AUSTRONESIAN IN SULAWESI

Book review:

AUSTRONESIAN IN SULAWESI

Writers : Researchers from different disciplines

Editor : Truman Simanjuntak

Publisher : Center for Prehistoric and Austronesian Studies (CPAS), Jakarta

First published :2008

The strategic geographical position of Sulawesi, in the center of the archipelago, makes this island as a crossroad for human and cultural diaspora throughout the time. One of the most outstanding role of this island is concerning the dispersal of the Austronesian-speaking people and their typical culture – the Neolithic. Radiometric dates from Minanga Sipakko site and other Neolithic sites in its surrounding confirmed that they had been there since ca. 3,600 BP. This is the oldest convinced date so far over the Indonesian archipelago, meaning that Sulawesi has an important role in the regional Austronesian-speaking people diaspora in prehistoric time.

The Austronesian-speaking people spread in Sulawesi and entered the interior areas by utilizing rivers as the center of orientation and sailing route. They occupied places where the environmental resources available or rich. Their cultural development can be divided into 3 periods: from the prehistoric period (c. 3600 BP and 2500/2000 BP), protohistoric period (c. 2500/ 2000 BP - c. 400 AD), to the historic period (400 AD - now). The prehistoric period which perdured more than 1000 years was characterized by the river bank settlements, animal hunting, water biota exploitation, horticulture activity, and the stone adze industry. Red-slipped pottery, a typical early Neolithic pottery, was prominent in the early occupation, but in the second half of period it was substituted by worse baked pottery and pottery rich in decorations. The similarities of Minanga Sipakko artifacts (pottery, stone adzes, etc.) with the other sites within and outside of Sulawesi point out the regional interrelationship of Sulawesi with its surroundings area.

The Austronesian prehistoric life was continued into the protohistoric and historic periods. The processes of adaptation with diverse environment and natural sources, as well as the limited contact with the outside world by geographical barriers, have caused the Austronesian people and cultures gradually develop in each area. By and by this condition created local unique identity, as seen in the aspects of language, subsistence, technology, custom (tradition), art, etc. This phenomenon caused the Austronesian culture to develop, as elsewhere in the archipelago, characterized by diversity in unity (Bhinneka Tunggal Ika).

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