Cross-Cultural Encounters as Reflected in the Rock Art of Southeast Asia and Northern Australia

Paul S.C. Tacon

Recent research in Malaysia, Thailand and elsewhere across Southeast Asia on a vast array of rock art depictions that reflect cross-cultural encounters between many different groups of people is explored. This includes rock art imagery that depicts contact between the Semang, Malay and British people in peninsular Malaysia; rock drawings at Gua Sireh, Sarawak, Malaysia related to conflict between Malays and Bidayuh indigenous people; rock art sites with boat imagery related to a range of ethnic groups in Thailand; a helicopter and other contact images at a Philippines rock art site; and a painting of a steamship in Laos. Southeast Asian subject matter painted at rock art sites in northern Australia, including depictions of Macassan perahus, watercraft from other areas and various introduced objects is also discussed. Common themes in Southeast Asian and north Australian contact rock art include a fascination with new modes of transport, especially watercraft, and depicting Europeans with hands on hips. It is concluded that the making of rock art depictions related to contact with outsiders helped indigenous peoples not only memorialise and teach about new experiences but also gave them some control over change brought about by contact.