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| Kedah: Early History |
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Early History
In the 4th Century, the Indian and Arab merchants discovered vast trading opportunities using sea routes as opposed to the caravan routes. They also knew only too well that jungle products were as good as gold to their rich customers who could afford all the riches the rainforest jungles could offer. With much trouble of war and tribal scuffle on land, the merchants eventually took to sea.
Jungle products such as the aromatic gahru wood, camphor and animal products like kingfisher feathers and rhinoceros horns were very much in demand. The merchants knew nothing of the particularities of the jungle or its secrets. Hence, they employed locals or dealt with middlemen. Malay middlemen themselves rarely ventured beyond the fringes of the jungle, for they were not familiar with the interior - the belief of powerful spirits and demons in the jungle kept them from straying too far from the coasts and riverbanks They in turn employed the forest dwellers, generally forefathers of indigenous people or the Orang Asli of today.
The forest dwellers knew intimately every stone, plant and inch of their territories. They knew that when the gahru tree showed signs of disease infection and when the bark peeled off whilst the leaves wilted away, then it was time to harvest the valuable heart of the tree. They also knew that precious camphor grains were found in the trunk of a tree where only chipping of its bark revealed distinct fragrances.
The value of certain jungle products was also determined by its rarity and the secrecy that shrouded their collection. The beliefs and myths were so ingrained in these collectors that some even adopted a special language and observed strict diets while gathering certain jungle products.
These produce were transported to central collection points and then were later funneled to port-of-calls where trading ships were docked and waiting for their shipments. One of such popular port-of-calls was Kedah.
In the early centuries of great seafarers (7th to 13th century), Srivijaya a great maritime kingdom ruled trading centre along the Melaka Straits. Although historians have often disputed on the location of Srivijaya, many believe it to be sited close to Palembang in Sumatra. The ruler of Srivijaya realized Kedah's potential as a great northern entrepot and with that, Srivijaya granted Kedah vassal status. The possibilities were endless for the Srivijaya kingdom to maintain a 'state' in northern Malay peninsular and the thought of Kedah falling into the hands of the formidable Siamese were daunting. Moreover, Indian traders preferred Kedah to many of the other ports in the straits and business was brisk. Merchants preferred trading in Kedah because of the honesty of local traders,
safety of the port and the variety of products that were available for export. These Indian traders also contributed to the community by sharing their religion. They built temples along the coastal area and disseminated Indian folklore, tales and dance of which still strongly flavours the local folklore, culture and even language. The Buddhists came by later and built Buddhist temples alongside the Hindu shrines and temples.
By the 11th century, Srivijaya was losing its hold on the straits and Kedah seized this opportunity to make a bid for independence. From historical data, it seemed that in 1068, Kedah's ruler may have rebelled and that Srivijaya then called for Chola's(a Southern Indian kingdom) assistance to quell the rebellion. Despite efforts made to maintain hold, Kedah seemed to slowly slip away from the stronghold of the struggling kingdom. By the 13th century, Kedah was sending its own ships to Southern India on trading missions. Finally, Kedah was coming into its own.
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Kedah: Overview
Kedah: Early History
Kedah: Thai Influence
Kedah: Domestic Disputes
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