An old friend , Sadie Sulaiman, asked me what is OLD NUSANTARA. This was my impromptu answer.
I would appreciate your thoughts on this.
OLD NUSANTARA is a world slowly being eroded in our own country, the playground of Nusantara for a thousand years if not more. The Peninsular was the bridge connecting all people from the Philippines archipelago to the Indonesia far end islands. Champa, Siam throughout Indo-China. While the language spoken all over the Nusantara were varied with Tagalog, Javanese, Bugis and Thai up north, we were the keepers of the Malay language - the lingua franca of the Nusantara.
The kingdoms of Gangga Nagara, Majapahit, Srivijaya, Sailendra, Mataram, Langkasuka, Ayuthaya, Melaka and Patani represent some of the lost worlds. Some have monuments preserved from ancient times like the Borobodur Temple despite being buried for centuries under volcanic ash, others retain their classical manuscript as a reminder of a grandeur past like Nekaragatama, Sejarah Melayu, Hikayat Patani , Misa Melayu and more.
Others, like Singapore wants to now present their Makyung, Angklung and Gamelan to the world (imported from Rantau Panjang and Terengganu expertise), the Balinese of course is strong on their culture while Thailand has captured the world of food and craftsmanship. Which is well and good as we can only survive if a large body of nations acknowledge the lure and beauty of the Nusantara.
But we must make a stand and stake our own claim and expertise.
So I do my bit to promote the Malay Hikayat, which God willing, no one will take away from us - if we are careful and diligent. I publish Malay Hikayat under Utusan Publishers and just as diligently continue to write. I try to provide a good dose of research that can be translated into worthy projects, hopefully movies and others for coming generations.
What is your take?
6 commentaires:
Aunty Ninot,
And don't forget to translate Jawi manucsripts into Rumi....lest we have another guling on the floor session at Arkib Negara. purrr....meow!
Dear dear Cat,
I am still at the crawling stage where jawi is concerned. But getting better since I found Utusan's section on Jawi.
I used toi hear 'nusantara Indonesia' in the early 1950's. I think President Soekarno used that in his fiery speeches. I understood it as 'negara or kepulauan Indonesia'.
I have just consulted my 1932 edition of Wilkinson's " A Malay-English Dictionary, and found this short expplanation:
NUSA. I . Javanese. Island (only in isdlasnd-names, not in speaking of an island: e.g.: Nusantara (=Nusa Antara): N.Tamara flores)
II. (Batav)). The day after tomorrow; = (Mal.)lusa.
Hope that makes ense to you.
Dear Pakcik, when I was researching Majapahit last year, I came across Gajah Mada's Sumpah Palapa in 1336 which goes like this:
Sira Gajah Madapatih Amangkubhumi tan ayun amuktia palapa, sira Gajah Mada: "Lamun huwus kalah nusantara isun amukti palapa, lamun kalah ring Gurun, ring Seran, Tañjung Pura, ring Haru, ring Pahang, Dompo, ring Bali, Sunda, Palembang, Tumasik, samana isun amukti palapa".
Beliau Gajah Mada Patih Amangkubumi tidak ingin melepaskan puasa. Ia Gajah Mada, "Jika telah mengalahkan Nusantara, saya (baru akan) melepaskan puasa. Jika mengalahkan Gurun, Seram, Tanjung Pura, Haru, Pahang, Dompo, Bali, Sunda, Palembang, Tumasik, demikianlah saya (baru akan) melepaskan puasa".
We are an ancient people.
Wow Pakcik, a 1932 dictionary. I envy you.
Salam Ninot,
You should have pitched your ideas to producers or TV stations at the Malaysia Creative Pitch 2011 at FINAS yesterday. Sorry, I was too busy helping the organisers to alert you to it. No matter, you can still contact the Head of Acquisition. Best of luck!
Dear Baiti,
Thank you for the tip. Who should I contact directly. Would appreciate if you have any further info, you can send it to ninotaziz@gmail.com
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