Author :Takuji Arai (Nihon University, Japan)
*This article was presented at the International Webinars “Building and Strengthening Networks of Social Scientists in Tanah Melayu” on March 15, 2023, at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Islam Negeri Raden Ftah Palembang.
If we define the Malay World (Tanah Melayu) in a broad sense, it covers countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and also southern part of Thailand and Philippines. Bahasa Melayu was lingua franca in the Malay World and spread of civilization, religions and trades had been done by use of it. Even though the Malay World had been divided into the above-mentioned countries and existed own societies and nationals there, there are still close transborder relationship between them from a perspective of people, language, culture and history.
In this paper, author intends to introduce a historical document from outside of the Malay World as an example that indicates historical relationships between Malay World and Ryukyu (the current Okinawa Prefecture in Japan) for the purpose of discussion and exchanging opinions on how we build and strengthen networks of social scientists through the study of looking back on the history of the Malay World.
REKIDAI HOAN (Precious Documents of Successive Generations, Ryukyu Kingdom, 1424-1867)
Ryukyu Kingdom was a kingdom in the Ryukyu islands from 1429 to 1879. They played an important role and was prosper as a trading hub between kingdoms in China, Japan, Korea and South-East Asia includes Malay World in that era. Therefore, they had often dispatched trade missions by ship to kingdoms in the area and brought back trade goods to their kingdom. Trade missions from South-East Asia had also visited to there in return.
Rekidai Hoan is a compiled archives of a partial record of diplomatic correspondence of Ryukyu Kingdom. These documents were written by the kingdom’s officials with Chinese character and 4,320 copies of diplomatic correspondence between kingdoms in China, Korea and South-East Asia are compiled. It can be regarded that Rekidai. Hoan is one of a primary source in Asian history (Trade missions between Japan and Philippines were definitely done in the era but there are no documents with this area compiled in Rekidai Hoan)
According to the record of Rekidai Hoan, Ryukyu Kingdom had sent trade missions to kingdoms in South-East Asia between 1420 to 1570 as follows;
Siam (60 times)
Palembang (4 times)
Melaka (20 times)
Geresik (6 times) Samudra Pasai (3 times) Patani (11 times)
Sunda Kelapa (2 times)
They brought Japanese swords and gold, Chinese ceramics, Ryukyu horses and sulfur to South-East Asia and brought back spices, ivory, tin and Indian textiles to Ryukyu for their exchange trade with kingdoms in China, Korea and Japan.
There is an interesting discovery. It is believed that a “Malay Kris” was excavated at ruined Enkakuji temple near Shuri Castle (Hana City, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan) in 2002. It can be said to be an example that studying historical documents and materials located outside helps us to know better about the Malay World. These documents indicate that movements of people and goods and diplomatic relationship were very dynamic and open with in and out of Malay World between the early 15th century and the end of 16 century, before their trades were dominated by Europeans traders.
From this point of view, it might worth trying to look back on history of the Malay World through the study of outside historical documents such as Rekidai Hoan and so on to deep drive into history and society of the Malay World by working together of stakeholders. These efforts will contribute to build and strengthen cross border networks of social scientists in the Malay World.
Source: Okinawa Prefectural Archaeological Center Photo by the author