Carelessness in preserving manuscripts as a heritage: cases of local treatment in Indonesia

Abstract

PurposeThis paper aims at examining the current condition of ancient manuscripts owned by locals in remote areas of Indonesia, which are mostly in poor condition. It is to describe the factors of these manuscript damages and the implications of the damage.Design/methodology/approachThe study employed qualitative design with philological, codicological and anthropological approaches. The participants are manuscript owners and keepers in Western, Central and Eastern parts of Indonesia. Data were collected by direct observations and interviews with the participants.FindingsThis paper provides empirical insights on how manuscripts were damaged due to human and environmental factors. These factors have caused the loss of part or whole information in the manuscripts, hence causing disconnected knowledge linkage from past to present.Research limitations/implicationsDue to the selected scope and area of study, this study may lack generalizability. Further studies can be conducted to examine the physical aspect and the content of the manuscripts.Practical implicationsThis study suggests the urgency for stakeholders and local governments to preserve the manuscripts by taking specific measures that include preservation training to the locals and conducting a program for digitizing these manuscripts.Originality/valueThis paper fulfils an identified need to study how the damages suffered by the local manuscripts.