Abstract

Through the lens of selected—hitherto understudied—’Malay’ (i.e., written in Jawi) letters stored at the National Archives of the Philippines, this lecture foregrounds new narratives of Philippine and Southeast Asian diplomatic histories in the 18th and 19th centuries. It underscores the embeddedness of Spanish Philippines in regional diplomacy and politics often overshadowed by narratives of imperial expansionism and Hispano-centrism. It invites further investigation into the role of translators, local mediators and local traditions of ‘indigenous’ diplomacy with which Spanish imperial agents had to navigate. This presentation underscores the significance of these ‘indigenous’ written sources not only as historical sources but also as unique tangible heritage.

Ariel Lopez teaches courses on Philippine and Southeast Asian history and culture at the Asian Center, University of the Philippines. His research focus is on the early modern history of the indigenous polities in the southern Philippines (Mindanao and Sulu) and eastern Indonesia (Sulawesi) and their interactions with European empires, namely, Spanish and Dutch. He obtained undergraduate and graduate degrees in History from Leiden University, The Netherlands. He co-edited Philippine Confluence: Iberian, Chinese, and Islamic Currents, c. 1500-1800 (Leiden University Press, 2020). He is currently co-investigator in the collaborative research program “Historical Treaties of Southeast Asia” based at Linnaeus University, Sweden.

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