Luzon, Thailand, and ancient ties

Eunice Barbara Novio

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'It is important to recognize relationships between these kingdoms in terms of trading and their commonalities in languages, cultures, traditions and norms'

Long before the concept of ASEAN came to the new world, Asian kingdoms were already engaged in trading. According to a Filipino historian, Dr Zeus Salazar, Melayu was the lingua franca among the traders, including those from Siam (ancient name of Thailand) and other Southeast Asian countries.

It is evident in the similarity of some Thai words to Melayu and Filipino, like “mata” (eye) “ta”(ตา in Thai) or “kain” (eat) in Filipino and “kin”(กิน in Thai) makan” in Melayu and also mangan in Kapampangan. During the 10th century or earlier, before colonialism swept Southeast Asia, people used Melayu.

Most of the merchants and travelers were bilingual or even multi-lingual due to their experience trading in other places. Pasar Melayu, which literally means market Malay, was widely used across the coastal area and even in the courts of Siam for its foreign relations with other kingdoms.

The Laguna Copper-Plate Inscription (LCI) found in Lumban, Laguna in 1989, is considered the earliest known written document in the Philippines. It contains Malay-based language that has Javanese honorifics, a number of Kapampangan and Tagalog words, as well as Sanskrit titles, names, and terminologies believed to be trade language. 

Divided by waters, the Austronesian races or the ancient Malays, Indonesians and Filipinos were seafarers. The seafarers of Thailand are from the South, which is in the Malay Peninsula on the coast of the Gulf of Thailand, and thus, could also be of the Austronesian race as Michael Pangilinan, a researcher of the Ancient Luzon, claims.

The Austronesian peoples living near coasts never saw the sea as a barrier but as a vast highway connecting the different islands. Traveling without passports or visas was never a problem. Much like how ASEAN nationals are free for a certain period of time to stay in certain ASEAN countries.

King Naresuan of Ayutthaya Kingdom from the Sukhothai Dynasty was born in Phitsanulok on April 25, 1555. At that time, Las Islas Filipinas (the Philippine Islands) was on its way to Spanish rule. Though the Philippines was “discovered” by Ferdinand Magellan in 1521, Spanish colonization began only in 1571 after the conquest of the Kingdom of Luzon.

Thai historian and scholar Dr Davisakd Puaksom of Naresuan University History Department mentions the need to focus more studies on Southeast Asia and its neighboring countries for a new understanding of its status in the global community; its relations with its neighboring countries also needs readjustment. 

Embracing ASEAN

 

The same is true for the Philippines. Apparently, studying and better learning of cultures, traditions, norms, peoples, and histories are integral to our preparation for embracing ourselves as ASEAN.

At the national conference of the Philippine Association of Communication Educators (PACE) in April 2014, hosted by the Benguet State University, Dr Sauwakon Ratanawijitrasin said Southeast Asian countries have been trying to harmonize and “internationalize” their education well, as it requires better cooperation among the region’s academic communities. 

Ratanawijitrasin is the outgoing center director of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization-Regional Center for Higher Education and Development, and an associate  professor at Mahidol University’s social sciences and humanities division.

Although the lingua franca changes from Melayu to English, unlike in the ancient times, the countries are now fostering peace, cooperation and prosperity in the region by forging business alliances and promoting education, as well as opening its doors to other ASEAN workers.

As we march toward 2015, we are not forgetting the bloody landscape of our histories, but it is important that we also focus on these pasts to understand and strengthen our future in our goal to become a powerful ASEAN bloc.

The ancient Asian civilizations might be swept with wars and other misunderstandings due to the expansion of empires and business opportunities. However, it is important to recognize the harmonious relationships between these kingdoms in terms of trading and their commonalities – particularly in languages, cultures, traditions and norms.

Our relationships are also due to intermarriages, short- or long-term migration, which resulted in our being collectively called Southeast Asians. – Rappler.com

Eunice Barbara Novio is an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) lecturer at Vongchavalitkul University in Nakhon Ratchasima Thailand and a freelance writer.

Photo of the Thai and Philippine flags via Shutterstock

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