Historians, archaeologists, and scholars from across Southeast Asia, Europe, and the United States will gather at St Antony’s College, University of Oxford, for the ‘Pahang and the Sea’ workshop on Nov 13 and 14.
Jointly organised by Muzium Pahang and St Antony’s College, the workshop brings together leading experts to rekindle global interest in Malaysia’s maritime past and restore Pahang’s historical standing as a maritime kingdom of regional significance.
Tengku Ampuan of Pahang, Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah, will deliver the keynote address.
“With a long coast facing the South China Sea, not much is actually known about Pahang’s connections with the sea and its rivers,” said Dr Rowena Abdul Razak, lecturer in the history of the Middle East and Africa at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London.
“Throughout its history, Pahang was an important maritime kingdom that expanded its connections with other powers and regions, including China, Siam, and even in the Indian Ocean. We wanted to restore Pahang’s position within this global history.”
The idea for the workshop originated from Muzium Pahang’s recent expansion plans, particularly the establishment of a new maritime museum on Pulau Beram as part of its growing complex of museums in Pekan.
Next year will also see the launch of the Al-Sultan Abdullah History and Civilisation Research Centre (AL-ASAR) – a new initiative aimed at positioning the museum as a hub for serious academic research on Pahang and the wider region.
Dr Rowena said that collaboration with Oxford had given the project international traction.
“When we approached Professor Raihan Ismail of St Antony’s College, she was very enthusiastic about hosting the workshop as part of efforts to promote Southeast Asian studies. The college’s encouragement further motivated us to move forward with this initiative,” said Dr Rowena.
The event has drawn strong academic interest worldwide, with contributors ranging from maritime historians to archaeologists whose expertise spans from Aceh to Portugal and Italy – reflecting Pahang’s far-reaching connections in earlier centuries.
While the field of Southeast Asian maritime history is steadily growing with works by scholars such as David Abulafia and Philip Bowring, Dr Rowena said there remains a need for greater engagement and collaboration.
“Southeast Asia has always been historically linked to the sea – it’s how the region connected with the wider world through the movement of peoples, ideas, goods, and even religions,” she said.
“This workshop is one way to create international dialogue and renew interest in this fascinating field.”
The organisers hope that discussions at the workshop will lead to a published volume bringing together the research presented – ideally timed with the opening of the Pulau Beram Maritime Museum.
Future workshops and conferences are also in the pipeline under the AL-ASAR Centre, with plans to extend collaboration with universities and cultural institutions throughout Asean.
“We see this workshop as the launch of a longer series of academic engagements,” Dr Rowena said. “Previously, Muzium Pahang presented a panel at the Association of Southeast Asian Studies (Aseas) conference in Cambridge, and we intend to continue this collaboration.
“Once the AL-ASAR Centre is operational, there will be even more opportunities to promote maritime scholarship in the region.”
As Muzium Pahang embarks on this ambitious journey to link local heritage with global scholarship, ‘Pahang and the Sea’ is more than just an academic gathering – it is an effort to anchor the state’s past within the wider currents of world history.
