Bangka Tin and Mentok Pepper

Book excerpt: This study deals with the history of Chinese settlement on Bangka, Indonesia's "tin island", from its beginnings in the early 18th century to the present. The distinctively Chinese organization of raw-material production, the importation of labourers, and the gradual formation of a Chinese community are central themes, but also of concern is the impact of these developments on the local population. Technological change and government policies, both colonial and Indonesian, add to the picture. On the one hand, the book is a contribution to Indonesian local history; on the other, it presents much material for comparison with Chinese settlements elsewhere in Southeast Asia.