Javanese Migration to South Africa

Cape Town

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Manado (Dreamland Library) - Cape of Good Hope was the first time slaves from Java and Madagascar landed in South Africa around 1,652 AD. The slaves were later named ethnic Cape Malay. However, because of its Malay name, South Africans know Malaysia better than Indonesia.

The arrival of slaves from Indonesia followed by the exile of Syech Yusuf from Makassar in Cape Town in 1694 by the Dutch further strengthened Indonesia's position in the history of South Africa. In fact, Syeh Yusuf, the young cleric and also the leader of the Banten Sultanate army, was also the first propagator of Islam in the southern part of the black continent. Besides Syeh Yusuf, there are actually other names such as Abdullah Ibn Qadi Abdussalam from Tidore.

The Dutch were very worried about the development of Islam in Cape Town, then moved and isolated Syeh Yusuf to Zandvliet, outside Cape Town. However, the Dutch effort failed and Islam continued to thrive in Cape Town.

Awareness as a person from Indonesia has been felt by several South Africans, especially Muslims. In fact, they immediately stated they were also of Indonesian descent, especially Banten. One of them is Ibrahim Salleh, Principal of the Bosmont Muslim School.

Ibrahim admitted, there had indeed been a "misunderstanding" about Malay. According to Ibrahim, Malay people's assumptions are the same as Malaysia's, and they are also identified with Malaysian ancestry. "However, we already know that the assumption is wrong," he said.

Ibrahim himself did not know how the name of the place came to be called Cape Malay. "Maybe because it came from a region or region of the Malays then called Malay. In fact, the slaves were not of ethnic Malay origin. The slaves were said to have been imported from Java, while Syeh Yusuf was from Makassar, "he said.

Cape Malay, now also called Cape Muslim, has become a distinct ethnic group in South Africa. During the apartheid era, ethnic Cape Malay was included in the colored group (colored), the caste was higher than that of blacks, but below the whites.

The current ethnic population of Cape Malay is around 166 thousand in Cape Town and around 10,000 in Johannesburg. The Cape Malay people were also opponents of apartheid, one of its leaders was Farid Esack.

Because of "misunderstanding" then "claim" Malaysia, Indonesia must struggle to introduce itself. "Changing people's perceptions is very difficult, but we will continue to introduce Indonesia in South Africa. Indonesia is part of the history of South Africa, "said Ali Hasan

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Source: 
http://mozaicdunia.blogspot.com/2010/08/kisah-migma-suku-jawa-ke-suriname-dan.html


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