Javanese Contact With Australia

The Javanese presence in Australia has been reported by native Southeast Asian and European people over several centuries. The most renowned record is from the itinerary of Chiaymasiouro, king of Demak, and ''Declaraçam de Malaca e India Meridional com o Cathay'' by Manuel Godinho de Eredia. Chiaymasiouro describes a land called ''Luca'' ''Antara'' in Southeast direction of Java, which Eredia coined the term ''India Meridional'' (Meridional India - Southern/South India). According to Chiaymasiouro's accounts (1601 AD), a subgroup of Javanese people already settled in those lands, but when Eredia's servant went to ''Luca'' ''Antara'' in 1610, the land had seemingly been abandoned.

History

Pre-1500

Reference to Australia and native Australian people has been recorded in 10th century AD Java. According to Waharu IV inscription (931 AD) and Garaman inscription (1053 AD), the Mataram Kingdom and Airlangga's era Kahuripan Kingdom (1000–1049 AD) of Java experienced a long prosperity so that it needed a lot of manpower, especially to bring crops, packings, and send them to ports. Black labor was imported from Jenggi (Zanzibar), Pujut (Sarawak), and Bondan ( Papua). According to Naerssen, they arrived in Java by trading (bought by merchants) or being taken prisoner during a war and then made slaves.

1500–1600

Ludovico di Varthema (1470–1517), in his book ''Itinerario de Ludouico de Varthema Bolognese'', stated that the Southern Javanese people sailed to "far Southern lands" up to the point they arrived at an island where a day only lasted four hours long and was "colder than in any part of the world". Modern studies have determined that such an island would have been located at least 900 nautical miles (1666 km)The original transcription is "The point where the shortest day would only last four hours would be 15° south of the southern point of Van Diemen's Land". south of the southernmost point of Tasmania.

Around the second quarter of 16th century, several European maps included a continent called ''Jave la Grande'' (or ''La Grande Jave''). In ''La Cosmographie,'' Alfonse defined ''La Grande Jave'' as an extension of the giant Antarctic continent, or ''Terra Australis'': "This Java touches the Strait of Magellan in the west, and in the east Terra Australis ... I estimate that the coast of the Ocean Sea called the Austral coast extends eastwards to Java, to the western coast of the said Java". Apparently in deference to Marco Polo's claim that Java Major was the largest island in the world, Alfonse gave the name ''Jave Mynore'' to the island of Java and the name ''La Grand Jave'' to the continental land to the south. Marco Polo's Java Minor, he called ''Samatrez'' (Sumatra). In ''La Cosmographie'' (1544), Alfonse said:

La Grand Jave is a land that goes as far as under the Antarctic Pole and from the Terre Australle in the west to the land of the Strait of Magellan on the eastern side. Some say that it is islands but from what I have seen of it, it is ''terre ferme'' continent... That called Jave Mynore is an island, but la Grand Jave is ''terre ferme''.

Post-1600

Luca Antara

''Declaraçam de Malaca e India Meridional com o Cathay'' by Manuel Godinho de Eredia (1613), described what he called "Meridional India". In his book he relates about the voyage of Chiaymasiouro (or Chiay Masiuro), king of ''Damuth'' (Demak) in Java, to a Southern land called ''Luca'' ''Antara'' (or ''Lucaantara'').''Luca'' ''antara'': i.e. ''Nusa'' ''antara'', the southern land which Eredia claims to have discovered.

The name ''Nusa'' ''antara'' occurs in the Pararaton, a Javanese historical work of about the 16th century.

Blagden adopts Brandes’ explanation that the expression ''Nusantara'' refers to the Archipelago in general. (''JRASSB'' . No. 53. (1909). p. 144).

Crawfurd says that the expression ''Nusa'' ''antara'' denoted Madura. Janssen thinks that Eredia’s ''Luca'' ''antara'' was Australia or one of the islands off the north Australian coast: Hamy considers it to be Sumba. (Janssen. ''Malaca, Vlnde Meridionale ei le Cathay''. (1882). pp. xi, xii). Major thinks it was Madura.According to Ferrand, the word ''nusa'' is only used in Java, Madura, and Madagascar (''nusi''); elsewhere, island is generally represented by the name ''pulaw'', ''pulo'', or some dialectical variant thereof. (''Journal'' ''Asiatique''. Tome XX. (1920). p. 190). ''Nusa'' may be connected, through Sanskrit, with the Greek νῆσος (''nesos''). It would appear that the human tongue has a tendency to corrupt an "N" into an "L" thus "Nakhon" has become "Lakhon" (Ligor) and the Malay word ''nuri'' has become ''lory''. Linschoten’s map of the Eastern Seas contains the forms ''Lusa'' (''Luca'') and ''Nusa''. A brief description of this country is given in a letter written by Chiaymasiouro to the King of Pahang and in a certificate made by Pedro de Carvalhaes at Malacca on 4 October 1601.

In part 1 "Concerning the Meridional India" Eredia mentioned that the Meridional India consist of the mainland called ''Lucach'', which has a peninsula named ''Beach'', and a country called ''Lucaantara'' (or ''Luca'' ''Antara''). In the east of ''Lucaantara'' is two small island ''Agania'' and ''Necuran'', and a larger island called ''Java'' ''Minor''. To the west is ''Angaman'' ''Minor'' or ''Luca'' ''Tambini'' (island of women), and ''Angaman'' ''Major'' or ''Lucapiatto''.''Luca'' ''Tambini'': ''Nusa'' (island) + ''Bini'' (female, women). ''Lucapiatto'': ''Nusa'' (island) + ''Piatu'' (desolate). The ''lontares'' (lontar leaf texts) and annals of Java mention Meridional India and its commerce and trade.

In ''Report of Meridional India'' (1610) Eredia mentioned that in ancient times merchants carried on extensive intercourse and trade from ''Luca'' ''Antara'' with Java. This trade and commerce was destroyed for a period of 331 years; it ceased on account of wars and conflicts between the states. They were not able to communicate with each other until the year 1600 (this would mean that the communication was stopped in 1269). In that year, a boat from ''Lucaantara'' carried out of its course by a storm and landed in the port of ''Balambuam'' (Blambangan) in Java, where the occupants were well-received.Mills (April 1930). p. 61.

The strangers from ''Lucaantara'' resembled the Javanese of Banten; but speak different language, which made Eredia believe that they were another type of Javanese. This incident excited Chiaymasiouro, which consequently embarked on a kelulus from Blambangan which has been equipped with oar and sail, to the south. After 12 days, he arrived at the port of ''Lucaantara'', a peninsula or island 600 Spanish leagues in circumference.2100 miles (3380 km), if a Spanish league is taken as 3.5 miles (5.6 km). There he was received by the syahbandar (the king of the land was upriver in the interior, 8 days away),Mills (April 1930). p. 63. and stayed for several days.Mills (April 1930). p. 62.

According to the itinerary of Chiaymasiouro, ''Lucaantara'' should be the general name for the peninsula, which has a distance of about 140 Spanish leagues490 miles (789 km), if a Spanish league is taken as 3.5 miles (5.6 km). from Blambangan. The account of Chiaymasiouro is as follows:

Having equipped myself for travel and supplied myself with necessary requirements, I embarked with some companions in a kelulus or vessel provided with oars, and set out from the port of Blambangan towards the south. After a voyage lasting 12 days, I reached the port of ''Lucaantara''; there I disembarked and was received by the syahbandar with demonstrations of pleasure. Being fatigued with the voyage, I was unable to see the King of ''Lucaantara'', who was staying up-river in the Hinterland, eight days’ journey away.

The King was advised of my arrival and presented me with some handfulls of gold coins resembling in appearance the gold “Venetian” of Venice.The Venetian ''Zecchino'', ''cecchino'', or ''sequin'', a gold coin present on the shore of India, and which still frequently turns up in treasure-trove, and in hoards. In the early part of the 15th century Niccolo de Conti mentions that in some parts of India, Venetian ducats, i.e. ''sequins'', were present (Yule and Burnell. ''Hobson''-''Jobson''. (1903). p. 193). I was hospitably entertained as long as I remained in the country, and enjoyed the splendid freshness of the climate. I saw a considerable amount of gold, cloves, mace, white sandalwood, and other spices, as well as large quantities of foodstuffs of every kind which are produced in this country.

The island of ''Lucaantara'' is as large as Java,As large as Java island. If the accuracy of Chiaymasiouro be assumed, this disposes of the theory that he really visited some island of the Indonesian archipelago; Timor, the largest of them, is 1/4 the size of java; the islands off the north-west coast of Australia are comparatively insignificant in size. in which Blambangan is situated. The people are Javanese, as in our own Java, though their language is somewhat different. They wear their hair hanging as far as the shoulder, while the head is girt with a fillet of hammered gold. The keris is ornamented with precious stones, like the keris with the curved scabbard in Bali.

Speaking generally, the Javanese people of ''Lucaantara'' spend their whole time in sports and pastimes: they are especially addicted to cock-fighting. When it was time to start on our voyage, I requested the syahbandar to inform the King that the monsoon was now favourable for my return to my own country. Provided with a stock of necessaries, I set out from ''Lucaantara'', and after a few days’ voyage arrived at the port of Blambangan, to the great astonishment of the whole of Java.

— Letter of Chiaymasiouro, the king of ''Damuth'', to the king of Pahang

Soon after his arrival in 1601, he met an ''Alderman'' of Malacca, Pedro de Carvalhaes, who attested his arrival and his voyage:

I, Pedro de Carvalhaes, citizen and ''alderman'' of Malaca, certify that I met Chiaymasiouro, King of ''Damuth'', at Surabaya, where in the course of conversation he related how “a rowing-boat from ''Lucaantara'', driven out of its course by currents and ill winds or storms, reached the port of Blambangan": Actuated by curiosity, I gave orders for a ''calelus'' or boat provided with oars to be equipped with an adequate supply of all necessaries, and I set out with some companions from the port of Blambangan towards the south: After a voyage of 12 days, I reached the port of ''Lucaantara'', where I was well received and entertained by the inhabitants, who are Javanese like those of Java Major (the true Java), similar in build and colour, and for the most part having similar interests, though their language is different. The island of ''Lucaantara'' has a compass of more than 600 leagues in circumference. I saw a considerable amount of gold, cloves, mace, white sandal-wood, and other spices, as well as large quantities of foodstuffs of every kind which are produced in this country. The earth is very fertile and the trees keep the climate cool. The country is organized into several kingdoms: And contains many populous towns and villages.” The whole of the above account was given to me by Chiaymasiouro and his companions. This matter of ''Lucaantara'' was a subject of public notoriety in Surabaya and in other parts of Java Major. Since I have been asked for this information by the ''Descobridor'' Manuel Godinho de Eredia, in the interests of his voyage and for the advantage of the King’s service, I swear by the Holy Gospels that this is the truth, and that it is my signature which appears below. At Malacca, on the 4th day of October in the year 1601.

— Pedro de Carvalhaes

After hearing his account, Eredia instructed one of his servants to travel to Java. In the bay of fishermen (in Southern coast of Java) this servant joined the fishermen there and crossed for 6 days to the coast of ''Luca'' ''Antara''. He disembarked on a deserted coast, and did not observe any people. The servant remained there 3 days and confirmed the truth of Chiay Masiuro's account regarding the quantity of gold, and all kinds of metals and minerals, and precious stones, cloves, nutmegs, mace, and sandalwoods, and other riches. After 3 days he returned to the bay of the fishermen, and then gave information about his voyage in the year 1610. In ''Report of Meridional India'' (1610) Eredia mentioned that the Javanese people of ''Luca'' ''Antara'' in all of their customs and in figure resemble the Javanese of Sunda (West Java),Likely what he meant here is the Cirebonese people, an Austronesian ethnic group with mixed culture of Javanese and Sundanese (heavier influence from Javanese). only a slight difference in the language, which he described as "much the same as between the Castillian and the Portuguese". The hair extends as far as the shoulders, the tonsure resembles the tonsure of Balinese people, with a curiously curved contour.Mills (April 1930). p. 262.

= Objections

=
The statement of ''Lucaantara'' being Australia is objected by Richard Henry Major, in ''Archaeologia'' (1873). p. 243 et sqq. His objections is responded by J. V. Mills in ''Eredia's'' ''Description of Malaca, Meridional India, and Cathay'' (1930). pp. 188–190. The arguments is as follow:

Notes

See also

* Makassan contact with Australia
* Trepanging, the act of collecting sea cucumber
* Patorani and padewakang, two types of perahu used for trepanging by Makassan
* Yolngu
* Theory of Portuguese discovery of Australia
* Baijini, a race of mythical or historical people mentioned in the Djanggawul song cycle of the Yolngu people of Arnhem Land.
* Marchinbar Island, location of a deposit of early coins in Australia
* Jave la Grande, according to Marco Polo, the largest island in the world.

References

Further reading

*
* De Eredia, Manuel Godinho (1613). '' Description of Malacca and Meridional India''. Translated from the Portuguese with notes by J. V. Mills i
Eredia's Description of Malaca, Meridional India, and Cathay
''Journal of the Malayan Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society''. Vol. VIII, April 1930.
* Jones, John Winter (1863).
The travels of Ludovico di Varthema in Egypt, Syria, Arabia Deserta and Arabia Felix, in Persia, India, and Ethiopia, A.D. 1503 to 1508
'. Hakluyt Society.
*
* Nugroho, Irawan Djoko (2011). ''Majapahit Peradaban Maritim''. Suluh Nuswantara Bakti. .
* Triastanti, Ani. ''Perdagangan Internasional pada Masa Jawa Kuno; Tinjauan Terhadap Data Tertulis Abad X-XII''. Essay of Faculty of Cultural Studies. Gadjah Mada University of Yogyakarta, 2007.

{{Aboriginal peoples of the Northern Territory

Australia–Indonesia relations
History of Australia before 1788
History of Indigenous Australians
History of Indonesia
History of Java
Maritime history of Australia
Yolngu
Pre-1606 contact with Australia
Islam in Australia