Tuesday 13 October 2026 at 6:30pm at the Indonesian Embassy,
30 Great Peter Street, London SW1P 2BU, and by Zoom
Dr. Mulaika Hijjas shared her expertise in 18th-and-19th-century Sumatran manuscripts in a talk that was followed by a lively Q&A session. As Principal Investigator of the Naskah Sumatra Manuscript Project, Dr Hijjas leads a team of researchers digitising manuscripts from Palembang, Minangkabau and Aceh; from both the SOAS collection and those that still survive in Sumatra.
Sumatran manuscipts are not dead in the cupboar
The second – and arguably more interesting – aspect of the project involves training researchers and visiting communities in Sumatra to experience how the manuscripts are being used in present day society. Mulaika highlighted a zine (min-magazine) workshop based on Acehnese manuscripts that the project organised at Sophie’s Sunset Library in Banda Aceh in July. The event was met with enthusiasm by the Gen Z participants despite Mulaika’s initial apprehension that they would be too engrossed in their mobile phones to engage with old texts.
She showed a selection of very impressive essays and drawings, notably a short essay by Aulia Ikhsani that she translated into English and read to AIS members. In her conversational style, Aulia reflected on the importance of Acehnese manuscripts for what they say rather than their age, but also lamented their inaccessibility to young Acehnese due to their inability to read Jawi script.
Mulaika characterised her team’s engagement with Sumatran communities as a way to keep the manuscripts alive and to not allow them to “mati dalam lemari”, to wither in the cupboard from lack of use.
As ever, the presentation was followed by refreshments and an opportunity to socialise.
