ABSTRAKThis paper discusses strategies of appropriation of narrative heritage in literate and narrative histories on the island of Kisar. It shows that notwithstanding their sometimes literate characteristics, storytelling in competitive contexts still follows strategies that are typical for oral performances. This paper questions in how far literate and narrative historiographies can and ought to be separated from each other in Southwest Maluku. This paper has been written in the framework of the project The Orphans of the Dutch East Indies Company, funded by The Dutch Culture Centre for International Cooperation. We like to thank Gerlov van Engelenhoven, Charles Katipana, and Geert Snoeijer for the much needed discussions and reflections. Of course, we are the only ones to blame for any shortcomings in the text.
