REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- For hundreds of years, the archipelago experienced a process of Islamization that came along with trade activities. Merchants from Gujarat, Arabia and Europe came to various kingdoms in the archipelago to obtain highly valued and valuable spices.

In later times, history records that some countries became greedy and colonized to gain control of the natural resources of the archipelago. There are at least six countries recorded as having colonized: Spain, Portugal, France, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands (VOC) and Japan.

Charles Ralph Boxer a historian of Dutch and Portuguese maritime and colonial history (1969) surmised when the Portuguese came to power in Malacca in 1511, there were quite a few trading voyages carrying produce from the Archipelago through the red sea and the port of Jeddah. From this movement of voyages, it is believed that not only the mobility of goods or purchases occurred, but also the transportation of people who wanted to perform the Hajj.

Unfortunately, there is no manuscript that exactly records the observance of Hajj by the Spanish and Portuguese, French or British. But when the Dutch (VOC) came to power there were many manuscripts about the Hajj in those days. This is explained by the Haji Finance Management Agency (BPKH) in its book titled Sejarah Ibadah Ibadah Haji Indonesia From Time to Time published by BPKH, 2023.

When the Dutch VOC came into power in 1602-1800, almost the entire economic and business sectors were monopolized. At that time, the colonials already had a complete government apparatus, even its law enforcement and legislation, and its armed forces. The VOC is also noted to have intervened in the government of a number of kingdoms in the archipelago. No wonder this situation gave rise to resistance from the kings of the Archipelago.

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