Malay Literature in the Communicative Space of Java in the 19th – Early 20th Centuries

Malay literature is and has always been an essential component of Island Southeast Asia’s written heritage. Although a minority language, Malay usually served as a means of inter-ethnic communication. Knowledge of Malay was considered essential for officials working in the government structures in Java. In 1819, the United Secretariat was established in Batavia to support this initiative. Local scribes copied selected manuscripts, providing students with access to a wide range of genres. At the same time, public libraries or “reading gardens” were established in Java. In accordance with the tastes of audience, fantasy and adventure stories were in the greatest demand. Along with libraries, private book collections emerged. One of the most significant chapters in the history of Batavia’s “reading gardens” was the work of the Fadli family, spanning four generations from the 1840s to the 1910s. Their collection included not only fiction but also poems (shairs) about recent historical events. Muslim Chinese also played a significant role in the development of librarianship in Java. With their input, by the late 19th century, the first translations of world literature works, including Chinese ones, into Malay had been published. They introduced lithographic techniques and helped to develop typesetting. In the 20th century, the book culture developed on the basis of the Malay manuscript tradition, through the joint efforts of various forces. These forces, though diverse, worked in accordance with each other. Together, they laid the foundation for the integration of different groups into a new national community – the people of Indonesia.