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The Baweanese (Boyanese)

The Baweanese are a significant community among the Malays of Singapore. They were originally from Pulau Bawean (Bawean Island) in East Java and migrated to Singapore in the early 19th century. In the early days, many of them found jobs as drivers and horse-trainers. They lived in communal houses called pondoks. Today, many Baweanese still have ties with their relatives in Pulau Bawean though the younger ones have yet to step foot on the island of their ancestors. 

Origins of the Baweanese
The Baweanese were originally from Bawean Island, 120 km north of Surabaya which is the capital of East Java.  Merantau (migration) is an important trait of the Baweanese culture, a tradition in which men leave their home to earn money and then return to their homeland.  Due to this, the Bawean Island is sometimes called "Pulau Putri" (island of women) to denote its predominance of women.

The word "Boyan" is a misnomer, derived from a corrupt pronunciation of "Bawean" that was started by European colonials and which has since remained.  The islanders of Bawean call themselves Orang Bawean or Orang Babian, but in the areas where they migrated to, they refer to themselves (or are referred to) as Orang Boyan, including in Singapore.

Migration of the Baweanese
The founding of Singapore as a British trading post in 1819 attracted many migrants from the region. The Baweanese came to Singapore a little later and in smaller numbers than other ethnic groups from the Archipelago, like the Bugis and the Javanese. Sea life was highly agreeable to the Baweanese and they have historically been sea traders, sailing their small crafts to Borneo, Celebes, Madura and Java to barter. The Bawean men embody the merantau (migration) culture early in life.  In the 1840s, it was already recorded that many young men of 14 went to sea to Samarang, Singapore and other places to search for work and returned after two or three years with their savings. It was told that early Bawean seafarers who had joined forces with the Bugis of the Celebes visited Singapore during the early days of British rule, and upon returning impressed their fellow Baweanese with Singapore's tales of prosperity, hence making the British settlement another destination for adventurous Baweanese.

There is no record of the first arrivals of the Baweanese in Singapore.  They were officially recorded in Singapore's Population Census in 1849, but it is highly probable that they came as early as 1828 as in that year, the Census had a category "Bugis, Balinese, etc" and that the Baweanese could have been included under "etc".

Between 1901-1911, there was a tremendous increase of Baweanese population in Singapore.  The reason was the imposition of individual assessment by the Dutch on their territories around 1900.  This meant that on top of land rent, Dutch subjects had to pay tax based on the persons living on the land. To avoid this, many Indonesians moved out to other areas, including the Baweanese, who flocked to Singapore as it was quite near. The migration was eased by the fact that immigration into Malaya was not restricted. 

During the Japanese Occupation, many more Baweanese landed in Singapore to avoid starvation from the famine in Bawean. After WWII, as immigration regulations in Singapore and Malaya tightened, the flow of Baweanese into Singapore dwindled.  They found new migration areas in other Indonesian islands like Tanjong Pinang and Riau.

At first, the Baweanese came to Singapore by sailing ships.  With the advent of steamers towards the end of the 19th century, the rate of Baweanese arrivals intensified.  Two shipping companies provided regular services between Bawean and Singapore.  The Dutch Koninklijke Paketvaart Maatschappij (KPM) and the Heap Eng Moh Shipping Company of Singapore made handsome profits by ferrying these migrants. The KMP had a direct service from Singapore to Bawean until it was disrupted by WWII and later the Indonesian revolution.  The vacuum left by KPM was filled by sailing ships of the Madurese and the Bugis. 

Singapore also attracted the Baweanese through its pilgrimage hub activities.  The steamship age had made Singapore the launching pad for the Hajj journey to Mecca.  Being strict Muslims and emboldened by the Baweanese merantau trait, the Baweanese rode on the speed of steamers to enter Singapore to find work so that they could save up and begin their Hajj journey from Singapore.  This was also true of many Javanese.  Some never made the Hajj journey and stayed on permanently.  Others who did, stopped in Singapore on their way back from Mecca to work to pay for their homeward journey. Many among them pledged their labour to Singapore plantation owners in return for their debts to the shipmaster.

Economic activity and Settlement
When the Baweanese came in the mid-19th century, the European estates were facing labour shortage. The Europeans relied on the Javanese and Baweanese as the other races in Singapore were not inclined to be employed by the Europeans. In 1842, when the Europeans were excited about having a racecourse in Singapore, they employed many Baweanese in the construction. Subsequently, many Baweanese found work as horse trainers at the old Race Course, later the Turf Club. The Baweanese were also largely employed as gharry drivers, having worked and became naturally good with horses back home.  Towards the end of 19th century when the age of motorcars swept across Singapore, the Baweanese switched to become drivers of tuans and mems.   Another sub-group of the Baweanese, the Daun, was employed by the Port of Singapore Authority which supplied fresh water to ships in the Singapore Harbour.  Other jobs which they held include bullock-cart drivers and gardeners. 

In the map of Singapore of the 1920s until 1942 when Singapore fell to the Japanese, the area which is presently Kampong Kapor was known to the Malays as Kampong Boyan. Between 1840s and 1950s, many Baweanese who migrated to Singapore settled here. The Baweanese formed a tight-knit community and many lived in pondoks or ponthuks (lodging houses)  which were headed by a Pak Lurah (headman).

The Baweanese were also seamen, which required them to be away for many months. During their absence, the Pak Lurah would take care of the sailors' belongings and family members.  The ponduk (hut) was more than a communal dwelling space for the Baweanese to come home to. It was a social institution that took care of newly arrived Baweanese who needed support to settle in and cope with living in a foreign land. The last Singapore ponduk was cleared in 2000 and the building it occupied became a historic site.

Modern day Baweanese
Many Baweanese in Singapore are still in contact with their relatives on Bawean Island although most of the younger ones have never set foot there. The Baweanese in Singapore (and Malaysia) are an important source of income and wealth for the native islanders as money and goods are sent back home. The amount was substantial enough for the community to name two rural roads, Mahathir Road and Goh Chok Tong Road. They said the roads were built on the dollars and ringgits sent to them from relatives in Singapore and Malaysia.

The Baweanese in Singapore have assimilated and intermarried into the Malay population here and many regarded themselves as Malays. The more prominent Baweanese Singaporeans are the former director-general of the Trade Development Board, Mr Ridzwan Dzafir, and Sembawang GRC Member of Parliament, Mr Hawazi Daipi.
 

Author
Nor-Afidah Abd Rahman & Marsita Omar


References
Boyanese. (2006). Singapore: The encyclopedia (p. 70). Singapore: Editions Didier Millet in association with the National Heritage Board.
(Call no.: RSING 959.57003 SIN-[HIS])

Dhorainsingam, S. (1991). Singapore's heritage through places of historic interest (pp. 45, 54-55). Singapore: Elixir Consultancy Service.
(Call no.: RSING 959.57 SAM-[HIS])

Koentjaraningrat. (1972). Bawean islanders. In F. M. LeBar (Ed.), Ethnic Groups of Insular Southeast Asia, Volume 1: Indonesia, Andaman Islands, and Madagascar (p. 59). New Haven: Human Relations Area Files Press.
(Call no.: RSEA 301.20959 ETH)

Makepeace, W., Brooke, G. E., & Braddel, R. S. J. (Eds.). (1991). One hundred years of Singapore (Vol. 1, pp. 357-360). Singapore: Oxford University Press.
(Call no.: RSING 959.57 ONE)

Turnbull, C . M. (1989). A history of Singapore: 1819-1988 (pp. 23 & 43). Singapore: Oxford University Press.
(Call no.: RSING 959.57 TUR)

Vredenbregt, J. (1990). Bawean dan Islam  (A. B. Lapian, Trans.). Jakarta: INIS.
(Call no.: RSEA 305.89922 VRE)

Weekes, R. V. (Ed.). (1984). Baweanese. In Muslim Peoples: A World Ethnographic Survey  (Vol. 1, pp. 126-130).  Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press.
(Call no.: RSEA 301.452971 MUS)

Wright, A, & Cartwright, H. A. (Eds.). (1989). Twentieth century of British Malaya: Its history, people, commerce, industries, and resources (p. 126). Singapore: Graham Brash.
(Call no.: RSING q959.5 TWE)

Mansor bin Haji Fadzal. (1964-1967). My Baweanese people [Microfilm: NL11290]. Intisari, II (4). Singapore: Malaysian Sociological Research Institute.

Siti Andriannie. (2000, January 31). Singapore's last pondok named a historic site.The Straits Times. Retrieved June 20, 2007, from Factiva database.

Widyarto. (1998, July 29). Restless Bawean islanders earning riches overseas. Jakarta Post, p. 7. Retrieved June 20, 2007, from Factiva database.

Zuzanita Zakaria. (1999, February 25). Keeping an ethnic alive. The Straits Times. Retrieved June 20, 2007, from Factiva database.

Ananta, A. (2006). Changing ethnic composition and potential violent conflict in Riau Archipelago, Indonesia: An early warning signal. Population Review, 45 (1), 56. Retrieved June 20, 2007, from http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/population_review/v045/45.1ananta02.pdf

Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura. (1998, September - October). Pondok boy made good.Warita kita, 117. Retrieved June 20, 2007, from http://cmsweb.muis.gov.sg/webpub/warita/warita9-98/p3.html

Virtual Map. (1999-2007). History of old Little India in Singapore. Retrieved June 20, 2007, from http://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/singapore/facts_old_singapore/331/history_of_old_little_india_in_singapore.php

Further readings
Roksana Bibi Abdullah. (2006). Pengalihan bahasa di kalangan masyarakat Bawean di Singapura: Sebab dan akibat. In Mana Sikana et al. (Eds.), Bahasa: Memeluk akar menyuluh ke langit.  Singapore: Jabatan Bahasa dan Budaya Melayu, Institut Pendidikan Nasional, Universiti Teknologi Nanyang.
(Call no.: RSING  499.2809 BAH)

Oak 3 Films. (2000). Semarak budaya, antara kita [videotape]. Singapore: MediaCorp TV12.
(Call no.: RSING 305.89928 SEM episod 8: Baweanese)

Comunications 2000. (1998). Wajah pendatang [videotape]. Singapore: MediaCorp TV12.
(Call no.: RSING 959.57 WAJ  -[HIS] episod 3 & 4: Anak Bawean)



The information in this article is valid as at 2007 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.

Subject
Ethnic Communities
Boyanese (Indonesian people)--Singapore
People and communities