RECONCILIATION: MACCASAN
Aboriginal-Makkasan interactions in the eighteenth and nineteenth ... -
www.aussiemuslims.com › ... › Education › Islamic History - "Inviting to the Way of submission and surrender to Allah."
A Treaty with the Macassans? Burrumarra and the Dholtji Ideal Is there evidence for the enactment of treaties between Aborigines (Yolngu) in north-east Arnhem Land and Macassan trepang fishermen in the days preceding British settlement in northern Australia? In this paper, I examine David Burrumarra's claim that ceremonies linked to a Dreaming Macassan (Birrinydji) united Yolngu and the very earliest 'Macassan' visitors, the Bayini and Wurrumala. Could these partnerships be considered treaties? To answer this question, I examine the societal collapse and dispersal of Burrumarra's Warramiri clan at Dholtji in the 1800s as a consequence of the Macassan encounter. For Burrumarra, the memory of a former 'golden age' of partnership was instrumental in facilitating clan resurgence at a new locale, Elcho Island, in the mid- to late nineteenth century. The Yolngu vision of intercultural diplomacy is based on the notion of these original 'treaties'. It mirrors the fundamental principle of intermarrying moieties, bringing together the very best from both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal worlds, and is as relevant today as during the heyday of the trepangers.
Yolngu bungul, such as those depicting swords and flags, delighted the Macassan audiences. Even more surprising for these audiences were Yolngu chants of 'Allah' in the Walitha'walitha manikay (see below). The six Yolngu clans involved in the performance worked together to decide on and perform the manikay and bungul. Their negotiations were guided by the invariant socio-centric mari–gutharra ('grandmother–grandchild') relationships among the three Yirritja clans present and the variant socio-centric yothu–yindi ('mother–child') relationships between the Dhuwa and Yirritja clans, a situation in which the yothu (child) in any given situation is always the djungaya ('boss/manager') for his or her yindi ('mother') clan's land and ceremonies. ... Through this ceremony, the Yolngu were fulfilling their familial and ritual obligations, assisting the spirit to complete its journey (see also Warner 1969, 420). Yolju clans deploy flags as sacred narratives of their power and legitimacy. Accompanying this was a Dhuwa manikay of the Gälpu clan, sung as the ship set sail. It was sung by a (Dhuwa) Dätiwuy clan elder whose (Yirritja) mother's clan, Dhalwaju, is also the mother clan of Gälpu. For the Yolngu, with tears in their eyes, the public performance of Trepang completed the spirit's final passage.
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Macassans; Bayini (Baijini); Wurrumala; Birrinydji; Treaty; Elcho Island; Trepang; Dholtji; Ritual; Performance
 ********************************************************************************* Negotiating the Ritual and Social Order through Spectacle: The (Re)Production of Macassan/Yolngu Histories
Broadly framed in terms of performance theories by Turner and Beeman, this paper weaves together the historical, mythical, ritual and performative aspects of a 1997 encounter in Sulawesi between Yolŋu and Macassans (people from southern Sulawesi, Indonesia). The focus of the paper is an indigenous opera called Trepang, which is based on the centuries-long history of trading relations and family connections between the two groups, and the way its performance was used by the Yolŋu and Macassan cast members to renegotiate their often turbulent shared history, along with the contemporary social and ritual order. In this light, Trepang can be understood as a restorative social process, a means of pursuing a common path and a way of ameliorating the discrepancies of the past—bringing the parties finally together as one. Analysing the social context in which the performance of historical 'truths' was negotiated, I unpack key events in the staging of this 'play within a play' and demonstrate the need to transgress the dualism of ritual and spectacle.
from: www.informaworld.com - http://nyinyikay.com (c) Authors: Ian S. McIntosh, Lisa Palmer
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1493 drafts 1540- 1550 - Alternate History Discussion Board -
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1540 – 1547: The Fall 1540 Makassar The Great Army return to Makassar, with a large supply of pure pituri, and details on its cultivation. Their return is marked with two weeks of celebrations. The price of pituri falls drastically. The karaeang, as patron of the Great Army, officially controls all supply of pituri, selling it at set rates to the aristocracy. The effect of this is that political power becomes even more centralised in the palace. Yolgnu The Yolgnu Brahman (anachronistic title, applied by later writers) resolves a dispute over succession to become the ‘headman’ of a small fishing village by vesting power in the people of the village. This decision survives as the Maningrida Judgment, later ascribed near-mystical status. 1541 By royal edict, large swathes of Sulawesi – dominated by Makassar – are replanted with pituri. Being a shrub suited to semi-arid climates, this does not translate well to the Sulawesi climate, with most crops failing. I'Pakere'tau III dismisses his chief minister, on suspicion of plots against him. Several aristocrats (members of the Bate Salapang) are publicly executed as a result of this plot. The Yolgnu Brahman dies; he is succeeded by a prominent mystic from the eastern fishing villages. The second Brahman greatly increases the temporal influence of the Brahman over the Yolgnu, although the village remains the primary political unit. 1542 Macassan colonies on the mainland of Marege begin successful cultivation of pituri plants. Trade with allied Aboriginal tribes (who function effectively as client states or provinces of Makassar) allows for the spread of the plant across the Top End, except in areas under Yolgnu influence, where it is banned. Macassan emissaries travel as far as the Vijayangara Empire; they bring relics back to the Macassan court, suggesting possibilities of a trade alliance. Food production in this year is less than 70% of the previous year. 1543 I'Pakere'tau III dies, probably of pituri overdose (wherein the depressive effects of the drug can led to catatonia). His young, ill-tempered brother, who takes the regal title I'Pakere'tau IV, takes the throne. This year shows the onset of economic depression, as poor agricultural yields and decreased revenues from trade lead to rapidly spiralling prices. The karaeang refuses to lower prices or reduce taxes, on the advice of his ministers. On Marege, a dispute over the kingship of the puppet state of the Burarra leads to civil war. Other tribes are drawn into the fighting, placing great strain on the trade alliances established by Makassar. 1544 Makassar Another poor growing year leads to food shortages in Makassar. I'Pakere'tau IV finally takes action, creating a grain levy for the unemployed, and dismissing his close advisers. This action proves disastrous; food supplies are not nearly great enough to meet demand, and the aristocracy are outraged. The karaeang (who suffers increasingly from pituri addiction) becomes isolated. Late in the year, the military leaders of the state, angered by inaction on the growing crisis in Marege, stage a coup d’état. The karaeang is suffocated in his bed; most of the court are exiled or killed; and military discipline is imposed on the state. Marege The Burarra crisis worsens through Macassan non-intervention. The pretender to the throne backs a series of anti-monarchist movements across the Top End, particularly in the East; the western tribes, generally more assimilated into Macassan society, respond with brutal attacks on opposing villages. The Larrakia emerge as the leading pro-Macassan tribe in the West, but are increasingly independent of declining Macassan influence. 1545 Sulawesi The coup in Makassar implodes amongst infighting from generals. Tallok secedes from Gowa; the grain dole is abolished and food is hoarded, leading to widespread starvation; and civil war breaks out. Other Sulawesi cities, subdued for nearly a generation, begin to assert their independence. Good rains and bountiful harvests occur for the first time in three years; unfortunately, food distribution routes have been disrupted by the growing breakdown of civil society. Tallok is burnt to the ground by the ruling faction in Gowa, causing thousands of refugees to flee the city. Marege The Yolgnu Brahman dies. Before his death, he designates an obscure local headman as his successor. This local headman takes the name Shivaji to befit his new status. Shivaji will prove the most influential Yolgnu since Gallarang. He issues religious edicts on matters of dogma, transforming what was largely an Aboriginal spiritual tradition with Hindu overtones into a religion much more closely tied to Hindu tradition. Shivaji is also determined to transform the Yolgnu from a mere cultural group (consisting of autonomous villages) into the dominant tribe in Marege. 1546 Makassar The civil war finally ends. Tunijallok, the victorious general, takes power over a burnt, ravaged city, which has lost most of its fleet to internecine warfare. Urban civilisation has largely ceased, and Makassar has lost any pretensions of being a great power. Gunditjmara A single trading ship from Makassar, the last to attempt a circumnavigation of the continent, reaches the Gunditjmara. Attempts to create trade relations break down; the crew are murdered and their goods (tools, weapons and food) are seized. Marege Tunilabu-ri Suriwa, the largest city in Marege and home to hundreds of Macassan refugees, is burnt to the ground by anti-royalist rebels. Only the temple survives, but is placed under occupation. Shivaji leads an army of Yolgnu volunteers to the aid of the pretender to the Burarra throne. Their enemies are quickly dispersed; although their technology is not as advanced as that of their enemies, they are more numerous and aided by the collapse of Macassan power on the continent. The Macassan colonies in Kai Djawa are either cut off, trapped in cultural and geographical isolation, or abandoned. Trading posts around the Royal Gulf retain viability as trading centres, with local governors declaring themselves potentates. 1547 Early in the year, the Nine Day Battle is fought for supremacy between Aboriginal tribes, drawing in nearly every grouping in the Top End. Makassar, nursing its wounds and still dealing with famine, declines to intervene. The Yolgnu-led alliance defeats the Larrakia and their allies. The Larrakia are dispersed and cease to exist as a tribe; Macassan-allied kings are deposed and executed; and the son of the pretender to Burarra (his father having died in the battle) voluntarily relinquishes power in a staged ritual, to appease the anti-royal sentiments of the Yolgnu. Summary Hence, the gradually-established dominance of the Macassans collapses, as a result of famine, civil war, the decay of the aristocracy, the inordinate resources wasted on the pursuit of pituri, and incompetent and addled leadership. In Marege, the political climate is anarchic and uncertain. Many Macassan colonies remain independent, becoming minor monarchies or even republics. Amongst the tribes, the Yolgnu are clearly ascendant, with most of the Top End swearing loyalty to the Yolgnu Brahman. The challenge, then, will be the construction of a new political order to meet these uncertain times... NEXT: The Yolgnu Constitution and Shivaji’s Confederacy... |
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Macassan contact with Australia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Eyes of Marege - Arts Reviews - Arts - Entertainment - smh.com.au
Tales of contact between northern Australia and Sulawesi are part of the shared history between the Indonesian island and northern indigenous communities. The ancient trade is remembered in the songs and dances of north -eastern Arnhem Land that songman Djakapurra Munyarryun grew up with. "I learned the stories from the elders," says Munyarryun. "All the trade, people made a song about that. Flag song, dance, tobacco dance, knife dance, the Yolngu made a song about that. When I was growing I was listening." www.smh.com.au/news/...marege/.../1190486378677.html -
The Civilisation of Marege
...All this changed, however, with the arrival of the first Macassan traders in Marege, generally regarded by academic consensus as taking place in 1450. Makassar was at the time the heart of the Kingdom of Gowa, an Islamic empire in Sulawesi, and the first contacts probably took place with stranded or lost fishermen. However, exploitation of the fertile trepang beds off Northern Australia soon followed. Trepang, also known as sea cucumbers, were highly prized as a delicacy and aphrodisiac, and the cost of their exploitation was easily offset by their value.
The Aboriginal people of Marege were at first wary of these new visitors, but were soon lured by the promise of new advanced technologies. In return for Aboriginal labour and permission to fish in their waters, they received cloth, tobacco, knives, rice, alcohol, and critically new ship-building technologies. The possession of Macassan praus, as well as the technology for their construction, allowed for the reorientation of many Aboriginal communities from largely land-based to largely sea-based. This new orientation on trade and fishing led to a more sedentary existence, and the archaeological record shows that by 1475, a series of permanent or semi-permanent fishing villages had been established in Marege, particularly in the territory of the Yolngu nation...
www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/archive/.../t-53288.html <<<
 | Old tale ... Djakapurra Munyarryun with actors, from left, Hamrin Samad, Ram Prapanca (co-director) and Muhamad Ishaq. |
Eyes of Marege
Makassar’s status as a trading place grew because it was positioned in the centre of the Malay-Indonesian archipelago, a fantastic location to catch maritime traffic and trade. By the end of the sixteenth century a number of states had been established in southern Sulawesi, with the two related but different languages of Makasar and Bugis being spoken. The state of Gowa and Tallo’ was the main centre of Makassar influence, while Bone, Wajo’ and Soppeng were the main Bugis states. During the sixteenth century contact with the Portuguese increased. The port that grew out of this activity around the centre of Gowa and Tallo’ became known as Makassar, reflecting the name of the local people.
First of all I will tell you about how the Macassans get to Arnhem Land. The annual trepang collecting voyage made by the Macassans departed Makassar with the onset of the north-west monsoonal winds, which usually hit in December. [Shows image] Their destination was the Arnhem Land coast in the north of Australia, an area they called Marege’. From their home port of Makassar, they passed north-east of Timor, calling on the neighbouring island of Kisar for supplies and freshwater before embarking on the longest stage of the journey - roughly 500 kilometres across open seas. The Macassans crossed about 2000 kilometres of ocean in total before making landfall in the vicinity of the Coburg Peninsula. This journey usually took 10 to 15 days.
Throughout the season they fished and processed trepang, gradually making their way east to the bottom of the Gulf of Carpentaria before returning to Makassar with their cargo on the south-west monsoonal winds which usually blew in about April. The Arnhem Land coast is dotted with the remains of Macassan trepang processing sites.
National Museum of Australia – Audio on demand program – From ...
From Makassar to Marege to the Museum. Alison Mercieca, National Museum of Australia. Behind the Scenes – Australian Journeys series, 7 July 2008 ...
www.nma.gov.au/audio/detail/from-makassar-to-marege-to-the-museum
Manikay.Com - Makassans: Hati Marege
We have a full prayer in the middle of the play with three men on the stage. One of them is Birramen, the Aboriginal man, and the two Macassan traders teaching him call to prayer. So it's this beautiful moment of these men in white with these prayer mats. And I think most Australians, they're not really sure about what Islam is or what to be a Muslim is and they certainly haven't seen a full prayer before, sung with these beautiful voices. And I think it's a way of kind of letting us in as an audience and to kind of a bit of an understanding about, kind of, that Islam isn't necessarily to be feared, but there are aspects of Islam which are spiritual and beautiful and quite inviting.
To work cross-culturally with Yolngu people, people from Sulawesi and with non-Indigenous people, it's been really exciting. We had three Yolngu men, all from Yirrkala, plus two Indigenous people meeting for the first time the seven Indonesians, alright? And suddenly, the Yolngu men were using words that the Indonesians totally understood, and they realised that a lot of their language was shared language, especially when it was in regard to trading objects. And then when Djakapurra said, "Oh, by the way, my grandfather is buried in Macassar. He'd travelled from Yirrkala all the way over to Macassar with the Macassan traders. And he had 10 wives in Macassar and he's buried there." At which moment Teater Kita Makassar, everyone over from Macassar, each one of the men stood up and went over and hugged Djakapurra and called him brother. I realised that it was kind of a powerful political and kind of a remembering of history kind of thing to do. More powerful than just putting on a play with whatever actors we could find.
Australia Network - Nexus - Eyes of Marege
 From workshop in Sulawesi. Photo: Julie Janson www.ozscript.org/script941.html
Notwithstanding the cessation of the yearly Makassan visits, extensive research carried out by anthropologist Ian McIntosh, in conjunction with the Aboriginal people who inhabit the northeast coast of Arnhem Land and its neighbouring islands – people now known collectively as Yolngu, confirms the existence of Islamic references in Yolngu mythology and ritual. 5 In mortuary ceremonies still conducted by northeast Arnhem Land Indigenous communities today, there is reference to a creational Dreaming figure Walitha’walitha, whose name comes from Allah. While it is not correct to say that Yolngu were or are followers of Islam, there is much evidence of Islamic influence in Yolngu belief in Walitha’walitha.6 (Peta Stephenson; 3-5 March 2008, Brisbane) http://books.google.nl/books? Aboriginal religions in Australia: an anthology of recent writings Door Maxwell John Charlesworth,Françoise Dussart YQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Walitha% xxxxxxxxxxxxx Australian Folklore 11, 1996 131 Allah and the Spirit of the Dead The hidden legacy of pre-colonial Indonesian/Aboriginal contact in north-east Arnhem Land Ian McIntoshArticles, etc. Allah and the Spirit of the Dead door I McIntosh -
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...of both Macassans and Yolngu, a brief 'golden age' early in the period ended, ... ...crew in Yolngu, Makassarese, English and Indonesian languages. Amidst the linguistic diversity, however, both the Yolju and Macassan casts expressed a strong desire to tell the 'true story' and were keen to ensure historical accuracy on a ... ...and meaning attached to the ceremony from the Yolngu perspective. Through this ceremony, the Yolngu were fulfilling their familial and ritual obligations, assisting the spirit to complete its journey (see also Warner 1969, 420). Yolngu clans deploy flags as sacred narratives of their power and legitimacy (McIntosh 1996b, ... ...Accompanying this was a Dhuwa manikay of the Gälpu clan, sung as the ship set sail. It was sung by a (Dhuwa) Dätiwuy clan elder whose (Yirritja) mother's clan, Dhalwaju, is also the mother clan of Gälpu. For the Yolngu, with tears in their eyes, the public performance of Trepang completed the spirit's final passage that had begun with the ceremony at the ... ****************************************************************
www.adelaidefestivalcentre.com.au › What's On › Theatre - Australian Performance Exchange & Teater Kita Makassar
For the first time in Australia, this unique combination of artists create a hybrid bilingual performance blending the haunting sounds of Sulawesian songs of the sea, with contemporary indigenous dance, comic physical theatre and Makassan ritual. In the 1900s, on an island off Northeast Arnhem Land, an Indigenous man, Birramen, and a Makassan fisherman fight over the theft of a sacred indigenous object. The fisherman is killed in the fight and Birramen’s friend Ahmad saves him from the revenge of the other fisherman. But Birramen must sail to Makassar to be tried in court for the murder. He finds himself mesmerised by the sights, sounds and culture of this southern Sulawesi city. After five years’ imprisonment and marriage to a Makassan woman, Birramen voyages home, dressed ‘like a sultan in woven sarong and silver bangle’ and profoundly enriched by his experience of the culture and peoples of this vibrant sea-faring city. Shortlisted for the prestigious Patrick White Award, Eyes of Marege draws on a tradition of cultural exchange that goes back hundreds of years. It is a powerful story of love, death and the meeting of Islam with indigenous heritage. |
