Historiografi Wanita Melayu Pra-Kemerdekaan: Satu Penilaian terhadap Perkembangan Penulisan Ilmiah: (Historiography of Pre-Independence Malay Women: An Assessment of the Development of Scholarly Writing)

NorAisyah Ahmad; Hasnah Hussiin; Haslindawati Saari

doi:10.32890/ahjmm2026.4.12

Authors

NorAisyah Ahmad Unit Pengajian Umum,Pusat Asasi, Bahasa dan Pengajian Umum, Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin (UniSIRAJ), Pauh Putra Campus, 02600 Arau, Perlis, Malaysia
Hasnah Hussiin Pusat Sains Kemanusiaan, Kampus Gambang, Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA), Lbh Persiaran Tun Khalil Yaakob, Kampung Melayu Gambang, 26300 Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia
Haslindawati Saari Jabatan Sejarah, Institut Pendidikan Guru(IPG), 08000 Sungai Petani, Kedah, Malaysia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32890/ahjmm2026.4.12

Keywords:

Historiografi, wanita melayu, pra-kemerdekaan, penulisan sejarah, representasi wanita

Abstract

ABSTRAK

Penulisan sejarah mengenai wanita Melayu pra-kemerdekaan semakin berkembang dalam beberapa dekad kebelakangan ini, namun representasi golongan tersebut masih memperlihatkan kecenderungan yang tidak seimbang. Kebanyakan penulisan memberi tumpuan kepada tokoh wanita yang mempunyai kedudukan dalam politik, pendidikan dan organisasi masyarakat, manakala pengalaman wanita daripada kelompok masyarakat biasa kurang diberikan perhatian. Keadaan ini menunjukkan bahawa pembentukan historiografi wanita Melayu dipengaruhi oleh pemilihan sumber, pendekatan penyelidikan dan tafsiran sejarawan. Sehubungan itu, kajian ini bertujuan mengenal pasti kecenderungan utama dalam penulisan ilmiah mengenai wanita Melayu pra-kemerdekaan, menilai bentuk representasi wanita dalam historiografi tempatan serta menganalisis corak penulisan sejarah yang mempengaruhi pembentukan naratif mengenai wanita Melayu. Kajian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif melalui kaedah kajian kepustakaan dengan menganalisis artikel jurnal, buku akademik, bab dalam buku dan tesis yang berkaitan. Data dianalisis menggunakan analisis kandungan berasaskan kerangka historiografi melalui proses pengelasan tema, perbandingan hujah sarjana dan sintesis kritikal. Analisis mendapati bahawa historiografi wanita Melayu pra-kemerdekaan masih memperlihatkan empat kecenderungan utama, iaitu penumpuan kepada tokoh wanita daripada golongan elit, pengabaian pengalaman wanita daripada kelompok masyarakat biasa, pergantungan kepada sumber kolonial serta perubahan corak penulisan historiografi yang semakin berkembang mengikut tema penyelidikan. Walau bagaimanapun, perubahan tersebut masih belum menghasilkan gambaran yang benar-benar menyeluruh mengenai pengalaman wanita Melayu sebelum kemerdekaan. Kajian ini menyumbang kepada perkembangan historiografi Malaysia dengan menyediakan satu penilaian kritikal terhadap corak penulisan sejarah wanita Melayu serta mencadangkan penggunaan sumber yang lebih pelbagai bagi menghasilkan historiografi yang lebih seimbang.

ABSTRACT

The historiography of pre-independence Malay women has expanded considerably over the past few decades. Nevertheless, the representation of Malay women in historical scholarship remains uneven. Existing studies predominantly focus on prominent women who occupied significant roles in politics, education, and social organisations, while the experiences of ordinary women have received comparatively little scholarly attention. This pattern suggests that the historiography of Malay women has been shaped by the selection of historical sources, research approaches, and historians’ interpretations. Accordingly, this study aims to identify the major trends in scholarly writing on pre-independence Malay women, examine their representation in Malaysian historiography, and analyse the patterns of historical writing that have influenced the construction of historical narratives concerning Malay women. The study adopts a qualitative approach based on library research by examining journal articles, academic books, book chapters, and relevant theses. Data were analysed using content analysis within a historiographical framework through thematic classification, comparison of scholarly arguments, and critical synthesis. The findings reveal four dominant historiographical patterns: a concentration on elite female figures, the marginalisation of ordinary women’s experiences, a heavy reliance on colonial sources, and the evolution of historiographical writing in line with emerging research themes. Despite these developments, the changing scope of research has yet to produce a comprehensive representation of the experiences of Malay women in the pre-independence period. This study contributes to Malaysian historiography by providing a critical assessment of the patterns of historical writing on Malay women and by advocating the broader use of diverse historical sources to produce a more balanced and comprehensive historiography.

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