Negara Selat and the Etymology of Riau

I am far from any kind of expert in the field of etymology nor in the Malay language. However, a quick survey of the existing research on the topic provides plenty of food for thought and, like the previous few blog posts, is intended to provide context for the story of Palace of Ghosts. Some of the explanations may be plausible, but cannot be undisputedly proven. The point is to show that Singapore and the surrounding islands and shorelines are far from being disconnected from history. What is important is to strip away the barriers which blur perceptions of the past. Look beyond the modern inventions of borders and cities to see more clearly how the present links to the past and vice versa. The people who today live in territories once occupied by the Johor-Sultanate should look to the island of Sumatra to understand where the people who created the first trading hubs in area originally came from.

The zone where mainland Southeast Asia (SEA) meets maritime SEA seems to lack a catchy or inspiring name. The Pillars of Hercules, The Golden Horn and the Cape of Good Hope are, for example, all grand names worthy of places where there is a meeting of worlds. One of the greatest geographic junctions on planet Earth at the tip of the Malay Peninsula, however, appears to lack such a glamorous name. 

Two hundred and fifty years ago, it was easy: it was simply the Sultanate of Johor-Riau, or at one time called the Sultanate of Riau-Lingga. It was more-or-less the same thing, but an inspiring name remains elusive. The Sultanate lost its relevance when it collapsed, but the location, of course, did not. By the time stability was restored and the next trading hub emerged, it was known simply as Singapore or Singapura. The old polity faded away and was forgotten as the new entrepôt flourished. But Singapore is just one island (excluding its 63 satellite islets) and today there appears to be no single name that refers to the wider area that is still deeply interconnected on many levels. 

There is, however, a name, but it is one that few residents in the region, locals and outsiders alike, will recognise. It is Negara Selat, and for this we have one of the most distinguished historians of SEA to thank: Leonard Andaya, Professor of Southeast Asian History at the University of Hawaii. Professor Andaya may not have invented the term, but he has consistently highlighted it since Singapore’s bicentennial celebration in 2019. He explains that it is a term, a concept even, whose origins stretch back many hundreds of years. It may be interpreted as meaning the “Realm of Riau” and corresponds to (a) the southern shores of the tip of the Malay Peninsula, Singapore and the Riau islands; and (b) the area inhabited by a sea people called the Orang Laut. Professor Andaya explains that the word “Selat” and “Laut” can be considered interchangeable. A fascinating presentation by Professor Andaya which goes into some detail on the Orang Laut and the Negara Selat, can be found here: “The Orang Laut in the Realm of the Straits.” 

Many struggle with understanding this naming conundrum, or even having an awareness of the history, because the modern centre of gravity in the region–Singapore–throws us off course. Today, when we think about the immediate region, we immediately think about Singapore because that is where the population density is highest and most diverse, where wealth and capital are the most concentrated, and where most activity generally happens. It is, in summary, the highest-profile location when considered from a global perspective. Singapore is the effective centre of the region, although eyed suspiciously from the neighbouring capitals of Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta. 

Viewed from the recent past, we might consider the area to be a Singapore-Johor-Riau sphere of influence, with Singapore at its heart as one of the few truly global cities. However, Negara Selat captures the deeper, more ancient significance that links the sea lanes and their traditional local inhabitants to the trading hubs of the Port of Riau on Bintan and its many predecessors before it gave way to Singapore. Later, it was Singapore that gave birth to the new city of Johor Bahru established by Temenggong Daeng Ibrahim as the new state of Johor’s capital city. It is reasonable to speculate that if Singapore had not been there, Johor Bahru (and its immediate forerunner Tanjong Puteri), would probably never have been built.

If we take a step back and consider the wider map and history going back several hundred years before the Johor-Riau Sultanate, it quickly becomes apparent that it is Riau which was the traditional centre of gravity in the region, not the islands of Riau, but the area of the massive island of Sumatra which includes what are now the provinces of Riau, Jambi and South Sumatra. It was from Riau where Singapore’s mythical ruler Sang Nila Utama was said to have emanated. Kampar, a Regency in the province of Riau, is where the remains of the Maura Takus Temple can be found, thought to have been constructed by the maritime Srivijaya Empire in the 9th century. This Buddhist temple complex is claimed to be the oldest known building in Sumatra and the region, including the territory covered by the Johor-Riau Sultanate centuries later. Therefore, it is possible, that if a historical centre of gravity existed in the region and there was any significance attached to such designation, then it was somewhere around where the Maura Takus Temple stands in the province of Riau. But, several different polities rose and fell over the centuries and were located in several different places throughout this southeastern part of Sumatra across an area stretching 700 or so kilometres south of Kapar to Palembang in South Sumatra.

In the 1920s, a French archaeologist George Cœdès placed the “original” capital Srivijaya in Palembang. Another school of thought led by the University of Indonesia placed it in Jambi, in the province of the same name that borders Riau. However, the renowned Indonesian archaeologist and historian, Soekmono, places it in Kampar, a further 400km to the northwest, and near Riau’s provincial capital city Pakenbaru. Regardless, the ancient trading centres existed somewhere on the banks of the many rivers in the area, in the southern eastern part of Sumatra. A majority of academics are now focusing on Palembang as the original capital of Srivijaya, but in all probability influence and power waxed and waned across and between the three locations, and maybe others, over the centuries. 

There is a mind-boggling amount of complexity in understanding the period of history between the Srivijaya Empire and The Johor-Riau Sultanate with Negara Selat ebbing and flowing as its international crossroads. Academics such as Professor Andaya, and others such as the late Oliver William Wolters, Professor of Southeast Asian History Emeritus at Cornell University, are indispensable in trying to understand it all.

Kampar's Maura Takus Temple (Source: Thesmartlocal)

With Professor Andaya’s contention that the words “Selat” and “Laut” can be considered interchangeable, with both referring to the area of sea where the Orang Laut sea people lived called Riau, what then is the etymology of the word Riau itself?

Notwithstanding the inherent uncertainties and limitations of the study of etymology, there are some interesting and curious interpretations and explanations. The name "Riau" has been associated with the region for many centuries and, as noted above, continues to be used as the official name of the province in Sumatra, Indonesia.

The word "Riau" has its origins in the Malay language and the Riau Malays remain the dominant ethnic group in the area. The etymology of "Riau" is derived from the word itself, which is believed to come from the combination of two Malay words: "riau" and "air."

The word "riau" refers to a type of native tree (Dryobalanops aromatica) found in the region. This tree produces a resin called "gaharu" or "agarwood," which has been highly valued in traditional medicine and perfume production. The tree is native to the tropical rainforests of the Riau region.

The word "air" means "water" in Malay, and it is thought to represent the abundant rivers, lakes, and waterways found in the Riau province. The region is known for its rich natural resources and is situated on the eastern coast of Sumatra, surrounded by the Strait of Malacca. The reference here to “water” synchs up to the Malay meaning of the words “Selat” and “Laut”. 

Combining these two elements, the name "Riau" can be interpreted as "the land of riau trees and abundant water." It reflects the region's lush vegetation, diverse flora and fauna, and the significant role water plays in the local ecosystem and livelihoods.

If anyone has a any alternative explanations I would love to read them!