By Dr. Barbara Watson Andaya
For three days, from 22-24 November, the city of Jambi was host to a unique occasion – the very first International Conference on Jambi Studies, organized by the journal Seloko [http://jurnalseloko.com/] and the Dewan Kesenian Jambi, with support from the Governor of Jambi, Bpk. Hasan Basri Agus,
and the Dinas Budaya dan Pariwisata. This was also a special occasion
for me personally, since I had not returned to Jambi since I carried out
research in early 1987. It was amazing and heartening to see how the
field has expanded since that time, and how this conference was able to bring together local scholars and researchers from all over the world.
Over the past twenty years Jambi has been host to a number of
international conferences that have focused on specific topics, such as
the historical significance of
the Muarajambi archaeological complex and the relationship between
modernity and Islamic values. Set against this background, the “First
international Conference on Jambi Studies” was rather different. Rather
than focusing on a particular topic, it was conceived as encompassing a
broad range of scholars and practitioners in different disciplines and
fields of knowledge who would share a common interest in the history and
current condition of the place we call “Jambi.” This conception
resulted in a unique gathering that provided a memorable experience for
all participants. In a press meeting after the conference ended, my
friend and colleague Professor John Miksic commented on how young the
organizers were, and that was a particular delight – to see another
generation emerging as leaders in promoting new writings and new research with Jambi as their focus. As far as participants could see, the “nuts and bolts”
of the conference operated without a hitch – the hotel Novita provided
an outstanding venue, the technology functioned perfectly, the
accommodation and food was excellent, the programs and printed
“Proceedings” were all available, and the seemingly tireless linguistic
skills of the simultaneous translators aroused admiration from all.
It was on the academic level, however, that the exceptional
nature of this conference was best demonstrated. Professor Miksic’s
opening address set the stage for a reappraisal of existing knowledge of
Jambi’s early history while opening the door to future possibilities
for research. In this context we were repeatedly reminded that
although Jambi has long been characterized by connections to wider
economic and cultural worlds, these global connections are now expanding
at an unprecedented rate. The collaboration between local and
international scholarship, so clearly demonstrated in our three days
together, is one fortunate offshoot of this shrinking world. Several
presentations, for instance, focused on the Muarajambi site, especially
its place in the history of Asian Buddhism and Sumatra’s early
connections with India, China and possibly Tibet. Many scholars consider
Muarajambi to be the most extensive and most important site in Sumatra,
and I myself was amazed to see how far the temple complex extends and
some of the finds that have been discovered, including several
previously unknown prasasti. When I visited the site in 1987 it
was far smaller, and only a few temples had been excavated. In
addressing strategies necessary to protect the Muarajambi site, such as
greater community and enhanced public education, several papers were
particularly timely because of the threats that indiscriminate
development poses to preservation of this unique national legacy.
An important theme running through the conference presentations was
the nature of change, especially in regard to the maintenance of Malay
culture. Malays now make up only around 30% of Jambi’s population, but
their culture is significant and distinctive. The loss of local
knowledge may be an inevitable aspect of increased globalization,
whether we are speaking of the need to document specific dialects of
Jambi Malay or the disappearance of traditional house styles. Yet
historians and anthropologists can also point to continuities, such as
the relationship of Islam to Malay culture, and the role of Islamic law
and education in a changing world, which remain a focus for stimulating
discussion and debate. Scholars can also identify features that set
Jambi off from its neighbors, such as the animal seals used by rulers in
the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, probably unique in the Muslim
world. In contemporary times a sense of Jambi identity can be seen in
the revival of local batik with its distinctive and Jambi-specific
motifs, like the ship and the durian pecah, in the beautiful
local embroidery in gold thread, in certain styles of performance, and
in village rituals. Some local novels, especially those sponsored by the
local branch of the national writing association, Forum Lingkar Pena,
are located in a Jambi environment, and convey a persuasive picture of
modern life. The recurring question, of course, concerns the maintenance
of Malay culture, given the numbers of newcomers from other ethnic
groups and their incorporation into Jambi society. Should the government
take a stand in legislating to protect the Malay heritage? How
effective would this be?
Some groups within the boundaries of modern Jambi have attracted particular attention. One notable area is the highland kabupaten
of Kerinci, in part because its distance from major lowland centers
allowed it to develop relatively independently while being linked to the
wider network of early Malay culture. It was here, for instance, that
the Tanjung Tanah “Code of Laws” was recently discovered. Dated to the
14th century, this pre-Islamic text is thought to be the
oldest in the Malay language. Yet in Kerinci too change is evident, as
seen in the ways in which inheritance and kinship relationships,
especially matrilineality, have shifted, in part because an expanding
economy has meant greater exposure to influences from neighboring
societies and from the Indonesian state. More adversely affected by
economic and political changes are the orang rimba and suku anak dalam,
the groups who previously lived in the jungle or whose livelihood
depended on unrestricted access to the forest environment. The
extractive nature of the logging industry and the ruthless spread of
palm oil plantations have resulted in the destruction of much of Jambi’s
forested areas. In turn, the disappearance of the forest is endangering
the preservation of the extraordinary knowledge possessed by these
groups while undermining the relevance of many traditional rituals. In
short, although the conference celebrated many achievements both in the
past and in the present, participants did not forget presence of
disturbing realties related to issues such as landlessness, unregulated
development, environmental degradation, and transmigration.
Despite the unsettling messages of several papers, the three days
ended on a high note (with a visit to Muarajambi and the usual round of
photographs, some of which will appear on Facebook!). The presentations
we heard spanned centuries of the Jambi experience, transcending the
boundaries that so often divide disciplines and opening up possibilities
for collaborative and interactive work in the future. Above all, the
ICJS-1 showed how far the study of Jambi has moved over the past
century. The priorities now are to maintain the momentum we established,
to strengthen our international networking, to ensure that the
Jambi-focused journal Seloko maintains its present high quality
and above all, to begin planning for the second International Conference
of Jambi Studies in two years’ time. We are all confident that our next
reunion will be equally (if not more) successful as our first, and on
behalf of all participants I express once again our heartfelt thanks to
all those involved in organizing this memorable occasion. If you would
like to contact the organizers, the email is icjs12013@gmail.com.
Sumber: http://www.cseashawaii.org/2013/12/report-on-the-first-international-conference-on-jambi-studies-hosted-by-seloko/
Sumber: http://www.cseashawaii.org/2013/12/report-on-the-first-international-conference-on-jambi-studies-hosted-by-seloko/
