Page 999 - Proceedings Collega2023

xviii
Yet, it has been discovered that there are errors in labelling. Among the identified errors are;
1. Mislabelling of authors. For example, the “Journal of a visit to the Native States of Selangor and Perak
in March and April 1874,” ascension number 2006/0037501, SP. 12/4 is originally item number 78; was
not written by Frank Swettenham due to the author had met Mr. Swettenham on the Avon steam ship on
the 9th April 1874. It was discovered that it was J. W. W. Birch through cross-examination as Frank
Swettenham in his journal entry 9th April 1874 met Mr Birch upon Avon.
2. There is a merger of unrelated documents. SP.12/28 (original item 55) is now merged with file
xix
SP.12/123 (original item 52) as detected on the 22nd February 2022 under the folder of 2006/0037610.
3. Mislabelling of title. In the ascension number 2006/0037562 is S.P. 12/72 originally item number 60,
there are two letters. It is a typescript letter from J. Taylor enclosing a copy of letter (in French) from W.
Rooseboom, Governor General of Netherlands Indies regarding Frank Swettenham’s retirement, dated 7
November 1903. The official title in the National Archives of Malaysia states that the enclosed letter is
written in Dutch, however, upon inspection, it is written in French.

The analysis of the collection of documents has assisted in constructing the history of the
collection since the Swettenham Collection up to the current Swettenham Papers. The worth in knowing
the errors in cataloguing is due to errors bring rise to problems, therefore, issues of documentation
require fixing. The Swettenham Papers are authoritative primary sources pertaining the subject matter of
Malays especially the aspects of creativity and sustainability of the Malay culture and customs. Therefore,
due to the significance of the Swettenham Papers, betterment of the current labelling system is crucial. It
is the recommendation of the researcher that the Swettenham Papers are thoroughly examined to clarify
its details in the direction of increasing its truthfulness, and the possibility to merge the Swettenham
Papers with source texts related to Frank Swettenham, which is another collection of documents
pertaining Frank Swettenham and his writings.

The Significance of the Swettenham Papers to Local Wisdom in Culture in Creativity and Sustainability
It has been analysed that the Swettenham Papers grant an opportunity to understand the main
concepts and Western worldview and its application in Malay Studies. Thus, this provides as a method to
sustain the identity of the Malay people. According to Professor Tatiana Denisova (2020), in the efforts to
build a clarified national consciousness and expand the educational system in national history, it is
imperative to know the works of Western historiography pertaining the history of the Malay World.

The significance of the Swettenham Papers is in the written records pertaining the Malay culture,
albeit from a colonial perspective. Therefore, potent for cultural sustainability, which readership could
learn wisdom of the Malay culture, preserve and sustain it. Frank Swettenham employs empiricism for
his records and interprets in accordance to his worldview. Cultural creativity pertains to creativity of a
culture, therefore making the creative element distinctive, or unique, conversely, a culture’s identity is
partly based on their creativity. In addition, the criterion of creativity is deeply rooted in a culture. For
example, to contain, carry and cool water, the Malay people uses the Labu Sayong. It is an earthenware
container inspired by the water calabash which has the abilities to do the prior. Whereas, cultural
sustainability is the sustainability factor of a culture or green technology and also the ability to sustain a
culture. Returning to the Labu Sayong, it is an earthenware created using sustainable ingredients and
methods, which is green in technology and in parallel sustains one of the ways the Malays preserve
drinking water.

International Conference on Local Wisdom of the Malay Archipelago (COLLEGA 2023) Page - 986 -