Beginner's Guide

Introduction

Navigating the Malay Archipelago is no easy feat. This is after all a geography made up of a thousand thousand islands. On the one hand, scholars often complain that we do not have enough historical sources to rely on, and sometimes suggest to the effect that the extent of our scholarship today (in comparison to say the study of 19^th century Western societies) are well-reasoned conjectures at best. On the other hand, anyone who has attempted to engage with the materials at hand will soon learn there is an overwhelming amount of background knowledge to absorb, more so since for a large part of the population, even if you’ve grown up in this part of the world, we are really learning the topic anew.

The starter pack section aims to provide you with an introductory exploratory field. Rather than offering another recommended reading list, which you are able to discover by searching for them on google, this section offers a selection of sources that you can begin to explore for yourself. It’s a taster board, offering a mixture of primary sources and secondary reading materials across a wide range of topics.

These topics were often studied in isolation from each other in the past. Nevertheless, the challenge of new scholars today is to begin recognizing connections or relationships amongst them. In Sumit Mandal’s Introduction chapter for his book Becoming Arab: Creole Histories and Modern Identity in the Malay World,[N1] he proposes ‘When the Malay world is understood as a longstanding site of interaction between wide- ranging polities and peoples, creoles might be viewed as its culturally fluid and mobile embodiment.’

The resource guide takes up this proposal as a challenge to think more deeply how to signpost connections and interactions. Chances are that future new directions and approaches to studying the Malay World will find these points of connections as the start of their scholarship rather than where they would arrive at the end of their research.

Beginner’s Guide to Materials in the Malay World

A good place to begin is Sabri Zain’s Library (http://www.sabrizain.org/malaya/library/). The library is huge enough that you will need three lifetimes to completely go through every single material in there. Nevertheless, it’s organised in a simple enough manner that you’re able to get a sense of what are some of the source materials out there. It is however not extensive and focuses primarily on 19^th and early 20^th century English language (and limited number of Malay language) sources addressing primarily Malayan/Malay culture and history. If Malay history is what you’re interested in, a more directed online guide can be found at Yala’s Guide to History Books on the Melayu (https://sites.google.com/site/yalaorg/melayor).

For English newspapers, you might want to explore NewspaperSG’s (http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/) extensive holdings of Singapore and Malaya publications, whereas E-Sarawak Gazette (https://www.pustaka-sarawak.com/gazette/home.php) covers Sarawak well enough. If you have the language skills, you might be keen to explore more expanded platforms such as National Library Board of Singapore’s BookSG (http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/printheritage/) which contacts dictionaries, Jawi manuscripts, maps, Indian Muslim devotional poems, and Chinese literati poems. There’s also a community-run online library on Malaysian studies by Malaysians who study in Taiwan in collaboration with Mainland Chinese programmers called Proletarian Library (https://library.proletarian.me/). The relevant materials is parked under its third folder, called ‘South-East Asia Research Library’.

When you are ready to let go of the written word and discover non-textual sources, you might want to explore Ipoh World (https://www.ipohworld.org/) and Visions of Penang (http://www.visionsofpenang.com.my/) for area specific materials. Otherwise, resources on artistic expressions connected to community ritual practices indigenous to Southeast Asia can be found at Art of the Ancestors (https://www.artoftheancestors.com/).

Roots.sg (https://roots.sg/) as the online repository for Singapore’s national collection is comprehensive in terms of range of artefacts you are explore with a relatively easy search function, even if it is not updated with the latest acquisition. Those of you who’ve never veered far from the written word might want to follow the links listed in this footnote for some useful guides on how to engage with non-textual sources.[N2]

Finally, if you fancy yourself as a linguist, do check out Southeast Asian Languages Library (http://www.sealang.net/library/). For those looking for an accessible primer on theories of colonialism & post-colonialism, this is a fairly easy website to navigate and provides an overview on the theoretical framework and an idea of the the research themes and subjects connected to postcolonial studies (http://www.postcolonialweb.org/poldiscourse/discourseov.html).

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[N1] The book is available on memory of the world. Instructions on how to access these materials are provided in this guide. Nevertheless, I strongly encourage and recommend those with the means and who benefited profoundly from reading books obtainable online, to show support to the scholars by buying a copy of the book.
[N2] Visual Analysis: A Quick Guide; Close Reading Visual Art; How to do Things with Pictures: A Guide to Writing in Art History; How to write a comparative analysis.

Beginner’s Guide to Materials in the Malay World

Sabri Zain’s Library (http://www.sabrizain.org/malaya/library/)
Proletarian Library (https://library.proletarian.me/)
Art of the Ancestors (https://www.artoftheancestors.com/)
Yala’s Guide to History Books on the Melayu (https://sites.google.com/site/yalaorg/melayor)
NLB Digital Books (http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/printheritage/)
E-Sarawak Gazette (https://www.pustaka-sarawak.com/gazette/home.php)
Southeast Asian Languages Library (http://www.sealang.net/library/)
Theories of Colonialism & Postcolonialism (http://www.postcolonialweb.org/poldiscourse/discourseov.html)

When you are ready to explore further. Let’s examine some of the less trodden paths. Firstly, you will also have received an appendix titled ‘Resource Guide Appendix for 'Researching Colonial History' - British Collectors, classifiers and researchers of the Malay World.pdf’ This is a roadmap into another world. Try following some of the suggestions offered by the author and see what you’re able to find online.

Tamil Language and Culture

Singai Nesan (http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/BrowseNewspaper?nid=singai)
Tamil Heritage Collection (http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/printheritage/browse/Tamil_Digital_Heritage_Collection.aspx)
Project Madurai (https://www.projectmadurai.org/)
Tamil Digital Library (https://www.tamildigitallibrary.in/)
Roja Muthiah Research Library (http://rmrl.in/)
Noolaham (http://www.noolaham.org/wiki/index.php/)

Malay Language and Culture

Digital access to Malay and Indonesian manuscripts (https://blogs.bl.uk/asian-and-african/malay.html)
Malay Concordance Project (http://mcp.anu.edu.au/)
Malindo Conc (Indonesian Concordance)(https://malindoconc.lagoinst.info/concordance/ind/)
Austronesian Comparative Dictionary (http://www.trussel2.com/ACD/)
Loan-Words in Indonesian and Malay (Indonesian Etymological project) (http://sealang.net/lwim/)
DBP Dictionary (with Jawi): Pusat Rujukan Persuratan Melayu (http://prpm.dbp.gov.my/)
Korpus DBP [Konkordans] (http://sbmb.dbp.gov.my/korpusdbp/)
Ian Proudfoot’s Early Malay Printed Books (http://mcp.anu.edu.au/proudfoot/EMPB/)
Early Malay Printed Books Web version: (http://mcp.anu.edu.au/proudfoot/EMPB/web/1280.html)
Articles extracted from editorials in Malay periodicals (http://mcp.anu.edu.au/N/SK/VN_index.html)
Malay Printing History (http://mcp.anu.edu.au/proudfoot/online.html)
Index to Malay World Projects in the British Library’s Endangered Archives Project (Riau, Minangkabau, Western Sumatra and Jambi, Aceh and Sri Lanka Malay)(Also Ambon, Cirebon, Javanese and Sundanese, South Sulawesi, Cham)(https://blogs.bl.uk/asian-and-african/2018/02/shifting-landscapes-mapping-the-intellectual-writing-traditions-of-islamic-southeast-asia.html)
Sin Po Magazine Collection (https://repository.monash.edu/collections/show/117)
Resource Centre for Malay World Research: ATMA, UKM (http://www.malaycivilization.com.my/)
Koleksi Muhammad Haji Saleh (http://eprints.usm.my/view/divisions/KPMS/)
Senarai Buku Jawi ATMA (https://www.malaycivilization.com.my/items/browse?collection=3&tags=Jawi)
UM Manuscript (http://spcats.umlib.um.edu.my/mymanuskrip/)
SOAS Digital Collections [Islamic Manuscripts] (https://digital.soas.ac.uk/ysimg)

Additional materials:
- 2 copies of Chermin Mata Bagai Segala Orang Yang Menuntut Pengetahuan in Southeast Asia Digital Library Northern Illinois University
- 1 copy of Jawi Peranakan (1881) and 1 copy of Chermin Mata Bagai Segala Orang Yang Menuntut Pengetahuan (1859) in BookSG (http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/printheritage/)
- Hikayat Abdullah bin Abdul Kadir Munshi, 1880 version, (http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/printheritage/detail/53de5273-f8df-4122-b808-8eb33ec61386.aspx)
- Thomas Bowrey, A Dictionary, English and Malayo, Malayo and English (1701) (http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/printheritage/detail/20d7b813-2055-40a0-8688-fca31227c28f.aspx)
- William Marsden, A Dictionary of the Malayan language (1812) (http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/printheritage/detail/42acab24-137e-4a0b-8068-093fb252467e.aspx)
- Frank Swettenham, Vocabulary of the English and Malay languages with notes (1896) (http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/printheritage/detail/aa974d78-014d-4f11-85b8-76d430fbdaf9.aspx)

Special Topics (Islam in Southeast Asia)

Islam in Southeast Asia: Resource Guide (https://guides.library.cornell.edu/c.php?g=141521&p=959026)
Asia Society Education: Islam in Southest Asia (http://sites.asiasociety.org/education/islam_in_seasia/essays.htm)
Islamic Manuscript Basics (https://kislakcenter.github.io/islamicmss/)[N1]
Digital Resources for Manuscripts (https://themaydan.com/2019/01/digital-resources-manuscripts/)

[NS1] This site holds basic information and resources relating to the study of Islamic manuscripts, offering foundational knowledge on the materials and formats of Islamic penmanship.

Chinese Language and Culture

东南亚华人历史文献 Southeast Asia Chinese Historical Documents (https://libportal.nus.edu.sg/frontend/ms/sea-chinese-historical-doc/about-sea-chinese-historical-doc)
南溟網：古代南海地名匯釋 Ancient Seven Seas Gazetteer (http://www.world10k.com/blog/?p=1916)
Selden Map (https://seldenmap.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/; https://iiif.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/iiif/viewer/58b9518f-d5ea-4cb3-aa15-f42640c50ef3)
NUS Libraries Digitised Special Collections (https://libportal.nus.edu.sg/frontend/web/resources/library-initiatives/digitized-collections)
Penang Sin Poe (http://libapps2.nus.edu.sg/sea_chinese/documents/Penang%20sin%20poe/Penang%20sin%20poe.html )
Lin Hengnan, 華夷通書, 1883 (http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/printheritage/detail/3b07f148-8b6f-492f-b2fa-7c1c3dc1f188.aspx)
University of Washington The Chinese-Indonesian Community Documents Collection from Java (https://digital.lib.washington.edu/researchworks/handle/1773/21474)
Chinese in Southeast Asia, NUS (https://digitalgems.nus.edu.sg/collection/73)
E-newspaper Databases (http://libguides.nus.edu.sg/c.php?g=145587&p=956391)
Southeast Asia in Ming Shi-lu (http://www.epress.nus.edu.sg/msl/introduction)
Digital China (https://guides.nyu.edu/digitalchina)
Chinese Clans in Singapore [Map of Origin (https://libportal.nus.edu.sg/frontend/ms/sg-chinese-clans/about-sg-chinese-clans)
Identifying Hokkien Merchants in Batavia from Ciji Tablet (http://chl-old.anu.edu.au/publications/csds/cscsd_op2_1_Souza_Wade.pdf)
Malaysian Chinese Temples Database (http://www.angkongkeng.com/)
Chinese Dictionary (https://www.zdic.net/)
Chinese Concordance (https://ctext.org/tools/concordance)
Overseas Chinese in the British Empire (https://overseaschineseinthebritishempire.blogspot.com/)
Chinese Text Project (https://ctext.org)

Special Issues (Chinese)
Special Issue: Chinese in the Malay speaking world [Chinese Southern Diaspora Studies, ANU] (http://chl-old.anu.edu.au/sites/csds/csds_toc2009.php)
Chinese in Singapore [Chinese Southern Diaspora Studies, ANU]http://chl-old.anu.edu.au/sites/csds/csds_toc2012.php
Jonas Daniel Vaughan, The Manners and Customs of the Chinese of the Straits Settlement, 1879, (http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/printheritage/detail/d158bcea-eb92-4e6a-8622-e1762c4b4de1.aspx)

Old Journals

Verhandelingen van het Bataviaasch Genootschap der Kunsten en Wetenschappen. (www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/7371)
Tijdschrift voor Indische Taal- Land- en Volkenkunde (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Tijdschrift_voor_Indische_Taal-_Land-_en_Volkenkunde)
Notulen van de Directievergaderingen van het Bataviaasch Genootschap van Kunsten en Wetenschappen (https://books.google.com.my/books?id=bfJAAAAAcAAJ&dq=editions:BSBBSB10433659 )
Indo-Chinese Gleaner (https://www.univie.ac.at/Geschichte/China-Bibliographie/blog/2016/10/25/the-indo-chinese-gleaner/)
The Chinese Repository (https://books.google.com.my/books/about/The_Chinese_Repository.html)
Journal of the Indian Archipelago (refer to sabri zain’s library and archive.org)
Journal of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (http://www.sabrizain.org/malaya/library/)
Siam Society Journals (http://www.siam-society.org/pub_JSS/jss_index.html)
Selangor Journal (search on proletarian library and archive.org)

Cover Image: Spiridione Roma, 1778, oil on canvas, 228 x 305cm, British Library.
Originally commissioned by the East India Company for the Revenue Committee room in East India House.