Biblical Traces in a Muslim Chronicle from Makasar, Indonesia

This article argues that the Gowa Chronicle, written in the staunchly-Islamic kingdom of Makasar, South Sulawesi, contains a surprising passage adapted from the parables of the Christian gospels. This article examines the historical and literary evidence to make the argument that one of the most significant and memorable events recorded in the chronicle hinges on the use of a Biblical literary device. The likely architect of this cross-cultural borrowing and the potential reasons for its usage are examined for what new light they shed on the history of 17th-century Makasar and the larger pattern of cross-cultural borrowing in Southeast Asia.