The island's indigenous leadership formed an important part of Billiton's history before industrial tin mining. Dutch colonial records refer to Depati, district chiefs and negotiations over local authority.
Traditional districts
The manuscript provisionally identifies the districts of Seidjoek (Sijuk), Blantoe (Belantu), Boeding (Buding), and Badauw. The historical spelling and administrative boundaries require further research.
Chiefs named in the archive
| Name as provisionally read | Context | PDF pages |
|---|---|---|
| Depati Zakaria | Associated with the selection of the Tandjong Semba establishment | 27 |
| Pangéran Sjarif Mohamed | Appears in disputes involving local and colonial authority | 24–25, 30 |
| Maas Agaes Mahamoed / Mohammed Asjik | Named in discussions of dismissal and contested leadership; identity and spelling need checking | 47–49, 54 |
| Tjakra / Zakra di Nugrat | Named in connection with the office and duties of Depati; spelling remains uncertain | 47–53 |
The 1838 regulations
Pages 50–53 contain numbered articles concerning the position of a Depati and relations with the Resident of Banka. Preliminary readings suggest provisions dealing with subordinate chiefs, residence, public order, trade, labour, reporting and government property.
Leadership and colonial intervention
Reports from the late 1830s and 1840s suggest continuing disputes about the appointment, removal and authority of local chiefs. These documents are particularly valuable because they record indigenous leadership rather than only the later history of the mining company.
Research questions
Further examination is needed to establish whether differently spelled names refer to the same individuals, to reconstruct the sequence of appointments, and to compare colonial descriptions with local historical traditions.
Primary source: Billiton/Belitung, Archive No. 94, especially PDF pages 20–30 and 47–54. Spellings and interpretations are provisional.