Slavernij abolition in Gajö- and Alaslanden was the Dutch abolition of slavery in the Gajöland and Alasland in 1904, announced at two grote hoofdvergaderingen (great head-assemblies) by overste Van Daalen. Slavery was effectively ended in the gewest Atjèh en Onderhoorigheden by 1908 (K.V. 1908 kol. 117).
The two hoofdvergaderingen
At two grote hoofdvergaderingen in 1904:
- 2 June 1904 — for Gajö Loeüs, where the new stand of affairs was explained to the heads, including that all matters must go through the Këdjoeroen
- 29 June 1904 — for Alasland, where overste Van Daalen announced the submission of Alasland to Dutch authority and recognition of the two Këdjoeroen’s as supreme landshoofden
At both assemblies, Dutch authority announced that slavery would no longer be tolerated and all slaves freed.
Transitional measure: pandelingschap
Conversion to pandelingschap (debt-bondage) with registration was used as a transitional measure (K.V. 1906). This allowed a gradual transition from full slavery to a system where bonded labourers could eventually buy their freedom, rather than an abrupt emancipation that might disrupt the social order.
Sources of slaves
Most slaves in Atjèh came from Nias (eigenlijk Atjèh) and the Bataklanden (Gajö/Alas). Some Chinese slave-girls came from the Straits, and African slaves (Abeusi, from Arab. habsji) were brought from Mekka as a status symbol. Slaves could be bought, captured, or born to slave mothers.
Atjèhnese slave terminology
Atjèhnese (teumön, namiët, hamba), Gayo (temoeloe, hömbö), and Alas (hambö) words for “slave” were distinguished from pandeling (oereuëng doeë oetang) who could buy freedom. Children of slave-mothers and free fathers were called aneu’ meuïh (“children of gold”), treated as free by adat though their slave-origin was remembered. A formal peusaban (or peusabé, “gelijk-gemaakt”) ceremony made a freed slave fully equal to a free man.
Earlier abolition measures
The Stbl. 1872 N°. 114 made pandelingschap contrabande. Raffles had concluded a Nias contract in 1820 regarding slave trade. Slavery in the gewest was effectively ended by 1908.
See Also
- Gotfried Coenraad Ernst van Daalen
- Gajöland
- Alasland
- Gajö Loeüs
- Pandelingschap
- Aneu’ meuïh
- Peusaban
- 1904
- 1908
Source
Atjèh. Algemeen samenvattend overzicht van land en volk van Atjèh en onderhoorigheden, door J. Kreemer, Archivaris van het Atjèh Instituut. Tweede Deel. Leiden: N.V. Boekhandel en Drukkerij voorheen E.J. Brill, 1923.
Identifier: Delpher MMKB02B:000001798; PPN 395084288. Koninklijke Bibliotheek.