Londra Toplum Postasý, UK
Armenians and the Dutch East India Company
Alkan CHAGLAR
alkan@toplumpostasi.net
21 Eylul 2006, Perþembe
Since ancient times when the great marine cataclysm drove Noah to
Mount Ararat, followed by the more recent human tragedy brought on
by twentieth century famine, conflict and persecution, Armenians have
been forced to disperse in almost every corner of the globe. Fleeing
from one threat or another, this ancient and proud people, who were
the first to embrace Christianity, can be found today in all the
continents of the world having rebuilt their lives and striving to
preserve their religion and language.
Their wide distribution around the world to the most distant places
and the cultural-linguistic expertise they have acquired during their
journey there is a reflection of the international identity, which the
Armenians have been forced to accept. A reverse of their misfortune,
the Armenians have taken their new international role and capitalised
on the skills and knowledge they have grasped to their advantage, as
can be seen in their dynamic role they played in past trade between
South-East Asia and Europe and trade between India and Persia.
Armenians merchants in the Antipodes-a symbol of pioneering spirit
G.Paulus, author of The Armenian Community in the Netherlands India
(Netherlands India – later known as Indonesia), which is about the
significant role of Armenians in early European trade with Asia brings
to attention the fact that a great many Armenian Amsterdammer traders
had departed on ships to engage in trade in the mysterious Orient in
such faraway tropical places as Indonesia, Brunei, Singapore and the
Philippines. These Armenian pioneers of commerce set up factories, and
sugar plantations amid autochthons whose language was incomprehensible
and culture a world apart from either Holland or Hayastan.
Despite the long distances Armenian merchants soon settled in parts
of Java with their families clinging onto both their religion and
language, while exporting voluptuous goods to Europe and Persia.
An example of a successful Armenian merchant family is the Armenian
firm Garper & Co who shipped sugar from Semarang to the Persian Gulf
working hard with their knowledge of Europeans acquired through years
of exile there to make Javanese culinary delights palatable to the
clientele Amsterdammer dinner table. The importance the Armenians
held for their identity is perhaps best illustrated by the work of
these merchants. With the absence of a church in1808 and a growing
community, Armenian resident Gevork Manuch Merchell along with others
took matters into their own hands securing 25,000 Guilders from the
Dutch Government to establish schools and a church in Java.
This was no isolated act of helping one’s community, in 1852 Armenian
Haileian Miabanse Thioen in the Dutch colonial settlement of Batavia
(present day Jakarta), helped to open orphanages and schools for
stranded Armenian children in Indonesia. At this period of time in
Java, there was a well established Armenian population, the evidence
of which can be found on local registers. Paulus reports that in 1865,
names like Galistan Nahapiet, Garabet Galistan appear on registers,
in Surabaya, Armenian figures like Lazar Johan, Joachim Jordan and A
Demetrius are recorded while in Semarang names such as Joseph Amir,
Constantijn Manook, Arakiel Navaran, and Stefan Arathoon can be seen.
Despite arriving with the Dutch who were the colonialists and
ship owners, Armenians were important figures in these Dutch
colonies. People like Manook Jordan owned the Mlongo factory, P and B
Andreas of Rendang owned the regions sugar factory, while P.Andreas
owned Trangkil factory. The new Armenian community soon built a
small chapel in Batavia and founded a school in 1855. Manook Jordan
later used some of his acquired wealth to build a theological school
and prepare young men for priesthood. Mrs Mariam Arathoon and Miss
Tacooye Manook also founded a school after collecting 5000 guilders
in aid from the community’s church.
By the end of the 19th century Paulus reports that Armenians could
be found in many of the islands around the Indian Archipelago, in
places like Ambon, the capital of the Spice Islands. On the 6th of
January 1880, the Armenian community was formally recognised as an
incorporated society by the Dutch government.
Within a short time Armenians extended also to Singapore where they
were involved in the opium trade, which was under British control,
while some Armenian missionaries went on to the Philippines. Dominating
the opium trade, Armenians centred around Armenian Street in Singapore
continued to sell opium until the Second World War.
Armenians like Arab and Oriental Jewish merchants were among
the richest and most prominent ex-patriot people in South East
Asia. George Manook, an Armenian from Persia was among the richest
figures in colonial Dutch South East Asia. Manook who often lent the
cash strapped Dutch government funds, left behind a huge fortune of
five million guilders when he died.
An international identity
Forced to leave their homeland for centuries, but never defeated the
Armenians have successfully rebuilt their lives in exile. Through
exile, and through living as a minority in countries all over the
world, Armenians have acquired useful knowledge of languages, cultures
and places that are today prerequisites for becoming an international
banker or businessman. In many respects a survival tactic, Armenians
have capitalised on their skills to travel great distances as the first
pioneers of East-West trade, setting up trading posts in the most
isolated and distant Javanese jungles in places that few foreigners
had visited.
Perhaps the fact that Armenians can make Asia their new home is
because cannot simply confine themselves to either East or West and
look inwards like many countries, after all are the Armenians not
a peripheral people? Originating from the Caucasus, a natural front
line of East and West, Islam and Christianity, Armenians belong to
both East and West.
However, on the other hand, their homeland of ancient Churches and
mulberry trees has as a result of thousands of years of invasions
become a graveyard of churches. Considering the numerous empires
that have passed through Armenia, one wonders if the Armenians have
had much of a choice in their exile and newly acquired international
identity. To illustrate this, Armenians in the 11th century after
the Battle of Manzikert were forced to relocate their entire country
over a thousand miles away en masse to Cilicia, an arduous task
considering the lack of transport at the time and one that no doubt
required planning.
While it is true that the cultural knowledge they extracted from
travelling paid off in many ways, the underlying tragedy is they could
not perform such economic wonders in their own homeland. For whatever
the political problems between present day Armenian and Turkey, the
ability of the Armenians to survive, adapt and flourish wherever they
settle in exile is admirable lesson for us all.
–Boundary_(ID_6p1nF+ZlyWCUv51vSFTUZA)–