TOWARDS DEFINING THE ARCHITECTURE OF BRUNEI THE HISTORY OF BRUNEI Founder of Brunei There is no exact source saying when and what year was Brunei first been formed, the only main source that could be related on is from the version of " Sha'er Awang Semaun" (SAS) the early manuscript ( in prose ) in the earliest history of Brunei. There are a few points that could be focused on which gave the reasons for the formation of the Brunei. In accordance to this particular source, Brunei is said as a city above water or also known as Kampong Ayer where during the early years, sat a government ruling the society. According to the SAS, the city was founded by the fourteen brothers who were searching for their father, until they found a place where it was suitable to form a " kampong " or a village. The Sha'er Awang Semaun ( SAS ) ; Sampai ke kuala habis ditaggari * Banyak beroleh hiu dan pari Setelah memandang kanan dan kiri * Terlalu bisai tempat benegri Furthermore, Awang Alak bersabda ke Damang Sari * Serta Pateh kanan dan kiri Jikalau suka adinda bistari * Kedalam Berunai kita bernegri Bisainya tiada lagi terperi * Bukit mendinding kanan dan kiri Tiadalah payah tempat mencari * Di bawah tangga duai tengiri Bisainya itu tiada berbanding * Di darat rumah bukit menyinding Beratur rumah sebarang tebing * Tiadalah jauh mengambil ayeng Mengambil ayeng pun kanak-kanak * Bukannya ayeng di dalam semak Tiada terkena angin dan ambak * Ayengnya hampir dapat berlumak The location of the city which was determined by factors: 1) Protection, security and landmark; hills.
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TOWARDS DEFINING THE ARCHITECTURE OF BRUNEI
THE HISTORY OF BRUNEI Founder of Brunei
There is no exact source saying when and what year was Brunei first been formed, the only main
source that could be related on is from the version of " Sha'er Awang Semaun" (SAS) the early
manuscript ( in prose ) in the earliest history of Brunei. There are a few points that could be
focused on which gave the reasons for the formation of the Brunei. In accordance to this
particular source, Brunei is said as a city above water or also known as Kampong Ayer where
during the early years, sat a government ruling the society. According to the SAS, the city was
founded by the fourteen brothers who were searching for their father, until they found a place
where it was suitable to form a " kampong " or a village.
The Sha'er Awang Semaun ( SAS ) ;
Sampai ke kuala habis ditaggari * Banyak beroleh hiu dan pari
Setelah memandang kanan dan kiri * Terlalu bisai tempat benegri
Furthermore,
Awang Alak bersabda ke
Damang Sari * Serta Pateh kanan dan kiri
Jikalau suka adinda bistari * Kedalam Berunai kita bernegri
Bisainya tiada lagi terperi * Bukit mendinding kanan dan kiri
Tiadalah payah tempat mencari * Di bawah tangga duai tengiri
Bisainya itu tiada berbanding * Di darat rumah bukit menyinding
Beratur rumah sebarang tebing * Tiadalah jauh mengambil ayeng
Mengambil ayeng pun kanak-kanak * Bukannya ayeng di dalam semak
Tiada terkena angin dan ambak * Ayengnya hampir dapat berlumak
The location of the city which was determined by factors:
1) Protection, security and landmark; hills.
2) Ports, Transportation and communication; The River and the bay as the gateway for
Brunei (Kampong Ayer) and the outside world.
3) Economic activity.
4) Resources; clean water and food supply.
Almost every writer agreed that the earliest Kampong Ayer to be said in the SAS was located at
Kota Batu. This was supported by the foundation of a large amount wood preserved by virtue of
being below the water table, this included walls of upright squared hand ward posts and seventy-
fife identifiable object which were removed from the place (Harrison and Harrison . 1956 : 305-
309 ).
THE ARCHITECTURE OF BRUNEI AS RECORDED BY VOYAGERS
Stories recorded by Chinese traders.
Kampong Ayer was described as the Brunei port as early as in the ninth century. The description
of P'o-ni emphasized its poverty:
"The country of P'o-ni is hot and torrid with frequent storms. The town has no outer wall,
and its defense is affected by a fence of three poles. The residence of the king has upper
stories, the roofs of which are covered with Pei-to (probably referred to nipa palm) leaves. The
king ties his hair in a knot, wears a piece of coloured cloth round his waist, and goes barefooted.
He has no horse or sedan chair and goes about on foot. There are less than three thousand
households in the town and the people are mostly fishermen........ " (D. E. Brown. 1970 p.221).
While Brunei seems to be known as
P'o-ni to the Chinese, the name
changed slightly as the Chinese
empire changes took over from one
dynasty to another . Brunei was
also known as Polo, Puni and Bun-
lai as referred to the book of
Sallisilah raja-raja Brunei (Sweeney
, P. L. Amin . 1968 ).
Arabs record:
The Arabs apparently called Brunei as Muja . This
was taken from the Arabic writer Abu Abdullah Ibn
Muhammad , in his book of Delights for those who
desire to travel around the world . On the other
account an Arab sea Captain pictured a city which
called " Sribuza " which described as the old Brunei
city . Robert Nicholl thinks that it may have been ruled by the members of the Royal family of
Funan who were driven from Khmer during the seventh Century (David Leake, Jr. . 1950: 3 ) .
The Arab wrote,
"There is no bay larger in the whole island, the tide felt every twelve hours. Crocodiles are
found there , but those which are in the port which adjoin the houses do not harm, having been
witched, as we have said, whilst those parts situated away from the buildings are
unapproachable by reason of these creatures.
Some houses are built on land, but the greater part float on water, sustained by pieces of
wood tied together to form raft, which last forever. They do this from fear of fire for their
houses being built of wood, are much subject to conflagration, and fire once having taken hold,
burns furiously. Placed on the water, the houses are better protected ........If fire breaks out at
one point, each householder can cut his moorings and make off going away to settle somewhere
else far from the blaze. If he is unhappy with some particular place, he can move to a different
quarter of the town.
These houses in the bay are arranged in such a manner as to form streets. The water
between the houses flows abundantly. It is fresh water which comes from the uplands to enter the
estuary and flows into the sea in the same manner as the Tigris ".
Europe voyagers:
Brunei glory was recorded clearly by the Portuguese voyager – July 1521 (The first voyager
around the world by Antanio Pigafetta ). He explained in great details about the architecture of
Brunei settlement and building.
“When we reach the city, …we mounted the elephants while those twelve men preceded us on
foot with the presents in the jars. In this way we went into the house of the governor, where we
were given a supper of many kinds of food. During the night we slept on cotton mattresses,
whose lining was of taffeta, and the sheet of Cambaia…Next day…we went to the King’s palace
upon elephants….We entered the courtyard of the palace mounted on the elephants. We went
up the staircase accompanied by the governor and other chiefs, and entered a large hall full of
many nobels, where we sat down on the carpet with the presents in jars near us. At the end of
the great hall is another hall higher but somewhat smaller. It was all adorned with silk
hangings, and two windows, through which light entered the hall, and hung with two brocade
curtains opened from it. There were three hundred foot-soldiers with naked rapiers at their
thighs in that hall to guard the king. At the end of the small hall was a large window from
which a brocade curtain was drawn a side, so that we could see within it the king seated at a
table with one of his young sons chewing betel….. if we wish anything, we should tell it to him,
so that he can communicate it to the higher rank. The latter would communicate it to a brother of
the governor, who is stationed in the smaller hall, and this man would communicate it by means
of a speaking tube through a hole in the wall to one who was inside with the king.” ,.. (Blair and