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Mountains More Ancient: A Novel
“A haunting, unforgettable story." John H. McGlynn [The Lontar Foundation]
“When I shut my eyes and my ears fell deaf to the sounds around me, I could visualise my old home: the rustle of the fanlike leaves of the breadfruit tree as they danced in the breeze that rolled down the dormant volcano…”
It is 1751, and nine-year-old Wulan finds herself half a world away from her home in Java: torn from her adored grandparents, her chattering cousins, the sounds and smells of the landscape that she loves. She and her father, Parto, are enslaved on a Cape Colony farmstead, with little hope of returning home. In this new world they hold fast to their Javanese identity and beliefs while, through their shared suffering, they forge bonds with the multicultural community whose descendants would come to be known as the Cape Malays.
Isna Marifa’s debut is the first novel to focus on the Indonesian experience of slavery in South Africa, illuminating this history of unfreedom through a timeless story of love, loss, and longing.
“An original and captivating story…a new and promising literary voice.” Keith Foulcher [Honorary Associate of the Department of Indonesian Studies, University of Sydney]
“This novel enables me to walk in the footsteps of my Malay forefathers from the ancient world of the Nusantara…” Mogamat Kammie Kamedien [Cape Malay historian and heritage activist]
“A meaningful and flowing narrative.” Putu Oka Sukanta [poet and novelist]
"This is an important novel: it reminds us that history is also made by the activities and stories of ‘little’ people, those who find it difficult to determine their own destinies." Feby Indirani [journalist and writer]
“When I shut my eyes and my ears fell deaf to the sounds around me, I could visualise my old home: the rustle of the fanlike leaves of the breadfruit tree as they danced in the breeze that rolled down the dormant volcano…”
It is 1751, and nine-year-old Wulan finds herself half a world away from her home in Java: torn from her adored grandparents, her chattering cousins, the sounds and smells of the landscape that she loves. She and her father, Parto, are enslaved on a Cape Colony farmstead, with little hope of returning home. In this new world they hold fast to their Javanese identity and beliefs while, through their shared suffering, they forge bonds with the multicultural community whose descendants would come to be known as the Cape Malays.
Isna Marifa’s debut is the first novel to focus on the Indonesian experience of slavery in South Africa, illuminating this history of unfreedom through a timeless story of love, loss, and longing.
“An original and captivating story…a new and promising literary voice.” Keith Foulcher [Honorary Associate of the Department of Indonesian Studies, University of Sydney]
“This novel enables me to walk in the footsteps of my Malay forefathers from the ancient world of the Nusantara…” Mogamat Kammie Kamedien [Cape Malay historian and heritage activist]
“A meaningful and flowing narrative.” Putu Oka Sukanta [poet and novelist]
"This is an important novel: it reminds us that history is also made by the activities and stories of ‘little’ people, those who find it difficult to determine their own destinies." Feby Indirani [journalist and writer]
- GenresFiction
215 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 28, 2022
8 people are currently reading
128 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
December 29, 2022
As a community in Cape Town, we are strongly rooted in the various pasts our history takes us. Cape Town is blessed with an armada of researchers, historian and other historical family and social groups who leaves no stone unturned in the quest for historic relevance of a very hybrid community. Mountains More Ancient: A Novel is a tapestry of people, events and moments of people woven on to a canvas landscape of time spanning over three hundred plus years. Isna Marifa bring to life the voices, thoughts and feeling of a people who have been waiting for over three centuries to tell us their stories and experiences. She (Isna) takes the reader through an emotional path with Wulan a nine year old in a very unkind place at the Cape of Good Hope that crafted a future and cemented permanent legacy and heritage between two communities namely the Cape Malay at Cape Town and their far East ancestry in the Indonesian Archepelago.
September 16, 2023
Stories of the Cape Malay people whose history slipped through the cracks of time is brought to breathtaking life in this stunning book that travels from the lush jungles of Java to the unyielding, yet majestic Cape of Good Hope, SA. There is tragedy of course, because no human story, and certainly not of those, who are forced to be slaves and taken far from their homes can ever be without suffering. But there is also so much beauty, and hope and grit in this story of a people, whose origins came from different ancestoral lands, now known as the Cape Malay, who fought to forge their own path when choices were wrangled away from them. Of their ability to look out for each other and stay graceful in face of inhumane cruelty. The story's beauty lies in characters that feel like alive, in its visualisation of landscapes both familiar and foreign and in its weaving of time that seperates and binds people and their histories. As a Indian living in Indonesia, this book resonated deep within me, it's cadence not my own and yet kin.
May 30, 2023
Wow, this book made me cry at unexpected passages. I didn’t know about that Cape Town was a pit stop for Dutch East India Company’s pit stop for slave trade. What a marvellous historical novel that shows how regret and homesickness are intertwined together when one’s basic human right are taken away. I got a glimpse into the Javanese culture of dealing with not only life’s difficulties but also joys. A good read!
January 18, 2024
This is that type of plotless book that gives you no sense of triumph or devastation when it ends. It just... ends... like life... And that's something (or at least this genre of book) is something that I am still getting used to because I don't want the fact of falling from the face of earth be that... easy
anyways
this may singlehandedly be one of those books you finish in one sitting. you just want to know what happens next. and maybe its me in another lifetime, but the imagery of south Africa and the farm is just so vivid.
my favourite part is during the last section of the book, where we focus more on parto and abi's relationship. i can imagine myself falling desperately in love with twaalf apostelen, how i would be so headstrong to go home despite not knowing how to. how heartbreaking it is to accept the fact that restu cannot get the same protection as her brother just because of who she is.
i love how this book truly unravels that imagery of how dramatic and romantic everything was. what i mean bu that is that when you read history books, you expect everything to be dramatic and in your face. books like this makes you remember that these people -- the people in our history books -- are as equally human as we are. they have dreams and hopes and fears and sins, but they also have good days where they just live life.
apart from my overthinking, i must admit that this is one of the best book productions that i have ever had. the cover is drop-dead gorgeous. the font of choice is just so beautiful and dainty. and the sudden change of paper colour as the POV changes is also an amazing feat to the book. i do not regret sacrificing my lunch and dinner money for this book.
overall, i love it and id be more than happy to lend my copy to anyone curious enough to read it.
#neveragain
anyways
this may singlehandedly be one of those books you finish in one sitting. you just want to know what happens next. and maybe its me in another lifetime, but the imagery of south Africa and the farm is just so vivid.
my favourite part is during the last section of the book, where we focus more on parto and abi's relationship. i can imagine myself falling desperately in love with twaalf apostelen, how i would be so headstrong to go home despite not knowing how to. how heartbreaking it is to accept the fact that restu cannot get the same protection as her brother just because of who she is.
i love how this book truly unravels that imagery of how dramatic and romantic everything was. what i mean bu that is that when you read history books, you expect everything to be dramatic and in your face. books like this makes you remember that these people -- the people in our history books -- are as equally human as we are. they have dreams and hopes and fears and sins, but they also have good days where they just live life.
apart from my overthinking, i must admit that this is one of the best book productions that i have ever had. the cover is drop-dead gorgeous. the font of choice is just so beautiful and dainty. and the sudden change of paper colour as the POV changes is also an amazing feat to the book. i do not regret sacrificing my lunch and dinner money for this book.
overall, i love it and id be more than happy to lend my copy to anyone curious enough to read it.
#neveragain
July 26, 2024
I discovered “Mountains More Ancient” while escaping the heat by perusing a bookstore in George Town, Malaysia, and later read it while relaxing in the mountains of Chiang Mai, Thailand. This novel was my first introduction to an Indonesian author and the surprisingly well-documented histories of colonial Indonesia and South Africa.
The story captivated me with its rich depiction of Indonesia in the 1750s, highlighting life in its villages, the feuding of royal families, internal conflicts, religious practices, and the influence of colonial powers. The author’s portrayal of everyday life—people enjoying coffee, chatting in small shops, field workers, craftsmen, crops devastated by floods, and counseling elders—offered a compelling and relatable glimpse into the past.
As the narrative shifts to the Cape region of South Africa, the main characters, now enslaved, encounter a vastly different world inhabited by individuals from the many regions of the colonial empire. The journey culminates in the emerging city of Cape Town, where the author paints a picture of a uniquely multicultural society, making it easy to understand how this history and the diverse cultures have shaped South Africa’s identity. After finishing the book, I left it on a bookshelf in Bangladesh, hoping someone else would discover and appreciate it as much as I did.
The story captivated me with its rich depiction of Indonesia in the 1750s, highlighting life in its villages, the feuding of royal families, internal conflicts, religious practices, and the influence of colonial powers. The author’s portrayal of everyday life—people enjoying coffee, chatting in small shops, field workers, craftsmen, crops devastated by floods, and counseling elders—offered a compelling and relatable glimpse into the past.
As the narrative shifts to the Cape region of South Africa, the main characters, now enslaved, encounter a vastly different world inhabited by individuals from the many regions of the colonial empire. The journey culminates in the emerging city of Cape Town, where the author paints a picture of a uniquely multicultural society, making it easy to understand how this history and the diverse cultures have shaped South Africa’s identity. After finishing the book, I left it on a bookshelf in Bangladesh, hoping someone else would discover and appreciate it as much as I did.
October 28, 2024
"Paaak...Pengin mulih wae, Pak.. "
"Mulih Paaaaakk.. "
"Karo si Mbah wae Paaak
Muliiiiiiiihhh.. "
"Mulih Paaaaaakkk..
Muliiiiiiiiiihhh.... "
Jawa, tahun 1751.
Akibat tidak dapat membayar hutang untuk modal bertani kepada lintah darat akibat banjir dan gagal panen, Parto dijual sebagai budak kepada orang Belanda. Parto, orang desa yang polos dan lugu, tidak pernah membayangkan akan apa artinya menjadi seorang budak orang Belanda pada masa itu, kebebasan dan kehidupan seperti apa yang akan hilang darinya. Tidak pula ia tau bahwa ada tanah asing di samudera yang lain tempat orang-orang Jawa dibawa dan tidak pernah kembali. Parto yang tidak ingin Wulan, anak semata wayangnya yang masih berumur sepuluh tahun, bersedih karena hidup jauh dari ayah dan orangtuanya satu-satunya, membawa Wulan turut serta dengannya ke Batavia. Nasib kemudian membawa Parto dan Wulan ke Tanjung Harapan, Afrika Selatan.
Buku ini penting karena sebelumnya belum pernah ada novel yang menceritakan tentang kehidupan para budak dari Nusantara di Tanjung Harapan, salah satu koloni Belanda pada abad ke 18. Ada beberapa POV yang digunakan oleh penulis dalam bercerita, yaitu POV Parto, Wulan, Lastri (Nenek Wulan), dan Wage (kakek Wulan). Dari keempat POV ini penceritaan dari POV Wulan sangat menarik, karena disampaikan seperti gabungan puisi dan prosa. Tulisan ini menurut saya sangat Jawa sekali. Melalui tokoh-tokohnya, pembaca dapat memahami pola pikir wong Jowo yang paling murni, kepasrahan kepada sang pencipta, serta doa-doa dan harapan-harapan yang dipanjatkan melalui ritual-ritual dan perayaan-perayaan seperti kelahiran, pernikahan, dan kematian. Sangat berbeda dengan masa kini di mana tradisi dan ritual-ritual tersebut telah hampir kehilangan arti.
Cerita tentang perbudakan tentunya selalu menjadi neraka bagi perempuan muda seperti Wulan. Dari awal cerita saya terus takut akan apa yang akan dihadapi Wulan saat dia beranjak dewasa, dan sangat menyesali kepolosan Parto yang membawa Wulan ikut serta. Dan tentu saja semua kekhawatiran itu terjadi dan membawa kepedihan yang begitu besar bagi Wulan, Parto, dan keturunan-keturunan mereka nantinya dalam cara yang amat kejam. Kita akan menyaksikan seberapa kejamnya kehidupan sebagai budak, yang tidak ada bedanya dengan properti lainnya seperti hewan ternak dan perabotan. Kita juga akan dibawa turut nelangsa dalam kerinduan pada kampung halaman dan ketidakberdayaan untuk mencapainya.
Buku ini penting dan sangat menarik sekali dibaca sebagai karya fiksi berlatar sejarah perbudakan di Nusantara.
"Mulih Paaaaakk.. "
"Karo si Mbah wae Paaak
Muliiiiiiiihhh.. "
"Mulih Paaaaaakkk..
Muliiiiiiiiiihhh.... "
Jawa, tahun 1751.
Akibat tidak dapat membayar hutang untuk modal bertani kepada lintah darat akibat banjir dan gagal panen, Parto dijual sebagai budak kepada orang Belanda. Parto, orang desa yang polos dan lugu, tidak pernah membayangkan akan apa artinya menjadi seorang budak orang Belanda pada masa itu, kebebasan dan kehidupan seperti apa yang akan hilang darinya. Tidak pula ia tau bahwa ada tanah asing di samudera yang lain tempat orang-orang Jawa dibawa dan tidak pernah kembali. Parto yang tidak ingin Wulan, anak semata wayangnya yang masih berumur sepuluh tahun, bersedih karena hidup jauh dari ayah dan orangtuanya satu-satunya, membawa Wulan turut serta dengannya ke Batavia. Nasib kemudian membawa Parto dan Wulan ke Tanjung Harapan, Afrika Selatan.
Buku ini penting karena sebelumnya belum pernah ada novel yang menceritakan tentang kehidupan para budak dari Nusantara di Tanjung Harapan, salah satu koloni Belanda pada abad ke 18. Ada beberapa POV yang digunakan oleh penulis dalam bercerita, yaitu POV Parto, Wulan, Lastri (Nenek Wulan), dan Wage (kakek Wulan). Dari keempat POV ini penceritaan dari POV Wulan sangat menarik, karena disampaikan seperti gabungan puisi dan prosa. Tulisan ini menurut saya sangat Jawa sekali. Melalui tokoh-tokohnya, pembaca dapat memahami pola pikir wong Jowo yang paling murni, kepasrahan kepada sang pencipta, serta doa-doa dan harapan-harapan yang dipanjatkan melalui ritual-ritual dan perayaan-perayaan seperti kelahiran, pernikahan, dan kematian. Sangat berbeda dengan masa kini di mana tradisi dan ritual-ritual tersebut telah hampir kehilangan arti.
Cerita tentang perbudakan tentunya selalu menjadi neraka bagi perempuan muda seperti Wulan. Dari awal cerita saya terus takut akan apa yang akan dihadapi Wulan saat dia beranjak dewasa, dan sangat menyesali kepolosan Parto yang membawa Wulan ikut serta. Dan tentu saja semua kekhawatiran itu terjadi dan membawa kepedihan yang begitu besar bagi Wulan, Parto, dan keturunan-keturunan mereka nantinya dalam cara yang amat kejam. Kita akan menyaksikan seberapa kejamnya kehidupan sebagai budak, yang tidak ada bedanya dengan properti lainnya seperti hewan ternak dan perabotan. Kita juga akan dibawa turut nelangsa dalam kerinduan pada kampung halaman dan ketidakberdayaan untuk mencapainya.
Buku ini penting dan sangat menarik sekali dibaca sebagai karya fiksi berlatar sejarah perbudakan di Nusantara.
January 4, 2023
A novel that transports you to 18th Century Dutch VOC Cape Town society of which transoceanic forced migrant Labourers from the Malay Archipelago find themselves at the Tip of Africa in a multi-cultural slaveholding society whereby both slave owning households and enslaved people at the Cape were part of an emerging creole community shaped by the commercial interest of a trans-national corporation. Isna Marifa has given voice to the voiceless [amongst others, her Indonesian compatriots] who is afforded to speak directly [through her pen] to the present -day slave descendant community of Cape Town. These subjects of this historical novel used to be mere footnotes of history, but through the pen of this debut writer, she crafted characters that affords the reader to walk with them as they created a new creole community under trying forced conditions but they confronted their life situations with optimism and determination. This novel brings to life which until now simply used to be historical objects i.e. facts and statistics without emotion as the forte of scholars of slave history. A few South African novelists pursued this genre like Rayda Jacobs who penned 'The Slave Book' who bestowed the same dignity and similar respect on these enslaved characters, which the enslaved trans-migrant labourers never enjoyed in the 17th and 18th Centuries at the Cape. It makes for riveting reading to compare the actual Javanese customs with the Cape Malay cultural practices and traditions in modified form for those of us from Cape Town that are able recognised these anthropological life patterns. This is a remarkable trans-oceanic imaginative tale between the covers of this maiden publication penned by a unknown novice, but talented Javanese author, Isma Marifa
July 9, 2023
it was truly an intriguing read. it was about labor abuse of Indonesians and other Asians that were brought to the Cape of Good Hope (Africa) by ship from their places.
it was focused on the Indonesian characters, Wulan (daughter) and Parto (father), and the events of their lives from the years 1751-1791.
to give a little background, Parto had to pay a loan shark, the loan shark demanded for their fields but it belonged to Parto’s wife who passed when Wulan was born. when Parto refused to give it, the only other payment that the loan shark could think of was sending Parto far away to work for the Dutch.
the Dutch at that time, took control of many places in Indonesia and Africa because of trade.
Parto never intended on bringing his only daughter, Wulan, but Wulan insisted. so they went on their journey and did not even know their destination (Africa).
they were brought to a farm owned by a Dutch family and were overworked and abused by the supervisor and the owners.
they always had a longing for home, and despite the pain and grief, they stayed strong with their beliefs, courage, and resilience. they brought their Javanese traditions even in a foreign land.
such an amazing read 🌟
it was focused on the Indonesian characters, Wulan (daughter) and Parto (father), and the events of their lives from the years 1751-1791.
to give a little background, Parto had to pay a loan shark, the loan shark demanded for their fields but it belonged to Parto’s wife who passed when Wulan was born. when Parto refused to give it, the only other payment that the loan shark could think of was sending Parto far away to work for the Dutch.
the Dutch at that time, took control of many places in Indonesia and Africa because of trade.
Parto never intended on bringing his only daughter, Wulan, but Wulan insisted. so they went on their journey and did not even know their destination (Africa).
they were brought to a farm owned by a Dutch family and were overworked and abused by the supervisor and the owners.
they always had a longing for home, and despite the pain and grief, they stayed strong with their beliefs, courage, and resilience. they brought their Javanese traditions even in a foreign land.
such an amazing read 🌟
November 8, 2022
The more I read, the more interested I got
This is not, it would be fair to say, my "usual" kind of book in the least, and I struggled to get into it at first. Oddly enough, the passages that drew me in increasingly were descriptions of Liffey transition ceremonies of various kinds that the Javanese or other foreign-born people transported to Cape Town performed as a matter of course, and the sense of deep solace they clearly got from these. Why I should have found these episodes so particularly moving, I can't say, but I did. This book is not a plotted page-turner, by any stretch, but a thoughtful, and mostly gentle and very kind, attempt to help the reader understand the complexity of experience of the Javanese and other Southeast Asian people who found themselves transplanted, mostly against their will, to what is now South Africa.
This is not, it would be fair to say, my "usual" kind of book in the least, and I struggled to get into it at first. Oddly enough, the passages that drew me in increasingly were descriptions of Liffey transition ceremonies of various kinds that the Javanese or other foreign-born people transported to Cape Town performed as a matter of course, and the sense of deep solace they clearly got from these. Why I should have found these episodes so particularly moving, I can't say, but I did. This book is not a plotted page-turner, by any stretch, but a thoughtful, and mostly gentle and very kind, attempt to help the reader understand the complexity of experience of the Javanese and other Southeast Asian people who found themselves transplanted, mostly against their will, to what is now South Africa.
March 26, 2023
Awalnya 'ragu tapi mau waktu' lagi beli buku ini. Ragu karena buku ini dibuat oleh penulis Indonesia, tapi kok pakai bahasa inggris? Ah terjemahan nih, nanti esensi bahasanya jadi berkurang dan gak cantik lagi. Tapi akhirnya tetap beli karena hooked dengan cover dan summary di halaman belakang buku.
Berkisah tentang Parto dan Wulan, anaknya, yang terpaksa memilih untuk dibuang berkilometer jauhnya dari Pulau Jawa tempat tinggalnya ke Tanjung Harapan (Cape of Good Hope) guna menebus utang kepada lintah darat yang menjualnya ke Kompeni. Malang, tidak seperti namanya, Tanjung Harapan tidak menyimpan harapan yang diimpikan Parto dan Wulan, melainkan penderitaan yang tiada berkesudahan. Terus menerus hingga satu-satunya pilihan bagi Parto adalah nrima ing pandum, sebagaimana pepatah Jawa yang selalu ia ingat sampai hari-hari akhirnya.
Berkisah tentang Parto dan Wulan, anaknya, yang terpaksa memilih untuk dibuang berkilometer jauhnya dari Pulau Jawa tempat tinggalnya ke Tanjung Harapan (Cape of Good Hope) guna menebus utang kepada lintah darat yang menjualnya ke Kompeni. Malang, tidak seperti namanya, Tanjung Harapan tidak menyimpan harapan yang diimpikan Parto dan Wulan, melainkan penderitaan yang tiada berkesudahan. Terus menerus hingga satu-satunya pilihan bagi Parto adalah nrima ing pandum, sebagaimana pepatah Jawa yang selalu ia ingat sampai hari-hari akhirnya.
September 27, 2024
Such a coincidence that I found out about this book from a good friend, exactly the next day I returned from my trip (a first) to Cape Town where I visited and learned bit more about Cape Malay and the connection to Indonesia.
Great story with multiple points of view from 4 generations of a Javanese family. From an interesting and difficult period, 18th century, VOC time, during the break up of Mataram...
Three stars because I think the editing could be improved, I found typos. Also, I speak both Javanese and Indonesian, so all good to me but some of the Javanese and Indonesian texts were not fully translated to English. I think non speakers will be a bit confused.
Great story with multiple points of view from 4 generations of a Javanese family. From an interesting and difficult period, 18th century, VOC time, during the break up of Mataram...
Three stars because I think the editing could be improved, I found typos. Also, I speak both Javanese and Indonesian, so all good to me but some of the Javanese and Indonesian texts were not fully translated to English. I think non speakers will be a bit confused.
November 9, 2022
This is a very insightful and moving story of the little-known connection between the people of Java and Cape Town. Ms. Marifa takes us into the lives of a father and daughter who were forcibly brought to Cape Town by a moneylender. The story evolves around the felt connections to those left behind, traditions, and adaption to new surroundings. I found it hard to put the book down!
December 28, 2022
A beautifully written story by a very talented and artistic author. The story is all our stories ( the " Malay" people of the Cape) combined and brought to life by the magic of the author Isna Mariefa. It has awakened something lying dormant inside my soul which has finally been reconnected. Thank you Isna for making me appreciate life once again..... Murtadoh Abader
May 23, 2024
I am Dewa bakka mattaliu, I would like to rate this book and share my thoughts about it. I met the author and had the opportunity to ask about this book at the Makassar International Writers Festival 2024. Actually, this book is about human trafficking and this is the first book who discuss human trafficking in Indonesia.
October 6, 2024
Found in a second hand bookstore while travelling through Indonesia. A beautifully written and poetic story of a Javanese father and daughter; whom were enslaved in Cape Town by the Dutch. An important reminder of our world’s history…
February 13, 2025
Powerful and poetic, the back and forth between character povs and poetry and prose was incredibly interesting and not at all tiring. Beautiful story of belonging and truly crushing tales of injustice, oppression and perseverance.
April 27, 2024
What a great story. I cried for half the book. Brilliantly crafted and poetic in a way that doesnt feel forced but impactful.
September 13, 2024
Always a fan of a good Southeast Asian story with historism.
February 25, 2024
Weepy soooo goooood
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews