Membuka Tabir Makna Batu Nisan Belanda, by Lilie Suratminto

The title of this book translates as 'Unveiling the Meaning of Dutch Tombstones' .It brings to mind Anne Dillard's Teaching a Stone to Talk: Expeditions and Encounters (2013).Yet unlike Dillard's book, which explores moments of spirituality and communication with nature, Lilie Suratminto's book deciphers inscriptions and symbols on Dutch tombstones.These tombstones do not only contain the names and dates of the deceased; the inscriptions and the symbols also tell the stories of the people memorialized.This raises several questions: How can one read and interpret these tombstones?What interesting details are found on tombstones, despite their inability to talk?The answers are found in this book.This book consists of seventeen chapters, each divided into sub-chapters.In the introduction, Suratminto discusses the discovery of European (Dutch) tombstones in several regions in Indonesia (Java, the Moluccas) and beyond (Malaysia, India, Sri Lanka, South Africa).One notable discovery is a Dutch tombstone found in the bedroom of a police dormitory in the Oranje Fort complex in Ternate.Due to the householder's ignorance and lack of understanding of the Dutch inscriptions, the tombstone was split open and used as a pillar for the building (pp.1-2).Chapter 2 poses general questions about Dutch tombstones, including: How do we understand the inscriptions, acronyms, abbreviations, and symbols on the tombstones?What are the meanings and benefits of the data they contain?How do people regard these tombstones today?The answers to these questions are provided gradually in the following chapters.Chapter 3 discusses the historical context, particularly the Dutch East India Company (voc, locally known as Kompeni) in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.The author explores how the voc, as a trading company, conducted voyages and trade in the archipelago-later called the East Indies-in pursuit of spices (pp.55-64).Unfortunately, this chapter on the Indonesian archipelago and the history of the Indonesian language seems quite extensive and could actually be a separate book.Funeral processions during the voc period are discussed in Chapter 4. Funeral ceremonies at that time were epitomes of luxury, often held in the evening and becoming even more expensive if conducted late at night.A fine was imposed if the event ran late, but people deliberately delayed it to pay these expensive fines, thereby enhancing their family's prestige.One notable example was the funeral of Governor-General Cornelis Speelman (1628-1684) on January 12, 1684, which was exceptionally grand and luxurious.After the