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Illustration of field research and space by the Dayak Literacy Institute - LLD.
The Dayak Research Center (DRC): JAKARTA: During the Dutch colonial period, the Dutch East India Company (VOC) sent researchers to study the cultures and customs of the Indonesian archipelago.
This included regions like Java and Borneo. Their goal was to strengthen colonial control in politics, economics, and social structure.
By gaining a deeper understanding of the character and behavior of the people of the archipelago, the Dutch hoped to more easily manage and control the various ethnic groups and societies in these islands.
In Java
In Java, which was the center of Dutch colonial power at the time, many Dutch researchers were sent to study the social and cultural life of the Javanese people. One famous example is Fransiscus S. G. Veth, a Dutch geographer and anthropologist, who wrote about various aspects of Javanese life, from customs to the system of governance.
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Veth observed that Javanese society was deeply influenced by court traditions and the feudal system, which played an essential role in maintaining a stable social structure under Dutch influence. These researchers helped the VOC develop policies to strengthen their position, such as supporting the sultanate system or forming alliances with local elites to maintain control over strategic areas.
Additionally, Jacobus Nienhuys conducted research on the agricultural system in Java, which was of great importance as it was a primary source of income for the Dutch.
Nienhuys observed that Javanese society had a highly organized irrigation system that supported rice farming, a key commodity that was exported by the Dutch. Studies of agricultural practices were crucial for the Dutch in planning the forced cultivation system (cultuurstelsel), which exploited local agricultural products for colonial interests.
In Borneo
In Borneo, the more remote and less organized geographical conditions compared to Java required a different approach from the Dutch. In this region, the Dutch sent researchers to study the indigenous communities living on the island, particularly the Dayak people.
Dutch researchers such as Alfred Russell Wallace (though more widely known for his work in biology) also wrote about the people of Borneo, introducing their culture to the Western world, including their customs and lifestyle focused on hunting and agriculture. Wallace observed that the Dayak people, despite being isolated, had a complex and diverse social life, along with a strong animistic belief system.
However, a researcher who was more directly focused on managing the Borneo region was Herman Frederik Carel Ten Kate, a Dutch botanist who visited Borneo to study local plants that could be exploited for the benefit of the Dutch economy. Additionally, many Dutch researchers focused on mining studies in Borneo, particularly gold and coal found in certain areas.
Over time, these researchers not only served as cultural observers but also as instruments of colonial power, providing policy recommendations that were implemented by the Dutch government to control the natural resources in Borneo. Their understanding of the Dayak social structure, which was largely based on community and family bonds, was used to shape policies that could divide and weaken resistance to colonial rule.
Dutch research shaped culture, control, policies
The research conducted by Dutch scholars and researchers in Java and Borneo during the colonial period provided deep insights into the culture, customs, and social structures of the people of the Indonesian archipelago. Although in many cases the knowledge gained was used for colonial purposes, these studies also made significant contributions to the fields of anthropology and broader studies of Indonesian culture.
In many ways, these research efforts helped strengthen Dutch influence, both locally and nationally, and formed the foundation for policies that impacted the lives of the people for more than 300 years of colonization.
-- Rangkaya Bada
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