A jongkong is a type of dugout canoe from

Maritime Southeast Asia Maritime Southeast Asia comprises the Southeast Asian countries of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and East Timor. The terms Island Southeast Asia and Insular Southeast Asia are sometimes given the same meaning as ...

. ''Jongkong'' was the simplest boat from Riau-Lingga area, and can be found widely though in small numbers throughout the area. The first record of ''jongkong'' comes from the

Malay Annals The ''Malay Annals'' ( Malay: ''Sejarah Melayu'', Jawi: ), originally titled ''Sulalatus Salatin'' (''Genealogy of Kings''), is a literary work that gives a romanticised history of the origin, evolution and destruction of the Malacca Sultanat ...

(which was composed no earlier than the 17th century AD), being used by

Majapahit empire Majapahit (; (eastern and central dialect) or (western dialect)), also known as Wilwatikta (; ), was a Javanese Hindu-Buddhist thalassocratic empire in Southeast Asia based on the island of Java (in modern-day Indonesia). At its greatest ...

during the first Majapahit attack on Singapura (1350) and during the fall of Singapura (1398).Nugroho (2011), p. 271, 399–400, quoting ''Sejarah Melayu'', 10.4: 77: "... ''maka bagindapun segera menyuruh berlengkap tiga ratus buah jung, lain dari pada itu kelulus, pelang, jongkong, tiada terbilang lagi''." (then His Majesty immediately ordered to equip three hundred jong, other than that kelulus, pelang, jongkong in uncountable numbers.)

Etymology

The name comes from two words, that is ''jong'' and ''kong'' or ''jegong''. ''Jong'' means a boat or sampan, no matter large or small, while ''kong'' or ''jegong'' is the place where masts are set up to hold the sail. Thus the name can be translated as a sailing boat that is used by the coastline community.

Description

In this region it is essentially a small, inshore boat and it is rarely built to a length of more than about 12−14 feet (3.7−4.3 m). It is typically a one-man boat, with a length of 9−10 feet (2.7−3 m), with depth at the mid-section about 10−12 inches (25.4−30.5 cm). It consists of a dugout base, with the hull spread slightly, and the sides built up by the addition of a single plank. Larger versions have a small triangular sail, and smaller versions are usually propelled by a short, single-bladed paddle or rarely by a double-bladed paddle.Gibson-Hill (1951). p.124.

Etymology

Description

See also

References

Further reading