Indonesian history as an autonomous history<\/p>\n
Yosef Djakababa, Contributor, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Indonesia: Peoples and Histories<\/p>\n
Jean Gelman Taylor<\/p>\n
448 pp<\/p>\n
Yale University Press<\/p>\n
Jean Gelman Taylor's book titled Indonesia: Peoples and
\nHistories is an important addition to the study of Indonesian
\nhistory.<\/p>\n
In this book, Taylor uses an original and unique approach in
\nnot having any citations in the book. Instead, she uses what she
\ncalled capsules. These small capsules appear frequently to give
\nthe reader specific examples of a particular topic that is
\ncurrently being discussed in a particular chapter.<\/p>\n
For example in chapter five, titled "New Comers in the Muslim
\nCircle", she discusses the arrival of foreigners in the
\narchipelago, among others, the Chinese.<\/p>\n
In that particular chapter, one of the capsules explained the
\ndynamic relationship between the local elites and the Chinese.
\nShe described the relationship that forced the Chinese to be
\ndepended on local elites who in turn empowered them as the
\nprincipal tax collectors from the common people. As a result, the
\ncommoners saw the Chinese as their oppressors. (Page 128-129).<\/p>\n
From her narratives we can see the influence of an idea of
\nhistory. "Autonomous history" approaches history from local
\nperspectives in contrast to the more common approach (especially
\nin Indonesian history) that comes from foreign perspectives.<\/p>\n
Much of her influence on autonomous history came from her
\nmentor, John R.W. Smail, her Ph.D advisor at the University of
\nWisconsin-Madison's department of history. Smail is well known as
\na scholar who wrote an important essay about the possibility of
\nautonomous history in Southeast Asia.<\/p>\n
Taylor tries to place local people not merely as victims of
\nforeigners, and especially not as victims of the Dutch. She also
\ncriticizes many narratives on Indonesian history that only
\nemphasize nationalism.<\/p>\n
In the nationalist version of history, Indonesians are always
\nportrayed and perceived as heroic and dramatic, but in the end,
\nlosers and victims. This view of Indonesian history is not only
\nnarrow but totally ignores the intellectual and cultural
\nexchanges between the indigenous peoples and the foreigners.<\/p>\n
By focusing on social, cultural and intellectual exchanges,
\nTaylor is trying to eradicate the view of Indonesians as merely
\nheroic losers, instead showing them as major players.<\/p>\n
The book has a clear and yet concise style of writing which
\nmakes the texts easy to grasp and understand. Moreover, the book
\nalso provides criticism and overviews on the development of
\napproaches to Indonesian historical writing.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, the book also has some drawbacks. First, without
\nany citations, the book lacks credibility on some of the data the
\nwriter presents. Hence, it is also difficult to cross check some
\nof her statements and narratives in the book. One example would
\nbe what she wrote concerning the 30th September 1965 event.<\/p>\n
Taylor wrote that the bodies of the slain generals were hidden
\ninside the Indonesian Air Force base Halim, while in fact, the
\nbodies were actually found in an old well located in a former
\nrubber plantation called Lubang Buaya.<\/p>\n
Moreover, she also discusses how the New Order regime banned
\nthe teaching of Weber and Chinese language in Indonesian
\nuniversities (page 359). In fact the New Order never banned the
\nteaching of Weber, and actually allowed very restricted Chinese
\nlanguage instruction in the Chinese literature department of the
\nUniversity of Indonesia. Again without any citations, it is
\ndifficult for the reader to check or to find out where she
\nobtained such information.<\/p>\n
Second, Taylor's account of Indonesian autonomous histories
\nneeds to be questioned. In the book's introduction Taylor states:
\n"My aim in this book is to place Indonesians at the center of
\ntheir own story". In fact, most of the sources she used for this
\nbook are in English and written by foreigners.<\/p>\n
Her book actually gives the impression that only foreigners
\ncan write general histories of Indonesia as she has not placed
\nIndonesians at the center of their own story as she sought to do.<\/p>\n
However, despite the weaknesses and drawbacks, the publication
\nof the Indonesia: Peoples and Histories should be received as
\npart of recent developments in Indonesian history writing.<\/p>\n
Jean Gelman Taylor wants to promote new perspective on
\nIndonesian history, a perspective that hopefully is not only
\nfilled with indoctrination of narrow political and nationalist
\nideas. We also need to realize, however, that it is not easy to
\nwrite Indonesian history that covers every aspect of this diverse
\nnation while at the same time being general one, because the
\nwriter will always be faced with the problem of deciding which
\naspects to leave in or out in the narrative. Hopefully, this new
\nbook will stimulate more fresh writing on Indonesian history.<\/p>\n
Yosef Djakababa is a PhD candidate in Southeast Asian history at
\nthe University of Wisconsin-Madison, U.S.A. He is currently
\nconducting research for his dissertation on modern Indonesian
\nhistory.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/indonesian-history-as-an-autonomous-history-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}