CASEH PUBLICATION

TITLE: PROSIDING SIMPOSIUM CROSS-CULTURAL HERITAGE INDONESIA- MALAYSIA 2025 MEMARTABATKAN SILANG SILANG IDENTITI BUDAYA ETNIK

PUBLICATION: Centre of Conservation for Sustainable Ethnic Heritage (CASEH)

eISBN : 978-629-94893-0-6

CATALOGUING RECORD : Malaysia National Library (PNM)

YEAR OF PUBLICATION: 2026

BOOK SYNOPSIS: 

This publication brings together nine papers presented at the Indonesia–Malaysia Cross Cultural Heritage Symposium held on 5 and 6 May 2025, organised by Universitas Nusantara PGRI Kediri in collaboration with partners from Malaysia. The symposium focused on Javanese ethnic heritage in Indonesia and Malaysia, with particular attention to tangible and intangible heritage as well as the process of cultural assimilation within local contexts. Collectively, the papers provide a broad overview of the diverse contributions of Javanese culture that continue to shape the lives of communities in both countries.

The first paper discusses cosmological and aesthetic values in ancient Javanese residential architecture in the Kediri Raya region, which are rooted in philosophy, spirituality, and cultural symbolism. The design of these houses is not merely functional, but also reflects cosmic order, proportion, symmetry, and material aesthetics imbued with mythological and belief-based meanings. This understanding is important as a reference for space planning based on local wisdom and sustainable development. The second paper examines the role of the Jawi and Pegon scripts not merely as writing systems, but as instruments of identity, cultural negotiation, and intellectual expression in the Malay–Indonesian world, thereby enriching the understanding of the Islamisation process in Southeast Asia.

The third paper explores a semiotic analysis of the landscape of traditional Javanese houses in Kediri by interpreting space, materials, plants, and orientation as a system of cultural signs that reflect cosmology, social structure, and spiritual ethics. This is followed by the fourth paper, which discusses the alun-alun (town square) as a public space rich in Kejawen symbolic values and proposes the integration of local values as a foundation for more meaningful and sustainable urban planning.

The fifth paper examines the Javanese diaspora in Malaysia, which has constructed narratives of brotherhood with the Malay community through shared history and experiences, thereby shaping an inclusive Nusantara identity. The sixth paper focuses on the role of the Javanese community in the development of Islam and mosque architecture based on the philosophy of Manunggaling Kawula Gusti, while also emphasising the need for heritage conservation grounded in community participation.

The seventh and eighth papers explain how Kejawen values are assimilated into traditional architecture and the formation of the identity of the city of Kediri through the interaction of natural, political, and technological factors. The ninth paper completes the discussion by highlighting living elements of Javanese culture as the foundation of Kediri’s urban civilisation. Overall, these proceedings affirm the important role of the Javanese ethnic group in identity formation, regional solidarity, and the development of a dynamic and resilient Nusantara culture.

TITLE: SYAIR DANG SIRAT (JOHOR-PATANI) VERSI TRANSKRIPSI DAN ALIH AKSARA

PUBLICATION: Centre of Conservation for Sustainable Ethnic Heritage (CASEH)

eISBN : 978-629-94893-1-3

CATALOGUING RECORD : Malaysia National Library (PNM)

YEAR OF PUBLICATION: 2026

BOOK SYNOPSIS: 

Old Malay literary manuscripts written in the Jawi script (Arabic-Malay) constitute an intellectual treasure that records the development of language, worldview, and the cultural landscape of the Malay community in earlier times. Through these texts, the aesthetic beauty of traditional literature is reflected, alongside the depiction of networks of thought, cultural interactions, and cross-regional connections that have existed for centuries. However, changes in script, language development, and the evolution of spelling systems have rendered much of these manuscripts increasingly difficult to access for contemporary readers, particularly the younger generation who are newly approaching the study of classical Malay manuscripts.

This book is the result of independent research conducted from 2025 to early 2026, with a special focus on Syair Dang Sirat, also known in some sources as Syair Dang Sarat. The study is based on an old manuscript believed to have been copied around the year 1700, written in Malay using the Arabic-Malay script, and presented in narrative poetry form. In terms of content, the text recounts a ruler of Johor, detailing the dynamics of his household relations with the Queen of Patani and a maid named Dang Sarat within the context of diplomatic relations and royal honor between the two Malay kingdoms.

The manuscript serving as the primary source for this study is preserved in the National Library Board Singapore and is also recorded in the British Library collection under reference number Add MS 12381. The manuscript has been digitized by the holding institution with support from William and Judith Bollinger and is available as a digital document. Copyright for the digitization belongs to The British Library © 2013. However, this copyright does not extend to the transliteration, editing, annotation, interpretation, and scholarly organization contained in this book.

From a codicological and grapho-linguistic perspective, the manuscript exhibits features of classical Jawi writing, with grapheme variations, non-standard spellings, and punctuation marks reflecting the copying conventions of its time. Certain letter forms and word structures indicate the influence of Arabic and Persian, while specific lexical elements suggest layers of historical cultural interactions. The text is classified as Malay poetry and is directly related to the historical study of Johor as well as the tradition of Malay manuscripts in the Malay Peninsula and Patani. The physical characteristics and copying style of the manuscript indicate that it was produced within a tradition possessing aesthetic and symbolic awareness of language.

From a narrative perspective, Syair Dang Sirat presents the dramatic tension between the outward grandeur and inner fragility of a ruler. The story begins in the seventeenth century when a large fleet from Johor sails to Patani to strengthen political ties through royal marriage. However, the journey, intended to symbolize unity and honor, turns into an episode that wounds dignity and leaves a profound mark in historical memory.

The central figure of tension is Dang Sirat, a woman not of royal descent but possessing extraordinary charm through her voice. Her influence over the ruler of Johor is depicted as so strong that it clouds political judgment and state responsibilities. In front of Raja Kuning, the female ruler of Patani portrayed as wise and authoritative, the Sultan’s inner weakness becomes increasingly evident. The conflict peaks when Dang Sirat crosses social and courtly boundaries, triggering a diplomatic crisis that threatens relations between the two states. The conclusion of the poem presents a symbolic punishment more painful than armed conflict, serving as a sign of disgrace and a reminder of how fragile honor can be when a leader loses self-control.

The transcription process in this book was conducted manually, letter by letter, directly from the digital manuscript before transliteration into the Roman script, with efforts to preserve the graphemic and orthographic features of the source text. This approach aims to maintain the visual traces of the original scribe while allowing readers to trace the language structure as reflected in the manuscript. Spellings that appear unusual were not automatically corrected but are explained through footnotes to preserve textual integrity.

Extensive use of footnotes is made to explain terms, expressions, language forms, and cultural references that may pose comprehension challenges. Footnotes serve as a medium for clarification and an intellectual dialogue between the heritage text and contemporary readers, rather than as an intervention into the original content.

Within the framework of New Historicism, literary texts are understood as active components of historical practice. Therefore, Syair Dang Sirat is interpreted as an emotional historical source recording the inner experiences of the Malay community in understanding power, interpreting diplomacy, and upholding honor. This approach allows the relationship between literature and history to be understood as complementary and dynamic.

The efforts of transliteration and footnote preparation in this book strike a balance between philological description and contextual interpretation. While this approach may be considered beyond conventional textual philology, it represents the innovative value of the work: broadening access, expanding readership, and reviving old manuscripts as texts that can be understood, appreciated, and academically discussed.