Lady Bubalus and the half-blood princess

Johl (جوهل) is a unique region within the Minangkabau State. It appears to be the only polity explicitly recognizing the proto-Malay genetic lineage within the ancestral history of its royal family. The acknowledgment of Lady Bubalus¹ or Nenek Kerbau (c. 300 years ago) provides a fascinating glimpse into the hybrid ethnic heritage of the region, reinforcing the complex interplay between indigenous Austronesian groups and later cultural influences in the Thai-Malay Peninsula.

According to Lister (1887), only four domains existed in the beginning, apart from Johl, we have the tin-rich Sungei Ujong^(f), the mountainous Jelebu^(e), and Klang along the coastal line. Among them, Johl was the most politically active region and it had endured multiple instances of territorial fracturing.

Proto-Malays of Ulu Jelebu (c. 1900s?). The native women were all modestly dressed by their cultural standards, which require the women to securely conceal their pudenda or selnel² with loincloth or sarong. However, as mem 𩜠 (mammary) was not considered part of the selnel or kemaluan, it was not kept out of sight. From a linguistic viewpoint, proto-Malays are speakers of Austronesian languages, which set them apart from Semang (hunter-gatherer Austroasiatic) and Senoi (farmer Austroasiatic). Jelebu was not listed as one of the Melaka hinterlands in the resource map prepared by Eredia in 1602. Since only Triang was listed, it is reasonable to posit that the mountainous domain was traditionally known as Triang before it was given a new name. For example, the story of how the four macrofiefs were divorced from Johor was recounted by O'Brien (1884): . . . after some time (c. 1757?), however, the headman of Jelebu took courage to appear before him (the Raja of Johor). Now this headman's name was Moyang Salleh, and his title was Orang Kaya of Sungei Lumut. The name of Jelebu was as yet unknown: and it was not until some time later that the country was so called after a man of that name who was drowned in the river (Triang is an tributary of Pahang River) . . . This headman of Jelebu, then went to the Court of the Raja of Johor, who presented him with a chop bearing the following inscription: The Sultan Mu'azzam Shah confers upon the Mandelika Mantri Supreme authority to be the Sultan of Jelebu, for ever. And this is the form of words that has been used from generation to generation by the Penghulus who have governed the country of Jelebu. The Raja of Johor further issued instructions to the Penghulu, that from that time forth the Penghulus of Jelebu and of the other three States were not to bring their complaints before Johor . . .

Limited by pre-Darwinian frameworks, Crawfurd (1820) rejected the violent out-of-Africa theory, and suggested that the Semangs in Malaya were descendants of the surviving populations from a wrecked slave ship from Africa. He wrote (in p. 27): . . . the question of the first origin of both the negro and brown-complexioned races, appears to me to be one far beyond the compass of human reason. By very superficial observers, the one has been supposed a colony from Africa, and the other an emigration from Tartary. Either hypothesis is too absurd to bear the slightest touch of examination. Not to say that each race is radically distinct from the stock from which it is imagined to have proceeded; the physical state of the globe, the nature of man, and all that we know of his history, must be overturned to render these violent suppositions possible . . .

Johl^{1 (a)} was initially disintegrated into Sri Menanti^{2 (b)}, Ulu Muar^{3 (b)}, Jempol^{4 (b)}, and Gemencheh^(b). Over time, further fragmentations resulted in states of even smaller size, namely Inas^{5 (b)}, Gunung Pasir^{6 (b)}, and Terachi^{7 (b)}. In 1876, these states (except Gemencheh) were reorganized by Jervois and a federation of states was formed with Antah as the supreme leader since he was the Yamtuan of Sri Menanti. Following an agreement inked on 13 July 1889, to this Sri Menanti ensemble of seven states was added Rembau^{8 (c)} and Tampin^{9 (d)}. The final merger took place on 8 August 1895 when Jelebu^{10 (e)} and Sungei Ujong^{11 (f)} were added to the confederation of six polities.

Willihiman-Wallalua clan and the Wittaia clan in Papua New Guinea (1963). The short film provides brief video introduction to the people that are still trapped in the Neolithic period.

2001/0024295W. The house of Dato Klana Sendeng of Sungei Ujong (31 December 1874). The Dato Klana was standing next to the carriage, Captain P. J. Murray was seen wearing a white topee, Lady Klana was on pony.

4 States + 3 Parastates (or Districts). Federation of Sri Menanti States (23 November 1876), orchestrated by William Jervois (and aided by Sultan Abu Bakar of Johor). It is likely that Gemencheh and Air Kuning were meant to be present at Singapore when the agreement was inked. Tengku Antah was defeated by the British at Paroi on 7 December 1875, forcing the Malays to retreat to Bukit Putus Pass. Later he surrendered himself to the Sultan Abd al-Samad on May 9 and met Jervois in Singapore on June 6. There, Tengku Antah made a proposal to Jervois, suggesting to him that he can persuade the six native chiefs (Ulu Muar, Jempol, Terachi, Gunung Pasir, Inas, and Johol) to unite under a confederation (S.S. No. 216, 7 June 1876)

Johol

Jempol

Ulu Muar

Gunung Pasir^$\pi$

Sri Menanti

Terachi^$\pi$

Inas^$\pi$

Confederation of Sri Menanti + Tampin + Rembau. Confederation of the States of Negeri Sembilan (13 July 1889), the merger of the Sri Menanti confederation, Tampin, and Rembau. Martin Lister was appointed the Resident of Negeri Sembilan. However, Jelebu and Sungei Ujong were ruled separated by another Assistant Resident and he was dotted to the Resident of Selangor

Johol

Jempol

Ulu Muar

Gunung Pasir

Sri Menanti

Terachi

Tampin

Inas

Rembau

Confederation of Sri Menanti + Tampin + Rembau + Jelebu + Sungai Ujong. Final merger on 8 August 1895, Jelebu and Sungei Ujong were added to the 1889 confederation, and the current flag of Negeri Sembilan was adopted

Jelebu

Sungei Ujong

1. Following Buyong Adil (1981), a list of Dato Undang in Johl is given below.
   
   
   0. Nenek Kerbau ♀ + Johl ♂
   1. Puteri Siti Awan ♀ (r. 1723 - 1747) + Liman ♂.
   2. Puteri Rambut Panjang ♀ (r. 1747 - 1760)
   3. Puteri Siti Awan II ♀ (r. 1760 - 1790)
   4. Rambut Jantan ♂ (r. 1790 - 1810)
   5. Nuri ♂ (r. 1810 - 1820)
   6. Abu Bakar Gubah or Tok Buncit ♂ (r. 1820 - 1840)
   7. Wan Eto Rubah or Dato Saeto ♂ (r. 1840 - 1901)
   8. Wan Omar b. Wan Hasan ♂ (r. 1901 - 1918)
   9. Kamat b. Haji Sulaiman ♂ (r. 1918 - 1949)
   
   Legend has it that the first holder of the office, Puteri Siti Awan (Lady Sinnepho), was a half-blood princess. She was the union of a Biduanda named Nenek Kerbau (Lady Bubalus) and a Minangkabau named Johl. The husband of Puteri Siti Awan was a Malay aristocrat named Liman. In 1699, the power and administrative structure in Al-Jwhri (الجوهري) faced a brief perturbation following the murder of Mahmud II, which may have prompted Liman, the holder of Bendahara Sekudai to vacate his seat and relocate to Johl. The union of Lady Sinnepho and Bendahara Liman, was then installed as the second Undang of Johl. Her name was Puteri Rambut Ranjang or Princess Makriamallia.
   
   However, Sjarifoedin (2020) tells us that Biduanda tribe is an admixture of the aborigines in the Peninsula and Minangkabau emigrants and thus Lady Bubalus herself was a half-blood princess.
   
   The Malay name Siti is loaned from Arabic sittī (سيّدتي), which comes from sitt (سِتّ) meaning ‘lady' and the possessive suffix -ī (my), translating to ‘My Lady'. Siti Awan can therefore be approximated as Lady Sinnepho (Σύννεφο).
   
   
   A political map of Thai-Malay peninsula, compiled by T. Moniot, Surveyor General of the Straits Settlements (1862). Rembau (spelt Ranbow in the map) was the toponym used to mark the terrain consists of Segamat, Muar, Johl and Rembau. Sungei Ujong (spelt Sunghy Ujong in the map) was parked under Selangor (spelt Salangore in the map). While Jelebu was not explicitly marked, the map suggests that its modern territory was historically divided between Selangor and Pahang. In the 9th edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica, Negeri Sembilan appears on one of the maps appended in Volume 15 (1883), but its territory is shown as encompassing only Rembau and Johol. It did not extend to Sungai Ujong, Jelebu, Naning, Muar, or Segamat.
   
   
   
2. The Senoi word for single (♀ or ♂) and married/couple (♀ + ♂) are bujang and kelamin, respectively, e.g. mai de bujang vs. mai de ya bekelamin. In Malay, kelamin has a slightly extended, albeit narrower, meaning, particularly in alat kelamin, which refers to the apparatus for sexual coupling. Although the Senoi do have a word for genitalia, i.e. selnel, the word is not incorporated into the Malay corpus.
   
   Following Dentan (1968), Senoi culture places particular emphasis on the distinction between sexual and non-sexual body parts. Both Senoi men and women appreciate well-rounded breasts, referring to it (and any spherical artifact) as mem. However, this interest is associated strictly with nourishment rather than sexuality, and mem are not considered part of the selnel or kemaluan. The strictly nutritional role of mem in Senoi culture is evident in the fact that Senoi women are sometimes seen breastfeeding their pet animals.
   
   Senoi women typically wear sarongs to cover their selnel but leave their mem exposed, except in the presence of Malays (p. 17), when they choose to cover them, probably of out inter-cultural politeness. Like any culture, sexual modesty is focused on concealing the selnel. For instance, when bathing, the Senoi keep their hands over their selnel until they are fully submerged (p. 63).
   
   Note that Senoi's mem is likely etymologically related to mamma, the Latin word for the same apparatus. The term is also related to the word 𩜠 (mam) in Southern Chinese dialects:《集韻》母敢切：𩜠，吳人謂哺子曰𩜠, e.g. 食𩜠𩜠 (sik⁶ mam¹ mam¹). The glyph is sometimes rendered with the woman-radical instead of the food-radical: 㛧 (mǎn). The word selnel originates from selsel, which closely resembles the pronunciation of 羞羞.
   
   
3. John Crawfurd (1820) History of the Indian archipelago: Containing an account of the manners, arts, languages, religions, institutions, and commerce of its inhabitants. Volume 1. Archibald Constable and Company, Edinburgh. See also B. P. Hoh, L. Deng and S. Xu (2022) The peopling and migration history of the natives in Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo: A glimpse on the studies over the past 100 years. Frontiers in Genetics, 13:767018. doi: 10.3389/fgene.2022.767018.
   
   
4. Notable post-1699 rebellions by Orang Laut are listed by Andaya (1975, p. 227): Selangor and Klang (1702), Minangkabau in interior Siak (1705), Rembau and Indragiri (1706), Batu Bahara and Deli (1707).
   
   
5. The name of Johor is rendered explicitly when it was used conjointly with the title of Sultan, namely
   
   من هضرة السلطان الجوهري
   min Ḥaḍrat Al-Sultan Al-Jwhri
   from His Majesty Al-Sultan Al-Jawhari
   
   This rendering can be found in the seal of Tun Abdul Jamil (d. 1688), the Laksamana of Johor, to mark the bestower of the seal (see Gallop, p. 305).
   
   In 1861/62, the last vowel was dropped in the seal of Temenggung Abu Bakar when he chosed to call himself
   
   Sri Maharaja Raja Johr
   سري مهراج راج جوهر
   
   In European maps, the place name was rendered as
   • Ihor (1630, Indiae Orientalis Nova Descriptio by Johannes Janssonius)
   • Iar/Ior? (1652, Asiae Descriptio Nova Impensis Henrici Seile). In the map, Pahang is spelt Pahago, Selangor is spelt Solagor, Perak is spelt Pera, Tioman is spelt Timgon.
   • Ihor (1652, India quæ Orientalis dicitur)
   • Ior (1657, Johannes Janssonius)
   • Iohr (1675, John Seller)
   • Iohr (1683, Cantelli da Vignola)
   • Ihor (1683, Cantelli da Vignola)
   • Ihor (1686, Carte du royaume de Siam et des pays circonvoisins)
   • Ihor (1719, Chatelain Map of East Asia: China, Korea, Japan, India, East Indies)
   • Iohr (1719)
   • Djohor (1754),
   • Joor (1755)
   
   However, in his Journal and historical account of the remarkable voyage made to the East Indies and China with eleven ships (1648), Matelief rendered the place name as Johor (see p. 6).
   
   . . . om den koningh ban Johor tehelpen die (soo vander Hagen bertelt hadde) ban de Portugesen ban Malacca belegert was . . .
   
   . . . (27 January 1606) to help the King of Johor, who as Steven van der Hagen (b. 1563, d. 1621) had reported, was besieged by the Portuguese from Malacca . . . [In 1589, Batu Sawar was attacked by Portuguese and Sultan Ali Jalla Abd al-Jalil Shah II fled. This king was the husband to Raja Fatimah bint Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah II. Thus technically, he was the grandson-in-law to Sultan Mahmud]
   
   
   
   
   V and I can serve as both consonant and vowel in medieval orthography. For example, on this coin, Divus Julius is spelt DIVVS IVLIVS. J was formally introduced by Gian Giorgio Trissino (b. 1478, d. 1550) in 1524 and adoption took centuries. By 18th century, J had become the standard in Portuguese spelling.
   
   
   
6. Terachi was part of Sungei Ujong.

The four macrofiefs according to Lister (1887) In the beginning, only four domains existed, apart from Johl, the other three being Sungei Ujong, Jelebu, and Klang. O'Brien's list (1884), lists Rembau instead of Klang. When a Pagaruyung prince named Raja Melewar (r. 1773 - 1795) was imported to the Peninsula and enthroned as the Yamtuan at Puñji (Penajis), the Chiefdom of Klang left the group and joined Selangor, the chiefdom of Rembau was upgraded to replace Klang. At the same time, Segamat and Pasir Besar became part of Muar, Jelai became of Pahang, and Naning became part of Melaka. The tradition of importing a Pagaruyung prince lasted only for three generations, i.e. Raja Melewar (d. 1795) ▶ Raja Hitam (d. 1808) ▶ Raja Lenggang (d. 1824). After the death of Raja Lenggang, two of his sons were installed as the Yamtuan: Raja Radin (d. 1861) ▶ Raja Imam (d. 1869). After the death of Raja Imam, there was a transition period of 3 years (1869 - 1872, ruled temporarily by the mother of Antah and the wife of Raja Radin) before the next ruler was finalized. Starting from Yamtuan Antah (r. 1872 - 1888), the throne of Sri Menanti was consistently passed among the male members in the House of Lenggang: Antah (d. 1888) ▶ Tuanku Muhammad (d. 1933) ▶ Tuanku Abdul Rahman^a,b (d. 1960) ▶ Tuanku Munawir^a (d. 1967), Tuanku Jaafar^b (d. 1999) ▶ Tuanku Muhriz^a (b. 1948). Patrick James Murray (d. 1881) was appointed as the Assitant British Resident of Sungei Ujong in April 1875, replacing his predecessor, Captain W. J. J. Tatham (d. 1875), who was appointed earlier in November 1874. Murray was later replaced by William F. B. Paul (r. 1881 - 1890). Later, Paul's superior in Selangor, W. E. Maxwell, was given an additional duty when he was asked to govern both Sungei Ujong and Selangor, which he did until 1892. Note that, however, Murray, Tatham, and Paul were assigned as the advisers to Dato Klana in Sungei Ujong and not to Yamtuan Antah. To Sri Menanti, only a Superintendent was assigned and his name was Martin Lister (appointed 1887), he was upgraded to the position of Resident two years later after the son of Antah signed (13 July 1889) a contract with the British government, together with the Undang of Rembau and the Tunku Besar of Tampin, to amalgamate the Sri Menanti emsembles with Rembau and Tampin. With the treaty of 13 July 1889, the territories governed by the three Malay chiefs were effectively combined to form the Confederation of the States of Negeri Sembilan. The intent of the treaty was apparently to consolidate the administrative efforts on the British's side of the equation, it is clear from the following line by Maxwell and Gibson (1924): . . . it is to be understood that such arrangement as is now agreed upon does not imply that any one Ruler should exercise any other power or authority in respect of any State than that which he now possess . . .

Luak with voting rights	Macroprinceps	British officer
Johl1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 (Federation of Sri Menanti)	Dato Undang I, ♀	Collector and Magistrate (1887)
Sungei Ujong	Dato Undang II, ♂	Assistant Resident (1874)
	Dato Undang III, ♂
Jelebu	Dato Undang IIII, ♂	Collector (1885)

New geographical map of the terrains of the hinterland of Melaka, made by the cosmographer and mathematician, Emanuel Godinho de Erédia (1602): SVNEVJON (Sungei Ujong), TRIAN (Triang), PENAGIM (Penajis), PONGOR (?), ROMBO (Rembau), PVLO (Pulau Sebang), NANI (Naning), MACHAT (Gemencheh), BATAM MALACA (Batang Melaka), IOL (Jol/Johol জল, Water/headwater), IOMPOL (Jempol), SARTIN (Serting), LUCOT (Lukut), LINGUE (Linggi), SVCAMANANTI (Sukhamananti). The name Sukhamananti (সুখ + মনন্তী, Abode of bliss) is surprisingly close to Sri Menanti and it could be the original Indic form of the toponym before it was corrupted to the familiar Malay form. SVNEVJON is positioned between two elevated terrains, they are present-day Angsi Forest and Berembun Forest. The toponym IOL (জল) is likely a reference to the headwater of both Rio de Malaca and Rio de Muar and etymologically linked with Johol and Johor, although it ought to be physically identified as Kuala Pilah or Ulu Muar. In the earliest (c. 1801/2) seal of the Chief of Johol (see Gallop (2019), p. 404), the toponym is spelt JOHL جوهل) (Dato' Penghulu Johl ibn walad Dato' Kuala Dtyh, Sanat 1216 داتوء فغهولو جوهل ابن والد داتوء کول دتيه). In one of Tengku Antah's old seal (AH 1293, c. 1876/77), the name of his capital is spelt SRIMUNANTI (سري مننتي, Sri Mnnti), with the vowel u explicitly rendered in the seal. Penagim is likely a portuguese corruption of পুঞ্জিি (Puñji), which is simply the Indic word for shire or settlement (e.g. খাসিয়া পুঞ্জি Khasia Puñji = Khasia village). The name of the river was corrupted into Sungai Penagis, but it was changed again to Sungai Linggi and Sungai Rembau (the right tributary) since the word najis is awkwardly similar to njs نجس in Arabic. Today, the name is fossilized in the name of a village named Kampung Penajis, located approximately 2 km from the tomb of Raja Melewar.

The four microfiefs according to Lister (1887). It is believed that the original leaders in these five microprinceps were then enfiefed by the Undangs. Lister's list combines Ulu Pahang and Jelai as one polity, whereas Segamat and Pasir Besar were treated as separate entities. In Newbold's list (1839), Pasir Besar was not listed. Instead, Ulu Pahang and Jelai were listed as two distinct domains.

Luak without voting rights	Microprinceps	British officer
Rembau8	Dato I, ♂	Revenue officer
Naning (absorbed into Melaka)	Dato II, ♂
Jelai (absorbed into Pahang)	Dato III, ♂
Segamat (absorbed into Muar)	Dato IIII, ♂
Pasir Besar (absorbed into Muar)	Dato V, ♂

Agreement entered into by certain Chiefs
of the Nine States on 23 November 1876

We, the undersigned, have appeared before His Excellency the Governor of the Straits Settlements, with a view to making an agreement for securing the peace and tranquility of the countries over which we govern, or which we represent. We give this paper as a token of our good faith, and promise as follows:

2. We desire to live in peace in our own States, and to recognize Tengku Antah as Yamtuan of Sri Menanti, having authority over Sri Menanti, Johol, Muar, Jempol, Terachi, Gunung Pasir, and Inas.

3. We promise that we will in no way molest the neighboring States, Rembau, Sungei Ujong, and Jelebu, who do not desire to form part of the confederation under the Yamtuan Besar, and it is understood that these three States are wholly distinct.

4. We promise that peaceful persons, whether Malays or Chinese or others, desirous of trading in our countries shall have full liberty to do so, and shall be unmolested.

5. We further expressed our regret at the late disturbances which have happened in the Nine States, and we promise that those persons who have been friendly to the British Government during or since these disturbances shall be in no way molested.

6. And we agree that in case of any dispute or difficulty arising among our States which we are unable to settle, we will refer for advice to His Highness the Maharaja of Johore.

7. We agree that from this time the Yamtuan will use no other chop than one worded as follows:

al-Wathiq bi-rabb ghafur Yamtuan Tengku Antah Sri Menanti
ibnu al-Marhum Yamtuan Raja Radin, Sanat 1293
الواثق برب غفور يمتوان تڠکو انته سري مننتي
ابن المرحوم يمتوان راج رادين سنة ١٢٩٣

except on the present condition, the chop not being ready.

Mark of Dato' Jempol
Mark of Dato' Terachi
Mark of Representative of Dato' Gunung Pasir
Mark of Representivative of Dato' Inas
Chop of Dato' Muar
Chop of Dato' Johol
Chop of Tengku Antah

1. See Appendix B in C. N. Parkinson (1960) British intervention in Malaya 1867 - 1877, University of Malaya Press, Singapore, p. 326.
   
   
2. Rembau and Tampin were merged into the 1867 confederation on 13 July 1889. Gemencheh and Air Kuning were likely among the original nine members of the confederation, though it remains unclear why they were omitted when the agreement was signed. In 1889, both were united under Tampin. Jelebu and Sungei Ujong joined the confederation later, on 8 August 1895. Notably, the name of the confederation remained unchanged despite the apparent increase in participating polities from 1867 to 1895. This fact was noticed by Parkinson and he remarked (p. 163):
   
   . . . British officials of this period were apt to be impatient with the sultans and ministers of the Malay States. They were tempted to regard the Malays as stupid (which they were not) and unreliable (which they may well have been). It was only when they visited the Negri Sembilan, the hinterland of Malacca, that they realized how comparatively advanced and civilized the other Malays were. They folk of what we now call the Negri Sembilan, or Nine States, were not really Malays at all and their States added up to practically every number except nine . . .
   
   On 29 April 1898, when the son of Yamtuan Antah was installed, there were present representatives of Sungei Ujong, Jelebu, Johol, Rembau, Tampin, Muar, Terachi, Jempol, Gunung Pasir, Inas, Gemencheh, and Linggi. If Sri Menanti was to included, the entity count was 13.