By Wong Kah Wei
We were introduced to Na Tian Piet as a Chinese Peranakan composer of syairs in Dr Azhar Ibrahim’s first Peranakan talk entitled Syair of the Peranakans: Narrating the Social and Cultural Worlds.
Syair is a “long poem that narrates a theme (eg. a story) and is usually made up of four lines in each stanza that is rhymed in an “a-a-a-a” pattern” (Tan, 2003). To start learning more about pantuns or syairs, have a look at my blog article Pantuns of the Chinese Peranakans of the Straits Settlements.
In his second talk – The Archipelagic Nexus: Peranakans as Cultural Brokers, Dr Azhar proceeded to position Na Tian Piet as a cultural broker, along with Lim Boon Keng, Song Ong Siang, Lie Kim Hok, Kwee Tek Hoay, Tan Teng Kie and Tjia Ki Siang.
Na wrote prolifically and composed syairs which reflected his views of various events during the late 19th century. He wrote as a “news correspondent”, taking a step back in reporting what he observed but yet crafting his syairs with a flair of an intellectual. And oh yes, he was also a snazzy dresser. In a photo of Na at 60 years of age, he is seen wearing a Western coat with a watch chain attached his button hole and what looks like kerosang brooch fasten to the front.
So who is Na Tian Piet and how did he contribute as a cultural broker? I dug into our NUS Libraries collection and also National Library’s NewspaperSG.
I found Claudine Salmon’s journal article Na Tian Piet dan Bayangannya di Dunia Melayu Tahun 1890-an which gives details about Na’s life, his views on various issues such as modernism and his high regard of Sultan of Deli and Sultan Abu Bakar. Salmon also wrote about Na in her book chapter in Le moment “sino-malais” de la littérature indonesienne (1992) which is available in ISEAS Library.
As Salmon’s article is in the Malay language, I thought I might attempt to give a summary here. If you can read Malay, I would encourage you to read Salmon’s article for the details.
Salmon calls Na Tian Piet a sasterawan (literary figure) of the 19th century. He hailed from Bengkulu and was a merchant who frequently travelled to Sumatera, Singapore, Pinang and Jawa. It seems that when he was resting, he liked to write syairs and publish these in newspapers in the Dutch East Indies and Singapore. Na knew and wrote Bahasa Melayu in both Jawi and romanized Malay. He also learnt the Chinese language and knew English and Dutch. He was educated in schools opened by Christian missionaries and was a Christian. As a merchant, Na sold European goods and had business ties with merchants in Palembang, Muntok and Batavia.
He moved with his family to Singapore in 1872, residing at Thompson Road. Salmon mentions two children, a son Na Kim Liong who worked a secretary at Robinson & Co and a daughter who married a Chinese from Palembang. He seemed to favour Western attire. When attending Sultan Abu Bakar’s daughter’s wedding in 1894, instead of wearing the traditional “baju panjang” (tengsa) which the Chinese male guests wore, he wore what the Europeans wore.
Na was also known to have been a volunteer at the Straits Chinese Church at Prinsep Street. He helped the English missionaries and gave sermons in the Malay language. In the early 1900s, Na went on a tour of the Dutch East Indies visiting Sumatera, Jawa, Sulawesi, Bali and Lombok. After that, there was nothing written by Na or about him.
Na could have started out writing as a “newspaper correspondent” in Bengkulu. His name was mentioned in “Dinihari” (1884) which was published in Batavia by J.A.E. Albrecht. In the mid-1890s, Na adopted the nom de plume of “Kalam Langit” when writing in newspapers. In 1894 he wrote in “Pemberita Betawi” praising Sultan Abu Bakar of Johor. His articles were read by the Datuk Bentara Luar of Johor, Mohamed Salleh, who became his friend. During his second talk, Dr Azhar had a slide showing a portion of a letter Datuk Bentara Luar wrote to Na. It was filled with praise for Na’s literary skills. It was Datuk Bentara Luar who invited Na to Sultan Abu Bakar’s daughter’s wedding in 1894. Na was the only Chinese to be invited to eat with royalty at the Sultan’s table.
Na started writing in Bintang Timor in 1894. His submissions included articles on current events and his observations during his travels which he had experienced earlier. Some of his articles were moral lessons such as Nasihat yang tulus kepada bangsa China. Some syairs he composed were to commemorate birthdays of Sultan of Johor, Prince of Wales and Empress Dowager of China. He also remembered people who had passed on such as Baba Tan Soe Kiong and to wish friends such as Baba Tan Hup Leong safe travel.
I was tickled by his syair in which he responded critically to the views of a news correspondent in Shaer kiriman kepada mekatib dinegri Palembang. Of course, Na started his syair with humility and towards the end, he wrote “ampun dan ma’af beta minta” (forgiveness I ask). However, in the bulk of his syair, Na offered his views and also criticized the news correspondent as someone who “tiada blajar dalam skola, fikiran Tuan itu banyak skali salah” (Did not study in school, your thinking is very wrong).
Salmon goes on to detail Na’s views on the Sino-Japanese war of 1894-1895. Na was upset by China’s loss. In a syair he wrote for the birthday of Empress Cixi, he took the opportunity to criticize the people of Singapore, Melaka and Pinang for celebrating the birthday without reflecting on the sad fate of the Chinese people and the destruction of their country. A few weeks later, Na followed up with another syair on his views on the “backwardness” in their thinking and to encourage them to better themselves.
Na was also a huge fan of how the Europeans were able to to develop Deli’s economy through the introduction of the railway train and the mining of oil. He was fascinated by Western technology such as how fast a steam ship could bring people to their destinations so quickly. Na also had high regard for people who assimilated well with the European culture, embracing the culture in their lifestyle and how they treated people. Apart from Sultan Abu Bakar, he also wrote about Baba Tan Soe Kiong of Palembang who were friends with the Dutch, generous, wealthy and was also the only Chinese in Palembang who was a member of the Masonic lodge.
Sultan Abu Bakar was someone Na revered the most. Na’s syairs and many news articles praised the Sultan for his character, his embrace of Western culture which was reflected in his opulent lifestyle, his trips to Europe and the European royalty he fraternized with. When the Sultan passed away, Na wrote a syair and articles to express his sadness at the demise of someone he openly admired.
Salmon concludes by stating that Na Tian Piet formed closed relationships with the progressive Chinese Peranakans in Singapore who worked frequently with him. But because he originated from Sumatera, he was not as greatly influenced by the British culture as his Singapore friends were. Na was inclined towards the Malay world where he had many friends. To Na, Johor represented a synthesis of all the values of the East and West.
In reading about Na’s experiences, travels, his friendships with various people, observations and views, we have the context of his syairs and articles. With this background in mind, Na’s syairs and news articles come alive, drawing us into a time and place which seems familiar but yet different.
At the end of her article, Salmon gives a list of Na’s written works. His syairs and news articles in Bintang Timor spans from 1894 to 1895. I decided to search for Bintang Timor articles which are accessible online via NewspaperSG and list them in this blog for easy access. As I continued searching, I found two articles in NewspaperSG which were not listed in Salmon’s list. Unfortunately, NewspaperSG has only the 1894 issues of Bintang Timor but not 1895. From the list of 1895 articles in the list, it looks like Na wrote some letters to the Editor and also wrote about the death of Sultan Abu Bakar. Universiti Sains Malaysia’s Hamzah Sendut Library holds the microfilm for 1894-1895.
As a librarian, I am thankful that Na has written prolifically in published sources which are still accessible through libraries. Na’s legacy of written works inspires us to find out more, investigate, research and share – encouraging us to be cultural brokers.
Selected syairs and news articles by Na Tian Piet published in Bintang Timor
Di cheritakan dengan rengkasnya waktu kawin-nya Tuan putri anak-anda Beginda Sultan Johore in Bintang Timor (2 July 1894, page 3) – continued in Bintang Timor (4 July 1894, page 3)
Surat kapada Editor: Perkhabaran Chinchu kapal api Ruby yang bawa chandu glap masok di negeri Palembang in Bintang Timor (1 August 1894, page 3)
Shair deri Palembang in Bintang Timor (8 September 1894, page 3)
Shair deri Palembang in Bintang Timor (17 September 1894, page 3)
Di cherita-kan bagimana hal in Bintang Timor (3 October 1894, page 3) – continued in Bintang Timor (4 October 1894, page 3)
Satu perkara yang belom tahu jadi didalam negri Palembang in Bintang Timor (8 October 1894, page 3) – continued in Bintang Timor (10 October 1894, page 3) as Hal budak yang di churi itu
Dicherita-kan begimana hal ka-ada’an orang didalam negri Palembang in Bintang Timor (20 October 1894, page 2) – continued in Bintang Timor (22 October 1894, page 3)
Dicherita-kan orang China deri Sourabaya sudah mati di Singapura, sebab sudah digigit ulih anjing gila di Sourabaya in Bintang Timor (24 October 1894, page 3)
Shair negri Johor in Bintang Timor (30 October 1894, page 3) – continued in Bintang Timor (31 October 1894, page)
Sedikit shair negri Singapura in Bintang Timor (1 November 1894, page 3)
Shair membri slamat, Hari lahir-nya Putra Makota Prince of Wales di negri Inggeris in Bintang Timor (12 November 1894, page 3)
Derihal ka-ada’an negri Muntok in Bintang Timor (17 November 1894, page 3) – continued in Bintang Timor (19 November 1894, page 3)
Shair hari lahir-nya Permesuri Bonda Beginda Rajah China in Bintang Timor (24 November 1894, page 3) – continued by in Bintang Timor (27 November 1894, page 3)
Sahir orang harak chinggeh in Bintang Timor (28 November 1894, page 3)
Derihal ka-ada’an negri Deli in Bintang Timor (1 December 1894, page 3) – continued in Bintang Timor (3 December 1894, page 3) and in Bintang Timor (4 December 1894, page 3)
Surat Kapada Editor: Deri hal comedy Jepun di Palembang in Bintang Timor (6 December 1894, page 2)
Timbangan derihal lima huruf, Malayu itu in Bintang Timor (7 December 1894, page 3)
Derihal wafat-nya (death) Baba Tan Soe Kiong di Palembang in Bintang Timor (10 December 1894, page 3)
Shaer kiriman kepada mekatib dinegri Palembang in Bintang Timor (13 December 1894, page 3)
Nasihat yang tulus kepada bangsa China in Bintang Timor (15 December 1894, page 3)
Shaer slamat “Bintang Timor” in Bintang Timor (18 December 1894, page 3) – continued in Bintang Timor (19 December 1894, page 3)
Derihal prang dinegri Acheh in Bintang Timor (22 December 1894, page 3)
Shaer slamat tahun bahru in Bintang Timor (31 December 1894, page 3)
