LAY ATJIEN LIOK AND THE LIDAK WAR OF 1852

Abstract

This article deals with the intersection of indigenous agency, colonial governance, and the political and economic influence shored up by individual Chinese migrants in eastern Indonesia in the 19th century. In the mid 19th century, Dutch and Portuguese colonial rule on Timor was still indirect and lacking in resources. This gave the opportunity for regional polities to be largely independent. The actions of a merchant called Lay Atjien Liok triggered a Dutch expedition to apprehend him in 1852. Although he was arrested, their action brought about a war with the small Lidak kingdom where the Dutch were initially defeated. Only with utmost difficulty did a renewed expedition manage a nominal victory five years later in 1857. Such acts prompt questions about the perception of the ‘colonial’ entities in the local mindset. The article discusses the factors conducive to the strong bonds developed between the Chinese and locals, and the agency of these vis-á-vis the colonial complex, which explains the eruption of violent conflicts in 1852 and 1857. It furthermore explores the possibilities for multiple readings of the conflict since memories of the Timorese resistance made a deep impact on local oral tradition.