Who were Indonesia's ancestors?
Who were Indonesia's ancestors?
From Merdeka
In regards to National Awakening Day (May 20), I would like to raise the question: Who were our ancestors? This should strengthen and enhance our consciousness of our identity as a nation and deepen our sense of unity and integrity.
I. Textbooks tell us that Indonesia's ancestors came from Yunan and South China in different periods. In formulating a hypothesis of historical science the influence of other disciplines like anthropology, archeology, geology and other sciences, is evident. The hypothesis was made during the Dutch colonial period, supported by the science and technology of the year 1900. The hypothesis revealed the following information:
1. Nusantara (now Indonesia) was supposed to have existed and was first inhabited by the Asian population.
2. Indonesian history started after 400 A.D.
3. According to the (Western) anthropology they knew of three races, namely Caucasoid (white), Negroid (black) and Mongoloid (yellow).
4. Nusantara came into existence because the ice of the Glacial Age melted and caused sea levels to rise. But when it was still joined together no name was given.
5. The people having dark (brown) skin were not described as a specific race, perhaps because it was believed they were a mixture of the existing races.
II. After one century, science made remarkable progress resulting in numerous discoveries in the fields of archeology, anthropology, geology and other scientific fields.
1. Archeologist Haris Sukendar wrote that the dynamism and personality of the nation was reflected from the Megalithical tradition in Indonesia (our ancestors who lived here 5,000 years ago).
2. Anthropologist Prof. Dr. Koentjaraningrat in his book Introduction to Anthropology wrote: Besides the three races mentioned above, there is the fourth race i.e. Australoid from Nusantara and Melanesia. They were the pure Indonesian ancestors who obviously had dark skin.
III. With the progress of modern science and technology up to the present day, a general hypothesis can be concluded. The Indonesian ancestors originated from the dark-skinned Australoid race, who have been linked to Nusantara since the Megalithic age (approximately 3,000 B.C.).
It is true, Indonesian history (starting 400 A.D.) recorded migration from Indo-China (Hindus, Mongolese/Chinese, and dark- skinned people), but their number was very small so that they were practically absorbed by the indigenous population.
IV. Further research has yet to be conducted to straighten the legal formulation of origin of the Indonesian ancestors to establish a universally recognized general hypothesis concerning the origin of the Nusantara race.
H.M.H. MANGKUPRANATA
Jakarta