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War technology in Malay Civilization

Conference Paper · November 2014

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Zuliskandar Bin Ramli Muhamad Shafiq Ali

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
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 WAR TECHNOLOGY IN MALAY CIVILIZATION

MUHAMAD SHAFIQ MOHD ALI & ZULISKANDAR RAMLI

INSTITUTE OF MALAY WORLD & CIVILIZATION
NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF MALAYSIA

Minangkabau people in West Sumatra is famous for its ‘adat perpatih’, and also ‘rumah gadang’. But the fact on how
the Minang people were at war with the Dutch are rarely discussed. They have their own gun manufacturing technol-
ogy even its learned from outside of Turkey and China. They also produce their own gun and bullet, without having to
rely on external suppliers. they only missed a few years in from terms of gun technology compared to Europe. Moreo-
ver, the Minang people are clever enough to take advantage of the nature as a wall of defense against their enemy.
The hilly environment, rocky terrain, and the valleys enable them to strategize war that cannot be imagined by the
Dutch. Their years preparations to build the castle, has made their fortress impregnable. Different warfare techniques
with other races is also featured. They do not attack the enemy recklessly but they will wait and attempt for an am-
bush. Sometimes they will make their move first if they are confident that the attack will leads to victory. Comparisons
that are made of battle tactics in Jawa, has proven that the people have their own battle tactics. The Dutch had to do
some research, observations, and several attempts to successfully take over an area or region that has been con-
quered by Minang fighters. This paper does not give new facts, only collects writings and notes from the Dutch on
how they fight, at war, and survive attacks from Minang fighters.

GUN MANUFACTURING
Skill to use a gun, coupled with the ability to make their own guns, made the Minangkabau people can innovate guns
were brought from China and Turkey. This show that the level of accuracy during the process of manufacture of am-
munition is a state of alert so that no accidents occur.

TECHNOLOGY CASTLE
Their expertise enables the construction of a fort only use a small number of troops to guard their strongholds. In ad-
dition, the Minang people prefer to stay in the castle, which was built by the firm and take advantage of the environ-
ment as a defense.

WAR STRATEGY
Minangkabau is the most powerful against the people, and the most difficult to be handled by the Dutch. Dutch rec-
ord books titled War at Sumatera published 1881. Hendrix advised in a note to the enemies from Sumatera, do not be
taken lightly and take it easy with them. One of the tricks was they pretend as if there is no intention to invade the
Netherlands. For the Minang, if the army retreated mean a defeat. That's why Minang fighter’s would attack even
alone. If many of their friends died, the higher their fighting spirit to launch an attack. According to Raaf, which makes
it difficult for them to attack the state of war is difficult, steep hills to climb, the trench having a sharp mines and ene-
my defenses are layered. This layer is too dangerous to be faced attacked because the Dutch were not able to see
what is behind the sheet but activists Minang can clearly see the movement of the Netherlands. Fighting in close
quarters going to use the gun as a tool or awl hammer made by Dutch troops. While the fighters use only klewang to
attack Dutch . They do not attack when they know the opposition is in a very weak condition.

CONCLUSION
It can be concluded that the Minang people have rules and procedures of its own wars. Despite the gun manufactur-
ing technology from the outside, but still can design mold weapons and unique requirements. Method of construction
of fortifications and wise use of natural methods of warfare differs from other nations, particularly when compared to
the war in the Java. This all shows that the Minang people have the means of war or may be said to have a life of its
own management methods even take an example from outside but it maintained its own value.

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