TOWARDS PREVALENCE OF NEGERI SEMBILAN MALAY TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE FOR FUTURE COMMUNITIES Towards Prevalence of Negeri Sembilan Malay Traditional Architecture for Future Communities: Misconceptions Mawar Masri1 )DFXOW\RI$UFKLWHFWXUH3ODQQLQJDQG6XUYH\LQJ8QLYHUVLWL7HNQRORJL0$5$ Shah Alam, 40450, Selangor D.E., Malaysia ABSTRACT Negeri Sembilan’s unique identity is facing gradual disappearance endangering future generation’s identity’s ownership as well as cultural and built environment quality due to such misconception. This paper seek WRSUHVHQWWKH¿QGLQJVRIDFRPSUHKHQVLYHOLWHUDWXUHUHYLHZVZKLFKWKHQ tested by a perception survey. The literature review is part of the research activities aimed in unravelling the authenticity of Negeri Sembilan traditional houses. The research methodology was qualitative. This paper enables understanding of apparent misconception and an important milestone on an on-going research towards preserving the Negeri Sembilan architectural identity for our future communities in facing environmental challenges. © 2013. Published by the Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies FE-Bs , )aFulty of ArFhiteFture, Planning Surveying, 8niversiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia Keywords: Negeri Sembilan traditional architecture; misconception; identity ownership; future communities. 111 1 Corresponding author. Tel.: + 6-019-5648553; fax: +603-55444353. E-mail address: [email protected] Masri, M. ASIAN JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENT-BEHAVIOUR STUDIES, VOLUME 4, NUMBER 13, MAY/JUNE 2013 INTRODUCTION 7KLV SDSHU VHHN WR SUHVHQW WKH ¿QGLQJV RI D FRPSUHKHQVLYH OLWHUDWXUH reviews as part of the research activities aimed at determining the authenticity of the Negeri Sembilan traditional architecture. The research was proposed when Malaysia’s identity for booth design at the Shanghai World Expo 2010 was represented by Minangkabau identity, a community from the West Sumatra in Indonesia. A misconception emerged from PLVDSSUHKHQVLRQRIWKHKLVWRU\RI6RXWK(DVW$VLD7KH¿QGLQJVDUHDLPHG to clarify the facts and re-oriented the architectural interpretation within WKHORFDOFRQWH[WQRWPHDQWWRGHQ\WKH0LQDQJNDEDXLQÀXHQFHWKDWKDYH evolved together within the local communities. The Nara Document of Authenticity 1994, stated, heritage of all cultures and societies are rooted in the particular forms and means of tangible and intangible expression. Subsequently, our future communities’ LGHQWLW\ LV XQGHQLDEO\ UHÀHFWHG LQ RXU KHULWDJH HVSHFLDOO\ WKH EXLOW KHULWDJH PHDVXUHG DV D UHÀHFWLRQ RI WKH FRPPXQLW\¶V VRFLRFXOWXUDO identity. Placing in the Negeri Sembilan context, the prevalence of their architectural identity is dependent on the degree of understanding of both communities’ historical relationship. Within a scope of a single paper it is not possible to describe in detail the historical relationship between Negeri Sembilan and Minangkabau communities. Rembau district was chosen due WRPDQ\VLJQL¿FDQWKLVWRULFDOHYHQWVRI1HJHUL6HPELODQRFFXUUHGWKHUH Contextual understanding of the history and location however is vital in order to comprehend this paper. Therefore for further understanding of WKHKLVWRULFDODQGJHRJUDSKLFDOUHODWLRQVKLSVDVZHOODVWKHVLJQL¿FDQFHRI research site see Masri et. al (2012a). Refer also to Figure 2, 3 and 4 for an overview of the historical settings (adapted from Masri et. al., Loeb, Kato and Asri). 5HVHDUFK6LWH Rembau is a district in Negeri Sembilan, a state in Malaysia located on the central west coast on the Malay Peninsula. Refer to Figure 1(a) and 1(b). 112 Masri, M. TOWARDS PREVALENCE OF NEGERI SEMBILAN MALAY TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE FOR FUTURE COMMUNITIES )LJ D /RFDWLRQRI5HPEDX E /RFDWLRQRI1HJHUL6HPELODQ -83(0 )LJ6KRZWKHH[WHQWRI0LQDQJNDEDXNLQJGRPDWLWVSHDN 113 Masri, M. ASIAN JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENT-BEHAVIOUR STUDIES, VOLUME 4, NUMBER 13, MAY/JUNE 2013 )LJ0DSVKRZLQJWKHRYHUODSSLQJDUHDWKDWZDVFRPPRQWRWKH6ULZLMD\D0HODND DQG0LQDQJNDEDX.LQJGRPV Century 12345678910111213141516 17 18 19 20 A.D. 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600 1700 1800 1900 Srivijaya Majapahit Melaka Johor 1957:Malaysia Independence භInas *FUNAN SG.UJONG, REMBAU, JELEBU, NEGERI SG.UJONG(+Johol&Jelebu),REMBAU JOHOL,NANING,ULUMUAR, KELANG SEMBILAN CHAMPA MELAKA British PD B LANGKASUKA PortugueseconqueredMelaka(1511) 1641Ͳ1824:Belanda(Dutch) (1623)JOHOR GANGGANEGARA Kato:migrationofMinangkabau startingofMinangkabau migration(after1511):Zakiah LEMBAHBUJANG 1377totallyconqueredbyMajapahit MELAYUJAMBI SRIVIJAYA 1356Ͳ Minangkabau:independentMalaystate PAGARRUYUNG MINANGKABAU coveredthewholeofcentral KEDAHTUA(KATAHA) Sumatra. Governancecentre:Kg.Sg.Emas LembahBujang ChandidiLembahBujang(Kedah) Theheight/peakoftheempire CandiBorobudur MAJAPAHIT Chandi othersmallerempires KEDIRI AIRLANGGA SINGOSARI 114 )LJ7LPHOLQHRIWKH$QFLHQW0DOD\.LQJGRPVIURPVWWRWK&HQWXU\ Masri, M. TOWARDS PREVALENCE OF NEGERI SEMBILAN MALAY TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE FOR FUTURE COMMUNITIES 1HJHUL6HPELODQ¶V5XOLQJ6\VWHP Adat Perpatih is name given to the present matrilineal practices in Negeri Sembilan, believed to be originated from Minangkabau (Gullick, 2003; Ahmat, 2010). )LJ,OOXVWUDWH1HJHUL6HPELODQ¶VXQLTXHQHVVWKHLUFXVWRPV FODQVDQGUXOLQJVWUXFWXUH Ideally there were 12 clans but today there are twenty-seven clans with 20 Clan-chief (‘Lembaga’) now. The Biduanda clan is the original settlers or the local aborigines in Negeri Sembilan (Ibrahim, 1988; Gullick, 2003; Adil, 1981). Therefore only the male descendants from the female bloodline of the Biduanda clan can be appointed to be the Ruling Chief as in Figure 5. 5(6($5&+0(7+2'2/2*< The overall research methodology is qualitative. The methodology of the UHVHDUFKLVGLYLGHGLQWR¿YHSKDVHV7KHOLWHUDWXUHUHYLHZVDUHH[HFXWHG 115 DW 3KDVH ZKHUH WKH VHFRQGDU\ GDWD LV GLYLGHG LQWR ¿YH FDWHJRULHV DV Masri, M. ASIAN JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENT-BEHAVIOUR STUDIES, VOLUME 4, NUMBER 13, MAY/JUNE 2013 shown in Figure 6 which lead to this paper. The survey result will make the conclusion of this paper more robust. )LJ7KHPHWKRGVLQWKHOLWHUDWXUHUHYLHZUHVHDUFK 5(6($5&+/,0,7$7,216 The grant scheme only funded research activities with sites only within Malaysia. Comparison with any information gathered about another countries were only through content analysis of the secondary data JDWKHUHGWKHOLWHUDWXUHV7KH¿QGLQJVZRXOGEHPRUHUREXVWLIWKHVWXG\RI 116 the Minangkabau traditional architecture could be executed in the Central Western Sumatra. Masri, M. TOWARDS PREVALENCE OF NEGERI SEMBILAN MALAY TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE FOR FUTURE COMMUNITIES /,7(5$785(5(9,(:),1',1*6 (PHUJHQFHRIWKHPLVFRQFHSWLRQV The roots of the emergence of the misconceptions were mostly in the association with Minangkabau as summarized in Figure 7 based on the preceding paper, Masri et. al, 2012a. It should be stressed that these events had indirectly yield certain mistaken believe, especially in the architectural identity. Nonetheless this paper’s emphasis is towards the traditional architecture of Negeri Sembilan. )LJ7KHVLJQL¿FDQWKLVWRULFDOO\HYHQWWKDW\LHOGHGPLVFRQFHSWLRQVDERXW1HJHUL 6HPELODQFRPPXQLWLHVWKDWKDYHVLJQL¿FDQFHHIIHFWVWRWKHLUDUFKLWHFWXUDOLGHQWLW\ Hence the following chapters highlight the literatures in order to 117 resolve the misconceptions. Masri, M. ASIAN JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENT-BEHAVIOUR STUDIES, VOLUME 4, NUMBER 13, MAY/JUNE 2013 Misconception 1: “The Malays of Negeri Sembilan originated from the Minangkabau heartland.” This statement implies as if no local communities exist before the Minangkabau Malays transmigrated. The history books written by Gullick, Adil and Khoo clearly stated the aborigines were in Negeri Sembilan even during the Sriwijaya Kingdoms sovereignty. Astonishingly, some of the architectural books written could mislead readers, indirectly causing misconception as presented in Figure 7 and Table 1. 7DEOH([DPSOHVRPHRIWKHZULWWHQPDWHULDOVIURPDUFKLWHFWXUDOERRNV Author/ Book Page Quotations that could mislead Title no. Nasir, 1985 6 “Di Negeri Sembilan di mana orang-orang Melayunya berasal dari Minangkabau telah memperlihatkan bentuk dan gaya rumahnya sangat dipengaruhi oleh senibina dari mana asal keturunan mereka.” Translation: “The Malay people in Negeri Sembilan originated from Minangkabau had portrayed their house form and style that is Yery much inÀuenced by the architecture of their origin¶s homeland.” The 17 “The roof style of the Minangkabau-style Negeri Sembilan Encyclopedia house 5 is belieYed to be inÀuenced by the Sumatran house of Malaysia: from Indonesia (6). The ancestors of the people in Negeri Architecture Sembilan came from the Minangkabau region.” Note: (5) and (6) in the sentence refers to the diagram in the book. The 24 “The Negeri Sembilan roof is a visual analogy of a bull’s head Encyclopedia and horns, purportedly honouring the buffalo for the role it of Malaysia: played in winning an important battle in Sumatra.” Architecture Gullick writing proves the existence of local Negeri Sembilan Malays EHIRUHWKH0LQDQJNDEDXSHRSOHWUDQVPLJUDWHG¿JXUHGSURPLQHQWO\LQWKH Malay legends of their pioneer settlements and the whole area of Naning- 5HPEDXKDGEHHQRFFXSLHGE\µDERULJLQHVRQO\¶ZKHQWKH3RUWXJXHVH¿UVW arrived. Adil’s statement further proves the misconception by emphasizing 118 the aborigines of Rembau was unmistakenly the Jakun communities, known as the Biduanda or Mantera people and Sungai Ujong was known Masri, M. TOWARDS PREVALENCE OF NEGERI SEMBILAN MALAY TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE FOR FUTURE COMMUNITIES to be under the sovereignty of the Sriwijaya Kingdom during the 11th Century. Misconception 2: “The Minangkabau people were the ones that brought the matrilineal