembering a great footballer | The Star

There once was a dam in KL | The Star

https://ofa.arkib.gov.my/Pudoh Dam Fish Farm

https://ofa.arkib.gov.my/ Reclamation of Pudoh Pond

Asian Railways

30 Coolest Streets in the World Right Now

首頁

Sze Ya Temple

Our History | Maybank

River of Life

Central Market – The Art Deco Structure Saved From Bulldozer

The history of letter boxes – The Postal Museum

Chan She Shu Yuen Clan Ancestral Hall

RXPKL

“A Cartographic Journey Through History using Nautical Charts”

By Julian Candiah – MV Focus Talk of 24th February 2024

Written By Hani Kamal

Julian Candiah is a collector of antique maps and sea charts from Malaysia and Singapore.  He read Engineering at Magdalene College, Cambridge University, and graduated with a First-Class Honours in 1991.  He started off as an international banker at Credit Suisse Financial Products, Bear Stearns, JP Morgan, and BNP Paribas in London, Hong Kong and Singapore (1994 to 2007) before joining Merrill Lynch in 2006. In 2007, he was into private equity and investments.  In April 2009, he worked pro bono for the state of Penang, acting as the Special Advisor to the Chief Minister.  He is currently working on short articles on the history of Johor from the early 19th Century. He has a collection of over 20 sea from the English, Dutch, French and Italian cartographers in his 40 years of collecting.  For him collection is genre. A specialised pursuit to acquire old maps involving very distinct set of skills related to acquiring, preserving, and sharing his knowledge about these maps.

The first half of the talk centred around maps about the Straits of Malacca drafted by connoisseurs of sea charts, Sebastian Munster (1530s), Ortelius, Antwerp (1570), Jan Huygen Van Linchoten (1595), De Bry Frankfurt (1598), John Thornton (1701) and Johannes van Kullen (1753).  He ended with sharing maps from the English, like Robert Dudley, Florence: Straits of Malacca (1646); Jacques Nicholas Bellin, Paris: Straits of Malacca (1755); Jean Baptiste de Mannevillette, France: Straits of Malacca (1775), and William Heather, London: Straits of Malacca (1803).

Map 1 First SEA Standardised Atlas

Map 1 This the first South East Asia standardised atlas from 1570 created by Abraham Ortelius. Ortelius collaborated with geographers worldwide to standardise the map, which was then compiled into a book that became one of the most expensive works of its time. It is obviously evident that the sizes of Malaysia, Java, Borneo, Philippines, Japan, Australia, and Papua New Guinea are significantly distorted on the map. The map of Japan has no Hokkaido and Luzon is missing from the Philippines. Interestingly, the map accurately depicts the smaller islands known for clove or spice production.Historically, the strategic port of Malacca was captured by the Portuguese and Dutch due to its essential services such as loading/repair facilities and a readily available food and water supply. These colonial powers then swiftly moved on to the spice islands in search of valuable spices, often referred to us “gold” due to their immense value. Remarkably, current assessments indicate that this historic map holds a significant value of USD4000 or more on eBay.

                             Map 2 Linchoten Colored Map

Map 2 A full coloured map in 1595, but originally in black and white by Jan Huygen Van Linchoten (1563-1610). He was a Dutch and he spent five years working for the Portuguese as secretary to the Archbishop of Goa.  His materials and information were gathered from sailors and he made multiple copies of it.  Linchoten is noted to have contributed to the maps of South East Asia in his book “Itenerario”. This map is one of the earliest to depict Singapore as “Sincapura”.  Linchoten’s map,obtained secretly through Portuguese sailors, shows seafaring and trading routes; subsequently allowing other European powers to sail safely into the spice islands and breaking the Portuguese monopoly in the spice trade.

Map 3 Inverted Map in B&W

Map 4 Inverted Map in Color

Map 3 & 4 This map is inverted as the direction is coming in from India. As it was from the Portuguese nothing much was described on Java or Borneo, nor Korea, and Japan is out of perspective. However, mappings of Peninsula Malaysia was very much established.  As the map was compiled from sailors, sailing lines were notable.  Current value of the Linchoten map is worth USD19,000.

Map 5 First Printed Map of SEA in B&W

Map 5 The first printed map of South East Asia in black and white, and later added with colours.Theodore de Bry was born in 1528 in the Prince-Bishopric of Liège, in the southern Netherlands (today Belgium). He was trained as a goldsmith in his father’s workshop and later as a copper engraver in Antwerp.  He moved to London and lived near a printing house, and it was here that he was inspired to produce maps that made his name known.  This particular map is decorated with beautiful ornate cartouches on map title and filled with rhumb lines showing bustling crossings.  A lot of details were found along the Straits of Malacca indicating robust activities and frequent stops  by trading ships.  Copy of the de Bry map was auctioned and acquired by the The National Museum of Singapore.                

     Map 6 English Map

Map 6 Map of Malacca and Singapore by John Thornton, Hydrographer of East India Company, London, 1701. This map is a 100% copy of a Dutch map of Malacca and Singapore.  At this time there were free flowing sharing of information and usage of English was beginning to appear in maps.  By 1753 maps were printed commercially. The map above has detailed travel routes of the islands, but the island of Singapore was still hardly visible.  This map is worth USD12,000-15,000.

    

 Map 7 Series of Maps 1803-1855

Map 7 The series of four maps between 1803 till 1855 illustrate the transformation of Singapore from a relatively obscure island to a thriving trading centre frequent by ships. In earlier maps, Singapore was often spelt as Sincapore and was barely discernible on English maps. Its significance as a trade centre for the British only grew after the British withdrawal from the settlement in Java. By 1855, one can see through the sea charts incorporated with land details such as street names, rivers, etc in detail.

                                                Map 8 Map Made with Vellum

Map 8 Vellum vs paper: These are maps printed on vellum, sheep skin.  Vellum was used since early 14th century by Italian navigators, one Bartolomeo Crescenzio (1587-1602) in his Mediterranean quest described vellum and maps, “Bartolomeo Crescenzio: “Nautica Mediterranea”, published in Rome, 1602 and 1607 by Bartolomeo Bonfadino. He was employed in the Naval Ships of Pope Sixtus V and Pope Clement VIII. Professor Ferro wrote as follows;

“There is little uncertainty, for instance, about the materials used and the techniques of execution. Nautical charts were hand-drawn on sheep vellum. The larger ones took up an entire pelt, preserving all of its characteristics and dimensions, i.e., a rectangular shape longer on one end (corresponding to the animal’s neck), where it forms the so-called linguetta [small tongue] or umbilicus; the opposite end was generally attached to a stick around which it was rolled (this explains the tears now visible, caused by forcible attempts to detach it). Of course smaller charts, depicting less extensive areas of sea and land, have other shapes (though still generally rectangular). These were mounted on wooden tablets or cardboard and met a different fate as far as preservation is concerned.

Following the tanning process, the parchment was treated and prepared in a timely manner, according to a procedure that was fully illustrated around the year 1600 by Crescenzio. To bleach its inner side (the side on which the design was to be traced) and to make it smooth, the vellum was rubbed with white lead and dried with a white cloth. Then the leftover skin bits were boiled in water until the mixture became thick and viscous. Another cloth (or a sponge) soaked in this fluid was then passed all over the well-stretched parchment. Once dry, this was rubbed with white lead a second time so as to render the surface perfectly white and smooth, eliminating any unevenness that might impede drawing or writing. The outer side, on the other hand, was left thick and rough, thus serving to protect the chart, at least partly, from temperature variations, humidity, and salinity.”  

According to the speaker this map is worth USD500,000.

Map 9 Robert Dudley’s First Sea Chart

Map 9 First Sea chart atlas by Robert Dudley 1646, is perhaps the most rare and revolutionary during that time.  It was the first sea atlas in the world, first to use various sophisticated seafaring engineering and created with accuracy reflecting his extensive knowledge as a cartographer.  It was the first to reflect magnetic deviation, first to detail water currents and prevailing winds. It was also the first to explain  the advantages of ”Great Circle Sailing” (shortest distance between two points of the globe). A magnificent and very rare sea atlas, currently worth USD 1 million.

Map 10 Series of Maps by William Heather, London

Map 10 The first important 19th century sea chart of the Straits of Malacca was mapped by William Heather (London, 1803) depicts the status of EIC’s role in Penang and along the Straits of Malacca.  The Straits was the busiest shipping highway at that period and so sea charts were utmost important.  For the British this was the gateway between India and the Far East. Maps with details of rhumb lines, sandbanks, mountains, street names, total population, etc were very useful. Singapore was hardly noticeable during the early 19th century and the maps on Singapore were totally wrong in shape and size in the earlier maps. This map was impressive at that period of time and soon ran into many revisions due to its deficiencies and lack of information about the Straits. Current value at USD17,000.

Conclusion

After going through the extensive history of sea charts, we tend to reflect on the maps found at Gallery B, Muzium Negara; Almost all of us referred to those maps as depicting Malacca’s popularity and the crucial role the maps played to European explorers sailing to Malacca looking for spices. However it is worth noting these were not intricate sea atlases or charts but rather simple maps highlighting the significance of Malacca during that era. Consequently, the portrayal of the entire Malaysian Peninsula as Malacca underscored the paramount importance attributed to this strategic location, with no information provided on other regions of the peninsula.

Three books were recommended by the speaker in reference to antique maps:

  1. Early Mapping of South East Asia by Thomas Suarez
  2. The Cartography of East Indian Islands by Dr David E Parry
  3. Maps of Malaya and Borneo by Dr Frederic Durand

Reference:

MV Focus Talk by Julian Candiah at the MV Room, JMM on 24/02/2024

https://www.swaen.com/mapping-of/south-east-asia/early-maps-of-south-east-asia

https://sanderusmaps.com/our-catalogue/antique-maps/asia/southeast-asia/old-antique-map-of-southeast-asia-by-th

https://www.swaen.com/mapmakers/robert-dudley

https://oculi-mundi.com/collection/maps/SC-A-1647-Dudley-DellArcanoDelMare-VolIV-xc?viewingMode=research

LEATHER; VELLUM; PARCHMENT DRAWING AND COPYING MAPS AND CHARTS

https://www.raremaps.com/gallery/detail/60506op/strait-of-malacca-sheet-1st-and-strait-of-malacca-horsburgh

Echoes of the Vitrines: My Journey as a Museum Volunteer

By Sarjit Kaur

The past six months have been an enriching and transformative experience for me as a Museum Volunteer (MV) intern. From September 2023 to March 2024, I embarked on this journey, alongside fellow trainees who completed the program at varying paces. 

The MV Program

The MV program consisted of a comprehensive 16-week curriculum. Every week, we attended four-hour lectures by trainers and seasoned speakers who were experts in their fields. For Tuesday’s Batch 42, our trainers were Dato Patricia, Rama, Debbie, Marie, Young-ju, Jenny and Ee Lin. Afidah is our current MV President at the Department of Museums Malaysia. 

The trainers and speakers covered the rich tapestry of Malaysian history and culture, as succinctly summarised and displayed on the two external mosaic murals of the National Museum. We were a colourful tapestry ourselves, woven together from diverse ages, backgrounds, nationalities and levels of appreciation. 

In Class with Speaker “Lee Su Kim” on Baba Nyonya heritage (photo: Sarjit Kaur)

Assignments and presentations followed a structured progression. First, we explored specific artefacts, delving into their significance and context. Next, we tackled half a gallery, curating exhibits that resonated with our newfound knowledge. The final build-up was a comprehensive presentation of a full gallery, putting together our learnings and creativity.

“A whole new world unfolded, a dazzling place I’ve never been”

Princess Jasmine’s words from the movie Aladdin echoed in my ears.  Stories of trade weaved in each gallery; echoes of the rise and fall of empires were heard and soulful blend of cultures felt in hearts. My newfound museum world!

Moment of Truth 

The moment of truth arrived during our presentations. Another skill we had to develop through hours of practice! As we stood before our trainers and the vitrines in the museum, hearts racing, we awaited their judgment. And then, like a magic charm, we heard those two words – “You passed!” Yes! It was a validation of our hard work and commitment. 

But sometimes, our trainers would add a gentle caveat – “It’s good, but we’d like you to refine it further and present again.” In other words, we hadn’t quite hit the mark. Some took this feedback in stride, while others grappled with disappointment and sadness. 

I marvelled at my non-native English-speaking Korean and French course mates who had to work extra hard, to not only get the history, but the right choice of words at some juncture. If I had put in five hours of studying, I know they had doubled the time for sure. I salute them for their perseverance and devotion. 

Mentors would also pose thought-provoking questions that left us momentarily stumped. How could we not know the answer? Those probing questions made our research quest even more purposeful! Yet, we learned to gracefully admit, when the scope of questioning by visitors exceeded the confines of our museum information boards.

Enthusiastic course mates in front of the MV room (photo: Sarjit Kaur)

Student vs Adult Learner 

Reflecting on my history books, I realise they often focused on the ‘what’ and ‘when ‘. The dates, events and names were etched into our memory. But what about the ‘whys’ and ‘how’s’? Some questions were left unanswered. 

How did Parameswara, the founder of Melaka, attract marine traffic to the Straits of Melaka. What strategic moves did he employ?

And the colonial powers, why did they vie for control over Melaka? 

What were the British’s original plans for Malaya, what ignited their territorial expansion and how did they eventually acquire Malaya?

The answers lie beyond mere facts; they reside in the complex web of strategic motivations, decisions and historical context. As an adult learner, I now seek not just the surface knowledge but the underlying narratives – the stories behind the story. 

My MV journey has ignited this curiosity, and I find myself exploring history with fresh and eager eyes, ears and spirit. In the halls of the museum, I continue my quest – a voyage that transcends dates and embraces the essence of the human experience.

Following MV Guides

We were required to attend a total of three MV guides, at the minimum. I eagerly learnt from each. Every guide possessed a distinct brilliance. And yet beneath their uniqueness, a common thread bound them all – the MV credential! It was more than a badge, it was a mark of dedication earned through countless hours of exploration, study and training. 

MV Guiding in process (photo: Sarjit Kaur)

It’s My Story Too

As I delved into the museum’s exhibits, I realized that it wasn’t just ‘His-Story’, it was My-Story too! The rubber diorama and the mining displays, held echoes of my ancestors’ lives. Reading about their migration journey to Malaya stirred a profound sense of honour and appreciation. Their struggles, sacrifices and vision for a lasting legacy that became tangible. And that was my conviction – to learn and know more, as I was part of them. 

Eye for Detail

My first assignment which centred around the Dutch East India Company armchair, opened my eyes to the intricacies of craftsmanship. The iconography of eagle, flora, fauna, dragon and grounded claws spoke of cultural fusion, blending Javanese and Dutch influences. It was like deciphering a hidden language embedded in its wooden and rattan materials. I see works of art in a different light now, appreciating the details that would have escaped my senses before. 

The dutch heritage – an armchair (photo: Sarjit Kaur)

Building Research Capability 

Our assignments demanded rigorous research. While the museum boards provided authoritative information, our additional research added depth. My greatest hurdle was connecting the dots, the stories. The ‘what, when, why and how’. That’s when I turn to my trainers and mentor who patiently guided me through. 

I didn’t know where to begin on my 7-minute assignment on ‘Education in Malaysia’ in Gallery D. And where do I end … education being the catalyst to creating writers and poets who opened minds? Or education paving the way to independence? 

I approached Rama outside the corridor of our MV room. He had delved and written much on this topic. With his scholarly aura, he shared his treasured weapon – the Andaya & Andaya book on ‘A History of Malaysia’. “Read it”, he urged and explore the various themes and angles that await you. Like a guardian of wisdom, his time was precious, yet he generously shared the essence that just roller coaster-ed me to research and read more. 

Nurturing the Love for Reading 

Historical reading materials and books have steadily become my companions. The MV Library and ‘Kinokuniya’ in KLCC were the harbour for historical collections. Our helpful and knowledgeable MV librarians, Lai Meng and Jean guided us to the right books for our assignments and leisure reading. 

Becoming a Storyteller 

Relating history through story-telling is definitely an art. Further, the intricate dance of weaving continuity in the story-line from one artefact to another, and one gallery to another, is another skill to master. Over time, I moved from a mere historical fact regurgitator into a storyteller. 

Animation and drama have been my family traits, often unravelling during our gatherings. Coming from a family of ten siblings, only the best story tellers had the luxury of extra time and space at the family’s hall of fame. Now, I channel this feature into the museum.  Witnessing my audience becoming immersed in the subjects – whether discussing the weighty Gallery C’s Colonial era or other captivating chronicles, brings me great joy.

Inquiries

Visitors’ questions have become my compass for further exploration. One recurring inquiry is, “Is this real or a replica?” Other questions like “Who were the early map makers or cartographers for East Indies?” has led me down to fascinating research paths. It’s a reminder that curiosity fuels learning.

The Museum Comes Alive

I realise that gradually, the museum was coming alive for me. Well, a symbolical representation of ‘Night at the Museum’ on the silver screen. I began to see them in reality. They took shape and form in my world, outside the museum. 

Take the 35-kilometer stretch between Bali and Lombok divided by the Wallace line. A mere sea tranche separates them, yet it contrasts ecosystems. I was brought to Sanur, Bali’s eastern embrace in January this year, and stood there appreciating the subtle distinction etched by tides and currents. I saw varying Makaras adorning Balinese homes, hotels, and shopfronts – a testament to their enduring Hindu culture. 

And then, an adventure trip to Perak including ‘Gua Tempurung’ manifested, inspired by the numerous visits to the cave diorama in Gallery A with the almost complete skeleton of a homo sapien called ‘Perak Man’. 

Together with my daughter, our tour guide led us to venture into the cave’s depths with cave paintings whispering ancient sagas and high burial grounds echoing forgotten rites. In pitch-black corners, where history hid during the Japanese occupation, I glimpsed resilience in the ordinary folks who had to leave their homes to find salvage there. 

Mentorship: A Guiding Light

The mentor is silent yet pivotal, who threads through our museum journey. My mentor was Deborah or Debbie, who invested precious time, dedication and commitment. Together, she navigated mentees, through the labyrinth of galleries and refined our presentations. When we lacked substance for certain vitrines, she shared materials and guided a revisit of narratives until they bore the quality stamp of an MV guide. Her encouraging smile and silent clap in the background, always lights us up! 

In those hallowed and dim halls, mentors assessed our presentations. They listened patiently, as we stumble through explanations, shaping us into storytellers. Their dedication mirrors the artefacts – the unseen support that upholds the museum’s magic.

The final stamp of – You Passed! from Debbie came when I completed all 4 galleries in March 2024. It was a milestone, manifesting what seemed like a distant dream! It slowly opened doors to the MV community group and focus talks.  

After a mentoring session by Debbie (photo: Sarjit Kaur)

A Grateful Journey

My journey has been woven with threads of inspiration, resilience and growth. Amidst the twists and turns, there stands a pivotal figure who had shaped my path. Kulwant, an MV, encouraged me to explore this trail. 

She is my sister, confidante and teacher! Whether it was poring over research materials or books, she stood by me and guided all the way.  As I reflect on this journey, I am filled with gratitude. Our shared voyage in the museum, is etched in my heart as one of life’s cherished highlights. 

My Guiding Journey

As MVs, we embrace the essence of the ‘Tepak Sirih’ or betel nut set caricature – extending warm hospitality to those who step into our historical haven. 

On my maiden guide, a visitor from Arizona pleasantly remarked, “You brought the museum alive.” The 6-month odyssey, the midnight toil, the stress – it was worth every moment! My guiding journey has just begun. I see a trove of learning, exploration and deepening wisdom lying ahead.

The Secret

“Let the vitrines speak through you”

Our legendary lecturer, Jega once shared a secret, “Let the vitrines speak through you”. While I am not there yet, I can feel the vibration of his words lighting my path. Like ancient sages, the vitrines whisper their tales through us. Their voices echo across time, carrying a gentle breeze of curiosity and wonderment. Each glass case becomes an energetic portal, just waiting for the guide to unleash the mystery behind the history. 

Batch 42 interns and trainers (photo: Astrid Belliot)

RAFFLES IN JAVA

By Noriko Nishizawa, inspired by professor Dr. Farish A Noor’s talk on January 27th, 2024

                       Sir Thomas Stamford Bingley Raffles (1781-1826) by George Francis Joseph, 1817 (Source: National Portrait Gallery (London) )

When you google Stamford Raffles, the first sentence that you will most likely come across is, “Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles (1781 – 1826) was the founder of the city of Singapore, and was largely responsible for the British Far East Empire”.  That was my perception of him as well.

The talk by Professor Dr. Farish Noor to the museum volunteers on January 27 was very fascinating.  He is a well-respected academic and is currently professor at the Department of History, University Malaya.  Dr. Farish believes that the 19th century was the most important century as far as Southeast Asia (SEA) is concerned, because the construction of SEA during that century by the forces of capitalism and imperialism remains a potent aspect of political, economic, and cultural disputes in the region today.  He told us that it is important to look at historical as well as institutional context to understand history.  His talk focused on Stamford Raffles’ administration in Java, and he explained very interesting insights into why and how Raffles is recognized as a hero today.

                     Professor Dr. Farish Noor (Photo taken by Noriko Nishizawa)

He opened his talk, “Raffles in Java”, with a question: What makes Stamford Raffles special?  His answer was “nothing”.  Of course, he was exaggerating, but he wanted to make a point. He told us that when we look at Raffles in Java, historical and institutional contexts need to be taken into account.  

First, we need to know about the historical background.  The war for independence fought by the Netherlands against Spain became a commercial competition as well as a military and naval war.  The United Dutch East India Company (VOC) was founded to operate and organize trade.  The VOC became a chartered trading company and the first joint-stock company in the world.  This was very significant because, throughout the European history of politics, the states were always dictated by kings and a handful of elites.  For the first time, the Dutch citizens invested capital and sponsored the formation of the VOC which acted as an arm of the state. 

The Dutch government granted the VOC the right to conclude treaties, build forts, maintain armed forces, carry on administrative functions in colonies, etc.  The VOC became a trading colossus and is considered the world’s first multinational company.  The success of the VOC sparked a chain reaction throughout Europe, and the English East India Company (EIC) was founded as well.  This was the start of the middle class merchants gaining power and control.

Stamford Raffles came from a humble background and joined the EIC as a young man.  Naturally, as Dr. Farish mentioned, the power vested in Raffles later, came not from himself, but from the mechanism of the institution (the EIC) that shaped British colonialism.  He also said what was special about Raffles was that he understood well how the mechanism of the company worked.  At the age of 14, he started working as a clerk in London for the EIC.  Nine years later, he was sent to Penang.  Raffles did not complete a formal education, but he studied science, natural history, and languages, since he had started at the EIC, which made him unique in the company.  It didn’t take long before Raffles’ knowledge of the Malay language and their customs, as well as his paternalism and concern for the Javanese, helped him to become a protégé of Lord Minto, the governor-general of India.  The British were given an opportunity during the French revolutionary wars to invade Java, when Prince William V of Orange requested Britain to take control of Dutch possessions until the wars were over.  Raffles’ intellectual and administrative abilities played a large part in planning the capture of Java from the Dutch.  Minto gave considerable credit for its success to Raffles and put him in charge.  Raffles, at the age of 30, became lieutenant governor of Java; to administer the island of Java and govern over several million Javanese.  Java was under British rule from 1811 to 1816.

Incidentally, the invasion of Java was controversial, and it was criticized by the British public.  William Cobbett was a popular English journalist who played an important political role as a champion of traditional rural England against the changes wrought by British colonialism.  Cobbett pointed out that the invasion of Java was not simply an extension of the war against Napoleon and his Dutch allies beyond Europe.  He questioned if the rights of the natives of Java themselves were denied, and whether the British crown possessed the moral right to usurp power from the Dutch.  

Nevertheless, Raffles suddenly possessed enormous power in Java.  He inaugurated a mass of reforms aimed at transforming the Dutch colonial system and improving the condition of the native population.  Raffles’ reforms were generally well accepted in Java.  He introduced partial self-government.  He also attempted to replace the Dutch system of forced labour and fixed quotas with a cash-based land-tenure system.  As Dr. Farish explained, we must be aware that Raffles was a very modern individual with innovative ideas, who also became renowned for his outstanding liberal attitude toward people under colonial rule.  As a result, Java was elevated in a few short years to a degree of liberty and prosperity.  However, upon the Dutch’s return to power, Raffles’ reforms were phased out. The new government returned to the system of enforced labour, production restrictions, etc.

Raffles’ reforms, however, proved too costly to the EIC, which was primarily concerned with profit.   His lieutenant-governorship in Java ended just before the Dutch came back to Java, after the Napoleonic wars ended.  That became Raffles’ greatest disappointment in his life.  Raffles was removed from his post by the EIC on account of poor financial performance, financial misconducts, and more.  His reputation was tarnished.  

In order to reinvent himself, he wrote a book: The History of Java, that was published in 1817.  The book (volume 1 and 2) contains plates depicting Javanese costumes, some describing language and music, others illustrating Javanese weapons, and one showing traditional masks and shadow puppets. Interestingly, the book is not much about the history of Java, but contains enormous information about the Javanese people and culture, which he had catalogued during his stay.  His original motive to write the book might have been purely humanitarian, fundamentally favourable to the Javanese, but unfortunately, he was more concerned that his tenure as lieutenant governor of Java would be seen in a favourable light.  In order to do so, he needed to show the British that he was capable of transforming these natives into a “civilized nation”.  According to Dr. Farish, Raffles also had a typical colonialist view of this country when he said, “Java and the Javanese are a land of antiquity trapped in the past; therefore, they needed to be conquered in order to be rescued.”  This wasn’t based on a political rationale.  Dr. Farish explained that their culture was in a sense considered reductive and regressive.   In fact, this colonial bias was the common sentiment and logic of colonialism during the 18th–  19th centuries. 

As previously mentioned, Raffles was a modern individual with innovative ideas.  It was only during the British occupation of Java (1811-1816) that men like Stamford Raffles and John Crawfurd, who was appointed to the post of Resident Governor at the Court of Yogyakarta,would begin to compile vast information about the island and its people.  Dr. Farish emphasized that Raffles’ idea of data collecting was actually a very modern technique.  It could have been used as a powerful tool to maintain power/control over the people.  Not many people at the time realized how significant that was.  We could wonder what would have happened to Java if Raffles had stayed there longer.  Incidentally, under Raffles’ instructions, ancient monuments such as Prambanan and Borobudur were catalogued and uncloaked out of overgrown vegetation by his officers.  He had a large number of troops at his disposal, and he sent them out everywhere to collect information.  Eventually, he succeeded in reintroducing himself as a scholar to the British public.  He was invited to join the Royal Society, the leading body of scholarly investigation in early 19th-century Britain and was awarded a knighthood in 1817.

Thomas Stamford Raffles Map of Java (Central Java)
                          Thomas Stamford Raffles, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Although Raffles was sent back to the East by the EIC later;  he  became the lieutenant governor in Bencoolen, and also negotiated the right to establish Singapore, etc., these roles came with only reduced and restricted authority.  He never regained the same status and glory that he had in Java.  Due to his deteriorating health, he went back to England, and he died in 1826 at the age of 44.  Then he seemed to be forgotten by the public for a few decades.

Dr. Farish continued to tell us that the story about Raffles didn’t end at his death, and it wasinteresting to see how history turns around in a very funny way.  When England was at the peak of its power during the Victorian Era (1837-1901) the politicians and writers questioned Britain’s imperial systems and responsibilities.   When imperial rule was seen to be done particularly well or particularly badly, it attracted considerable public attention, and this attention often focused on individual imperial agents.  This Victorian mentality needed to create heroes as imperial agents to glorify the British Empire.  As a result, Raffles was brought back as an icon of imperial colonization in the late 19th-century.  He has been commemorated by statues, institutions and establishments were named after him, to solidify and justify a British presence in the region and larger imperial history.

Sir Stamford Raffles statue Singapore (Photo taken by Noriko Nishizawa)

Dr. Farish reminded us that although Raffles genuinely tried to help the Javanese and Victorians presented him as a hero, he had flaws that have to be looked at from a historical and institutional context.  Today he is known as the founder of Singapore.  Although his work in Java was short and he didn’t have a significant impact on its history, what Raffles tried to do in Java cannot be overlooked.  He is remembered today because he was a true modern thinker for his time.

References:

Farish A. Noor, Anti-Imperialism in the 19th Century:
A Contemporary Critique of the British Invasion of Java in 1811 (2014)” https://www.rsis.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/WP279.pdf

Farish A. Noor, Where Do We Begin?  Reclaiming and Reviving Southeast Asia’s Shared Histories and Geographies https://www.eria.org/ASEAN_at_50_4B.4_Noor_final.pdf

Natalie A. Mault, Java as a Western construct: an examination of Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles’ “The History of Java” (2005) https://repository.lsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4005&context=gradschool_theses

Sir Stamford Raffles, Prosper Australia https://www.prosper.org.au/geoists-in-history/sir-stamford-raffles/#:~:text=Through%20his%20keen%20knowledge%20of,of%20some%20five%20million%20people.

Sir Stamford Raffles, Britannica https://www.britannica.com/biography/Stamford-Raffles

William Cobbett, Britannica https://www.britannica.com/biography/William-Cobbett-British-journalist

The History of Java Royal Collection Trust https://www.rct.uk/collection/1074474/the-history-of-java-volume-1

The mines

By Katia Luccin

Selangor in the 1870’s – source: https://yapahloy.tripod.com/the_selangor_civil_war.htm

Tin, an attractive resource

Tin has been extracted for centuries in the Malay world. Less precious than gold but found in larger quantities, cassiterite is the ore that made Malaya known. First, it was used for making kitchen utensils (spoons, kettles…). Alloyed with copper to become bronze, it was used for the making of tools, weapons, bells and statues. At the beginning of the 19th century, the Industrial Revolution witnessed the birth of the tin can industry (invented by the Frenchman Nicolas Appert (1749-1841)), marking the beginning of the tin rush in Malaya.

At the end of the 1960s, with 1,100 tin mines in Malaysia, the country became the world’s primary producer of tin.

In the Klang Valley and around Kuala Lumpur, tin was already extracted before the 19thcentury but it was rudimentary, with no permanent installation. By 1824, several mines existed in the Klang Valley: Penaga, Petaling, Serdang and Gua Batu (Batu Caves).

Kanching, the first mine

Tin mining played a pivotal role in the development of Kuala Lumpur. In 1840, the discovery of a Chinese tin mine in Kanching attracted activity in the area. This mine was  located a few kilometers north of Kuala Lumpur, in the northern part of the Selangor basin, distinct from the Klang River Valley that now runs in the city.

At that time, miners rowed upstream along the rivers to their sources, navigating the Selangor River until they reached Kanching. Boats were left at the bandar (as the port was known then) and miners walked the short distance to the Kanching mine. Although moderate, the success of the Kanching mine showed interest for the mining of possible deposits in adjacent rivers, notably, upstream Klang river. That was how the Ampang mine, located east of Kuala Lumpur City Center (KLCC), started. The production rapidly became so substantial that soon, trade regulations for Kuala Lumpur were established. This success contributed to the development of the kampung of Kuala Lumpur; likewise for the Pudu kampung and the Batu kampung, with the discovery of tin in those areas. Chinese traders and shopkeepers flocked to Kuala Lumpur. They came from every part of South China to escape the misery of their country.

The war for the control of the mines (Selangor war 1867-1873) created economic disorder and a decline in investment, paving the way for British control through the Pangkor Treaty in 1874.This new historical chapter saw the appointment of British colonial officers (Residents) in Perak and later Selangor along with the establishment of a police force by the British to restore order. J.G Davidson, the second British Resident, was appointed at Klang, while an assistant, Sir Frank Swettenham, was sent as an adviser to Sultan Abdul Samad. Swettenham will play a crucial role in developing Kuala Lumpur to increase the social and economic benefits from tin mining.

Sir Frank Swettenham, 1904, by John Singer Sargent, Oil on canvas, 258 x 142.5 cm (101.57 x 56.10″), National Museum in Singapore – Source Wikimedia

Kuala Lumpur, the new heart of Selangor development 

After the war ended in 1873, Kuala Lumpur was to prosper again. Between 1880 and 1890, the population increased from 4,500 to 20,000, driven by the boom in tin mining. Consequently, Kuala Lumpur became the largest city in Selangor.  J.G. Davidson, who had settled in Klang in 1875, moved to Kuala Lumpur in 1880, officially making the city the capital of the state.

Tin production reached such levels that it became necessary to develop infrastructure for transporting tin ore to meet the rising global demand for tin. Frank Swettenham, now British Resident, recommended the construction of a railway spanning 30 kilometers between Kuala Lumpur and Bukit Kuda. The purpose was to connect inland mining activities and trade centers to the west coast port of Klang. Initially, the manpower for this project was Indian labourers. They were reinforced by Chinese coolies to speed up the completion. The railway line was inaugurated on 10th September 1886, becoming the second line built by the British in Malaya. Its extension by 4 km to Port Klang opened on 17th April 1890.

Kuala Lumpur-Bukit Kuda line inauguration. Source: serial.malayanrailways.com

The railway also allowed the development of Port Klang into the main port for tin shipping. To optimize its deep waters, Port Klang was modernized and renamed Port Swettenham in 1901. Today, Port Klang remains as one of the main ports on Malaysia’s west coast and holds significance as an international port. The city has grown along the Kuala Lumpur-Port Klang axis in the “Klang valley” throughout the 20th century. With a population of eight million, it constitutes a quarter of Malaysia’s overall population. The new infrastructures around Kuala Lumpur (roads, waterways and railways) were mostly financed by taxes on tin. Other developments stemming from the tin industry include the implementation of water piping and electricity in Kuala Lumpur.

To meet the growing demands of American and European industries, tin production must modernize. The British introduced new technologies like the tin dredge in 1912 and the gravel pump.

In 1937, a new mine was opened near Kuala Lumpur and the “Berjuntai Tin Dredging Bhd” factory was built at Sungei Selangor, north of Kuala Lumpur.

By the beginning of the 1990s, Malaysia produced around two million tons of tin, with approximately 90% originating from the West Coast belt. This production was divided between the Kinta Valley in Perak (at the center of the peninsula) and Selangor, mostly concentrated in Kuala Lumpur.

Tin mines and rehabilitation, a second life!   

In the 1980s, the price of tin began to drop due to the emergence of new producing countries such as Brazil, and local tin deposits were exhausted. Over 300 mines, including those around Kuala Lumpur, were closed. The intensive mining activities had left these sites wide open, with wells and tin residues rendering the fields unsuitable for agriculture. 

For an extended period, these plots were neglected, leading to issues like degradation and illicit occupation. It wasn’t until the boom in Malaysia’s economy that the government took an interest in these lands, whose real estate value had increased over time. Major projects were then entrusted to the private sector to develop parks, hotels, and golf courses.

Titiwangsa park

Created by Rio Takahashim, a Japanese architect, in 1980, the garden of Titiwangsa lake was built as an alternative to Taman Botanic Perdana in central Kuala Lumpur. The park is 95 ha, half of it occupied by a lake, heritage of a tin mine from the British era.

Titiwangsa Park, photo taken by Katia Luccin

Sunway City Kuala Lumpur

Developed by Jeffrey Cheah Fook Ling (13th wealthiest person in the country?), the theme park of Sunway City Kuala Lumpur was built on a former site that he had mined until 1980`s. The park, with an area of 30ha, is today one of the favorite destinations of Malaysian families.

The Mines complex

Formerly the largest open mining center in the world, the site, called Sungei Besi, is located in the South-East periphery of Kuala Lumpur, spanning both the Federal territory of Kuala Lumpur and the state of Selangor. Tin was produced there for several centuries before the involvement of British in mining in 1911, and ending in the 1980s. In 1990 a private entrepreneur, Lee Kim Yew, was mandated by the government to transform the mines of Hong Fatt at Sungei Besi into a tourist site including a five-star hotel, artificial beach and a golf course.

Lee had the mine flooded to make a huge lake. The estate project, The Mines, is arranged around the lake to give birth to The Mines Wellness City, Golf Club and Mines Resort.

If Kuala Lumpur city is so green, it owes it to those projects!

One of Malaysia’s wealth is the diversity of its population acquired following several waves of immigration; (one of which was attributed to tin mining.)A good example of “vivre ensemble” despite the difficulties met to build a nation.

References

Kuala Lumpur, Wkipedia, Wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuala_Lumpur, read on 22/12/2020

“L`etain: 1100 mines et des cours fluctuants » Le Monde Diplomatique, monde-diplomatique.fr ?1969/08/A/29171, read on21/12/2020

A history of Malaysia, barbara Watson Andaya, Leonard Y. Andaya, Red Globe Press 3rdedition, 2017

Journal of the Malayan Branch of The Royal Asiatic Society n28, J-M Gullick, Malaya Publishing house, 1955, Myrepositori.pnm.gov.my/bistream/123456789/2265//1/JB1865_MBRA.pdf, read on 21/12/2020

Interview with Datin Paduka Chen Mun Kuen, Director of Royal Selangor international Sdn Bhd news.sma.org.sg/4211/Datin_ChenMK.pdf, read on 24/12 2020

Southeast Asia: A historical Encyclopedia, from Angkor Wat to East Timor, Kin Gin Ooi, ABC Clio, 2004

Young Koon, Royal Selangor Heritage, eu.royalselengor.com/heritage, read on 22/12/2020

Sir Franck Swettenham, British colonial officer, Britannica, Britannica.com/biography/Frank-Athelstane-Swettenham, read on 22/12/2020

The imperial locomotive: A Study of the Railway System in British Malaya, Tse Siang Lim, 2010, academia.edu/1517283/The_Imperial_Locomotive_A_Study_of_Railway-System_in_British_Malaya_1885_1942, read on 28/12/2020

Sunway Lagoon Resort, sunway.com.my/sunway-at-a-glance, read on 23/12/2020

Sacred Threads: the Spiritual and Artistic Essence of Islamic Talismanic Shirts

Emna Esseghir

An Islamic ottoman talismanic shirt

(Source : https://www.orientalartauctions.com/object/artisla47916-an-islamic-ottoman-talismanic-shirt)

Imagine holding a garment crafted with painstaking care, where each stitch tells a story of centuries-old tradition and every pattern whispers ancient wisdom. Each  talismanic shirt, adorned with symbols shrouded in mystery, acts as a tangible bridge between the earthly and celestial realms.

In the Islamic tradition, known for its emphasis on clarity and rationality, the talismanic shirt presents a  contradiction – its intricate design captivates with an irresistible allure, yet it challenges the foundational principles of faith that prioritize logical inquiry and unwavering devotion. Within the intricate tapestry of this garment lies a narrative as timeless as humanity itself, a story of yearning and aspiration. It echoes our deep-seated desire for protection and our longing to connect with the unseen forces shaping our existence. This shirt embodies the eternal dance between tradition and modernity, belief and skepticism, urging us to ponder the delicate interplay of faith and reason.

Thus, the talismanic shirt transcends mere fabric, becoming a symbol of our eternal quest for meaning and connection. It serves as a tangible reminder of our innate curiosity about life’s mysteries, inviting us to delve into the depths of our spiritual consciousness. In its presence, we’re encouraged to contemplate the profound complexities of faith and spirituality, embracing the beauty found in the enigmatic unknown.

Why do humans need “protection” ?

The use of talismans is not exclusive to Islam but finds resonance across various religious and spiritual traditions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, and others. In Hinduism, for example, amulets and talismans are known as “yantras” or “lockets”, and are believed to possess divine powers that provide protection, blessings and spiritual guidance. Similarly, in Buddhism, practitioners often carry amulets known as “thokcha” or “phurba,” which are believed to offer protection against negative energies and obstacles on the spiritual path. These talismans often feature sacred symbols, mantras or images of deities, serving as reminders of spiritual principles and aiding in meditation and devotion.

Across various cultures and religious traditions, the use of talismans reflects a universal human desire for protection, guidance, and connection with the divine. Whether in the form of taweez, yantras, or amulets, these symbols serve as tangible expressions of faith and devotion, offering comfort and reassurance to believers in times of need. Moreover, the cultural and traditional significance of talismans transcends religious boundaries, with individuals from diverse backgrounds embracing these symbols as expressions of their cultural heritage and identity.

Psychologically, the act of wearing or possessing talismans can provide a sense of empowerment and agency, allowing individuals to feel more confident and secure in their daily lives. Additionally, the rituals associated with obtaining and wearing talismans can foster a sense of connection with one’s spiritual beliefs and community, promoting a deeper sense of belonging and purpose.

The appeal of talismans extends beyond religious affiliations, encompassing a wide range of cultural, spiritual and psychological needs. As symbols of faith, protection and tradition, talismans continue to play a significant role in the lives of believers worldwide; offering a source of comfort, strength and inspiration across diverse religious and cultural landscapes.

What is a talismanic shirt ?

An Islamic ottoman talismanic shirt

(Source : https://www.orientalartauctions.com/object/artisla47916-an-islamic-ottoman-talismanic-shirt)

A talismanic shirt stands as a unique fusion of garment and spiritual artifact, embodying mystical and protective properties woven into its very fabric. These shirts, found across diverse cultural and religious contexts, serve as tangible manifestations of spiritual beliefs and practices, offering wearers a tangible connection to the divine and a sense of comfort and protection in their daily lives. In Islamic culture, talismanic shirts, known as “jama’ah al-tawiz,” are meticulously crafted with symbols, inscriptions, and sacred verses from the Quran, believed to bestow blessings and safeguard the wearer from harm. 

Each shirt is a testament to the unique traditions and beliefs of its creators, with intricate designs and symbols reflecting the spiritual heritage of the community. From intricate patterns to specific inscriptions, talismanic shirts serve as more than just clothing; they are conduits for spiritual connection and sources of solace and protection in a complex and ever-changing world.

Image on the left: detail of a 15th-century Sultanate Quran, with the same motif (circled in yellow) resembling the word ‘Allah’ written in Arabic that is also present on the borders of the talismanic shirt. India, 15th century, © Khalili collection | Image on the right: detail of the talismanic shirt, India, 15th–16th century. Museum no T.59-1935 © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Magic Shirt in Quran 

There is a story about Surah Yusuf Ayat 93 (12:93 Quran): “Go with this my shirt, and cast it over the face of my father: he will come to see (clearly). Then come ye (here) to me together with all your family.”

Here is the story of the shirt of Joseph (Yusuf), which he sent to Jacob (Yacoob) from paradise; and the secret behind Jacob regaining his sight from that hour. 

The essence of the story mentioned is that when Nimrod (Namrood) threw Abraham (Ibrahim) into the fire naked, The Angel Gabriel descended to him with a shirt and a breath from paradise. He clothed him with the shirt and seated him on the breath, and the shirt remained with Abraham until he clothed Isaac, and Isaac clothed Jacob. 

So Jacob took it and placed it in an iron or silver casket and hung it around Joseph’s neck when he feared for him from the evil eye.

The Angel Gabriel instructed Joseph to send it to Jacob so that his sight would be restored by the fragrance of paradise; for the fragrance of paradise will heal the sick and bring relief to those who are afflicted. 

Muhammad Al-Tahir bin Ashur

(Source: Wikipedia)

The scholar Muhammad Al-Tahir bin Ashur commented on this narration in his exegesis, “Al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir,” : It is said that the shirt was the shirt of Abraham, although the shirt of Joseph was brought by his brothers to their father when they came, with false blood on it. It seems that sending his shirt was a sign of the truthfulness of his brothers in what they conveyed to their father about the news of Joseph and his safety… As for Jacob regaining his sight through the shirt, it was a grace from Allah. 

The spiritual and artistic sides of Islamic talismanic shirt 

Example #1:

Talismanic Shirt 15th–early 16th century

(Source : https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/453498)

This talismanic shirt is decorated with painted squares, medallions, and lappet-shaped sections. Its surface features intricate designs encompassing most probably the entire Quran inscribed within. Surrounding these areas are the ninety-nine names of God, written in gold against an orange background. On the reverse side, a central panel bears a proclamation in gold script declaring, “God is the Merciful, the Compassionate”

Example #2

An Islamic ottoman talismanic shirt

(Source : https://www.orientalartauctions.com/object/artisla47916-an-islamic-ottoman-talismanic-shirt)

This shirt is decorated with intricate writing in Naskh script, in lots of bright colors and designs like cypress trees. The writings are from the Quran, prayers to God, and other sacred texts. They come in different sizes and shapes, sometimes mirrored or on different backgrounds in colors like black, red, green, and gold. On the back, there are more writings about Allah and parts of the Quran, surrounded by fancy designs like gilt lotus flowers and leaves, making the shirt look both fancy and spiritual.

Example #3:

An ottoman talismanic shirt, 18th century

(Source : https://www.orientalartauctions.com/object/art3002406-an-ottoman-talismanic-shirt-18th-century)

A striking shirt embellished with a rich tapestry of text, woven in Naskh, Thuluth and Kufic scripts, and adorned in an array of vibrant hues. It also has a myriad of panels, circular motifs, and intricate cypress tree designs, all meticulously arranged across the fabric. The inscriptions, drawn from the Quran, feature invocations, divine attributes, prayers, and the names of Allah, alongside verses rendered in a captivating blend of sizes, shapes, and colors. There are striking patterns and mirrored forms set against a backdrop of black, red, blue, and gold. The back of the garment features a captivating display of Allah’s names, Quranic verses and talismanic numbers, encircled by opulent gilt lotus blossoms, flowers, and foliage, completing a masterpiece of artistry and spirituality

Example #4

Talismanic shirt – Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts
Source: [https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;isl;tr;mus01;18;en&cp]

The front of the shirt has a round collar and is open down to the level of the abdomen. The entire surface of the shirt is decorated with Quranic verses, prayers, magic formulas and numerological charms. The back part of the shirt features a design of naturalistic flowers decorated in coloured pigments. 

The inscriptions on talismanic shirts consist mostly of chapters and verses of the Quran. In addition to these, the names and epithets of God (the Asma al-Husna), the names of various prophets and the four major angels, the seal of the Prophet Muhammad and poems praising him. Occasionally written on the shirt is the hilya (Description of the Prophet), and the names of Fatima, her sons Hasan and Husayn, the first four caliphs, as well as the signs of the zodiac.

These are few examples of Islamic talismanic shirts; you can see two models exhibited in the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia.

Talismanic shirt from the Islamic Art Museum

credit : Emna Esseghir

In conclusion, the Islamic talismanic shirt represents more than just a piece of clothing; it is a profound symbol of spiritual belief and protection, deeply ingrained in Islamic culture. Adorned with intricate inscriptions, sacred verses, and symbols, these shirts serve as tangible manifestations of faith;  offering wearers a sense of connection to the divine and a source of comfort and protection in their daily lives. Across diverse cultural and religious landscapes, talismanic shirts stand as testaments to the enduring power of belief and tradition, bridging the gap between the material and the spiritual realms. Through their intricate designs and spiritual significance, these shirts continue to captivate and inspire, reminding us of the profound depths of spirituality and the human quest for meaning and connection.

References

https://www.orientalartauctions.com/object/art3002406-an-ottoman-talismanic-shirt-18th-century

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/453498

https://www.vam.ac.uk/blog/fabric-of-india/guest-post-a-warriors-magic-shirt

https://ajammc.com/2021/04/30/premodern-ppe-talismanic-shirts/

https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;isl;tr;mus01;18;en&cp]

Guest Post: A Warrior’s Magic Shirt
The Arts of Protection and Healing in Islam: Talismanic Shirts as Premodern “PPE”

Highlights of the Manila Galleon: From Asia to the Americas Exhibition 

By Karen Loh

Model of a Manila galleon sitting proud at the ACM, constructed by master ship modeller Máximo Agudo Mangas, and historical researchers Iván Valdez-Bubnov, Jorge Loyzaga 

During our MV Training Programme, we learn about the Treaty of Tordesillas of 1494 when an imaginary demarcation line was drawn 370 leagues to the west of Cape Verde islands, from pole to pole, dividing the world between Portugal and Spain to explore new lands outside Europe. In this treaty, it was agreed that the Portuguese would sail east while the Spanish sail west. While we are familiar with what happened to Melaka when the Portuguese arrived after sailing south of the West African coast, around the Cape of Good Hope and then India, we do not know as much on how the Spanish fared. Well, maybe except for Ferdinand Magellan, who had a personal servant (/slave) and interpreter called Enrique of Melaka, or Henry the Black, believed to be the first person to actually circumnavigate the world.

Sailing west, Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese who changed allegiance and worked for Spain under King Charles, arrived at the islands later known as the Philippines (named after King Phillip II) in 1521. Magellan had sailed south of the Americas and made a courageous voyage across the Pacific Ocean. Meanwhile, in the same year, the Spanish conquered the Aztecs and captured their city of Tenochtitlan, capital of the Mexica. 

The Spanish soon found their way overland to the port of Acapulco located on the west coast, but it would take another 44 years before the Manila galleon Transpacific trade began. 

The Spanish could not find a favourable route back to Acapulco. For example, while it generally took around 40 days from Acapulco to Manila, the return journey took around 6 months, if the ships survived the rough and turbulent Pacific Ocean. It would take many failed Spanish expeditions before they found a route with agreeable winds to take them home. From 1565 -1815, a period of  250 years saw thriving trade between these two ports, carried on Manila galleons. The galleons only made one return journey per year and were funded by the Spanish royal treasury. 

In 1571, Miguel López de Legazpi conquered Manila for Spain. Manila became  Spain’s only link to Asia since the other route through the Indian Ocean was controlled by the Portuguese and later the Dutch and the British. It was an important link for several reasons. Not only were the Spanish able to purchase much sought-after commodities from China, Japan, Southeast Asia and India to import to Mexico, the Americas and Spain, but the galleons also brought silver, gold, and new types of food (especially chocolate) to Asia. Furthermore, they had a spiritual mission: to spread the Christian faith, carrying priests onboard these galleons. 

This special exhibition entitled: Manila Galleon, from Asia to the Americas at the Asian Civilisations Museum in Singapore focuses on the trading network of goods and commodities. Through its 130 exhibits collected from the 16th-20th centuries, the exhibition features the trading network not only of goods like porcelain, silk, textile, tea, spices, silver, and other commodities, it also tells the story of the people and the exchange of their technologies and cultures. What was most interesting for me were the food and animals from the Americas. Did you know that maize (corn), chilli, papaya, pineapple, peanuts, cassava (tapioca), tomato, sweet potato, avocado, turkey, and chocolate made from the cacao bean were brought from the Americas?

This Tree of Life has photos of people of African, Chinese, Filipino, Mexican, and Spanish descent, most of them mestizos, which means people of mixed heritage besides cutouts of food and luxury items carried on the Manila galleons

Mancerina. A Mancerina is a cupholder attached to a large saucer, used to serve hot chocolate. The saucer makes the hot chocolate easier to hold avoiding burnt fingers, serves to catch any hot chocolate which may spill over and also to hold pastries! Mancerinas come in many designs and can be made in porcelain, silver, brass etc. This mancerina with crab legs is one of my favourite designs

John the Evangelist, Mexico 17th century. I found this exhibit very interesting as it is made out of feathers! Painted paper or gild is sometimes added to add brilliance. Take a closer look. Can you see the gold halo?

A silver bird ornament with silver picks and a Spanish dollar. As China demanded to be paid in silver, and Spain had access to it through its conquest of the Americas, which produced this white metal, huge amounts of silver came on the Manila galleons. It was the first global currency! The Spanish dollar, also known as ‘pieces of eight’ because it was worth eight reals, was also minted in silver  

Life-sized portrait of Hasekura Tsunenaga c1616. Hasekura Tsunenaga (1571-1622) was a samurai who was sent to Rome by the feudal lord of Sendai. He met with Pope Paul V in 1615. This portrait was painted to commemorate the event. Look at the fine details of Hasekura’s outfit, the ship representing his voyage and angels above the ship representing his faith

Afidah and I, taken at the Manila Galleon Exhibition

The Manila Galleon Exhibition at the ACM is on until 17 March 2024. Do PM me if you have any questions.

References:

  • Oon, Clement (Exhibition curator) (2023). Manila Galleon: From Asia to the Americas. Oxford Graphic Printers

The Quaint Little Town Steeped in History

Kate Kee 

The town of Kuala Kubu Bharu, fondly known as KKB, at the foothills of Fraser’s Hill is a well-known stop-over to many thrill seekers (think white water rafting and paragliding) and nature enthusiasts (jungle trekking, hiking and bird-watching). To the locals, KKB is known by its nickname ‘Kiri Kanan Bukit’, which refers to the hills to the left and right sides of the town. 

What many do not realise is that this little town in Hulu Selangor is steeped in history. In fact, Rehman Rashid, author of the book ‘Peninsula: A Story of Malaysia’ paid his personal tribute to KKB in his last book entitled ‘Small Town’. He spent his retirement years as a resident, renting the top floor of a shop lot in the town’s commercial zone. He was so enamoured with KKB that his last request to his brother was, “Kalau saya meninggal, kebumikan saya di Kuala Kubu Bharu” (“When I die, bury me in Kuala Kubu Bharu”) (Berita Harian, June 3, 2017). Adhering to his wish, he was laid to rest in Kuala Kubu Road Muslim Cemetery.

Kuala Kubu Bharu

So, what is so special about KKB? A small group of museum volunteer trainees from Batch 41 set out to learn more about the town’s past one Saturday morning. At first glance, the town with its rows of old shop houses with distinct pre-war façades, and art deco buildings, surrounded by forested hills seems an idyllic little town; one of many dotted throughout Peninsular Malaysia which flourished from tin mining activities. But unknown to many, the current town is the country’s first planned township, designed by Charles Compton Reade, the first government town planner in the Federated Malay States,  in 1925. The town is divided into various sections – the commercial, residential as well as administrative zones. To find out more, our small group followed MV volunteer, trainer and our guide for the day, Eric Lim, on the heritage trail.

Our first stop after breakfast was the former Coates Theatre, built in 1953 in art deco style, in the commercial zone. Next our group made our way to the administrative zone which is up on the hill via a staircase which separates it from the commercial zone. Here, we were greeted with a clock tower which was erected to commemorate King George VI’s ascension to the British throne in 1937. Sadly, the clock has long since disappeared and has not been replaced.

Clock tower in honour of King George VI’s ascension to the British throne

Up next, was the former building of the first Anglican Church in the town. During the Japanese occupation, it housed the Kempeitai (military police of the Imperial Japanese Army), and thereafter to this day it is the Hulu Selangor Traffic Police Headquarters. It overlooks a row of shophouses, with two at the corner (with dark blue doors) said to be where communist spies stayed to monitor the police during the Malayan Emergency. Today the shophouses are left abandoned.

Other sites of interest include the Post Office, the Fire Station, the Hulu Selangor District and former Land Office building, and the Church of St. Paul The Apostle. We were informed by Eric that his uncle-in-law was involved in the building of the church which is situated at Jalan Rasathurai.


The Church of St. Paul The Apostle

The town is also home to a nursery of Big-leaf Mahogany parent trees, some believed to be more than 100 years old. The mahogany tree is the official tree for Hulu Selangor. 

Time has erased some of the history of the town. Roads which were once named after British personnel such as Davidson Street, Maxwell Street, Stonor Street and Bowen Street have been renamed with local names. Many of the town’s back lanes have been painted with plenty of colourful wall murals, catering to those looking for the perfect Instagram selfie.   


Eric (in white shirt) and the group at a back lane filled with murals

Kuala Kubu

After learning about Kuala Kubu Bharu, we wondered about Kuala Kubu. Unbeknownst to many, the current town is the third location of the town of Kuala Kubu. Kuala Kubu, originally situated between two tributaries of the Selangor River, derived its name from a fortress (kubu) built by Raja Mahadi and Syed Mashor to defend the town against Tengku Kudin during the Selangor Civil War (1867-1874) when the warring factions fought for control of the tin trade. In the later years and its heyday, Kuala Kubu was the second largest town in Selangor for tin mining and served as the British colonial administration centre in Ulu Selangor.

Frank Swettenham, who visited Kuala Kubu in 1875 when he was the Assistant Resident, commented about the gigantic dam which was built by the Malays;  it was already more than a hundred years old at that time. Disaster struck in 1883 when the dam which was upstream, collapsed, resulting in major floods that destroyed the town. According to legend, the dam broke because Cecil Ranking, the then District Officer of Kuala Kubu, killed the white crocodile which was said to be the spirit guardian of the Selangor River. Hundreds perished including Ranking himself. The place is now known as Ampang Pecah which translates as Broken Dam. 

Today, in Ampang Pecah stands the Masjid Lama Al-Hidayah, one of two buildings which survived the catastrophe; the other being a Buddhist temple, the Guan Yin Gu See Temple. The temple, built in 1904, is believed to be the oldest in Kuala Kubu. It was abandoned for decades until it was rebuilt by the town’s residents.


The entrance to the Guan Yin Gu See Temple

The town was relocated and rebuilt downside, but suffered constant flooding due to silting. In 1926, the town suffered a major flood. After the flood it was moved for the third time to higher ground, where the new town aptly named Kuala Kubu Bharu remains to this day. The sunken town lies lost and forgotten beneath the carpark of the Taman Millennium Park.

The Keepers of History

Wrapping the tour, we paid a visit to the KKB Historical Gallery which is housed in a wooden stilted traditional Malay house. On exhibition is a wide collection of black-and-white photographs of the town, newspaper cuttings and news highlighting historical events as well as notable people and residents. Speaking of notable people is Halimahton Abdul Majid from Ulu Selangor, Selangor’s first member of Parliament and the first female member of Parliament in the history of our country. She won a seat in the first Federal Elections of 1955.


Inside KKB Historical Gallery

Other highlights of the tour included a stopover at the old railway station, now an abandoned shack along Kuala Kubu Road, obscured and easy to miss. Train service arrived in 1894 when the final section of the railway track was completed, linking Kuala Kubu to Serendah, Rawang and Kuala Lumpur. Due to the floods, the station was moved to Kuala Kubu Road in 1924. It was later abandoned with the construction of double tracking and a new KTM Komuter station further down the road.


The abandoned old railway station at Kuala Kubu Road

We also stopped in Rasa, another tin mining town, to view the former home of tin miner and businessman Tan Boon Chia. After his death, his sons lived in the mansion. It was said the Japanese Imperial Army seized the mansion for their headquarters during WWII. His sons apparently fled when the Japanese arrived and never returned.

The last stop of the day was the Seven Wells of Serendah, a flood mitigation system comprising a small dam with 7 spillways and sinkholes. The system was introduced by the British to prevent a similar occurrence such as that experienced by Kuala Kubu from happening again. 


The spillways at the Seven Wells of Serendah 


The group with Eric at Guan Yin Gu See Temple (photo courtesy of Ler Lian Wee)

A big thank you to Eric, for taking us around and sharing the history of the quaint little town of Kuala Kubu Bharu.

Qualla Lampart, a village between two rivers

Danie Picot

When navigating up the Klang river to try and go as far upstream as possible, you have to stop at this confluence between two rivers. The current becomes more tumultuous as you approach the mountains. The passengers of the boats have already suffered three long days to go upstream, they have to move forward with a long stick planted in the river bed, they take the pole in turn. During this river trip, they stop at the Damansara river, there is a “pengkalan”, a wharf where one can moor the long boats loaded with food and equipment. There, travelers can find enough food to refresh, a lot of fruits, spring water, raised platforms to rest and prepare for the long ascent.

When they see the foothills looming, when the pole can no longer fight against the flow, they stop at this second “Pengkalan” in the heart of the jungle.

There are a few houses on stilts, they belong to the Temuan who are settled Orang Asli. 

On a hill a little further live the Mandaling people who came from Sumatra in the middle of the 19th century.

The place has no name.

Klang River, circa 1880. (Source: KITLV Universiteit Leiden)

It is a confluence and a landing place that is called Pengkalan in Malay and Temuan. Over time, towards the end of the 19th century, more and more people arrived and settled, they spoke different languages, the word “pengkalan” changed, got misspelled, became “kalan” and then “kuala”.

Yet a “kuala” is an estuary, not a confluence, but it is kuala that remains.

There are other Kuala that are not estuaries, Kuala Kangsar, royal city on the Perak river,

From Pengkalan Lumpor, this village between two rivers was now called Kuala Lumpur. The boats arrived, docked, and left. Coolies, men, women and children trampled on the water edge, they lived there, it became muddy, the water rose quickly during the rains, the place was certainly muddy.

The river was brown, silty. For a long time, the veins of tin ore upstream had been worked, the mines size increased and more alluviums went down the current, muddying further the water.

In bahasa Melayu, mud is Lumpor, which became Lumpur.From Pengkalan Lumpor, the muddy wharf, this village between the two rivers was now called Kuala Lumpur.

Lumpur is sometimes explained differently. Several maps and testimonies speak of the Lumpoor River. Anderson was a translator and writer of the English East India Company, he crossed the Klang river in 1818. He wrote ”the river is easily navigable up to the confluence with the Damansara river. Then it goes further up to the tributary Sungei Lumpoor, where we can mine the tin deposits.”

A Chief Mines Inspector, Gripper, wrote that the Sungai Lumpur merges with the Klang River. To Gripper, the Gombak river was the Lumpur river; it changed its name after the Selangor Wars 1873. According to Malaysian custom, the confluence takes the name of the smaller of the two rivers, Kuala, the wharf, took the name of Lumpur.

Today in Kuala Lumpur the muddy estuary is a confluence where 2 rivers meet, the Gombak and the Klang, the water is rather green-brown but not really muddy, the fish jump there lightly, sometimes between plastic bottles going down the stream. Thanks to the government rehabilitation program called River of Life, the Klang and the Gombak are getting a makeover, to the delight of walkers and visitors.

source : https://www.malaysia-traveller.com/old-malaya-photos.html

The banks had been inhabited for a long time. The Temuans, natives of the region settled there. They live in houses on stilts. The river was meant for fishing, ablutions, wandering buffaloes, as a playground for children, and a thousand daily chores.

Thanks to the numerous streams which cross the jungle, people cleared and planted rice fields, enough for the community and a little more for trade. They used to cruise down with their canoes to the mouth at Pengkalan Kallang (Klang). They needed salt, cotton, knives, metal hooks and baked clay ovens. They enjoyed ikan bilis, sun-dried fry that improved their staple food. They brought rice, durians and wild rambutans. Medicinal herbs were much sought after because the Temuan Shamans knew how to cure fevers, blood clots, kidney disease, and much more thanks to herbs and animals. Also, in baskets braided with pandan leaves, they brought tin ore. 

The Temuans exploited  the rich deposits of the Klang and Gombak rivers and their smaller tributaries: Sungai Ampang, Sungai Sering, Sungai Bunus, Busuk, Kerok, Jinjang, Kemunsing, Belongkong, Puteh. They worked like gold panners do: using large wooden trays they rotated, the water discharged and the ore remained at the bottom of the tray. Villages of few houses were scattered along rivers and in the jungle. There was a network of trails through the forest. When they went up with their goods against the current, they stopped at a larger confluence where the Damansara river joined the Klang. Then they went further upstream. It is quite possible that they had already opened a path through the jungle between the confluence of the Damansara and the next confluence between the Klang and the Lumpoor. Attack by a tiger on this road was not uncommon. Today the tigers are driving their car along that same  jalan Damansara.

This is how Kuala Lumpur became a gateway to an interior rich in tin and forest products. Thanks to the pathways along the rivers and streams, one can cross the cordillera and reach Pahang and  its rich gold mines.

Other people went up the river: men, women, families in small groups, settled at the confluence. The Sumatran Mandallings cleared a hill on the left bank of the Klang, out of reach of flooding and planted pineapples. It’s Bukit Nanas.

The Mandallings were refugees fleeing from wars called the Padri War and Dutch colonization.

[The Padri were a group of Muslims influenced by the Wahhabis during a trip to Mecca. At the beginning of the 19th century the Padri sought to purge the culture, traditions and beliefs of the people of Sumatra such as the Minangkabau, the Mandallings, the Rawas, the Raos because they believed that their customs were not in accordance with Islam. Smoking opium, cock fighting, chewing betel nut were considered pagan, even practiced by Muslims. Whole villages were burned, the inhabitants were massacred, except the men and the young healthy girls who were sold as slaves. A virgin girl is worth a barrel of powder. (Lubis p.99)

The Dutch were called for help. Colonization did not help the population. Forced farming on poor, mountainous land was extremely difficult. All of this led to a mass exodus.]

These inhabitants of Sumatra worked the gold mines. They were miners and they naturally went where one could find gold, and later, tin. The Minangkabau settled in Melaka, gateway to immigrants, then in the Negeri Sembilan. The Mandailings mostly settled in Pahang for its gold mines or inland upstream the Sungai Klang.

Later, when the British chose Kuala Lumpur as headquarters of the colonial administration, the Minangkabau and the Mandailings were considered as “Malays”. 

Between the two rivers, and in several small villages scattered in the forest, from 1830, they cleared and planted more rice fields and tapioca, built houses, fortified Bukit Nanas, opened mines, widened the paths. Because all the communications with the littoral passed by the river, there was no road. The locals, by tradition, lived on the left bank of the Klang, so the two communities shared the territory.

The men’s job was to take care of the rice fields and to clear and find tin deposits. The women were busy with their large wooden trays to extract the ore. In exchange for their sales, they bought needed tools, salt, dried fish, clothes and a little opium.

Sutan Puasa left Mandailing territory badly damaged by the Padri wars and impoverished by the Dutch occupation. He joined his community in Kuala Lumpur and made his wealth  in  tin mining. He went along the ore road to Melaka. In 1859, on his way back, he stopped at Lukut, which was already a flourishing mining town. There, he persuaded two Chinese merchants from whom he bought supplies, to return with him and the goods to settle in “the village between the two rivers” where he resided.

Hiu Siew and Ah Sze Keledek were looking for a location not far from the river and on the path used by the coolies on their way from the mines. Ore tin was carried  back in baskets balanced on their shoulders. They cleared an area which will later be the main market square, Pasar Besar. They built their houses side by side and started their business there in 1859. Ah Sze Keledek was a sweet and easygoing man thus his nickname of Ah Sze sweet potato. Both were partners in starting and operating the tin mines. They carried on their trade in food and various goods to equip the mines. Ah Sze Keledek would become one of the wealthiest mine owners in the region.

Hiu Siew, of Hakka origin, took care of the workers from his clan who arrived in large numbers to work in the mines. He built longhouses to house them, set up a small opium den, brought in singsong girls from China, and foremost, promised to take care of the funeral rites should they die. He became the first Captain China of this mining village which was now called Kuala Lumpur.

(source: Wikipedia)

Other merchants arrived later on and opened businesses to supply the industry.

For centuries, tin had been mined in the rich deposits that followed a seam along the North-South Cordillera from Thailand to Malaysia. Dongson drums from the 6th century BCE, are made of an alloy of tin, copper and lead. They were found near Klang and along the Sungai Klang in Selangor, next to  the places that landed the productions from the interior deposits.

These drums, which are found in several places in Asia, show the existence of a maritime trade in the export of tin. The port of Klang received the ore collected by the local tribes and all the profits went to the chiefs who had control of the ports and the rivers. From the 10th century, the Peninsula supplied the tin needs of SouthEast Asia.

The tin mines of Lukut in the Negeri Sembilan were in full production from the beginning of the 19th century. Sultan Muhammad, a Bugis warrior who inherited the Sultanate from the Malaysian kingdoms, reigned over the territory of Selangor and granted two members of his family, Raja Jumaat and Raja Abdullah, the authorization to search for tin seams upstream of the territory’s rivers.

Raja Jumaat operated the Lukut mines and Raja Abdullah obtained the rights to the tin reserves upstream the Klang River. In 1857, he set up an expedition, mainly financed by Baba Chee Yam Chuan, a wealthy Hokkien merchant from Melaka. Bolstered by his brother Raja Jumaat, who provided him with the workforce, he went with eighty seven miners up the Klang river and landed at the confluence between the Klang and the Lumpoor (or Gombak).

In each boat, there were ten men and a large amount of food and equipment. For this trip, the boats were loaded with rice, jars of coconut oil, tobacco, gambier, spirits and opium chest. There were also hoes with axes and other tools, baskets to transport the earth. They took weapons for their protection, muskets, gunpowder, knives and spears. Each man also had his personal package or box containing his spare clothes and a few other possessions. The river was a highway through the jungle, the main road leading to the heart of Selangor.

The boats glide in between two walls of dense vegetation. Near the estuary are the mangroves, trees with aerial roots where a crocodile can sometimes be seen with its mouth open, nipah palms that look like a palm leaf planted straight in the water. In the sweltering, warm air, the trees on the shore sometimes provided some shade. Large bamboo shoots gave a lighter green tone in this endless vegetation that the miners crossed for three long hot days, distracted only by the howling of monkeys.

Most of these young men did not survive the difficult conditions, they had to clear the jungle, to dig within the current and basically to live in the water. Most of them perished from malaria, cholera or dysentery. Other miners arrived from Lukut in boats loaded with provisions. They worked the mines of Ampang and Petaling which started to export their first ingots in 1859. The mines required significant manpower and Raja Abdullah was granted the “Kuasa Cina”. That was the right to import Chinese coolies to work in the Upper Klang mines. These arriving Chinese people were trying to escape the misery of their country. Poverty and famine caused by the defeat of China against the European powers during the opium wars. A man, the Dato Bandar, placed by Raja Abdullah, collected taxes from the crossing of rivers, a dollar for a kati or 600 grams of tin.

Other merchants arrived, and people settled along the roads in slightly raised houses:a plank platform, walls of dried mud or of woven bamboo panels and the roofs made of superimposed  long leaves of attap palm or Nipah palm. These houses sheltered the family from the sun, the rain, wild and domestic animals. Unfortunately they were prone to fire and flooding when the river overflowed.

The jungle remained omnipresent. Inhabitants were allowed to grow vegetables at the back of their house, put a few pigs in a den, hens were running free.

The land belonged to the Sultan or Raja, the population was small and of different origins, from the Mandailings of the Kerincis and the Rawas of Sumatra to the Chinese. With the consent of the Raja,the property belongs to the one who clears and occupies the land permanently. If they cleared more than necessary, they could rent their land to newcomers who would farmed it.

An open cast mine in Perak during the early 20th century. 

(source: https://www.nst.com.my/lifestyle/sunday-vibes/2019/05/489672/magic-and-opium-hardship-faced-early-tin-prospectors)

The village of Kuala Lumpur was developing into an important mining center.

It was a logistic platform, thanks to the numerous surrounding mines and a rich hinterland. The collected and melted tin, the various products of the jungle and the vegetables from the farms on the slopes of the Titiwangsa reef were collected to the benefit of the rest of the country. Goods, equipment, food and more men arrived.

After the death of Hiu Siew , Liu Ngim Kong, his assistant, became Captain China. The title of Captain dates back to Malacca at the time of the Portuguese occupation. It was the usual title of the chief of fairly important Chinese villages in the Malay Peninsula. In 1862 Liu Ngim Kong came to Kuala Lumpur with a young Chinese Hakka, Yap Ah Loi, whom he met in the mines of Lukut and Sungei Ujong (Seremban). Yap Ah Loi was Liu’s right hand and looked after his mines. In 1868, Liu died and Yap Ah Loi succeeded him. He was Captain China until his death in September 1885.

Image Yap Ah Loi & Sutan Puasa (https://cilisos.my/sutan-puasa-vs-yap-ah-loy-who-actually-founded-kuala-lumpur/)

Selangor Wars

The Sultan, the heads of the Royal House and the great commoners, all live along the river, drawing their income from tolls on the traffic of the river and its tributaries.

In 1867, the royal families of the Selangor tore themselves apart for the rights to export the tin of Klang and Kuala Selangor. The Selangor tin mines provided significant revenue. Six years of fighting ensued for the control of the forts on the river estuaries.

During this period of war, the miners of Kuala Lumpur seek other means and routes to convey the tin towards the ports for international trade. By thus, the tin escaped river taxmen and the Malays fighters  moved towards  inner Selangor to take direct control of the tin mines.

In August 1872, Kuala Lumpur fell, Its fragile wooden and palm houses were completely burned. The mines were abandoned and flooded. Yap ah Loi escaped to Klang.

There was another final battle in March 1873, following which, Yap Ah Loi repossessed what was left of the city and the adjacent mines.

The civil war could have lasted a long time without any results being seen. But it so happens that the Selangor went under British protection in February 1874 and the fighting stopped.

Yap Ah Loi’s first post-war problem was the economic reconstruction of Kuala Lumpur. The mines have turned into muddy ponds. Water wells, chain pumps, smelters and all mine equipment were destroyed. The large Kongsi houses in which the miners lived had been used as military centers and burned down during fights.

The mining workforce has been killed in combat or dispersed to other mines.

Buying equipment, pumping water from the mines, bringing back men, housing them, feeding them, all this had a significant cost. The fortune that Yap Ah Loi had won during his harbor master’s office was swallowed up in the reconstruction of ‘his’ city. Thanks to this indomitable energy, at the end of 1875, he had restored his work force to 6000 miners, compared to 10 000 in 1870.

source: G.R. Lambert & Co – Vision of the Past – A history of early photography in Singapore and Malaya, The photographs of G.R.Lambert & Co., 1880-1910

But what a dirty city!

It is a filthy town, the streets are crowded and dirty, the garbage is piled up on the roadsides. Dysentery, smallpox, cholera and other epidemics run in the population. There is no fire prevention, only a rule requiring all households to keep a barrel full of water always on the ready.

A huge hut of disjointed planks, with the roof badly thatched with palm leaves serves as a game room where a constant horde of loud Chinese and Malaysians bet and play.

In the opium barracks, which are just as badly tied up, planks used as beddings are stacked along the walls, one climbs to those at the top by use of a ladder. A lively servant burns a nugget which he places quickly on the furnace of a long pipe. The reclining man inhales in small puffs the opiate smoke which will help him to continue with his life, to endure the physical pains and the hardships of being far from his country in such difficult conditions.

In a mining town where men outnumber women, there were inevitably innumerable brothels. Most of the very young girls, bought for little from their parents, lived and plied their “trade” in squalid conditions. The houses were filthy, tiny rooms with no windows and no ventilation, so dark that a candle was lit all day long. These young girls, almost slaves, prayed to Hua Fen Fu Ren, the goddess of beauty at the little temple next door.

Father Letessier, the French priest of the Société des Missions Etrangères de Paris, who arrived in Penang in 1880 and 1883 in Kuala Lumpur, arranged a larger and healthier house for prostitutes. There were up to 300 women in 1884 and in 1899 Sister Levine of the congregation of the infant Jesus welcomed their orphans.

Captain China Yap Ah Loi is everywhere, takes care of everything, builds gaming houses and brothels, builds houses for rent, provides public services, school, police, prison, hospital, and makes considerable profits everywhere.

To manage this increasingly large administration, he relied on the organization of Chinese secret societies. Order, law, defense, development, the means of supply, the daily life of minors and the rites after death were taken care of and helped by the Kongsis.

Always, Yap Ah Loi was at the center of all aspects of social affairs. In economics, politics, administration, he took all the important decisions.

Swettenham believed that it was Yap Ah Loi’s personal determination that had prevented the Chinese from abandoning the mines around Kuala Lumpur in 1875.

source: https://www.ttgasia.com/2021/02/11/old-kuala-lumpur-east-west-connection-virtual-tour/

During the years 1875 to 1878 the British were into the habit of regularly visiting Kuala Lumpur. They began to settle in late 1879.

In 1874 Davidson was the resident “advisor” to Sultan Abdul Samad of Selangor.

Indeed, following the wars between the Chinese clans enemies in Perak, and the disputes of the sultans for questions of territoriality and successions as in Selangor, the British were brought to intervene. The East India Company first and then the Colonial Ministry offered to help the Sultans by placing a resident by their side to advise them on economic matters. Sultans and Rajas were to keep ancestral customs and religion. In reality it is the Resident who will govern.

In 1874 after the treaty of Pangkor which ratified these agreements, there was a Resident in Perak, in Selangor, in Pahang and in Negeri Sembilan.

In 1895 the British thought that it was more advantageous to bring these sultanates together in a federation. That was the creation of the Federated Malaysian States, the British Malaya.

In 1896,  the city developed very quickly and more and more inhabitants arrived. The place was almost in the center of the federated states and close to the straits of Melaka, thus it was decided to create a capital between the two rivers Klang and Gombak, at the muddy confluence, Kuala Lumpur.

References

Ref les Temuans: wikipedia Temuan People (consulted 6/12/2019)

Ref les Temuans: Early History

Ref Padri war: Wikipedia Padri War (consulted 9/12/2019)

Ref Dongson drums: https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2019/04/477866/dong-son-drums-found-msia-could-be-more-2000-years-old (consulté le 15/02/2020)

Ref Lubis 

Sutan Puasa, Abdur-Razzaq Lubis

  • Padri War, Lubis pages 57 à 147
  • Étain, Lubis page 149
  • Sutan Puasa, Lubis page 187 à 189

Ref Gullick

  • Journal article Kuala Lumpur 1880-1895 J.M. Gullick (journal of Malayan of Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society)
  • Old Kuala Lumpur J.M.Gullick

Jacques de Morgan, Exploration dans la presqu’ile malaise 1884

Jeanne Cuisinier, What I saw in Malaya

Ref prostituees: Lucy Chang Hirata JSTOR, Free indentured enslaved: Chinese prostitutes in 19th century America

À mots couverts, sur les traces de George Orwell en Birmanie

Spiritual Treasures of Islamic Art: Magic Bowls

Emna Esseghir 

Magic bowl, engraved with Arabic inscriptions (Quranic verses and prayers) and with engraved brass tags (charms or ‘keys’) attached, exhibited at the British Museum.

(source: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/W_1921-1025-5)

History of Magic:

The history of magic is a fascinating tapestry woven through the fabric of human civilization. Its roots extend deeply into ancient cultures worldwide, often entwined with religious practices, folklore, mysticism, and the pursuit of understanding the unknown.

Ancient civilizations across Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, and Rome held beliefs in magical practices, rituals, and individuals possessing supernatural abilities. These practices were often intertwined with religious ceremonies, healing rituals, and attempts to control natural forces.

In the Middle Ages, magic became associated with both mystical spirituality and the occult. Alchemists sought to transform base metals into gold and create elixirs of immortality, merging scientific experimentation with mystical beliefs.

During the Renaissance, the line between science, magic, and philosophy blurred further. Thinkers like Paracelsus explored the concept of a universal healing force, while figures like John Dee engaged in mystical practices and attempted to communicate with angels through rituals.

The Age of Enlightenment brought forth a shift toward empirical science, causing a divide between magical thinking and scientific reasoning. This era witnessed a decline in the societal acceptance of magical practices, which were often seen as superstitions or fraudulence.

However, interest in the occult, mysticism, and esoteric practices persisted in secret societies and among individual practitioners. The 19th and 20th centuries saw a revival of magical traditions, with movements like Theosophy, Hermeticism, and the study of ancient mystical texts gaining traction.

Today, magic persists in various forms, from stage illusions and entertainment to spiritual practices like Wicca, paganism, and various occult traditions. Modern practitioners often draw inspiration from ancient texts, folklore, and a diverse array of spiritual beliefs, seeking a deeper understanding of the mystical and the unknown within the framework of contemporary society.

Magic in Islam:

Magic within Islam holds a complex and nuanced position. The Quran acknowledges the existence of magic, referring to it as real but also as a forbidden practice. Islamic teachings distinguish between miracles performed by prophets with God’s permission and acts of magic, which are considered acts of deception and disobedience.

The practice of magic, or “sihr” in Arabic, involves invoking supernatural forces to perform actions that are beyond natural laws. Islam strictly prohibits the use of magic as it involves seeking power from sources other than God, leading to falsehood and harm. Those who practice magic are considered to be engaging in activities that are contrary to the teachings of Islam.

However, Islamic traditions also acknowledge the existence of protective measures against magic, known as “ruqyah.” This practice involves reciting specific verses from the Quran or prayers seeking protection from harm caused by magic or evil spirits. It’s seen as a permissible form of seeking refuge in God’s guidance and protection.

The concept of jinn, spiritual beings made of smokeless fire, is often associated with magic in Islamic belief. Some believe that certain practitioners of magic use jinn to perform their sorcery, although such actions are condemned in Islam.

Magic Medicinal Bowl

Magic Medicinal Bowl

(Image source: https://www.michaelbackmanltd.com/archived_objects/islamic-magic-bowl/)

In the captivating world of Islamic artistry, an exquisite array of artifacts unravels a narrative beyond mere aesthetics, revealing a profound tapestry interwoven with spiritual beliefs and cultural resonance. 

Nestled among these treasures, the enigmatic allure of magical bowls unveils a saga that intertwines mystical beliefs, masterful craftsmanship, and spiritual rituals, encapsulating the essence of Islamic cultural depth. These enchanting vessels, revered for their mystical properties and spiritual significance, epitomize the intricate layers of understanding inherent in Islamic culture. 

Every meticulously inscribed stroke of calligraphy serves not only as a visual spectacle but as a deliberate conduit, meticulously chosen to harness the divine power believed to reside within these sacred words. 

Beyond their utilitarian function, these bowls held a revered status as conduits of celestial energy and reservoirs of ancient wisdom. The intricate symbols etched onto their surfaces transcend mere adornment, carrying profound layers of spiritual significance and serving as gateways to a realm beyond the physical. In some models, the inclusion of zodiac signs within these bowls further underscores the intimate connection between the celestial and earthly domains, symbolizing the celestial forces’ influence on human destinies and wellbeing. 

This harmonious integration of cosmic elements with healing or divination practices showcases the seamless interplay between the mystical and the tangible, a hallmark of Islamic cultural heritage. 

The act of filling these bowls transcended a mere ritual; it was a profound ceremony that bestowed the vessel with the potent energy encapsulated within the inscriptions. Partaking in the enchanted elixir was an act of unwavering faith, believed to harness the power of healing or unveil glimpses of the mysterious future. Far beyond their function as mere healing tools, these bowls embodied a collective consciousness, encapsulating the spiritual wisdom and intricate belief systems of their time. 

They stand as enduring reminders of the deep reverence accorded to language, writing, and the unseen forces believed to be encapsulated within these meticulously crafted artifacts. The timeless legacy of these magical bowls unveils a mesmerizing fusion of spirituality, symbolism, and material culture within Islamic traditions.

They serve as enduring testaments to the eternal quest for healing, guidance, and spiritual alignment, transcending the limitations of time and continuing to intrigue and inspire across generations.

Some examples of magic medicinal bowl

Example #1

Magic Bowl displayed in Shahaniya, Qatar.

(Image source: https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;EPM;qt;Mus22;22;en&cp)

Wrapped around this bronze bowl, one finds the protective embrace of Quranic verses, blessings, and mystical symbols—a blend that characterizes the Islamic magic bowls, crafted to shield against fear, ward off evil, and repel malevolent forces like the jinn. These artifacts, originating from Karbala in Iraq, a revered pilgrimage site for Shiite Muslims, have emerged across regions like Syria, India, and Iran since the 12th century. Contrasting with earlier Sasanian bowls adorned with Aramaic inscriptions, these Islamic counterparts, fashioned from metal instead of clay, serve a divergent purpose, seeking protection rather than invoking demonic entities.

Adorning the bowl’s exterior in the graceful thuluth style of Arabic calligraphy is the esteemed Throne Verse (Ayat al Kursi) from the Qur’an, renowned for its talismanic defense. A hexagram, evoking the legacy of prophet Sulayman (Solomon), accompanies this, while nearby inscriptions offer blessings for the body and senses. Symbolically, the vessel’s twelve panels pay homage to the twelve Imams in Shia Islam. Further enriching the significance, the inclusion of science letters (ilm al huruf) attributes mystical properties to the array of letters inscribed on these panels.

Example #2

Magic bowl with attached prayer tablets. Probably 19th or 20th century, Iran.

(Image source: https://exhibitions.kelsey.lsa.umich.edu/pearls/objects/bowl2.html)

This model is adorned with intricate inscriptions and an array of zodiac signs, every surface of this metal bowl captivates the eye with its artistry. In the Islamic tradition, such magical bowls were revered for their dual purpose—either for healing or divination. Once filled, it was believed that these bowls infused the liquid they contained with the potent energy imbued in the inscriptions. People consumed this elixir in the hopes of finding relief from ailments or gaining glimpses into what the future held.

At the heart of this bowl lies a prominent central protrusion known as an omphalos or göbek in Turkish, meaning “navel.” Along the rim, a cleverly placed hole allowed for the attachment of a string of tablets referred to as kırk anahtar (forty keys) in Turkish. These tablets, adorned with bismillah prayer formulas, served a purpose akin to prayer beads or rosaries. While this specific bowl displays tablets linked by a string, other existing examples showcase tablets either attached to the rim with metal wire or arranged around the central omphalos. Regardless of their placement, these tablets produced a distinct rattling sound as the bowl was utilized, adding an intriguing dimension to its use.

Example #3

In our museum we have one displayed in Gallery B

Bronze Bowl dated between14th and 15th century displayed in Gallery B, Muzium Negara. (Image source: Emna Esseghir)

As the previous example, this magical medicinal bowl typically incorporates intricate calligraphy, often Quranic verses or prayers for healing, along with elaborate geometric designs. These bowls are crafted with precision and care, sometimes using specific materials or techniques that are believed to imbue them with healing properties or spiritual significance

The combination of calligraphy and geometric design is intended to create a visually and spiritually powerful object believed to aid in healing or offer positive energy.

The Quranic verses can easily be distinguished from the first line on the bowl with recitations of prayers for the healing of the person who will use it, here some exemples of verses:

SURAH ASSAMAD:

( قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ (1) اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُ (2) لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ (3) وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ (4

Translation (sahih International) :

“He is Allah, One. He is the One, the Singular, Who has no peer, no assistant, no rival, no equal and none comparable to Him.”

The word (Al-Ahad) cannot be used for anyone in affirmation except for Allah within the Islamic Tradition.

SURAH YUNUS AYAT 107 

وَإِن يَمْسَسْكَ اللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ فَلَا كَاشِفَ لَهُ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ وَإِن يُرِدْكَ بِخَيْرٍ فَلَا رَادَّ لِفَضْلِهِ ۚ يُصِيبُ بِهِ مَن يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ ۚ وَهُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

Translation (Sahih International)

“And if Allah should touch you with adversity, there is no remover of it except Him; and if He intends for you good, then there is no repeller of His bounty. He causes it to reach whom He wills of His servants. And He is the Forgiving, the Merciful”

References

History of Magic: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_magic

Magic Medicinal Bowl: https://www.michaelbackmanltd.com/archived_objects/islamic-magic-bowl/

Magic, Marvel, and Miracle in Early Islamic Thought:

https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/abs/cambridge-history-of-magic-and-witchcraft-in-the-west/magic-marvel-and-miracle-in-early-islamic-thought/BA6255F5E53C5DC6C3A96F5E69DF6B8D

The magical fringes of the Islamic faith:

https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/books/magic-in-islam-the-magical-fringes-of-the-islamic-faith/

Islamic magic-therapeutic bowls:

https://as.nyu.edu/research-centers/silsila/events/2018-2019/l_orientale–islamic-magic-therapeutic-bowls.html

Magic Bowl with Attached Prayer Tablets: 

https://exhibitions.kelsey.lsa.umich.edu/pearls/objects/bowl2.html