ponten (rakits) (English: “ferries (rafts)”) is a term or concept described in Jongejan’s Land en Volk van Atjeh Vroeger en Nu in relation to Aceh. Pontoon ferries/rafts used on the Westkust road.
Translation
ferries (rafts)
Description
Pontoon ferries/rafts used on the Westkust road. In dry season with low water, the chauffeur must skillfully maneuver from the high banks onto the ferry. In rainy season, the fast-flowing rivers and dead wood make crossing difficult. Being replaced by iron bridges.
Significance
The term ponten (rakits) is recorded by Jongejan as part of the cultural, administrative, or institutional vocabulary of Aceh.
See Also
Source
Land en Volk van Atjeh Vroeger en Nu, by J. Jongejans, Oud-Resident van het Gewest Atjeh en Onderhoorigheden, with a foreword by Dr. H. Colijn (Baarn: Hollandia Drukkerij N.V., c. 1938), pp. 49, 50.