Note on South Sumatran Malay texts published by M.A. Jaspan in 'Folk Literature of South Sumatra - Redjang Ka - Ga - Nga texts' (Canberra, 1964), and on related Rencong manuscripts now in Hull

Reference No:
U DJA/2/2
Dates:
c. 1964
Description:

These notes summarize items in Jaspan, 1964, listed A - H, with one other, (J). As follows:

A) 'Bemanai clan chronicle' (part). Rencong text and romanized transliteration, pp.28-9. English translation, p.64. Notes, pp.5, 15, 23, 26, 83- 4. The original is a bark-cloth folding book, 14 folds, 24 x 19 cm. Begins: 'Ulaubalang Bikau Bembo djadi Djikalang Tapus'. The text was briefly seen in the Rejang region by Jaspan, in 1963. He was only able to complete the copying of the first nine lines.

B) 'The letter of a suitor'. Rencong text and romanized transliteration, pp.30- 3. English translation, pp.65-6. Notes, pp.16, 84-6. Photograph at plate 1 (frontispiece), and drawing at fig. 2, p.16. The original is a bamboo cylinder, 38 x 3.2 cm, with 13 lines of text, beginning: 'Ini surat budjang kasijan ude', now in the Brynmor Jones Library, Ms. SEA 7. (See M.C. Ricklefs and P. Voorhoeve, 'Indonesian Manuscripts in Great Britain', 1977, p.111).

C) 'The spell of Suting Nursani'. Rencong text and romanized transliteration, pp.34-5. English translation, p.67. Notes, pp.16, 86. Drawing at fig.3, p.17 and photograph at plate 4, p.21. The original is a bamboo tile, 8.5 x 7.5 cm, with 10 lines of text, beginning: 'Suting Nursani ke nama mu', now in the Brynmor Jones Library, Ms. SEA 1. (See Ricklefs and Voorhoeve, 'Indonesian Manuscripts in Great Britain', p.111).

D) 'A lover's grief; or: Divination'. Rencong text and romanized transliteration, pp.36-7. English translation, p.68. Notes, pp.16, 86-7. Photograph at plate 5b, p.24. The original is a bamboo tile, 9.6 x 5.3 cm, with two lines of syllabary (not quoted by Jaspan), followed by 7 lines of text, beginning: 'Barat lawut / tunggu maring gunung', now in the Brynmor Jones Library, Ms. SEA 2. (See Ricklefs and Voorhoeve, 'Indonesian Manuscripts in Great Britain', p.111; also M.A. Jaspan, 'Symbols at work ... in Redjang Ritual', in BKI 123, no.4, 1967, p.499; and P. Voorhoeve, 'Lover's grief or horoscope?', in BKI 135.2-3, 1979, pp.367-70).

E) 'A forest charm'. Rencong text and romanized transliteration, p.38-9. English translation, p.69. Notes, pp.17, 87. Not illustrated. The original is a rattan stick, with 3 lines of text, beginning: 'Kemrawang biku melalang gi di dalam kutum'; present location not known. (The rattan stick illustrated at plate 6, p.25, has a different text, for which see DJA/2/2J). This is a version of R 195.

F) 'Adam's wand'. Rencong text and romanized transliteration, pp.40-1. English translation, p.70. Notes, pp.23, 87. The original is a rattan stick, with 3 lines of text, beginning: 'Ini surat dalam smambau ini'. Its present location is not known. The form of text is that of an usuran.

G) 'A digest of the laws of the Slupua clan'. Rencong text and romanized transliteration, pp.42-3. English translation, p.71. Notes, pp.17, 23, 88. Photograph at plate 7, p.26. The original is a buffalo horn, with 12 lines (imperfect) of incised text, beginning: '... na di mana tidak datang di berusak Baginda Pembarap'. Present location not known; there is a black and white photograph, 37 x 24 cm at DJA/4/3.

H) 'Ali Akbar's letter to Jaspan'. Rencong text and romanized transliteration, pp.44-63. English translation, pp.73-82. Notes, pp.26, 88-90. The original text is on paper, with 153 lines, beginning: 'Gusti adat Redjang / Adapun tijap-2 gerak utu'. Colophon: 'Talang Baru, 9/8/61 / kiriman dari Aliakbar / untuk Tuan Jaspan, Tapus'. Present location not known.

J) 'Incantations, mentioning Muhammad and Ali'. A pencil copy of this Rencong text is attached to this note, written on three sides of a double- foolscap sheet. The original is a rattan stick, 89 x 2 to 2.5 cm, and contains 13 lines of text, and is now in the Brynmor Jones Library at Ms. SEA 3. (See Ricklefs and Voorhoeve, 'Indonesian Manuscripts in Great Britain', p.111). The stick is illustrated in Jaspan 1964, plate 6, p.25, which is this text and not text E.

Format:
Archive Item
Extent:
1 item
Language:
Access Conditions:
Access will be granted to any accredited reader
Repository:
Hull University Archives
Collection:
Papers of Professor Mervyn Aubrey Jaspan (1926-1975)