By Ahmad Cholis Hamzah, MSc
Ambon the capital city of Maluku Island of eastern Indonesia, was one of the first Maluku Islands to be occupied by the Portuguese. It is one of interesting places in the country as well as one the largest cities in eastern Indonesia. It was built on a hillside overlooking the bay and surrounded by blue sea. There are many interesting sites of historical and cultural interests such as old forts built by the Dutch during colonial period, the ANZAC War Cemetery where Australians, Americans and New Zealanders commemorate the Allied soldiers who died in the area during the Second World War. Ambon is also the venue for the annual yacht race between Darwin Australia and Ambon.

(Image by Kompas)

However, besides such interesting sites, visitors should not forget to visit Rumphius Library that is located in the compound of the Saint Franciscus Xaverius Parish in the Cathedral of Ambon. It is Mgr Andreas Petrus Cornelis Sol who runs the Library helped by Ambonese staffs. Mgr. Andreas Sol who is now more than 95 year old was former of Amboina Diocese for 30 years (1964-1994) and was born in Amsterdam, the Netherlands in 1915 and is still active in managing the Library. It is named after Georg Everardus Rumphius, a German naturalist who was born in Wolfersheim, Germany in 1627 and passed away in Ambon in 1702.

For book seekers of old books, Rumphius is the right place to see as it has good collection of old books especially those books about the history of Maluku and the surrounding Islands. The oldest books in the library are seven works by Francois Velentijn, two of which are title “Beschryving van Amboina (1724) “, and “Omstanding Verhaal van de Geschiednisses and also “D’Amboinsche Rariteitkamer” by Georg Everhard Rumphius and “herbarium Amboinense (1741). In it is also interesting that the library has a complete collection of “National Geographic” from 1914 to the present, and a reprint of the famous “Hikayat Tanah Hiu” (Chronicles of Hiu Land) by Imam Rijali.

Visitors that come to the library are from various backgrounds and from different countries such as Holland, the United States, Australia, German and Italy. So if we want to get acquainted with Maluku, then visit Rumphius Library. It opens from 09:00 am to 12:00 noon.

Ahmad Cholis Hamzah is an (Alumni of Airlangga University and University of London, and a lecturer of STIE PERBANAS- Banking College Surabaya).

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