Boyan is my neighbour

The history of Boyan (Bawean) 

Boyan is one of the Jawa tribe. The community of Malacca and Malaysia are more familiar with Boyan pronunciation of subsidiaries and in their view Boyan means the driver and gardener (kephun in subsidiary), because most of the public profession of origin Bawean is working in the garden or as a driver. People Bawean is a small group of community that comes from Bawean Island, located in the Java Sea between the two large islands of Borneo to the north and south of the island of Java. Bawean Island is located about 80 miles north of Surabaya and Gresik regency sign. Bawean Island consists of two districts, the districts and sub-districts Sangkapura Causeway. Diponggo is one of the villages of 30 villages on the island of subsidiaries whose language differs considerably from other villages. Community Diponggo semi Java language, which is the legacy of a female scholar who lived in the village, the territories Zainab, who was a descendant of Sunan Ampel.

It is difficult to determine the exact time of arrival of those subsidiaries to Malacca because there is no evidence and documentation of the history of their arrival. There is no official record of their arrival in Malacca. The views expressed are not able to show the correct time. The first opinion says that there are people named Tok Ayar came to Malacca in 1819. The second view says that the Baweanese came in 1824, approximately during British rule in Malacca, in the notes to the Government of the Colony of Singapore on in 1849 there were 763 people Bawean and it continues to grow in number. While in record Bawean Association Malaysia in 1891 there were 3,161 people scattered subsidiaries in Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru, Melaka, Seremban and Ipoh. The third opinion says the existing subsidiaries in Malacca before 1900 and that year was a lot of people Bawean in Malacca. Bawean people generally live in the city or an area close to the city, like in Kampung Mata Kuching, CAKUNG Besar, Limbongan, Sheep and vicinity Malacca General Hospital. Bawean rare people who live in areas far from the city and the number of people who are in Malacca Sukma is not expected to exceed one thousand people.

Than in Malacca, the subsidiaries are also scattered in the Klang Valley, such as in the area of ​​Ampang, Gombak, Kuala Lumpur and Shah Alam. They buy land and build houses in groups. In Gelugor, Penang, there are at least two large families of people subsidiaries. They use the Penang Malay dialect to speak with someone not subsidiaries. pic credit to google

Boyan and me

Nowadays, Boyan people increase their population and became bigger and bigger day by day. In Gombak, which is Sg Chincin is the place that have largest amount of them. If we mention about Kampung Sungai Chincin, then other people will automatically know that place has been conquered by them.  Many of us afraid and have negative thought when we talk about their culture, but for me who has experiencing myself living together in their residential it really different. My first time go there to look for rent house is really awkward. I am feel like I am alone in that area of housing while they are having strong relation among themselves only. I think, they have a bad habit, arrogant and “as-sobiyah”. 

But after one week stay there, I started to realize that, it is not like the rumors said. My neighbors are friendly and concern about other neighbor especially me and my husband because I am newbie there. They treat me like their relatives and children. Every day, when I want to go out they will great me with nice word and smile in their faces. Sometimes, they also invite me to share their food. I really feel like living together with my “pak cik mak cik”… so, moral of the story, don’t judge book by its cover ok?