Artikel ini membahas peran sungai dalam perdagangan ulu ilir di Keresidenan Jambi 1906-1930. Jambi sudah dikenal sebagai penghasil komoditi ekspor seperti lada dan emas sejak abad ke-17 dan berkembang menjadi pengasil komoditi karet, rotan dan kopra sejak akhir abad ke-19. Sungai Batanghari dan anak-anak sungainya berperan penting sebagai jalur distribusi komoditi dari pedalaman (ulu) ke titik perdagangan di pesisir (ilir) Jambi. Studi-studi sebelumnya oleh Elsbeth Locher-Scholten dan Barbara Watson Andaya kurang membahas peranan sungai, padahal komoditi dagang dari pedalaman (ulu) didatangkan ke pelabuhan (ilir) melalui sungai. Adapun kajian mengenai persungaian yang ditulis Gusti Asnan membahas sungai secara keseluruhan di Sumatra. Perdagangan ulu ilir melalui Sungai Batanghari dan anak-anak sungainya berdampak pada perkembangan sosial ekonomi masyarakat dan pemerintah kolonial di wilayah tersebut. Kelompok masyarakat Tionghoa dan middle man memanfaatkan sungai sebagai jalur perdagangan di Keresidenan Jambi. Walaupun tantangan utamanya adalah arus dan aliran sungai di Jambi yang sebagian sulit untuk dilalui kapal besar. Studi ini merupakan hasil penelitian sejarah yang bersumber pada laporan pemerintahan kolonial, jurnal sejaman, koran sejaman, laporan perjalanan sejaman dan karya ilmiah terkait.
This article discusses the role of rivers in the ulu ilir trade in the Residency of Jambi from 1906 to 1930. Jambi has been known as a producer of export commodities such as pepper and gold since the 17th century and has grown to become a producer of rubber, rattan and copra commodities since the late 19th century. Batanghari River and its tributaries play an important role as commodity distribution channel from inland (ulu) to the point of trade in coastal (ilir) Jambi. Previous studies by Elsbeth Locher-Scholten and Barbara Watson Andaya less address the role of the river, whereas the commodity trade from the hinterland (ulu) brought to the port (ilir) through the river. Another study of river by Gusti Asnan, discusses the rivers in Sumatra. Ulu ilir trade through the Batanghari River and its branches has an impact on the socio-economic development of communities and the colonial polity in the region. The Chinese and the ‘middle man’, use the river as a trade route in the Residency of Jambi, although the main challenge is the river in Jambi, which is difficult to pass by large ships. This study is the result of historical research, sourced from colonial government reports, notes, newspapers, and travel reports of the period, as well as related scientific papers.
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