Papers

• Memories of Ternate; The Historiographic Perception of Sultan Babullah and the ‘Golden Age’ of a Spice Sultanate Hans Hägerdal Linnaeus University

  Ternate was, together with Tidore, Jailolo and Bacan, one of the “four mounatins of Maluku” (Maloko Kie Raha) and a main political player in eastern Indonesia. While Ternate’s history is described in considerable detail in European sources, the indigenous historiography of the sultanate tends to be fragmented and partly dependent on oral tradition. The present paper discusses the collective memory of the supposedly golden age of Ternate in the early-modern era, in particular focusing on Sultan Babullah (r. 1570-1583) who made an imprint on local and regional narrations of the past. In recent time, this figure has been officially appointed a ‘pahlawan nasional’ by the Indonesian Government. Factors influencing the posthumous reputation of Babullah and early Ternatean expansion are discussed, including Ternate’s role as a socio-economic nexus, and the sultanate as a symbol for religio-cultural dissemination. Local understandings of Ternate’s past, as laid down by the 19th-century historian Naïdah, are analysed and compared to the images provided by European (Portuguese, Spanish, English, Duch) source materials. Traditions that mention early Ternate are found in Solor, Alor Islands, Sulawesi, and various parts of Maluku, and tell of alignments and understandings of the world order that operated autonomously from colonial impact.

• Language Folklore and Language Ideology in Exile: The Moluccan Migrant Community in the Netherlands Aone van Engelenhoven Leiden University

  After the acceptance, albeit reluctantly, of the Independence of Indonesia, the Dutch government disbanded its colonial army in 1951. However, since international law prohibits dismissal abroad, the Moluccan soldiers who refused to join the TNI (Tentara Nasional Indonesia ‘National Indonesian Army’) – the former enemy – or to resign and return home with a fee were ordered to come over to the Netherlands where they were fired and lodged in available locations throughout the country.
  This contribution discusses the strategies of each of the three major ethnolinguistic groups how to handle their exclusive linguistic heritage: renaissance (Central Moluccans – specifically Nusalaut), maintenance (Southeast Moluccans – specifically Kei) and concealment (Southwest Moluccans – specifically Leti).
  Language folklore – the ideas and opinions about a language that is not known – and language policy – the ideas and opinions about a language that is known – are basic to the language attitudes in the community and its diverse language management.

• Border making through language usage in Haumeni Ana, Timor Island Abellia Anggi Wardani Universitas Indonesia Nazarudin

  Border is a socially constructed space. This research explores the socially constructed nature of borders, emphasizing the role of language in delineating boundaries. Drawing on insights from previous studies by Houtum (2002) and Pena (2021), which highlight the significance of boundary conditions for economic and social development, this study focuses on the border area in Atambua, Indonesia, particularly the Motaain PLBN Boundary Market and its surroundings. By examining the linguistic dynamics of this region, where residents from neighboring countries converge and interact, this research seeks to shed light on the role of language in facilitating cross-border exchanges and fostering socio-cultural connections. Through a cross-disciplinary lens, and the use of in-depth interviews and observation as the research methods, the study aims to contribute to our understanding of how language functions as a bridge between communities separated by administrative boundaries, ultimately influencing the development and cohesion of border regions.

Abstract