BETWEEN THE TREATY AND THE SWORD

One of the things which is remarkable about tribal societies is their sense that they alone represent the civilized world, all else is chaos and ignorance.
It's an insularity that sometimes goes haywire -- in our own country we've seen manifestations of such, think 'tea party' -- but in less developed parts of the world and in the past it sometimes was justified. The Mongols and the Turks assumed themselves to be the bees knees, but those they slaughtered had good reason to think otherwise.

In the Malayo-Polynesian world, many ethnicities took the animalistic nature of their neighbors for granted, and often strove mightily to protect civilization as they understood it.


NGABAENG NA DAYANG MANTJIT-TAMRENG

Tamadja nhi prabawa ilang sa lawot, Buwanten djuga tirog. Padjalap na panghibet mapuwi-puwo sa ngelongan, dari Duban ka Djambo banghurok makuwit-besi magrampok.
Ri Tubok-Lanen, bunyi parang sehi kabakalan dagat, bawo na kapatjokan itis datang taas Tama-Dambo. Tathapi ki pradjeno kangkaga'te, kaya banghaloro - ri surim na malem, tarang; sa panes na are, lelem guot. Bahelian kuno maukop, bugat puna.
Urasa angin mapaet, tan minum wae maasem; iriri pa wakt na bala. Udenger bunyi garandang maderongdong ri bungto; ki bangsa-bangsa matagbang.
Kabanyean na Kuwengen-hu, kita lahang tanggat mahawansa.
Uurip, tan banta.

Translation:

'Expressive statement of (or by) lady Mantjit-Tamreng'

'The power of Tamadja has disappeared into the past, and Buwanten also sleeps. The warships of the loathsome ones sail back and forth in the strait; from the southern tip to the northern promontories brigands with iron skins commit piracy.
In Tubok-Lanen, the sounds of battle are like the tumult of the ocean, the stench of slaughter inevitably must also come to Tama-Dambo. However, the responsibility (of maintaining civilization) is utterly firm, as it was transmitted - in the dark of night, brightness; during the heat of day, shaded and cool. Our ancient heritage is fragrant, weighty also.
Note the bitter winds, and drink the sour water; consider the time of recompense. Hear the sound of war drums thundering in the mountains; the tribes are on the rise.
Oh multitude of Kuwengen, we yet posses greatness.
Live, and fight.'


The polities named as Tamadja and Buwanten were the nation-states on Java and Sumatra during the pre-Islamic period, the "loathsome ones" (panghibet) were most likely the Portuguese, especially as they are described as 'iron-skinned' (makuwit-besi) and 'pillaging' (magrampok).
Tubok-Lanen ("reefy coastal passage") was to the south of Tama-Dambo ("the place of mangroves"), thought the exact locations I cannot determine. The entire cultural realm, between Duban (regionymic of a pre-Islamic territory) and Djambo ('the tassel') is 'Kuwengen'.

Lady Mantjit-Tamreng was a leader in her own right, being descended from important clans on both sides. This factor is fairly common for the ethnicities in the entire Borneo - Mindanao - Sulawesi triangle, where women were often powerful players, if they combined leadership qualities, and noble descent from paternal and maternal lineages.
Both families are anciently famous, Tamreng survived into the colonial era.
In Moro society noble women would be carried; their feet should not touch the common dirt. In the inconvertible inland areas of Borneo and Celebes (Sulawesi) and among some Dayak tribes they often strode forth and committed mayhem in their own name.

Kahakeian ite, djangpawan tja
'That which was entrusted, must be preserved'

Often the conflict between heavy responsibility and sheer joyous bloodlust was resolved by events. Sometimes a happy coincidence, more often an urgent need. Throughout the epoch from the fall of the ancient empires of Srivijaya and Mataram to the "pacification" imposed by colonial powers, the various tribes, ethnic polities, and trade-ports struggled with each other for survival, and the opportunistic rapaciousness of the Arabs and Portuguese smoothly transitioned to the brutal cruelty of Lanon slave-raiding, eventually Islamicising the coasts and driving the more stubborn elements into the hills.

The Dutch, English, and American imperialists did not bring civilization.
But they brought a relative calm, and were in any case better than the Catholics and the Muslims.

The hand on the sword hilt is often more important than the blade itself. Strong leaders and their factions cannot be single-facetted.


NOTE: The title of this blogpost translates the phrase 'antara kreang tan maempuwanon' - between the blade and the treaties. Both are necessary, and the ideal state is often in the tension between them.
Strength and agreement must be in balance.




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