The Roles of Urban Heritage in Determining The Image of The Royal Town of Sri Menanti, Negeri Sembilan
The Roles of Urban Heritage in Determining The Image of The Royal Town of Sri Menanti, Negeri Sembilan
The Roles of Urban Heritage in Determining The Image of The Royal Town of Sri Menanti, Negeri Sembilan
Abstract
Malaysia has many towns of historic and cultural significance that are worthy of
preservation for sustainable development. For instance, a royal town, which is a
town where the old palaces and the royal administrative district are located. This
paper aims to discover the significance of the urban heritage of a royal town so
as to ensure its preservation. Special attention is paid to the identification of
townscape elements in forming the image of the town and the roles of the
townscape elements as built heritage of the royal town. A case study was carried
out in Sri Menanti, Negeri Sembilan, which is one of the royal towns in Malaysia.
The study methodology involves a historical map overlay, non-participant
observation and semi-structured interviews. The findings reveal that Sri Menanti
has played a significant role in the history and development of Negeri Sembilan.
Additionally, the contribution of Adat Perpatih to the nation's history as one of
the unique administrative components helps to signify the importance of the
towns local culture and urban heritage. The town also represents a number of
townscape elements that are intertwined as urban heritage, with rich cultural and
architectural significance. The paper concludes that diversity in the character of
the town is unique and worthy of preservation.
Keyword: Urban heritage, townscape elements, preservation, royal town Sri Menanti
Asst. Prof. at the Dept. of Landscape Architecture, KAED, IIUM. E-mail: zalina@iium.edu.my
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The Roles of Urban Heritage in Determining the Image of the Royal Town of Sri Menanti, Negeri Sembilan
INTRODUCTION
In Malaysia, historical and cultural significance plays an important role in
shaping the identity, structure and meaning of towns. Royal towns, in particular,
have high historical and cultural values that are worthy of preservation.
Nevertheless, extensive urbanisation and rapid development have eroded the
significance of these towns.
The primary aim of this paper is to discover the significance of urban
heritage of a royal town to ensure its preservation. This preservation of the urban
heritage should not only cover certain monuments and sites, but should also
extend to the level of preservation of all properties of historic and cultural
significance involving the tangible and intangible elements. Therefore, in this
study, several objectives are set, the first of which is to identify the elements of
the urban townscape that form the image of the town using historic map overlay,
non-participant observation and semi-structured interviews. The resulting
findings on elements of the urban townscape are categorized according to their
physical and cultural significance in the royal town.
The second objective is to understand the roles of the townscape elements
as urban heritage of the royal town. This is because the townscape elements
identified in the royal town may have high potential to become part of the urban
heritage. As the research focuses only on a single case study in Sri Menanti Royal
Town, an overall picture of the characteristics of royal towns in Malaysia cannot
be generalized. However, it is hoped that this study might help in signifying the
importance of royal towns in the nation's history.
THE CHARACTER OF A ROYAL TOWN
A royal town is defined as a town that has high value in terms of historical and
cultural significance, and shows a strong relationship between the growth of the
community and the development of the urban landscape, especially in terms of
the built elements (Royal City Comprehensive Plan, 2009). In addition, the
identity of a royal town is based on the presence of old palaces and royal
administrative districts, which are the key aspects that form the identity of the
town.
Malaysia has a number of royal towns, such as Kuala Kangsar in Perak,
Arau in Perlis, Klang in Selangor, Seri Menanti in Negeri Sembilan, Pekan in
Pahang, Anak Bukit in Kedah and Muar in Johor (Utusan Online, 2009). Each of
these royal towns has its own historical and cultural characteristics that help to
distinguish between these towns through the alignment of minor or major
building fabrics, forming the area into valuable urban masterpieces (Dalmas,
Geronimi, Mengin, Noel & Patin, 2012). It is important to preserve these royal
towns, as they are testament to the greatness of the monarchy system of the Malay
Royal Institution (Muslim, Wan Hassan & Umar, 2013). However, in order to
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The Roles of Urban Heritage in Determining the Image of the Royal Town of Sri Menanti, Negeri Sembilan
relative abundance, and new urban elements to be considered, such as the urban
built form, the open space, streets, public open spaces, and urban infrastructures
such as material networks and equipment.
In Malaysia, conservation of heritage items, including national heritage,
natural heritage, tangible and intangible cultural heritage and related matters, are
govern by the National Heritage Act 2005. The Act defines conservation of
heritage items to include preservation, restoration, reconstruction, rehabilitation,
adaptation or any combination of the said conservation methods. The aim of
preservation, as stipulated in the Act, is to stop any deterioration, decay or state
of dilapidation and provide structural safety and well-being.
METHODOLOGY
In order to identify the significant role of urban heritage of a royal town, historical
map overlay, non-participant observation and semi-structured interviews were
employed in data collection. The data were then analysed to determine results
from all forms of data collection were later analysed in order to achieve a
comprehensive understanding of the findings.
Study area
Sri Menanti, in Negeri Sembilan, was selected as the case study area because it
has the characteristics of both historical and cultural significance that might help
in distinguishing this royal town from other types of Malay Royal Institutional
District. The town is selected due to the presence of its old palace, which acted
as the former administrative centre of the state (Md Jani & Mohd Hussain, 2014).
Sri Menanti is located 6km off the Seremban-Kuala Pilah road and surrounded
by green stretches of paddy fields and row of hills, forming the pattern of the
physical landscape in Sri Menanti. The Minangkabau architectural influence is
strongly visible in this area. The main economy of the area is agriculture.
Historical Map Overlay
This method was used in order to get a better understanding of the role of
townscape in providing the image, identity and meaning of the town. According
to Shamsuddin (2013), the pattern form of the development of the townscape is
due to the accumulation of buildings from different periods, from the initial
development of the town until the present time. Therefore, the layout and
structure of Sri Menanti were studied based on the physical components,
comprising the characteristics of the natural landscape, urban structure and
architectural features. Also studied were fundamental geographical reasons for
settlement formation, dominant buildings of historical significance and the
movement pattern of ancient origins based on changes to the seat of power,
economic and functional patterns within the town. Then, a series of historical
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maps was analysed in order to determine all the factors that contributed to the
formation of the townscape elements in the study area.
Non-participant Observation
In general, non-participant observation is defined as a technique of data collection
that might help in gaining a better understanding of the role of the townscape
elements applied by the local people in Sri Menanti. The observation aims firstly
to identify the types of element that exist in the town in order to relate to its
function in the daily routine activities conducted by the local people. The data
collection specifically contributes to ideas on the physical and social background
that form the identity of the whole town. Sketches and mapping were used to
record the data from the observation.
Semi-Structured Interviews
In order to develop a deep understanding of the historical and cultural background
of the Royal Town in Sri Menanti, semi-structured interview method was also
used for data collection. The interview focussed on understanding the relationship
between social characteristics and environmental, social and economic factors.
Respondents were Encik Azhar, Head of Jawatankuasa Kemajuan dan
Keselamatan Kampung (Village Development and Safety Committee), Dato
Bangsa Balang Mohamad Dahalan Alias, the Head of the Luak in Sri Menanti,
Encik Nordin Jonid, Officer at Muzium Diraja Istana Sri Menanti (Sri Menanti
Royal Palace Museum), Encik Afian Abd. Kadir, Officer of Muzium Kebudayaan
Negeri Sembilan (Negeri Sembilan Cultural Museum), and a few local people
with knowledge on the history of the study area. The information gathered from
the interviews were later screened, transcribed and analysed.
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS
The results of the analyses indicate that the royal town image of Sri Menanti was
defined by several elements. These can be categorised into physical and social
components. The physical component comprises the characteristics of the natural
landscape, the urban structure and architectural features. Meanwhile, the social
component comprises the social background and cultural significance of human
activities in the study area.
Landscape Characteristics of Sri Menanti
Geographically, Sri Menanti is a town specifically located within the area of the
Kuala Pilah District. Developed within the valley and surrounded by hilly terrain
that acts as a natural predominant line breaker that separate the Sri Menanti from
other towns (see Figure 2). The physical pattern of the natural landscape has
influenced the structure and function of the urban form of the town. This can be
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The Roles of Urban Heritage in Determining the Image of the Royal Town of Sri Menanti, Negeri Sembilan
seen through the relationship between human behaviour and the environmental
setting (Shamsuddin, 2011).
Figure 1: The historical map of Sri Menanti. a) District map; b) Settlement map; c)
Concentrated settlement area map; d) Land use map. Reproduced from
https://www.google.com.my/maps
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Figure 2: a) The map of the town centre; b) The illustration of the old view of Sri
Menanti town; c) the current view of Sri Menanti.
The urban structure of Sri Menanti is upheld by the structure of its paths.
The major paths in Sri Menanti are in the form of vehicular roads that spread
perpendicular from the first road along the roads of Seremban-Kuala Pilah (see
Figure 3a). The roads of Sri Menanti are characterised by the alignment of the
traditional buildings along the side-roads, with modern buildings along the sideroad to Kampong Tanjung Ipoh. However, one element that shows the continuity
of the roads is the alignment of the coconut and palm trees along the roadsides in
front of the housing landscape compound. According to Gullick (2003), coconut
is one of the alternative food crops in Sri Menanti. Therefore, it is not surprising
that the roads are lined with coconut and palm trees. From the perspective of
planting arrangements, the alignment of the coconut and palm trees helps in
forming a physical barrier between the roads and the housing areas while creating
a sense of direction (Walker, 1991).
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Figure 3: a) The circulation map; b) alignment of palm tree along the road that shows a
sense of direction; c) palm trees planted in front of the housing compound that act as
natural physical barriers
Figure 4: The signage in Sri Menanti, which shows the architectural characteristics of
the Minangkabau
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Figure 5: The traditional buildings and house that follow the Minangkabau architectural
style; the Old Palace of Sri Menanti (left), old mosque located next to Masjid Kariah
Parit Istana (centre), half of the traditional house named as Rumah Ibu located at
Ladang Warisan (right).
The traditional buildings and houses were built mainly from wood using
traditional construction skills that require no iron nails. Natural elements were
adapted into the design of wood-carving in traditional buildings and houses in Sri
Menanti, which help in characterising the cultural significance of the
Minangkabau people. Some of the motifs used are believed by the villagers to
have their own spiritual influences, such as the Sayap Layang-Layang, Naga
Bekaluk, Itik Pulang Petang and Buku Bembam motifs (see Figure 6.
Furthermore, some of the motifs also reflect the cultural belief of Islam. For
example, the use of calligraphy as an aspect of the wood carving in the house.
Figure 6: The Awan Larat wood carving motif, symbolizing harmony among the
Minangkabau people (left); geometrical pattern symbolizing the Islamic culture
(centre); calligraphy applied on the wall of a house showing the Islamic culture (right)
The most popular building in this town is the Old Palace of Sri Menanti,
which is located next to Kampung Buyau. The Old Palace, reflects the
Minangkabau architectural style, has become the main landmark within the town.
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The four-level building dominates the skyline of the town, in which the level of
the traditional buildings and houses in Sri Menanti should not be more than the
height of the Old Palace (see Figure 7). According to the Officer of Muzium
Istana Sri Menanti, the palace was built by two famous wood carvers, Tukang
Kahar and Tukang Taib, using only materials from the local woods, and has
become the iconic building of the monarchical system of the Malay Royal
institution in Sri Menanti.
Figure 7: The hierarchy of the urban buildings in Sri Menanti Royal Town
Before the Old Palace of Sri Menanti was built, three other palaces had
been built for the rulers of Sri Menanti (refer Figure 8). The palaces were called
Barong-Barong (Istana Rambal), Istana Baruh and Istana Pulih, and were built
under the Raja Melewar monarchy (1773) until Yamtuan Antah (1872). The Old
Palace of Sri Menanti was built during the Yam Tuan Muhammad era. The
construction of the palaces was similar in terms of position, with the hilly view
in the background. However, today the only palace remaining is the Old Palace
of Sri Menanti, which has been turned into a Royal Museum (Raja Shahminan et
al., 2009).
Figure 8: Map of the location of the four old palaces as written in history (left); map of
current palace of Sri Menanti (centre); map showing the traditional houses of the
Minangkabau people (right). Reproduced from Raja Shahminan et al., (2009)
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The other type of building that exemplifies the great value of the traditional
buildings in the Minangkabau architectural style are the old mosques located
mostly in villages in Sri Menanti. As mentioned by Alias (2015), one of the
Ketua Luak in Sri Menanti, most of the people in the town follow Islam as their
main religion. Therefore, the old mosques are considered to be among the
dominant traditional buildings that might influence the development of the town
of Sri Menanti.
Finally, another type of building that influenced the characteristics of the
town was the traditional Minangkabau houses. Observation revealed that the
traditional houses were built in different styles according to the Luak, reflecting
the villages located in Sumatera. According to Abd. Kadir (2015), there are more
than a hundred traditional houses that are over one hundred years old. Some of
the houses are protected and preserved by the Museum but most are not, due to
the problem of private ownership, which prevents the government or any other
agencies from taking further action to preserve and protect these houses.
Hence, the results of this study reveal that the architectural features play
an important role in shaping the built elements of the urban areas in the Royal
Town of Sri Menanti. The preservation and conservation of the architectural
elements is essential when developing and maintaining the unique image of the
townscape elements in the royal town.
Social Background of Sri Menanti
Through the interviews, it was identified that in order to understand the social
background of the local people in Sri Menanti, we first need to understand the
towns political system. The hierarchy of the political strata in Sri Menanti Royal
Town started with Yang Dipertuan Besar at the highest level, followed by
Undang, Lembaga, Buapak and Perut. During the interviews, Azhar
(2015), the Head of Jawatan Kuasa Ketua Kampung (JKKK), stated that the
setting of the urban fabric was influenced by the hierarchy of the political system.
The design of the traditional buildings for the rulers was different from other
villagers houses in terms of height, roof shape and pattern. It is thus clear that
the architectural style of a building reflects its social character.
Cultural Significance of human activities in Sri Menanti
Human activity is one component of the identity of places in Sri Menanti Royal
Town that helped in creating a thematic point of concentration (Shamsuddin,
2011a). Through observation, it was found that fewer outdoor activities are
conducted within the town area. However, most of the outdoor activities
conducted in Sri Menanti take place in the centre of the town, specifically at the
field located opposite the primary school and next to the library (see Figure 2).
As it has an open field, this space has the ability to support gatherings in Sri
Menanti. Most of these gatherings are conducted during the late evening, from
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5pm until 7pm. People also come to the lake next to the open field, which is called
Lembah Londah Naga, to enjoy the scenery and take part in recreational waterbased activities such as fishing (see Figure 9).
Figure 9: Some of the activities conducted at the open field and surrounding the lakes of
Lembah Londah Naga.
Figure 10: The warung kopi located adjacent to the road that form the mini
nodes in Sri Menanti.
Other types of node that have been identified based on the observation
made include the mosques, which are major nodes during the Muslim prayer
times: fajr, dhuhr, asr, maghrib and isha. The mosques located within in the
town are part of the street frontage and are places for peace and retreat for
Muslims, supporting group gatherings. Historically, as mentioned by Abd. Kadir
(2015), the mosques were used as meeting areas, and this was evident during the
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DESIGN RECOMMENDATION
Historical sites
Cultural activities
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CONCLUSION
The urban heritage in Malaysia, often occupying an important and sometimes
central location in present day towns, are localities of great cultural, architectural
and historic significance. They derive their character, not only from the buildings
and spaces of which they are comprised but also from the activities that occur
there. The urban heritage has played a significant role in the history of Malaysia
and its development. The site of the Seri Menanti Royal Town represents some
of the special attributes which are rich in cultural and significance as it has been
developed into the first administrative and early settlement in Negeri Sembilan.
The special attributes which are important include the traditional features of the
old buildings, special structures, traditional street patterns and its environment,
traditional housing design and patterns and its daily activities. The diversity in
character of the town together with its structural design, green space and cultural
variety make the area unique and worthy of preservation. The research also
concludes that conservation of physical and cultural heritage is an integral part of
the urban conservation strategies of a royal town in Malaysia. The preservation
and better maintenance of these heritage sites will add variety to the urban image
while acting as a reminder and representation of the real identity of local culture
and Malaysia.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors would also like to thank all parties who directly and indirectly
contributed to the research, especially in the collection of data. Special thanks are
dedicated to Encik Azhar, Head of Jawatankuasa Ketua Kampung (JKKK), Dato
Bangsa Balang Mohamad Dahalan Alias, the Head of the Luak in Sri Menanti
Royal Town, Encik Nordin Bin Jonid, the Officer of Muzium Istana Sri Menanti,
Encik Afian bin Abd. Kadir, the Officer of Muzium Kebudayaan and some of the
old local people in Sri Menanti for their kindness and cooperation during the
interview sessions.
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