Master and Doctoral Program of History, Faculty of Humanities, Universitas Diponegoro-Semarang. Last week, the Master and Doctoral Program of History, Faculty of Humanities, Universitas Diponegoro University (Undip), held a Public Lecture on “The Role of Shipmasters in the Malay World History”. The discourse on the shipmaster or skipper is discussed dynamically and interestingly by maritime archaeologist Emeritus Professor Pierre-Yves Manguin from the Ecole française d’Extrême-Orient (EFEO), Paris, France.
Prof. Dr. Singgih Tri Sulistiyono, M. Hum. conveyed in the opening remarks that Prof. Pierre is a world-renowned maritime archaeologist. His research studies primarily focus on the China Sea in the Indian Ocean and the relationship between coastal communities and their environment. Since 1980, he has produced many academic works focusing on maritime archaeology, one of the most famous of which is “Protohistoric and early historic exchange in the Eastern Indian Ocean”, published in 2017.
Prof. Pierre collected plenty of information regarding shipmasters from various inscriptions, including Sanskrit, Old Malay, and Old Javanese in the 5th to 13th centuries AD, Sundanese literature in the 16th century, and classical Malay literature in the 14th century to the 13th-18th century, and spoken sources from various Austronesian languages. After 1000 AD, shipmasters were prominent in Indian epigraphy with different terminologies, such as nauvittaka and naukhuda. Both of these characters show a high social position.
The shipmaster, frequently mentioned in the ancient Javanese Kamlagyan inscription in 1037 AD by Puhawang has a high social position in coastal communities. They also act as brokers in trading (passeurs cultures).
It is emphatically narrated in many Indian epigraphies that the skipper became a prominent exponent of international shipping and trade activities. This figure does not only play a role in dealing with technical problems on the ship but becomes an entrepreneur (entrepreneur) who is behind a long voyage. “This skipper is an investor who funds long voyages. Not infrequently, they trade commodities with high economic value. Even in Hikayat Banjar in the 18th century, it is stated that all captains are responsible for royal trade.” Explained Professor who ever studied engineering.
There is a story from Bujangga Manik related to exploration with a shipmaster. A Bujangga Manik (Rakean Ameng Layar) is told to meet the shipmaster (Puhawang) on his way to Bali and will continue his journey to Bangka. He asked Puhawang’s permission to go with him on a trip to Bali. Puhawang replied in a friendly tone, “if you want to cross the sea, don’t be anxious. Please come on board (if you want to cross the ocean, don’t worry. Come on board).
The existence of this skipper is essential; even in the book of shipping and trade law, Amanna Gappa enshrined in palm leaves in the 17th century, precisely in 1676, it is explained that the skipper is someone who has a boat, capital, sharp mind, experienced sailors. , strong authority over the crew and able to sell the cargo carried on board.
Not only that, the Hikayat Hang Tuah written in the 17th century, describes the city of Melaka, which is filled with merchants (merchants), captains (shipmasters) and wealthy people (notables).
There is even a growing myth about Dang Mpu Hawang, and he is described as a king and shipmaster. Shipmaster is a local figure who is considered to have extraordinary “miracles”. Thanks to his magic, he managed to get a shipload full of valuable commodities. He ruled a land bustling with trading activity.
The event was moderated by a doctoral candidate, Arido Laksono, M. Hum. This attracted abundant attention from audiences from various universities at home and abroad, such as Mrs. Salina from the University of Malaya. She responded a lot to the role of shipmasters in trade and shipping in Southeast Asia. In particular, these skippers also shaped the process of forming coastal communities in Southeast Asia. They significantly contribute to affirming the identity of coastal communities in global history.
