Groot-Atjeh (Great Atjeh) is the central region of Atjeh (Aceh), comprising the north-western part of the realm through which the middle and lower courses of the Atjeh River flow. It is defined geographically by the river valley and administratively by the three sagi (bondgenootschappen) that encompassed the territory where the sultan of Atjeh exercised direct authority: the XXV Moekims, the XXII Moekims, and the XXVI Moekims.
Geographical and administrative structure
By Groot-Atjeh is understood the territory around Koeta Radja—the capital—where the sultan’s authority was exercised directly. The region is distinct from the Onderhoorigheden (dependencies)—the much larger coastal landscapes along the east, north, and west coasts, which were considered dependent on Groot-Atjeh to a certain extent but were often treated politically as less significant.
The actual rulers of the land were the oelèëbalangs (territorial chiefs), who governed over several moekims (districts). These chiefs formed three sagi, designated by the number of moekims from which they originally consisted: XXV Moekims (led by Sri Tjeet Abas), XXII Moekims (led by Panglima Polim), and XXVI Moekims (led by Toekoe Nja Bantah, who shared authority with Toekoe Tjoet Lamreng).
Political history
The political history of Groot-Atjeh during the Aceh War (1873–1903) is dominated by the interaction between Dutch military-administrative efforts and the resistance organised from the XXII Moekims under the successive Polim family line. Although the power of the sultan was weak both in Groot-Atjeh and in the Onderhoorigheden, the authority of the panglimas—particularly Panglima Polim—was substantial. Polim made his territory a gathering place for all who wished to continue the war, and his influence radiated over all the landscapes of Groot-Atjeh.
Dutch attempts to control the region—including the establishment of the Concentrated Line around Koeta Radja in 1886, the negotiations under Generaal Van Teyn, and the alliance attempts under Deykerhoff—all failed to subdue the XXII Moekims until the active campaign led by Van Heutsz and guided by Dr. C. Snouck Hurgronje finally broke the resistance, culminating in Polim’s submission in 1903.
Following the submission, the Dutch established direct administrative control through civil authorities, laying the foundation for the modern administrative structure of Aceh.
Account from Atjeh als land voor handel en bedrijf (1925)
Groot-Atjeh was sultanate core, afdeeling including subdepartments Koeta Radja Seulimeum and Lho Nga, rice land valley.
Description per Broersma
Who from south entering Groot-Atjeh must either west side ship or east side Atjeh-tram or over sea travel Road has over long distance between Padang Tidji and Seulimeum gap poor area where population not capable produce funds labour road construction such importance so gap only disappears when government can bear hardening costs Upwards to watershed then descending to Seulimeum lies tram mountain landscape without life without beauty North of valley where river Groot-Atjeh meanders mountainland poor vegetation population Middle rises Seulawaih Agam Goldmount part comfortless area is broad separation between bloomy farmland valley Groot-Atjeh which with north northwest coast best part department. No wonder valley most roads direction Indrapoeri and Seulimeum but parallel north coast Road Koeta-Radja to Lho Nga already extended along west coast to Seudoe and undoubtedly one once further build as interior west needs road along coast.
Old rice land Groot-Atjeh region now subdepartments Seulimeum is sagi 22 moekims Moekim originally church association gampongs church head imeum gradually character changed name kept even name sagi side meaning originated when imagined Groot-Atjeh triangle and spoke three sagi What want know explanation found in work Snouck Hurgronje elsewhere Each sagi sagi-head under him oeleebalangs under these imeums 25 and 26 moekims form now subdept Lho Nga. In 22 moekims population earlier used living water irrigation sawahs besides many rain-dependent rice fields Government worked expanding sawah surface still necessary irrigation Atjeh-valley expand Expansion e.g., at Indrapoeri completely finished not. Large valley as padistreek designating not same as population appreciate diligent skilled padi cultivation Unfortunately far removed It’s again ground processing where terribly shortcoming Use seed padi harvest processing leave desired Also Groot-Atjeh must not in each cultivator rice field owner see Most own no grounds but cultivate for owner against part yield as wage Is field sawah somewhat expect success gets worker 2/3 yield Is field rain risk bigger then 4/5 sometimes his share Gets for cultivation buffalo loan then share again bit less. Population whole department 106k approx and not overgreat part padi cultivation Even those no own fields neither sawah nor tegal lay few ladang although in hill area yes Trade fishery other businesses must many necessary incomes provide further those who went out above Lho Seumawe and Pidie plant pepper Of them largest part returned when low market disease work without advantage expect upon entering improvement temporary emigration resumed. Measures strengthening volkswelvaart in Groot-Atjeh not superfluous taken agricultural school opened Oelèë Kareung not far Koeta Radja but actually exists no more because grown small farm dairy chicken breeding vegetable cultivation How may accord lust young Atjehers money earning learn practice is transformation agricultural school not cheer. Koeta Radja shelters many education institutions volksschooltjes etc etc.
Great importance Atjehsch internaat 1922 etc. Separation sufferers island Poh Ama 50 sufferers earlier housed beasts time nice abattoir built where not allowed slaughter as only must serve appearance orderly neat bestuur. Frequent insanity etc.
Groot-Atjeh in the eye survey of 1937
Dr. C. E. Gomperts’s eye survey of 1937 gives an unusually precise administrative and demographic description of the afdeeling at the end of the colonial period.
Administrative division
The afdeeling Groot-Atjeh, forming part of the Residentie Atjeh en Onderhoorigheden, had two onderafdeelingen — Seulimeum and Koetaradja — “welke onderafdeelingen tot het bestuursgebied van twee controleurs behooren.” The sketch-map accompanying the report shows the afdeeling bounded by the Straat van Malaka to the north, the Indische Oceaan to the west, and the Ooster Afdeeling and Zuidelijke Afdeeling van Atjeh to the south-east and south.
Gomperts divided the surveyed territory into kuststreken and valleistreken — coastal and valley districts — a distinction that proved central to his findings, xerophthalmia being markedly less frequent on the coast.
Population
“Groot-Atjeh wordt, met uitzondering van Koetaradja, Lho-Nga, Oelee-Lheuë en Seulimeum, uitsluitend door Atjehers bevolkt” — Groot-Atjeh is, with the exception of those four places, populated exclusively by Atjehnese; and in those four the admixture with other indigenous races, such as Malays and Padangers, was very slight.
The estimated population of the surveyed area for 1937, derived from the Volkstelling 1930 with an annual increase of 1½ per cent, was 51,122: in the onderafdeeling Koetaradja 8,369 men, 8,882 women and 7,085 children; in Seulimeum 8,580 men, 9,748 women and 8,458 children. In the surveyed area the immigration factor played no role, “doordat er geen cultures van eenige beteekenis zijn èn doordat de trek van de Atjehsche bevolking van bedoeld ressort naar andere streken zeer gering is,” so that increase was determined virtually exclusively by the birth surplus.
The Volkstelling 1930 supposed that in the onderafdeelingen Lho-Nga and Seulimeum a slight natality had long existed, connected with a slight fertility of the women through factors not certainly known — avitaminosis was suggested — and with great child mortality.
Agriculture
Groot-Atjeh had no artificial irrigation of its sawah fields and depended on rainfall, except in VI Moekims Lhong and Moekim Lam-Teuba, where irrigation came from mountain streams that supplied water even in the dry season; in Lam-Teuba planting and harvest took place twice a year, in the rest of Groot-Atjeh only once. 1936 and 1937 were marked by long-continued drought, and in V Moekims Montassie a walangsangit plague brought an almost complete crop failure.
Eye disease
The findings of the survey are set out at Xerophthalmie, Keratomalacie, Blindheid in Groot-Atjeh, Pterygium and Trachoma in Groot-Atjeh.
See Also
- XXII Moekims
- XXV Moekims
- XXVI Moekims
- Koeta Radja
- Panglima Polim
- Sagi
- Moekim
- Onderhoorigheden
- Aceh War
- Pidië Expedition
- Seulimeum
- Lho Nga
- Seulawaih Agam
- Atjeh Tram
- Oriënteerend oogheelkundig onderzoek bij de Atjehsche bevolking van Groot-Atjeh gedurende 1937
- C. E. Gomperts
- Oogheelkundig kampongonderzoek in Groot-Atjeh (Maart-December 1937)
- Xerophthalmie
- Blindheid in Groot-Atjeh
- Volkstelling 1930
Account from Land en Volk van Atjeh Vroeger en Nu
Region around Koetaradja; one of the first areas where Dutch authority was established and where early erfpachtperceelen (leaseholds) for coconut cultivation were issued to Europeans and Chinese at the beginning of the 20th century.Afdeeling (administrative division) of Greater Aceh around Koeta Radja. First site of European coconut estates and earliest oil interests; forests already heavily depleted; alang grass plains where forest should stand.
Source: J. Jongejans, Land en Volk van Atjeh Vroeger en Nu (Baarn: Hollandia Drukkerij N.V., c. 1938), pp. 26, 38, 39, 41, 156, 188, 190, 194.
Source
Het einde van den Atjeh Oorlog (Overprintken uit de Evening Post van 25, 26 en 27 Augustus 1903, pp. 3-6, 10-16); Somer, Dr. J. M. Het Atjeh-probleem van 1890-1900 (Overprint uit Journal / Organ van de Netherlands-Indies Officers Association, [1935], pp. 4-7); Damste, H. T. “Atjeh-historie,” Koloniaal Tijdschrift 1916. Atjeh als land voor handel en bedrijf, by Dr. R. Broersma, Gebrs. Cohen, Utrecht, 1925, pp. 85-101.
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. 26, 38, 39, 41, 156, 188, 190, 194.
Oriënteerend oogheelkundig onderzoek bij de Atjehsche bevolking van Groot-Atjeh gedurende 1937 (“Orienting Ophthalmological Survey among the Atjehnese Population of Groot-Atjeh during 1937”), by Dr. C. E. Gomperts, offprint from the Geneeskundig Tijdschrift voor Nederlandsch-Indië, Afl. 19, Deel 80 (1940), pp. 1191-1238 (Batavia-Centrum: G. Kolff & Co.). Received by the editors 25 October 1939. Offprint DLP-157, Bibliotheek KITLV.