Page 286 - THE MELANESIA DIASPORA FILE CETAK ISI 10022017

This shows that unity of brotherhood between the sailors and traders and commodity-
commerce community had been established. A sense of mutual unity and mutual
assistance had been established through maritime trade activities. It is easy to perceive
why the kingdom of Makasar was willing to gather all seafarers and traders who wanted
to trade in Maluku and ensure their safety in commercial voyage to the Spice Islands. Why
would the Kingdom of Makasar prepare a war fleet to help the kingdoms in Maluku when
Makasar itself received threats from other parties, particularly from European people,
especially the VOC. All of this was based on the sense of brotherhood and unity. The unity
of Indonesia have actually been built through maritime trades, which began with the trade
patterns of Sriwijaya’s sailors and merchants, sailors and merchants of Majapahit and then
confirmed and strengthened through the sailors and merchants of Malays (turning Malay
into an intermediate language/lingua franca) and cemented by the authorities, sailors and
traders from South Sulawesi.
Stapel, who studied Makasar War (1666-1667; 1668-1669) revealed the state of
commerce in Makasar at the beginning of the 17th century as follows:
“Traders in Makasar have a character that attracts attention; the country itself has
few or no products to export. Except for rice which was plentiful and of best quality and
cheap; there was also livestock (even pigs before 1603). Portuguese People from Malacca
and the Moluccas also took mainly foodstuffs for ships and their colonies from here. But
more importantly, Makasar was a transit trade of spices and sandalwood. Before the
arrival of theEuropeans, people of Makasar were accomplished seafarers. They loaded
the merchandise just mentioned to the boats and junks from the Moluccas and the Sunda
Islands and carried them through Makasar to ports located in the north and west. In
addition, the Bugis, the Malay and the Javanese also brought their products to be traded
in Makasar, especially after the Portuguese occupied Malacca in 1511 and native traders
mentioned avoided it, because of the oath of the Captain of the Malacca. In Makasar they
were not afraid of such oaths. Although the king was considered an “infidel”, he loved to
forgive. All foreigners were well received. Portuguese and Moslems were free to establish
their places of worship here” (Poelinggomang, 2002: 20-30, Stapel, 1922: 9).
Stapel also revealed that the prices of spices in Makasar were lower than those in the
areas of production. It lured foreign traders, especially European traders, they asked for
lodge permits in the port city. Therefore the city is called the city of the world.
Cornelis Speelman made an important record about the trading network of Makasar in
1670. The record was called “Notitie van Cornelis Speelman” Note from Cornelis Speelman.

286 Chapter 7

MELANESIA BOOK FA LAYOUT 051216.indd 286 2/10/17 2:11 PM