''Misa Melayu'' (ميس ملايو) is a traditional Malay historical manuscript that narrates the history and ceremonial customs of the
Perak Sultanate
The Sultan of Perak (, Jawi: ) is the constitutional monarch and head of state of the Malaysian state of Perak. It is one of the oldest hereditary seats among the Malay states. The current Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah, has b ...
, particularly during the reign of Sultan Iskandar Dzulkarnain Shah (1750–1765) in the 18th century.
Written by the court historian Raja Chulan ibni Raja Abdul Hamid ibni Yang di-Pertuan Muda Sultan Mansur Shah, it combines prose and poetry in
Jawi script
Jawi (; ; ; ) is a writing system used for writing several languages of Southeast Asia, such as Acehnese, Banjarese, Betawi, Magindanao, Malay, Mëranaw, Minangkabau, Tausūg, Ternate and many other languages in Southeast Asia. Jawi ...
to document the genealogy of Perak’s rulers, royal ceremonies, and important events, providing valuable insights into the political and cultural life of
Perak
Perak (; Perak Malay: ''Peghok'') is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula. Perak has land borders with the Malaysian states of Kedah to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kel ...
at that time. The work is considered a significant piece of Malay historiography and literature, preserving the royal traditions and history of the Malay world.
In 2023, the Misa Melayu was listed on UNESCO's
Memory of the World
UNESCO's Memory of the World (MoW) Programme is an international initiative to safeguard the documentary heritage of humanity against collective amnesia, neglect, decay over time and climatic conditions, as well as deliberate destruction. It ca ...
Programme International Register.
References
Further reading
# Barbara Watson Andaya. 1979.Perak: The Abode of Grace. A study of an Eighteenth Century Malay State. Kuala Lumpur: Oxford University Press.
# Buyong Adil Alhaj. 1966. Panduan Mempelajari Hikayat Misa Melayu. Singapura : Pustaka Melayu.
# Maxwell. W.E. 1884. The History of Perak: A Native source. Journal of Royal Asiatic Society Straits Branch, XIII-XIV
# Raja Chulan. 1966. Misa Melayu. Kuala Lumpur: Penerbitan Pustaka Antara
# Siti Hawa Haji Salleh.1997. Kesusasteraan Melayu Abad Ke-19. Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka
# Kesusasteraan Hikayat dan Historiografi Melayu – PJJ, UKM Bangi, 1999.
Malay-language literature
18th-century books
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