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VRIENDEN VAN HET KONG KOAN ARCHIEF
Many centuries before the Dutch came to the East Indies in 1596, Chinese traders, craftsmen and even farmers had already settled in the coastal area of Java and other parts of the archipelago. Some 400 of them were living in the old Jacatra, when in 1619 J.P. Coen, the then Governor General for the Dutch East Indian Company (VOC), destroyed the township and established his new stronghold: Batavia. To maintain contact with the Chinese settlement, Coen appointed a headman, later to be called Çìaptain? of the Chinese as a go-between as well as an administrator and arbitrator for the internal affairs of this community. Similarly, Chinese ¡¡fficers?with titles varying from major to lieutenant were later appointed throughout the Dutch East Indies. In some of the larger cities these officers functioned collectively as Chinese Council or Kong Koan. The archives of these Kong Koans, some dating back to the 18th century, must have contained a rich fund of demographical, economic, legal and other information relating to the Chinese in the Dutch East Indies. Unfortunately, these were destroyed or otherwise lost in the 1930¡¡ when the institution of Chinese officers ceased to exist. With one fortunate exception, since the Kong Koan of the former Batavia somehow continued to function right up to the 1960¡¡. By then, it was merely serving as an administrative office for Chinese burial grounds and other properties, but its original archives had been preserved and for the last twenty years or more lay forgotten in the old Chinese quarter of Jakarta. Recently, however, they were rediscovered, albeit in a condition of severe neglect. They have now been entrusted to Leiden University and are stored in the Sinological Institute under the care of Pro. Dr. L. Blussé. The Kong Koan archives of Batavia/Jakarta are a valuable mine of as yet unexplored data of more than just historical interest. The study of these archives will reveal accounts of the fate and fortunes of the Chinese in the former Dutch East Indies, contributing to our understanding of interracial relations-economic, social and psychological-in the past as well as in present-day Indonesia. Recently, a foundation named riends of Kong Koan Archives?Foundation has been established to support research into this cultural heritage, which should be made fully accessible for the benefit of present and future generations with an interest in S.E. Asia and the overseas Chinese. The Friend of Kong Koan Archives aims to promote and advance scientific studies based on the material contained in these archives, as well as in other sources. To this end, in collaboration with Leiden University, it will also initiate and fund activities directed towards collecting and preserving further material relevant to the history and culture of the Chinese of Indonesia, e.g. books, photographs, genealogies and other family documents. In this way a large collection can be built up, the Kong Koan archives forming the nucleus, The Friends of Kong Koan has made a public appeal for financial support. For further information, contact: Mr. H.S. Liem
The following is the list of the Kong Koan documents in Dutch. Please
refer to Sources on OC in the Chinese version of the WCILOCS web
page for the list of the Kong Koan documents in Chinese.
INVENTARIS
1. Algemene zaken 1. Algemene zaken
2) Alderhande verklaringen 32. Immigratie19403) Werkvergunning 3 1) Registratie Immigratiedienst 20 3. Financien1913-19452) Verbkuhfsvergunning 8 1) Kasboeken 354. Grondbezit19002) Andere rekeningen 30 1) Landverhuur 45. Notulen 171934-19412) Eigendomsakte, etc. 11 1) Notulen6. Huwelijk 71909-1911 1) Huwelijk7. Begrafenis 51889-19122) Echtscheiding 8. Onderwijs 141930-1935 1) Chinese scholen9. Bouwtekeningen 719372) Chinese kranten 10. Maleise stukken 281916 11. Varia 961910-1912 |
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