Het eiland Seran en zijne bewoners by F. J. P. Sachse

Description

Het eiland Seran en zijne bewoners by F. J. P. Sachse is an ethnographic account written in the early 20th century. The work aims to provide a comprehensive description of the island of Seran (Ceram) and its indigenous peoples, addressing a gap in existing literature that often presents fragmented or inaccurate information. The opening of the book sets the stage by describing the historical obscurity of Seran, marked by its difficult geography and minimal contact with outsiders. Sachse, having spent four years as a civil administrator on the island, shares his personal observations of the inhabitants and their customs. He emphasizes that previous accounts are often unreliable and highlights his intent to offer a more thorough understanding of the island’s geography, culture, and the dynamics between the European outsiders and the local populations. Notably, he acknowledges the complexity of the local tribes and their history, suggesting both primitive and civilized characteristics among them as he outlines major socio-economic issues related to trade and government interactions. (This is an automatically generated summary.)