PADANG, KOMPAS.com - The West Sumatra Archive and Library Agency stores 40 ancient manuscripts of a list of registered 150, an official said.
"We are sending a team to districts and cities in West Sumatra to collect data and save the ancient documents from destruction," Chairperson of the West Sumatra Archive and Library Agency, Eka Nuzla, said here on Wednesday.
The 40 manuscripts included Minangkabau Traditional Medicines and Forecasting method, Min Makkah Ila Mesir, Risal Mau’izat Al Hasanah and Guidance for Muslims.
All the documents, Eka said, will be transformed into digital form. This activity is a continuation of last year’s program.
"Digitalization of ancient manuscripts in 2009 will be focused on those found in South Solok and South Pesisir districts," she said.
Minangkabau is known not only for its strong oral tradition but also in advanced script writing. As century years old culture, it is not surprising that Minangkabau has left cultural artifacts such as ancient manuscripts, Eka said.
The documents may contain lots of thoughts, knowledge, literature, medical treatment, and record on people’s behavior and attitudes. Eka stated that nowadays many manuscripts, both still readable and in broken form, are still being kept by residents in West Sumatra with various condition from readable one to the very broken scripts.
"Some people kept the documents in shacks or move them to other cities, sold or in some cases even destroyed them," she added.
