Kisar
| Native name: Yotowawa | |
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 Kisar (Indonesia)
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| Geography | |
| Location | South East Asia |
| Coordinates | 8°04′S 127°11′E / 8.06°S 127.18°E |
| Area | 81.83 km2 (31.595 sq mi)[1] |
| Country | |
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Indonesia
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| Provinsi | Maluku |
| Kabupaten | Maluku Barat Daya |
| Kecamatan | Pulau-Pulau Terselatan |
Kisar, also known as Yotowawa, is a small island in the Southwestern Moluccas in Indonesia.
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[edit] Description
It is located to the northeast of Timor Island in an area of great tectonic activity.[2]
The Oirata language[3] and unrelated Kisar[4] a trade language (also locally known as Yotowawa or Meher) are spoken here.
The Timor Monitor (Varanus timorensis) is found in Kisar.
[edit] History
1665 the Dutch VOC built a military base and named the island after the Kisar word for white sand. From the European outpost on Kisar a relatively large Indo Eurasian community developed named the 'Mestizo from Kisar' to this day their descendants live as Rajas and chiefs on Kisar. Surviving family names include: Joostenz, Wouthuysen, Caffin, Lerrick, Peelman, Lander, Ruff, Bellmin-Belder, Coenradi, van Delsen, Schilling and Bakker.
1795 Kisar was under English rule, 1803 it was under Dutch/French rule and in 1810 again under English rule. 1817 Kisar was returned to the Dutch until the outpost was abandoned in 1819. After that time Kisar upheld close ties with their Portuguese, Topasses and Timorese neighbours on Timor.
After WWII and Indonesia's independence the island was temporarily considered part of the segregated RMS, but ultimately became part of the unitary Indonesian state.
[edit] Nobility
The current and 12th Raja (king) of Kisar, Johannes J. Bakker, succeeded his father Raja Hairmere Philipus Zacharias Bakker.[5] The first Raja Cornelis Bakker, who also ruled Wetar, Roma and Leti island via his brothers[citation needed], was crowned ca. 1665.
Nowadays the Raja is respected as a traditional dignitary, but has no political power. The present Raja is well educated and for 5 years worked as a government official in nearby East-Timor, when part of Indonesia. There he met his wife Maria Antonette Ribeiru.[5]
[edit] Transport
The small and remote Pulau Kisar has a small airport, near desa Purpura on the north side of the island, that receives flights from Ambon (Maluku), Kupang (East Nusatenggara), and Surabaya in East Java. Passenger ships also call at Pulau Kisar from Ambon, Kupang and Surabaya.
[edit] Academic study
In 1928 the German Professor E.Rodenwaldt published his study "Die Mestizen auf Kisar", "Mikroskopische Beobachtungen an den Haaren der Kisaresen und Kisarbastarde". [6] His work is published in two German language volumes, one volume details measurements and photographs of the observed Mestizos. It contains a family tree showing the very complicated inter-marriages between the descendants of Mestizo families, as well as indicating skin, eye, and hair colour heredity. The study shows a unique natural experiment spanning over 2 centuries and is considered an essential academic work in the area of human heredity. [7] [8]
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.ppk-kp3k.kkp.go.id/direktoripulau/index.php?option=mod_pulau&id=preview&id_pulau=9091
- ^ Jonathan R. Major, THE TECTONIC EVOLUTION AND REGIONAL SIGNIFICANCE OF KISAR ISLAND, INDONESIA, Geologic Sciences, Brigham Young University
- ^ http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=oia
- ^ Ethnoloque, world languages website.
- ^ a b Indonesia Pusaka website [1]
- ^ Book in Open Library.
- ^ Mixed Race Studies Website.
- ^ Family website. (Dutch)
[edit] External links
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