Western Arabia in the Leiden Collections
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Luitgard Mols Western Arabia Arnoud Vrolijk in the Leiden Collections Traces of a Colourful Past LEIDEN PUBLICATIONS Luitgard Mols Western Arabia Arnoud Vrolijk in the Leiden Collections Traces of a Colourful Past LEIDEN PUBLICATIONS 1 2 Contents Foreword 4 Acknowledgements 5 Introduction – Collectors in Western Arabia 6 Chapter 1 – Religion in Western Arabia 17 Chapter 2 – The Geography of the Holy Places 35 Chapter 3 – The Hajj to Mecca 55 Chapter 4 – History 83 Chapter 5 – Literary Culture 101 Chapter 6 – Public Life 121 Chapter 7 – Dress and Animal Trappings 139 Chapter 8 – Family Life in Mecca 161 Appendix I – Locating the Collections 182 Appendix II – Dutch Diplomats in Jeddah 183 Bibliography 184 Index of Persons 190 Colophon 192 3 Foreword In 2017 Leiden University is celebrating its Asia Year. travel to Mecca from all corners of the globe. From the The University Library at Witte Singel, an attractive design early 1870s until 1950 the Dutch were part of this global from the late 1970s, has been completely modernised and experience in their role of colonial rulers of Indonesia. refurbished and is now adding an additional fl oor, creating From the Dutch Consulate in Jeddah they facilitated The Asian Library to house the University’s world- the Indonesian pilgrims’ journey, while keeping a close class collections from China, Japan, Korea, the Indian watch on their movements. Consuls, scholars from Leiden, subcontinent and Southeast Asia, and also to support shipping agents and occasional travellers acquired books, excellent research and teaching. This operation refl ects photographs and ethnographical objects that together not only an acute awareness that the world is changing draw a vivid picture of everyday life in Western Arabia but also an ambition to be part of that change. Likewise, during that period. These collections could never have the Museum Volkenkunde (Museum of Ethnology) been assembled without the support of the Consulate’s in Leiden, founded in 1837, has undergone a complete Indonesian dragomans or interpreters, who spoke Arabic overhaul in recent years to enhance the presentation of its and were well acquainted with Arabian society, or the rich collections to a growing national and international contribution of local Arab scholars, professionals and public. In 2014 Museum Volkenkunde merged with the merchants. To our knowledge, this tripartite cooperation Tropenmuseum in Amsterdam and the Afrika Museum between Dutch, Indonesians and Arabs was unique at the in Berg en Dal to form the Nationaal Museum van time. Wereldculturen (National Museum of World Cultures). Its collections – containing some 375,000 objects and 750,000 Materials on paper were dispatched to the Leiden photographs – are of world-class quality and refl ect the University Library, while the artefacts found a new Museum’s mission of enhancing an open view on the home at Museum Volkenkunde. In this volume, Western world. Arabia in the Leiden Collections: Traces of a Colourful Past, authors Luitgard Mols and Arnoud Vrolijk seek to bring The close ties between Leiden University and Museum both collections together again by highlighting a wide Volkenkunde go back a long way. More often than not, selection of objects against the background of their the curators who work with the Museum’s collections also original historical context, enhanced with more than 160 teach at the University and vice versa, and collections illustrations. and expertise are mutually exchanged with a refreshing liberality, as in the 2013–2014 exhibition Longing for Mecca. We eagerly avail ourselves of the opportunity to thank The Pilgrim’s Journey on the Hajj to Mecca, which attracted Saudi Aramco, the national petroleum company of Saudi a record number of visitors to the Museum. The book you Arabia, and its daughter company, Aramco Overseas in are now holding in your hands is yet another expression of The Hague, for their generous support of this book project. this cooperation. Aramco has also supported the Museum Volkenkunde’s 2013–2014 exhibition on the Hajj and its current semi- Although geography works very well as a guiding principle permanent display on Mecca and the pilgrimage. We in the organisation of a library or museum, we fully realise appreciate the fact that Aramco, a global player par that the human endeavour often transcends physical or excellence, still cherishes the history and culture of its virtual boundaries. During the Hajj, millions of pilgrims home country. Kurt De Belder Stijn Schoonderwoerd University Librarian Director of the National & Director of Leiden Museum of World Cultures University Libraries 4 Acknowledgements This book could never have been written without the kind Furthermore, the following colleagues and friends helped and generous support of many friends and colleagues. First us out in all sorts of ways, from sharing information of all we would like to gratefully acknowledge Aramco, and unearthing inaccessible publications, to giving us the national oil company of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, encouragement in our project: Pieter Allersma, Jake whose grant – and im plicit trust – made the book possible. Benson, André Bouwman, Fransje Brinkgreve, Laura van The Leiden University colleagues who supported our Broekhoven, Ester de Bruin, Rob Buijing, Ingeborg Eggink, proposal in their discussions with Aramco were Lilian Werner Ende, John Frankhuizen, Ulrike Freitag, Aarnout Visscher (Head of Alumni Relations and Funding), Kasper Helb, Ahmad al-Jallad, Nadine Jouhat, Michael Kemper, van Ommen (External Relations Offi cer) and Professors Jan Krugers, Richard van Leeuwen, Harm Linsen, Wayne Léon Buskens and Petra Sijpesteijn as directors of the Modest, Dirry Oostdam, Anne van Oostrum, Liesbeth LUCIS Research School. At Leiden University Press, Ouwehand, Simon Pelle, Venetia Porter, Karin Scheper, publisher Anniek Meinders and her team provided Annette Schmidt, Kathryn Schwartz, Mirjam Shatanawi, their expertise to see our book through. Erin Martineau Joop Span, Lex Verhey, Anita Verweij, Wonu Veys and Bert proofread our English text with meticulous care. Ben van der Zwan. Needless to say, the responsibility for any Grishaaver, Irene de Groot, Peter Hilz, Nico van Rooijen errors or omissions rests entirely with us. and Hans Tisseur photographed the objects or made digital reproductions with endless patience. As always, We thank our partners Harold van der Weegen and designer Jelle Hellinga (The Hague) turned our text and Jenny de Roode for their patience and support during the images into an object of beauty. preparation of this book. Finally, we jointly dedicate this book to our children Alexandra, Clarice, Clarisse, Nadine, Steven and Veronica. October 2016, Luitgard Mols and Arnoud Vrolijk 5 Introduction – Collectors in Western Arabia It is nothing short of a miracle that the provincial town of Leiden, the Netherlands, possesses two fascinating collections related to Western Arabia, also known as the Hejaz. The region owes its fame fi rst and foremost to Mecca and Medina, the holiest cities of Islam. One collection, consisting mainly of historical objects of everyday use, clothing items, pilgrim souvenirs and other artefacts, is preserved in the Museum Volkenkunde (established in 1837); the other, containing Islamic manuscripts, photographs, letters, printed books and audiovisual materials, is kept in the library of Leiden University (founded in 1575). Together, they provide a unique insight into a colourful and vibrant society which has all but vanished under the impact of changing political and religious allegiances and the onslaught of modernity. The fact that these collections exist at all can only be explained in terms of the Dutch colonial presence in the Indonesian Archipelago prior to 1942. Under the legislation of the Netherlands East Indies freedom of religion was granted to Muslims, who then as now constituted the vast majority of the population. This freedom included the right to go on Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca which is incumbent on every Muslim who can aff ord to do so. Nonetheless, this right was granted only with the greatest [Plate 1] Photograph of the exterior of the Dutch Consulate, reluctance, since the Dutch colonial administration feared Jeddah c. 1910, probably by Consul N. Scheltema. that pilgrims would turn into ‘fanatical Muslims’ once [UBL Or. 26.365: 1] they were exposed to co-religionists from other parts of the Islamic world not under European colonial domination, (1811–1874).1 In 1930 the consulate was upgraded to the such as the Ottoman Empire. These misgivings were only status of legation. In all, nineteen Dutch diplomats served increased by the fact that the Holy Cities of Islam were in the Hejaz until 1950, when the last envoy, Herman Henry impenetrable to non-Muslims. As a result, most political Dingemans (1907–1985), formally handed over the legation unrest in the Dutch colonies was attributed to pilgrims to the newly independent Republic of Indonesia.2 returning from Mecca. Jeddah was never an easy post for the Dutch consuls, who It was only after the emergence of steam navigation in were ill adapted to the scorching heat and humidity of the the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea in the second half Hejaz coast. Although there had been no major outbreaks of the nineteenth century, and the consequent rise of violence against European residents since 1858, they in the numbers of pilgrims, that the need arose for a were tolerated rather than accepted in the heartland more reliable infrastructure for the Indonesian