Magical Discourse, Moral Boundaries, and the Mapping of Interrelations in the Riau Archipelago

Abstract

This paper will explore the relation between moralities, the discourse on spirit possession, and the management of hierarchical boundaries among the Melayu of the Riau Archipelago. After presenting the core ideas of my theoretical framework, I will present a brief account of the local signification of Melayuness, both historically and in the light of the recent political development. Subsequendy, I will examine the popular discourse on magical interference and zones of protection. I will then illustrate with case studies, how crossing hierarchical boundaries can have a dramatic impact on the well-being of individuals. I will conclude by discussing the management of boundaries and the mapping of inter-locality relations. The core concept of Melayu cultural knowledge in relation to well being is the semangat. Every human, every animal, every single object is the sheath of a distinct semangat, and the loss of the latter can be extremely harmful to persons and things alike (De Danaan 1984:152). Personal well being is thus entirely dependent upon the strength of the semangat which, in turn, is connected to the other semangat present in the social environ ment. The strength, or weakness, of someone's semangat therefore relies as well on the conditions of the semangat of the other constituents in his/her social setting. This comprises, for example — the physical space, such as territory and habitation — and social agents — such as family members, community members and local spirits. Taking the principle of the semangat as a point of departure, I will examine in this article how Melayu construe personal suffering; how the pattern of interdependent semangat — which I refer to as bonding nucleus — continually emerges from the popular discourse, with or without explicit reference to the mystical idiom. The basic structure of the bonding nucleus is shaped by the moral frame of behaviour which instructs the people of the rules of relations between individuals, between groups as well as between the human and spirit world. This moral frame is openly articulated by the concept of adapt, which used to define and circumscribe the moral pre eminence of the sultanates in the course of Melayu history.