CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY DATE DUE Mir lAK _ u di lu'j /Wl&ieS s^g^Afp ^■H^L 09^ PHij^jJ^""* GAVLORD PRINTCO IN U S Cornell University Library DS 614.U62 A pocket guide to Netherlands E|jst jndie 3 1924 023 180 114 *. Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924023180114 A 1-^ O C K E T GUIDE TO M fr' 1 '■■\ ni tli uo 14 £!l t3 i :1 Ft>r afir of Alilitary Pujr.mel only. Not to ■ be republished, in whole or in part, ivithout the consent of the War Department. , WAR AND NAVY DEPARTMENTS ' WASHINGTON, D. C. Prepared by •.I'ECIAL SERA ICE DIVISION, ARMV SERVICE FORCES UNITED STATES ARMY I Of ..•~XS^'' "W^'W A ■ ifc '•'^' iimM^i''|(J' ^.^^^.^Aj^ij^l^li^ ■. >-■/ f y } ■ v.i ■■ ^ AUSTRALIA \ \ '''^'^■■j. f INTRODUCTION ON March 9, 194-1 the radio station at Bandung, tem- porary capital of the Netherlands Indies in the hills of Java and the last Dutch stronghold to fall before the Jap- anese, signed ofT with these words: "We are now shut- ting down. Goodbye until better times. Long Live the Queen." Since that day, the people of the Indies have been living in a perpetual black-out as far as the free world is concerned. Scattered news of guerilla fighting in the hills and jungles filters out, but little or nothing is known of the fate of the 72,000,000 people who lived on the islands be- fore the Japs came. We know this. The Indonesians are not 1 r: living as they want to live. Their d.iily lives, anj pcrhaf)S the people themselves, are being changed under the strik- ing force of hunger and brutality. So this guide to the Indies must picture the people and the country as they were, before Bandung fell, and the radio said: "Goodbye until happier times." You are the means, the military force, by which those times will be restored to the islands of the Indies and the patient, kindly people who live there. Treasure House of Asia. Stretching along 3,000 miles of water from Malaya almost to die subcontinent ot Aus- tralia, the Netherlands East Indies are the treasure house of Asia — home of rich oil deposits, tin. and other strategic materials we, and our enemies, need. From the beginning of their dream of conquering the land and peoples of Asia, the Japanese recognized the vital importance of the Indies to their so-called New Order in the Far Ease. One of Japan's leading statesmen, Toshio Shiratori, said bluntly that these islands were "A matter of life and death to Japan economically and strategically." The pattern of' conquest, planned by the Japanese war lords, therefore, was thorough. When a world depression set in in 1929, world markets took less and less of the Indies goods — oil, quinine, kapok, pepper, rubber, tea, sugar, and tin. The apanese Govern- ment organized an outfit called the "E-xploitation and Col- onization Company for the South Pacific Islands flcx,d- ing the islands with cheap goods, buying as much ot as many products as the Dutch would permit in an effort to dominate the islands' econoniy. Japanese naval officers, dis- guised as fishermen, studied and charted the coastal areas, the harbors, and the narrow passageways through the shallow seas around the islands. ■ Then, on December 7, when Japan launched her mili- tary and naval forces againU the United Nations, the real conquest of the Indies began. Coordinating the'r cam- paigns on land and sea, the Japanese occupied Wake Island, Guam, and lUiiisb North llo.ueo, effectively cut- ting our lines of communication to the rhllippines and protecting their own lines to their mandated island bases. Although not attacked direcdy, the Dutch government, on December 8 declared war, even despite Japanese assur- ances that the Indies would not be endangered. This proof of guts and loyalty to the cause of the United Nations should hearten any American soldier assigned to duty in the Indies. c r u 1 The next Japanese step was the occupation of lightly- held outlying bases in the Indies themselves, the first thrust in that direction bemg leveled against the British terruory of Sarawak on the island of Borneo. For the first tew weeks the enemy left the Dutch conspicuously alone and the rad.o blared from Tokyo that the Japanese forces had no designs agamst the N. E. I. CJovernment and was prepared to cooperate with it. The response of the Dutch was one of the most heartening occurrences in those early days of the war. Before the Japanese had fired one shot in their direction, the Dutch struck with everything they had It vvasn t much, but considering what it lacked in nu- merical strength, the military eflort of this small colonial governm.cnr is di v„ ng ol a deatiijess page in the annals ,' of human courage. You may remember those first few days after December 7, and you may recall how, while we in America were waiting for word of what our own ships and British ships were doing to the enemy in Asiatic waters, we were hearing mainly about Dutch submarines blasting Japanese convoys in the South China Sea. The true figures of the Dutch defense were unknown in our country. For that reason, we hardly realized how ter- rible were the odds. There were fewer than 75,000 troops to defend the N. F,. T.'s mnrr- fh in •■..ooo islands. Most of these soldiers were Indonesians trained bv the Dutch, and under the shock of one of the heaviest amphibian attacks ever brought against any country, they remained loyal to the last and fought until they were either de?.d or over- whelmed by superior military power. As for the air defense, now it can be told that this mod- ern David went into battle with only a handful of 5-year- old bombing planes and a skeleton force of fighters — less than 150 planes in all. They fought until they were utterly spent, and it was not only in defense of their own soil that the lives and the planes were expended. The bombers hit against Japanese bases in the Philippines. When the Jap- anese coil began to tighten around Singapore, Dutch planes flew out of Java to support the British. Finally, when the Japanese fleet came into the Java Sea, and the -i. .0 I: WHAT ARE THE INOIES7 TO BEGIN with, there are some 3,000 islands in the In- dies group, not counting innumerable tiny ones. Spread over a patch of ocean the size of the United States, the combmed land area is three-quarters of a million square miles, about one-fourth the size of ours. The best way to reduce the islands to an orderly picture IS to divide them into four main sections: (i). The Great Sunda group: made- up of the large western islands of Sumatra Java, Borneo, and Celebes, with their offshore IS ands; (2). The lesser Sundas, made up of the long chain of smaller islands from Bali east to the Timor region- (3) The Molucca Group, consisting of Halmahera and numer- ous smaller islands around it; (4).-Dutch New Guinea, the western half of the enormous island, sparsely popu- lated and little explored. You can get some idea of the relative size of these IS ands when you consider that the Dutch part of the island of Borneo is larger than Germany was before Hit- ler; Sumatra is the size of California and larger than Japan proper; and Java is about the size of New York State. The latter island is the most densely populated area in the world, supporting 990 persons to a square mile. In the whole of the United States there are only about 40 persons per square niile. 8 The map in the center of this book will get you better acquainted with the geographic position of Indonesia. The most important thing is the people. There will be more about the islands themselves later. THE DIFFERENT INDONESIANS THE Indonesians differ widely among themselves. They don't all speak the same language, wear the same clothes or worship the same gods. One of the reasons is that there are a number of differ- ent nationalities on the islands. About 70,000,000 people are of much the same stock as the Filipinos and the Malays of Malaya on the continent of Asia. Then there. were 1,500,000 of those hardy travelers, the Chinese. Before the war, there were about 300,000 Europeans, some 80,000 -Arabs, and about 30,000 Indians (from India). In New Guinea and some of the other outer islands near Australia the people are known as Papuans and are greatly different from the vast bulk of the Indonesians. Generally they are taller, heartier in manner and more loud-spoken. The Indonesians differ widely among themselves in almost every aspect of life, yet there arc common traits of character important to know. As a rule they are a small people, the men averaging perhaps 5 feet 2 and the women %'l^ f ,, , PAPUANS ■ii^^m a little under 5 feet. For the most^art they are calm and dignified, finely built, and graceful. Also they arc instinc- tively and sincerely polite. Don't mistake this politeness, especially among the Javanese, for servility; it is just their natural way of showing respect and a part of their every- day character to which they pay a great deal more atten- tion than we do. 10 If you except some tribes in Sumatra and in the eastern part of the island the chief Indonesian characteristic is to live in peace and harmony with his fellows, his god, his surroundings, and himself. He doesn't want to push other people around, conquer more land or offend the beliefs of others. Intolerance, oppression or an overbearing atti- tude he dislikes strongly, and is very likely to get tough about it. This world needs, and will always need, more people like that. As do most quiet people, the Indonesians have a well- Ii developed, gift of seeing the other-fellow's porrrt-of view;- but they expect him to see and respect theirs in turn. It is particularly important not to disappoint them in this. For them, it is not successful achievement or wealth that deter- mines a man's value; it is his personality and his spiritual quality. A good deed therefore should never be done with any thought of recompense in this or the other life; there- by, it loses its value. Another common characteristic: the Indonesian is very sensitive. He dislikes coarseness of any kind. Furthermore his sensitiveness is such that if another commits what he regards as a shameful act, he feels ashamed to have wit- nessed it. Kind and ordinarily tolerant as he is, the In- donesian, if he feels sufficiently ashamed, may become violently angry, perhaps to the extent of running amok and slashing everyone in his path. This isn't a folk-tale, and, therefore, it is necessary to treat the Indonesians with great self-control and courtesy. Never shout at him, nor show impatience. He is keen to cooperate, but he does things at a slower pace than you are used to and impa- tience or violence only muddle him. These traits are jjenerally common to the great ma- jority of Indonesians you will meet. Here then are a few thumb-nail sketches of the various kinds of Indonesians and their differencts. 12 I The Javanese. The Javanese number about 30,000,000 I people, living mainly in the centra! and east part of Java, though the name is often applied to all Indonesian resi- dents of the island. The typical Javanese headdress is I made of figured cloth, with a "bun" or round knot at the ; back of the neck. These people are Moslems about whom there will be more later. From childhood the Javanese are taught a code of manners which is strictly followed by hiah and low born alike. It stresses self-discipline and con- trol, politeness, careful regard for the feelings of others, respect Cor elders, andlor those in authority. This helps to explain how so many people can live together in thesame household or in a crowded village. Sundanese and Madurese. The Sundanese of west Java and the Madurese of east Java and Madura Island are not as formal and are somewhat more democratic. Both groups wear headdresses of figured cloth, but that of the Sunda- nese has no bun or knot and that of the Madurese ties at the back with the two ends going ofl at a jaunty angle. The Madurese like to wear white jerseys with red hori- zontal stripes. Maybe you'd never think so, but there are many of them who have traveled considerably for they have been in demand as sailors and as hotel servants. 13 J -<<1: . .'..i„.-eU-ak.,-4.^^. ■.p The Sumatrans. In Sumatra, perhaps the best known people are the Achinese, or Atjehs, who live at the north- west tip of the island. From earliest days they fought the Dutch. Finally, after a 35-year war, which ended in 1908, they were subdued, but even since then Dutch troops had to be stationed in their territory. The Achinese are perhaps the strictest Moslems in the Indies. If you get into their territory, be careful about respecting their customs and beliefs. Somewhat to the east of them are the Bataks. They are isolated folk who still hold to their ancestral religion, though some of them have been converted to Islam (as the Moslems call their religion), and others to Christian- ity. The Christians are mainly in the region of beautiful Lake Toba, but the missionaries have been largely Ger- man, which means that the Bataks have had considerable Nazi propaganda dished out to them. The non-Christian Bataks are still suspicious of strangers, and until recently, war was one of their main pursuits. Around the Padang region of West Sumatra are the Minangkabaus. Though they too are Moslems, they still practice some of their older social and religious customs. They trace their descent from their mother's side instead of from the father's side as we do. Women own the main property; children are reared in their mother's family. 14 Men have fewer home responsibilities, and so are freer to travel Many of them have received an education, and are now doctors, lawyers, and political leaders m Sumatra and lava. They are shrewd traders, very democratic m 'their thinking, and great lovers of freedom. Minangkabau women wear gauze veils around their heads, but not over their faces. These people build lofty houses, elaborately carved and painted, with sharp peaks on the roofs. Groups From Other Islands. A similar mixup of peoples is found in other parts of the Indies. Borneo has Malay ...roups on the coast, but in the interior there are many war- Vkc tribes called Dyaks whose activities perhaps gave rise to the fable of the "wild man of Borneo." However, sonie Dyaks are good workers and carriers in exploration work. In the Celebes the outstanding groups are the Buginese of the southwest, who are famous sailors and traders, and the Minahassas of the northeast, who are now practically all Christians. In the Moluccas, the Amboinese of Amboina are also largely Christians. Others like the Ternatans are strict Moslems, and still others like most of the people on Halmahera Island, keep to their old faiths. The Lesser Sun- das have a similar diversity of peoples, from the Balinese through to the more isolated groups in the Timor region. New Guinea is a huge world in itself. 15 r li "Sva-i? ^tfelf ^ss€r!«^ Balinese. The Balinese are among the moSt interesting people in the Indies. In recent years Bali has attracted many tourists. Its picturesque scenery and strange, cere- monious rituals, to say nothing of the fact that some Balinese women still wear nothing above the waist, have been the drawing cards. The Balinese did not let the popularity of their island as a tourist paradise disturb their arts and religious observances. 16 The Dutch. The Dutch have been in the Indies since the latter part of the sixteenth century. You will find them very different from the so-called typical — but actually legend- ary — Dutchmen of Holland with their balloon trousers and wooden shoes. In fact, you'll discover that they are a good deal like the businessmen, engineers, and government ad- ministrators you know back home. They are hard workers, efficient, and modern in their ideas and methods. 'The Dutch are inclined to be rather reserved when you first meet them, but once they become your friends, they will remain so for life. They are a quiet people, and the best way to get on with them is to be quiet yourself, even if you think at first that all their formality is a bit exag- gerated and stuffy. Remember that one American who knows them calls them "The Dutch who never go dov/n but that they drag a slew of their enemies with them." Because they have been in the Indies for more than 300 years, the Dutch there consider this country their home. Don't start an argument with them about their position in the Indies, or about the colonial system, or that sort of thing. Keep your opinions on these subjects to yourself. And don't forget the misery and hardship the Dutch have suffered from the Japanese because they chose to declare war on Japan after Pearl Harbor, and later, chose to stay loyally in the country they love and call home. / 17 f.:'- m H'i ',\'H-i 4 IndO-Europeans. Nine-tenths of the so-called "Europeans" are the offspring of whites who married native women. These mixed people are called Indo-Europeans. The Dutch have had little racial prejudice, and since few white people came to the islands, especially in the earlier days, mar- riages with native women have heen numerous and socially accepted. This Indo-European group usually marry among themselves and have multiplied with great rapidity in modern times. They have formed the backbone of official- dom. In general, they feel the same loyalty to Holland as do the white Netherlanders. They have full rights of Dutch citizens, and they are Christians and follow Dutch customs. This group has probably suffered more than any other during the Japanese invasion. Chinese. For centuries Chinese have been coming to the islands. The decendants of old Chinese settlers are called P'RA-na-^an. Most of the full-blooded Chinese in the In- dies today, however, are comparatively recent immigrants. They usually came to work on the plantations, especially in Sumatra and in the Banka and Billiton tin mines, just off the coast of that island. Later they often struck out for themselves as independent merchants, craftsmen, or farmers. The great majority lived in crowded corners and cubicles in or near their work places. Most Chinese abroad 18 1 '-'-: ' ' ■ are intensely nationalistic and hate the Japanese fiercely. Never use the word "Chinaman." Call them "Chmese" or use the Malay name for them, 0-rang CHI-na (that is, "man of China"). Arabs. The Arabs have also come in over a long period. They" are mostly from the barren Hadramaut district of the southeast Arabia coast. Usually they are found in the towns as traders and money-lenders. They are strict Mos- lems and usually gready respected by Indonesian Moslems. Indians. The Indians are still another group who have been in this area for centuries. They are known locally as Klings, apparently from the name of the old Indian State of Kalinga in southeast India. You - will recognize the men by their finely drawn features, their height, and their beards, and large turbans; the Indian women, by their draped cloth- ing and jewelry, including a form of nostril ornament. In Java, the In- dians are mainly small shopkeepers, but around Medan in northv/est Su- matra numbers of them work on the plantations. \\\^ I ^ I ■ , SOME CUSTOMS AND MANNERS THE daily life of the Indonesians follows a very different schedule from our own, naturally better suited to the cli- mate. They get up very early in the morning, in order to do as much work as possible before the heat of the day sets in. .Then they may sleep or loiter in a shady place during the hot hours. They don't go to bed or eat at as regular hours as we do, the more so since they aren't clock- watchers. You may think many of them move slowly and take life easy. Don't jump to the conclusion that they are lazy Rather, their work is geared to very different timing from ours and, especially for the farmer, a lot of it comes in a great hurry during certain seasons. Indonesian people don t rush through work as though it were something to get done as soon as possible. They usually enjoy their work, especially if they arc in a group and can gossip and smg together. It has been said they live every day as though It were the only day of their lives. Money, too, is not as important to them as it is to us. When they get some, they are likely to spend it right away rather than save it. Religion. You will find the Indonesians very conservative and touchy about their religion. If you are to get along well with them, don't argue about religion 20 Remember that Moslems (in Malay Orang IS-lam) do not call their religion Mohammedanism. They do not re- gard Mohammed as god. They believe that Allah is the only god and that Mohammed was his prophet. Their religion is called Islam. The Moslem bible is known as the Koran, and the churches are called mosques. Most mosques (MAS-djid) in the Indies do not have the tower- like minarets like the mosques in Arabia and Turkey, but you will easily recognize them. The Javanese are generally very strict in their Moslem religious observances. Yet, for the most part, they are not as hostile to people they look upon as unbelievers as are other Islamic peoples. The Koran commandment to "be patient and submit to authority" has undoubtedly helped to mold the character of the people. Every year before the war thousands of Indonesians made a pilgrimage to Mecca, thus entering the select group known as HA-dji, (pilgrims) who are entitled to wear white headdresses. Moslems are very careful about their conduct during the fasting month called poo-Asa or RA-ma-dan, which starts early in September. During this time, they are for- bidden to eat or drink or smbke between sunrise and sun- set. There are certain other special festival times, notably L'BA-ran poo-Asa, or HA-ri RA-ya ("great day"). Any- 21 '■^r" -■<'' M u ^': one employmg Moslems is very careful to give time off (and perhaps a pay advance) for such rel.gious occasions. Stnct Moslems never eat any kind of pork products Correspondmgly, the Brahmans in Bali never eat beef products. Don t offend them by offering these taboo foods. The Ba mese ntuals and festivals are very elaborate Ihe temple ceremonies include traditional dances a'nd dramafc performances in which the actors go into trances..- Ihe Ronian Catholic faith was brought to the Indies hundreds of years ago by the Portuguese, and Protestant. .sm a httle later by the Dutch. Yo. will find their missions and churches scattered through the islands Beneath the surface of all these faiths there stiH ^xis' many of the ancient forms of religious belief .nnd pr.cnc^ m which the world of nature is pictured a. full of god's' and spirits, some helpful, some harmful. The soufs of ancestors, too, are regarded as still influencing many things that go on every day in the lives of the people. For that reason, never, even in fun, mention in an uncomplimen- tary way any of anyone's relatives. Many a killing in the Indies has been explained by: "They spoke of my grand- mother, who is in her grave." The cultivation of rice and other important activities are surrounded with rituals to enlist the help of the good spirits, and bring good luck Special respect is sometimes paid to certain kinds of trees' 22 and to animals like the tiger and crocodile. The spirits living on mountain-tops, in volcanoes, and in the sea, they believe, must also be kept in a friendly frame of mind. In the Indies there are innumerable sacred or haunted places {K'RA-mat, POO-den, P'MA-U, PAN-tang, as-TA- na, they are called in various places) which cannot be visited at all, or only under very stringent rules of be- havior. Only in case of unavoidable military necessity should any of these places be visited, and then only after I consultation with local civil and religious authorities. The I value of going there must be weighed against the danger- f ous ill will which may ensue. Some places, as for instance \ (loenoeng Djati, near Cheribon, are considered sacred all r over the island of Java. Desecration of such a place might even lead to a popular revolt all over the island and to the killing of American troops. If, by mistake, you have been to a sacred or haunted place and the villagers point this out to you, consult the headman of the village at once and follow the advice he gives you, so as to appease the ■'spirits'' concerned. For such a misdeed, even if done in , ignorance, it is possible that you may have to pay for a I ritual meal. It is the safest thing when you reach a com- munity, to find out immediately whether there arc any of these places about or any special "taboos" (LA-ra-ngan) about which you should be careful. 23 ■•S^..- ;■? r- 1 13*:' When visiting temple grounds in Bali or West Lombok tor instance, these are good rules to follow: Never enter by the mam gate, but only by the narrow side gates. Never bathe in sacred pools on temple grounds Never sit on the platforms {BA-lc), some of which are reserved for ceremonies. Never touch images of the gods, or the carved iotos chairs of the gods. Amusement. Religion and amusement among the Indo- nesian peoples are very closely connected. Their holidays teasts, dances, music, and plays nearly always have a re- iigious meaning. The masks and other kind, of r-rt -ork found in c|,fferent parts of the Indies are also likely to nave religious significance. The height of local music is the Javanese orchestra {GA.me-lan) of drums, gongs, and other percussion in- struments. The dances will seem strange and meaningless to you, but to the people themselves every tiny movement of hip, head, or finger means something in terms of tradi- tion. All Javanese are ardent fans of puppet shows and , shadow plays ( WA-yang) which tell the glories of old- I time Java. ' You will also find amusement that has no connection 24 * - » ! with religion. Cock fighting has been a favorite sport, but because it was forbidden by the Dutch, it has been car- ried on more or less in secret. Other animals may be matched in battle royal, even crickets and fishes. Bull rac- ing and horse racing are also favorites. The grassy lands of the Lesser Sundas are famous for their breeds of wild ponies. Some Indonesians are pretty skillful gamblers, and you'd better watch your shirt if you try to stack up against them. Western amusements have also caught on around the towns: soccer, football, cricket, and to some extent ten- nis and golf. There were movies in the larger towns. In- donesians are very fond, as we are, of Donald Duck or Mickey Mouse films, especially since animals are often the main characters in their own folk tales. You should find chances to swim, and perhaps to hunt, though it is best to inquire first about local conditions. * Women. It will be best to take matters slowly in getting to know the women. A yoo-hoo in the wrong place, and the local husband or lover might turn out to be a nasty customer. You will soon find out what girls and women are willing to walk out with strangers, or are allowed to do so by local conventions. You'll find women treated differently here from the way we treat them in the United States. Most groups in the 25 ■■i^*- _ ' m-t. 1'. JIJi 1 m if9 fi Indies allow a man to have more than one wife, although, as a matter of fact, only a small number can afford that luxury. 26 Don't touch an Indonesian woman in public. It is im- proper even for husband and wife to go arm in arm, so don't offer to help a woman across the street. (Yet you will discover it is perfccdy acceptable for men friends to hold hands!) Never enter a house where women are alone. In the cities there are prostitutes, but venereal disease is prevalent; don't take chances. If you do, take a prophylaxis treatment at once. Eating. Feasting is an important part of every Indonesian celebration. Even the ordinary meal is a somewhat formal affair. Indonesian food'; are for the most part very tasty and nutritioSs. The main dish is usually rice, to which dried fish, spices, and various kinds of vegetable sauces are added. The famous rijsttafel, a Dutch Colonial invention, is a dish which, in its most elaborate forms, may have as many as 20 different sauces added. Red chili peppers are used a great deal. For reasons of health, food is always eaten hot. If you are being entertained, be sure to wait for jour host to begin eating. A strict Moslem will say "grace." Unlike the Netherlander, who even uses a knife and fork to eat bread and butter, the ordinary Indonesian eats his rice with his fingers. If you don't know what to do, watch your host and follow suit. 27 ^ 1 Ay Household Furnishings. In most Indonesian houses fur- nishings will be very simple, with mats for beds and the noor as the main furniture. Europeans, as well as Indonesians who can afford it have bath and bedroom equipment which may at first puz- zle the newcomer. You don't get into the bathtub but dip water out of it to douse yourself before and after soaping. The rows of waterbottles beside the toilet are the equiva- lent of toilet paper. The bed, if there is any, will have a mosquito net. The long sausagelike object on the bed is known as a "Dutch wife." Put it between your legs in hot, steamy weather to keep cool. You'll find that toilet facilities in the Indies are by ' American standards, exceedingly primitive. The Indo- nesians use streams or beaches as the only sewer systems available. Though this is a region of considerable naked- ness, the people nevertheless, have their own strict stand- ards of decenc/and morality, and they rarely expose their bodies completely. Clothing. There is much local variety in clothing, both in the kinds of clothes worn and the amount. In New Guinea, it is very scanty, except for the shells, feathers, and other ornaments worn on special occasions. Full dress in central Borneo, for instance, may be little more than a 28 gee string. Most Indonesians, however, wear the KA-in or waistcloth, or the skirtlike sarong (but the Indonesian variety isn't as short as Dorothy Lamour's). A kind of jacket called a BA-djoo usually covers the upper part of the body. Women's dress doesn't differ much from that of the men. Moslem men wear a turban or a cap, as a rule. Children are likely to run about without any clothes until they are 6 or 7 years old. When you see an Indonesian wearing western-style shoes, you can be sure that he is an educated person. Villages. The large cities of the Indies are picturesque combinations of modern buildings, traditional Dutch-style architecture, and crowded Oriental quarters. The popu- lation of the Indies is still mainly rural, but you won't find the Indonesian living off by himself like our farmers. He has always been used to living in village communities. Most of the people in a village are likely to be relatives, for often their ancestors have lived and married there for generations. You will see hundreds of these settlements, sometimes large but more often quite small, along the coasts and even in places high up in the mountains. The houses are likely to be rectangular in shape, made of bam- boo and palm leaves, sometimes built on piles over the 29 1 Y EKR BIRD r^^ V '^■ -f 'i J : ■ LIZARDS^ *;..(■"■■■ ^1 . 'Ti ^.^■^ Mi, 7, k S MOUSE DEER 1^3 41: water. In Java, the villages (DE-sa) look like little islands scattered through the irrigated rice fields {SA-wah). In the towns the Indonesian and Chinese residential quarters are known as KAM-pongs. This name is also often used for the villages. Almost every community had, before the Japs took over, its own locally developed laws relating to such matters as land ownership, marriage, and inheritance of property. This "customary law", known as A-dai, was studied very carefully by the Dutch and as far as possible respected. Except in Bali and a few other islands, the A-dat is never written down but is passed along from generation to gen- eration by word of mouth. Getting a Living. Although some of the Indonesians grow cash crops or work for v.'agcs, you will find that the great majority live as their ancestors did, farming their little plots of land or fishing in the sea. In Java and the western islands, you will see their rice fields and their little patches of corn and sweetpotatoes. Farther east, the main food is provided by the pith of the wild sago palm. Along the coastal regions, fishing is very important. Water buffaloes, cattle, and chickens are plentiful. Some of the people do a little hunting. Even in these days of machine-made cloth and other factory goods, home industries still exist. The 32 famous BA-u\ cloth is still made to some extent in Java, and woodcarving, intricate metalworking, and the weav- ing of hats, mats, and other articles are carried on. The average community makes the bulk of what it needs or else gets it through minor trading such as has been carried on for centuries. Language. You may wonder, with all the different local kinds of speech, how these people manage to communi- cate with one another. Some keep entirely to their own languages; but wherever groups have hcc\ *^ .^ .' Kojari ^ o K 1 ^ L f^ Somo r inda Balikpopon i I = — == — =^., — . •..• • •;-jr'"f"-w.^ NETHERLAND EAST INDIES if ill y ^ Bandoeng q' '^ J ^^^■^""^'^-^m^- J A \ / Av ^"Tioranq V___^-' ^ Wola ng f~^JJ^^-, ^.. MILES O 200 KILOMETERS Gorontalo X -if Pol lu %2/<: 'i>^J ; «• > \ A\ :^iBi£@:^: .•»-*a j_- jafc-. .. . cr ' u Ancient History. The Indonesians have had an interesting and dramatic history. In early days the local peoples were broken up into many little independent tribes and com- munities, which were often at war with one another. Then about the beginning of the Christian era, Hindu traders and missionaries from India be- gan to organize the Indonesians in parts of Sumatra and Java. Be- fore long, a number of "Indo- Malayan" states took form, often headed by princes from Hindu royal houses. By the sixth century A. D., a great Sumatran empire called Sri-Vidjaya, with its capital in Palembang, had grown up. It was during this period, about 850 A. D., that the huge Buddhist shrine called the Borobudhur was built in central Java, one of the most amazing stone structures in the world. In the fourteenth century, the Sumatran empire was overthrown by the Javanese. A new and even 42 greater empire took form in Java. This was the mighty Madjapahit. The traditional poetry and dramatic plays of the Javanese today tell about this great kingdom. Probably you've never heard of all this, but to the Javanese it is as important as the history of the American Revolution, or the Civil War, is to us. During this time, a new religion was being brought into the area by Arab and Indian traders who were followers of the prophet Mohammed. The religion is called Islam, .nnd its fol!o"-':r.- are cr.!!cd Moslems. The Moslems slowly increased their influence and finally, in 1478, the Moslem flag, with its crescent symbol, flew over the Javanese capital. The Javanese rulers and nobles fled to Bali taking with them their Brahman v.'0.':hip, the old Hindu religion born in India, which still prevails today. The Moslems broke Indonesia up again into a great number of separate little states, usually ruled by princes (sultans) who had come as Moslem missionaries and who claimed descent from Mohammed. The Dutch and the Portuguese. This was the situation in 151 1, when the ships of Portugal broke in on the scene to conquer the main Mohammedan strongholds. The Dutch in turn ousted the Portuguese, leaving them only the east half of Timor. But the Dutch were interested in trade 43 ■»- =x f r -irit^ ■.. — ,^^ „.jj. _,^,.„, ..^ , rather than politics. Usually they made treaties with the local princes or chiefs which opened the way for their merchants and kept out possible rivals. Even in Java, where Dutch control was more complete, four Indonesian states have been allowed to continue with a large measure of self-government, notably the two great states of Soera- karta and Djokjakarta. It was only around the beginning of the twentieth century that the Dutch set out to explore and bring under control the areas outside Java. Where necessary, the Dutch defeated troublesome princes by force of arms and put puppet princes on the thrones, but in general the Dutch policy was to interfere as little as possible vvilh the ruling princes or with local customs. Government Today. When the Japanese moved in, there were still about 270 native states throughout the Indies, thoroughly but unobtrusively supervised by Dutch officials, with native princes on the Dutch pay roll. Other parts of the Indies were ruled rnore directly, but there, too, local leaders were used a great deal. All this resulted in a com- plicated system of administration, with a whole army of officials — Dutch, Indo-European (people of mixed an- cestry), and Indonesian — needed to run it. . In recent years, the more educated Indonesians, espe- cially the Javanese, have been seized with a growing spirit of nationalism. Many nationalist organizations have arisen. Some have sought to build up pride in the cultural heritage of the Indonesians or to improve economic con- ditions. Most of them however have tried to secure political independence even to the p(iint of cutting loose from the Netherlands. As a result, the Dutch grew' increasingly liberal, giving more and more representa- ■'r 1 li ,1 • ■ f chlorinated. Milk must always be boiled. Never eat un- washed vegetables; only cooked ones have the bugs boiled out of them. Always wash and peel fruits. Never go barefoot. You get hookworm that way. •Trachoma, a very common disease of the eye, can be picked up almost everywhere, even from shaking hands with someone and then touching your eyes. Don't rub or touch your eyes. One of the most serious menaces you'll run into is the malaria mosquito. When you're in camp, don't forget to put up your mosquito net (klamboe). And if you're out where you c^n't lug il along, get your daily dose of quinine. These necessary precautions may be a nuisance at first, but pretty soon you'll be doing them without thinking. They are important to you and to your country. Venereal diseases are common, often in a very virulent form. The people have built up such an immunity that they may be quite unaware that they can act as carriers. If you expose yourself to venereal disease at any time, take a prophylaxis. If you are too remote from medical service to take that precaution, then stay away from women. 48 MONEY, WEIGHTS, AND MEASURES " Currency. Up to the time the Japs took over, the currency was based upon that of the Netherlands, but paper money and coins were of a special local type. The standard money unit is the guilder or florin (in Malay roopiah), which breaks down into loo cents (in Malay sen). The Indies' guilder was equivalent to a little over 50 cents in U. S. currency. Bank notes were issued for the following values of guilders: i, 2.50, 5, 10, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, 100, 200, 300, 500, 1,000. Coins were as follows: ,- , -i/'P'OJi'ffurf; worth value Local name and metal in U. S. A. money ■i\'i guilders rijl^sdaalder, or RING-git, silver $1,32 1 guilder gulden, or ROO-pi-ah, silver 53 cents 50 cents hahe gulden, or S'TE-nga/i, sdver 26 cents 25 cents {wartje {quarter) or TA-len, silver 13 cents JO cents dubielt/e, or Pl-C/iis or K'TIP, siWcr 5.3 cents 5 cents sluiiier, or Ll-na SEN. »■ ^ckel j.g cents 2 Vi cents or GO-hang or BENC-g.'., copper 1.3 cents I cent S&V, copper 0.5 cent Vi cent S'TE-ngiih-SEN , cop,.cr ; . 0.3 cent In Bali, the lowest coin is an antique Chinese copper coin with a hole in the middle, called Keping. It has no fixed value, but in 1940 was worth about an eighth of a cent. 49 r i! f ■t N -A /Ti^ I I i-!^ :il. ii f -■li- Time Reckoning. The Dutch introduced western methods of counting time by means of clocks and calendars like our own. But the majority of the peoples depend on the sun to tell time, as their ancestors did. Each language group has its own words for periods of day and night. The Moslem day begins at sunset (not at midnight as with us), and the Balinese day begins at sunrise. The time on Java is o'/, hours ahead of that in New York (Standard Time), so that 8 a. m. on Monday in Batavia, is only 7:30 p. m. on Sunday on Broadway. .^^ 50 The calendars also vary particularly through the influ- ence of religion and the cycle of religious festivals. The J.n.inese anJ some B;ilinL-sc-, for e.\.iniple, u>l- j spcci.il Javanese calendar. Bali also has a Hindu type o£ calendar. The Moslem calendar is used on Java along with the local one, and is current in the Islamic parts of Sumatra. The Chinese have their own methods of reckoning. Finally, to the extent that all these peoples enter into western civiliza- tion, they take note of Lhe Christian calendar. All this gives plenty ol room for the celebration ot holidays. Weights and Measures. Here, too, the Iriwc-iLMan peoples still use their traditional systems, with the addition of the "iiropea.n metric V.-.LLI1I U5L\i in rile Netherl.oui. The i principal weights in general use are: • Pl-l(oiil = 61.76 kilo^irams I GAi'Z-iang^ o.ioPI-koals I KA-li = 0.0 1 pikocls I kilogram (kilo) = i.ooo grams = 136.23 pounds. = 6.1 R kiloprams. = 0.62 kilnt:ranis. '1.36 pounds. 2.2 pounds. The term pil^oel refers to the load which can normally be carried on a pil^oclan or shoulder pole. The gantang is a. standardized basketful. The European units of length are the meter (about 39 inches) and kilometer (1,000 meters, about 0.6214 mile). 51 I -'I *l. cr M The standard Indonesian measure is the VAh. This is equivalent to 1.507 kilometers, or 0.943 mile. Volutfie is reckoned in the European liter, which is the capacity of a kilogram weight of water, or a little more than a quart. Area is based partly on the European hectare (2.47 acres) and partly on the Javanese BA-00, which is 0.71 of a hectare, or 7,100 square meters, or 1.75 acres. CHECK LIST OF DO'S AND DON'TS DON'T use the term "native" or other words that rnay carry a stigma. The term "Indo' should never be used to refer- to an Indo-European. Remember the people in the Indies don't draw any color line. , Bargaining is the accepted mode of buying. Don t throw your money away. Be polite and treat buying as though it were a game. Youll be much more respected if you are a good bargainer. Be careful about swearing in public. An Indonesian who hears you may think you are trying to put a curse on him and if he has bad luck he may blame you Keep a grip on yourself. To an Indonesian the first ru e of good conduct is self-control. Avoid getting drunk boasting, or fighting in public. In the WA-yang plays of Java the loudmouths are the clowns and villains. 52 . ' Be friendly and polite. Courtesy counts a great deal in this part of the world. The expression for "Thank you" is TRl-ma KA'sih. If Indonesian workers erect a building for you, be sure to give them a selamatan (feast) when it is finished, in order to appease the spirits. Keep away from Moslem mosques. Be quiet around all other places of worship and show respect for rituals. Keep silent when Moslems are praying and don't stare. Don't argue politics and above all don't discuss religion. Follow your host's lead when invited out to dinner. If he eats with his fingers, follow suit. Don't offer Moslems pork. This food is taboo to them. It's better not to eat pork or pork products in front of Moslems. Keep away from local women until you know the ropes. Above all, don't touch them in public. Be generous and share your cigarettes. Above all, use your common sense. f| ^"M. HI i :t one time to the next, but it will help you get the "feel" of Malay if you speak the syllables louder which are written in capital letters. 2. Vowels. Follow the key below and you will have no trouble: oo (•) 58 equals equals cquai: equals equals equals the vowel of jatber, but sometimes varies a little so that it sounds about like the u o£ cttt. Example: AM-pat meaning "four", B'RA-pa meaning "hov/ much"? the vowel of get or yeh. Sometimes it seems to sound like ay in day, but it is always more like eh. Examples: BE-so\ meaning "tomorrow", /i^'mei-REN "yesterday", ta-BE meaning "hello"' a sound that varies from the ;' of machine to the i of ring. Examples: TJ-da meaning *'no*' or "not", da-GlNG rpeaning "meat", a sound a little like the o of go, but more like the o of gone or jor. Examples: 0-rang meaning "man", BE-sok. meaning "tomor- row". a sound that varies from the oo of food to the oo of good. Examples: ROO-mah mean- ing "house", POO-^ool meaning "to strike", a very short vowel like the a of about or sofa. Examples: B'U meaning "to buy", S'KA-rang meaning "now", m'ng-AR-Tl meaning "to understand". / . 3. Consonants. Pronounce the consonant letters just as you know them in English. Never -'slight" them. Here are some points to pay attention to particularly: A is pronounced even at the end of a word. In this position it sounds l.ke letting out your breath. Listen for it on the record. Example: TOO-d/ooh meaning "seven." e is always the g in get, never the g in gin. s is always the ss in kiss, never the s in rose. d] is like the dg in ridge. nj (n and y connected by a curved line) represent an n and a y pronounced together as in Canyon but less separated. Example: '^VO-nvtt meaning "madam." 57 ■1 i I % s ■'I. I ^'( . ' 3 J- A 1 J ii ;- 7 f 1.- •fl-i'- r J - ■ Mi; Mil USEFUL WORDS AND PHRASES HERE is a list of the most useful words and phrases y"u wdl need in Malay. You should harn these by heart. They are the words and phra.es included on the Malay language records, and appear here in the order they occur on the records. Greetings and General Phrases English Hello or goodbyi Good morning Good evening Sir and Mister Madam Please Thank you Yes No Do you understand? I don't understand Please speak slowly Where is the restaurant Where is the restaurant: the hotel 58 Simplified Malay Spelling ta-BE S'LA-mal PA-gi S'LA-mal MA-lem too-AN ^JO-nj/a MlN-ta TRl-ma KA-sih i-YA Tl-Ja A-pa KA-moo m'ng-AR-Tl SA-ya Tlda m'ng-AR-Tl MlN-la bi-CHA-ra PLAN PLAN Location di-MA-mi ROO-mah MA-kan di-MA-na ROO-mah MA-K'" HO-TEL . ,.V , ^:,^ ^^ English Simplified Malay Spelling Where is the hotel? di-MA-na HO-TEL railroad station S'TAT-si-YON {a-RE-ia A-pi Where is the railroad sta- di-MA-na S'TAT-si-YON {a-RE-la A-pi tion? KA-mar {e-CHIL KA-mar k.a-KOOS di-MA-na KA-mar {e-CHIL or di-MA-na KA-mar k.a-KOOS a toilet, in the city a toilet, in the country Where is a toilet? Go right Go left Go straight ahead Please point Directions DJA-lan KA-nan DJA-lan Kl-ri DIA-lan TROOS MlN-la TOON-DJOOK If you arc driving and ask the distance to another town, it will be given you in kilonicters, not miles. Kilometer Kl-lo-ME-l'r One kilometer equals % of a mile. Numl>ers One Two Three Four Five Sii Seven SA-too DOO-a Tl-ga AM-pat U-ma A-nem TOO-djoah 59 r? iii (i- Eight Nine Ten Eleven Twelve English Simplified Malay Spelling d-la-PAN sm-BlLAN sa-POO-looh sa-WLAS DOO-a B'LAS "Thirteen", "Fourteen", etc., are simply the words for "three", "four", etc., followed by B'LAS. Twenty ' DOO-a POO-looh Thirty Tl-S" POO-looh ■ Forty", fifty", etc, are simply the words for "f-ar", "five", etc., followed by POO-looh. "Twenty.one", "thirty-two", etc., are simply the words for "twenty", "thirty", etc., followed by "one", "two", etc., just as in English. One hundred sa-RA-toos One hundred and fifty- !a-RA-toos U-ma POO-looh Tl-ga three One thousand sa-Rl-boo What This What's this 1 want to eat I want to eat to drink I want to drink Designation A-pa l-m A-pa l-ni SA-ya MA-oo MA-\an SA-ya MA-oo MA-kfl" Ml-noom SA-ya MA-oo Ml-noom 60 ii;i' X Food and Drink, Tobacco English Bread Butter Sugar Salt Eggs Soup Vegetables Por?,toes Rice Vegetable broth served with the rice Fish Meat Steak Fruit Drinking water Ice water Milk Tea A glass of beer A cup of coffee Simplifird Malay Spelling RO-li mjii-TE-ga GOO-la - GA-ram te-LOR, SOP sa-YOO-ran hy. ta>:g NA-si sa-YOOR l-{un da-GlNG bi-STlK BOO-ah A-yer Ml-noom A-}er ES SOO-SOO TE SA-ioo G'LAS BIR SA-too MANG-{o{ {o-PI When you want to buy something, you say "I want to buy". to buy B'Ll I want to buy cigarettes SA-ya SfA-oo B'U "cigarette" 61 y ^r ^>"" -^i'' f.;:; 4l'\ English Simplified Malay Spelling ' I want to buy matches SA-ya MA-oo B'Ll kp-REK A-pi To find out how much things cost you say "How much the price of it" How much B'RA-pa the price of it har-GA-njya How much does it cost? B'RA-pa har-GA-n^ya Strike How much Now What time is it? One o'clock Ten past two Quarter past 6ve Half past six Quarter of eight Three minutes to nine begins to play the movie When does the movie start? the train leaves When does the train leave? Yesterday Today Tomorrow 62 Time POO-{ool B'RA-pa S'KA-rang P0O.{o- full K-RING MA-hd MOO-rah KQ-song P-NOOH < heavy light clean BRAT EN-teng K'LAR fr-SIH 1- dircy old ko-TOR TOO-uiah ;' new BA-roo young other MOU-DA LA-m ■ i happy or contented S'NANC Pronouns English I you and 1 — that is, "we" including the person you are speaking to he and I or they and I — thai is, "we" not includ- ing the person you are speaking to you he or she you (plural) they this, these that, those roy, mine our« ours your, yours their, theirs who? Simplified Malay Spelling SA-ya Kl-ta KA-f 72 KA-moo (ihis word is used when you do not know a person's name and when it is not appropriate to use the word too-AN meah- ing "sir") Dl-a KA-moo O-rang Dl-a O-rang I-ni I -too SA-ya POO-n^a (comes before -nour.) ' or SA-ya (follow^ noun) Kl'ta POO-n^ya (comes before noun) or Kl-ta (follows noun) KA-moo POO-Tt^a (comes before noun) or KA-moo (follows noun) Dl-a O-rang POO-n^ya (comes before noun) or Dl-a O-rang (follows noun) si'A-pa 73 fi w.. English Simplified Malay Spelling what? A-pa which? YANG MA-na how BA-gi MA-na when? KA-pan who, that, which (relative YANG pronoun) how far BRA-pa D/A-ooh much, many BA-n ya\ how much or how many BRA-pa anyone S'YApa S'YA-pa somebody SA 0-rang everj'body O-rang sa-moo-A Prepositions for hoo-AT from DA-ri in DI into ka-DA-lcm inside di-DA-lem with SA-ma ot DE-NGAN without Tl-da PA-ke like sep'r-TEE Adverbs aUo D]00-ga above, on top di-A-tas below di-BA-uiah English Simplified Malay Spelling »l ready, done, finished. SOO-DAH enough again, once again SA-too KA-li LA-gi behind di-B'LA-lfang at [he side sa-B'LiH at the left side sa-B'LAH Kl-ri at the right side la-B'LAH KA-nan back l(m-BA-li far . DfA-ooh near D'KAT here di-Sl-ni there di-SA-na in front di-MOO-{a or di-D'PAN little, a little S-Dl-{:: more (in addition) LA-gi aiore (comparative) UBIH some be-BRA-pa not yet B'LOOM (used for most negative answers like "1 don't know yel, " "1 haven't eaten yet.") enough CHOO-KOOP together b'r-SA-ma SA-ma very (comes after adjec- S'KA-li tive) still, yet (comes before ad- MA-SIH jective) loo (excessively) ir-LAloo (comes before adjective) ' 74 75 .-jdtri^i. Mt'-i .^v :„j.4U%'Mit:''U,_ ,.*„. i)!iMiiSiili&amL -'^-jMf>sm,istm^^>^jjkiL i^.- .,Y^.v,4t» .f.:--^, !:^ i8iiifi-;-iiQ„, ■:3 i .^i English and but if Do you speak English, sir. I don't speak Dutch I speak only a little Malay I want a place to sleep How far is a village from here? What date is today? Today is the fifth of June What day of the week? Today is Tuesday Come here Come quickly Go quickly What do you want? ' TOO-loong expresses the help. / 76 Conjunctions Simplified Malay Spelling DAN TTA-pi KA-lo ■ a-TA-oo Phrases A.pc rnn-jn hi CHA-ra ING-gris SA-ya Tl-da bi-CHA-m B'LAN-da SA-ya bi-CHA-ra M'LA-yoo S'DI-Kit SA-dia TOOloons: MIN-'a fm-PAT M'NOOM- pang Tl-door B'RA-pa DIA-oo/i DAr, Sl-m K" DE-sa I-m HAri TANG-gal B'RA-pa _ BOO-la^ YOO-ni ("June") l-ni HA-ri TANG- gal Lima l-ni HA-ri, HA-rt A-pa I-ni HA-ri S'LA-sa MA-ri Sl-ni MA-ri LKAS DJA-lan LKAS MA-oo A-pa idea of helping, and should be used when ,ou need English Bring some drinking water Bring some food How far is the camp from here? How far is water? Be careful! or Danger! Wait a minute! Is there . ? I am sick Who are you? Whose house is this? 1 haven't any money I have cigarettes I am an American Soldier I am your friend Simplified Malay Spelling MlN'ta BA'Wa A-ycr Ml-noom MlN-ta BA'Wa MA-ka-nan B'RA-pa DjAooh DA-ri Sl-ni {a kam- pe-MEN di-MA-na A-yer YANG D'KAT Sl-m -i'WAS! or A-ti Ail! TOONG-goo sa-ben-TAR! A-da ' . . . SA-ya saKIT KA-moo si-A-pa ROO-mah l-ni si-A-pa POO-n ya SA-ya Tl-da A-da WANG SA-yu A-du "cigarettes*' SA-ya ser-DA-doo "America" SA-ya te-MAN SA-ya so-DA-ra ' A-da expresses the idea of existing, being present; for cjumple Tl-da A-da "noi there", B' LOOM A -da "not yet there", A-da COO-la. Ada S'SfOOT "where ihere is sugar there will be ants". ¥•¥: 77 -*"»