Sigli

Sigli was the hoofdplaats of the onderafdeeling of the same name in the Afdeeling Noordkust van Atjeh — the town on the coast of the Pedir plain that served, together with Lhoʼ Seumawè, as one of the two principal export havens of the densely populated north coast of Atjeh en Onderhoorigheden. De Buitenbezittingen places Sigli among the four “polen van het dichtstbevolkte deel van geheel Atjeh,” whose trade in inlandsche producten — chiefly rijst, klappers, and peper — was already, by 1917, drawing level with the artificial primacy of Koeta Radja.

The Pedir plain

The geography of Sigli is that of the Pedir vlakte — the great alluvial plain, watered by the small Noordkust riviertjes that descend from the woudlooze hoogland to the south-west, which gave the onderafdeeling its density of population. The Pidië-vlakte alone covers about 270 km², of which five-eighths is sawah. De Buitenbezittingen notes that the inhabitants of the area, “evenals in Groot-Atjeh,” preserve the keutjhïʼ (gampong-head) and teungkoe system of village government with the meuseugit as Friday-prayer centre — the only one of the Onderhoorigheden in which the Groot-Atjehsche institutional pattern survived “vrijwel ongeschonden.”

Administrative division

The onderafdeeling Sigli, whose bestuursindeeling is given in the source, comprised twenty-three landschappen, of which the most considerable were the XII Moekims of Pidië (with the moekims of Kale and Laweuëng), the V Moekims of Reubèë, the VI Moekims of Ndjèëng, the VIII Moekims of Sama Indra, the III Moekims of Keumala (joined with Keumala Raja to form the II Moekims Keumala), the IX Moekims of Keumangan, and Geumpang with Lamjeuë. The landgraafschap of Keumala Dalam, formerly associated with the Kawaj XII of the upper Wojla-dal, was by Dutch organisation joined with Keumala Raja and assigned to Sigli; Geumpang with Lamjeuë was transferred to the onderafdeeling Meulabôh. The hoofdplaats itself was withdrawn from the landschapsbestuur and placed under rechtstreeks bestuurd gebied by G. B. 5 July 1911 No. 11.

Account from De Buitenbezittingen (1917) — Sigli and the Tramway

Sigli also served as the central junction of the second Atjeh tramway in the Dependencies. According to the Encyclopaedisch Bureau: “from 1899 onward, [the Gouvernement] was already proceeding to the construction of a second tramway, in the Onderhoorigheden, where between 1899–1906 the line was successively completed from Sigli to the harbour of Langsa, to which between 1910–1912 the Langsa–Koeala Simpang section was added, while already in 1899 from Sigli a lijntje was built westward over Padang Tidji to Keude Breue.”

The two lines meeting at Sigli — the eastward line to Langsa and the westward branch to Keude Breue — formed a T-shaped junction that, after the 1904–1908 completion of the berglijntje to Seulimeum, became the principal intersection of the Atjeh-tram network. This made Sigli the strategic key to the entire system: the only point at which the Dependencies tramway connected with the old tramway of Great Atjeh and thence to Kota Radja.

Trade, shipping, and the tram

The Atjeh-tram, which had reached Sigli by the early years of the century, made the town the workshop-centre of the northern line: De Buitenbezittingen records that “de groote ateliers der Atjeh-tram te Sigli, waar ± 270 Inlanders en Chineezen geregeld werkzaam zijn, verrichten wegens het ontbreken van andere reparatie-inrichtingen, veel werk voor particulieren” and provided vak-onderricht to Atjehsche apprentices. The haven received 189 steamers (303,000 M³) in 1913, 168 (315,000) in 1914 and 153 (369,000) in 1915; the in- and uitvoerrechten rose from ƒ47,000/ƒ16,000 in 1910 to ƒ83,000/ƒ32,000 in 1914, the steadiest growth of any Noordkust haven. The K.P.M. called at Sigli on the Java–Padang–Atjeh route and on the Penang–Atjeh contract.

Account from Atjèh and the War with Japan (1949) — Sigli

Sigli is the subdistrict headquarters-town and subdistrict of the Noordkust of Atjèh, the heart of the former district of Pidië and the bulwark of oelèëbalang authority, whose nearly 135,000 inhabitants at the 1930 census made it “the most populous of all Aceh,” and whose endless sawah plains, “for a long time before the establishment of Dutch authority excellently irrigated,” caused it to be called “the rice barn of Aceh.” Piekaar’s Atjèh and the War with Japan treats Sigli as both the political centre of the oelèëbalang party and the daily administrative seat of the Poesa, and analyses why, despite the strength of the religious movement there, no large-scale revolt broke out in Sigli until the night of 12–13 March 1942, when the assistant-resident was murdered and the town partially plundered.

The bulwark of the oelèëbalang

“Sigli, the heart of the former district of Pidie, was the bulwark of the oelèëbalang authority. Nowhere were the oelèëbalangs more powerful, both politically and economically, than in the rich Pidië.” The subdistrict alone “counted no less than 14 lands, of which only four with a population of more than 10,000, namely the IX Moekims Keumangan (25,000), the XII Moekims Pidië (25,000), Ndjóng (15,000) and Sama’indra (10,500).” The old historical political alliances, “grouped around the oelèëbalangs of the XII Moekims Pidië and Ndjóng (federation XII) on the one hand and those of Keumangan (federation VI) on the other,” constantly intersected. Of the old guard of oelèëbalangs, three heads were still in office — the vigorous Teukoe Béntara Paleuëh Moehamad Din of the III Moekims Gigiëng (confirmed in 1900), the pious Teukoe Béntara Pineung Brahim of the III Moekims Pineung (also confirmed in 1900), and the shrewd Teukoe Amat of the II Moekims Arèë (confirmed in 1910). Among the younger generation Piekaar singles out Teukoe La’samana Oemar of Ndjóng, Teukoe Ma’ Ali of the VI Moekims Ië Leubeuë, Teukoe Pakèh Soeleiman of the XII Moekims Pidië and Teukoe Moehamad of the IX Moekims Keumangan.

The Poesa in Sigli

The religious movement had in Sigli “always had great influence … from once the Tiró-teungkues had led the fight against the Dutch.” It was in Sigli that the daily administration of the Poesa was established; two of its foremost and most militant board members, Teungkoe Moehamad Daoed Beureu-éh and Teukoe Moehamad Amin, lived there. The annual Poesa congress, “held in Sigli in 1940, was a great success. From the most remote corners of Aceh, delegates and interested parties streamed in.” Teukoe Moehamad Amin, as chairman of the congress, addressed a major meeting at Koeta Asan, “the ruin of a … old Atjehnese fort” near the subdistrict headquarters. Against the secretary of the Poesa main board, Teukoe Moehamad Amin, an investigation was underway “following an anonymous petition attributed to him, containing complaints against the self-governing official of Pidië, Teukoe Pakèh Soeleiman.”

The night of 12–13 March 1942

Despite the strength of the religious movement, the subdistrict remained quiet until after the Japanese landing. In the night of 24–25 February 1942 a single case of sabotage to railway and telephone lines had occurred at Gloempang Minjeu’ in the landscape III Moekims Arón, after which the acting self-governing official, Teukoe Gadè, was temporarily relieved of his duties and replaced by Teukoe Moehamad Hasan of Gloempang Pajóng. On 12 March 1942 the troops withdrawing from Koetaradja passed through Sigli, “partly with destinations Tangsé and Geumpang, partly with destination Takéngón.” Sigli itself was completely evacuated by the military. That very night, the kota “was overrun by a band, which first went to the prison,” and the Assistant Resident, Mr. B. J. van den Berg, was murdered. “The 53 Europeans who had remained behind in Sigli or had become stranded in Sigli during the retreat from Koetaradja” were evacuated aboard the Sabangbaai to Sabang. On 13 March 1942 Japanese troops occupied Sigli.

Account from Atjeh by H.C. Zentgraff (1938)

Zentgraff’s Atjeh places the murder of Colonel Scheepens squarely at Sigli. Scheepens held both the division command and the civiel gezag at Sigli; he presided over a moesapat in which a kampongman had struck the son of the oeléëbalang of Titeuë, and sentenced the man to three months krakal. The oeléëbalang cried “Itoe saja tida tarima” — I do not accept this — and stabbed Scheepens with a rentjong in the zijde on 10 October 1913. The Atjehsche oppassers immediately killed the oeléëbalang with their klewangs. The famous hondenhondje — the Atjehtram — made its record ride from Koetaradja to Sigli with dokter Dubinsky, the machinist tied to his machine with a rope. Scheepens died at 5:15 AM and was buried at Peutjoet. His wife — pas moeder te worden — was the subject of Queen Wilhelmina’s “stamhouder” wish at a dinner at Court. An American tourist, Mary Ware, was at Sigli at the time and ran to the hospital bareheaded.

Atjeh, door H.C. Zentgraff. Gedrukt bij Drukkerij “De Unie”, 1938, Batavia.

Account from Verkenningen in Atjeh (1923)

Sigli is the chief place (hoofdplaats) of the onderafdeeling Sigli and of the afdeeling Pidië, situated on the north-western coast of Atjeh on the Atjeh-tram line and on the roadstead of the Kon. Paketvaart. It is the principal harbour-town of the Pidië afdeeling and the site of the central workshop of the Atjeh-tram.

The Town

‘Het is alles behalve een mooie plaats, Sigli’ — It is by no means a beautiful place, Sigli — ‘maar in vergelijking met de andere kustplaatsen is er vrij wat vertier.’ The dwelling of the assistent-resident, the sociëteit, the office of the Kon. Paketvaart stand at sea, a cheerful little bit of harbour-town, while the rest is mostly sombre. At the mouth of the river is a sand-bank; often there is surf. The ships lie on the roadstead; only of the Kon. Paketvaart come eight ships monthly. The same export-figures that were given for other harbour-places follow also for Sigli: in 1918 and 1921, pepper 1.139.344 and 1.592.857 kg; pinang-nut 5.253.276 and 3.517.945 kg; coprah 70.755 and 155.533 kg. Sigli has, like some other places, a gemeentefonds, which among other things draws income from a cinema.

The Water-Supply

With the drinking-water supply it is also here fairly badly placed. The local water is bad, and one receives daily by tram a quantity of drinking-water from Kota Radja, four hours’ journey. That water is delivered for six cents the petroleum-tin, with home delivery for ten cents. A spring-water conduit is possible, and the cost has already been reckoned at one ton. The gemeentefonds now has forty thousand guilders available for it, so that for the time being the present provision will remain.

The Atjeh-Tram Workshop

Trade in Sigli has for years been brought by the central workshop of the Atjeh-tram, an establishment that is treated in the following chapter of Verkenningen. The workshop is the principal industrial establishment of the gewest, where the 62 locomotives and 6 heavier mountain-locomotives of the tram-line come for cleaning and repair, and where the wagons are likewise serviced. The workmen are Atjehnese, and under proper supervision they do perfectly. The road-labourers and even some mandores are likewise Atjehnese. Slowly the Atjehnese come forward as conductors; as engine-drivers Javanese and Malays serve.

The Klappa Satoe Coconut Grove

Close to Sigli lies the kampong Klappa Satoe, a place with a war-memory, where formerly there really stood a single coco-palm, but where now some thousands of trees stand and are neatly maintained.

Significance

Sigli is the principal harbour-town of the Pidië afdeeling and the site of the central workshop of the Atjeh-tram. Its trade has risen relative to that of Lho’ Seumawé, which it has overtaken as the principal outlet of the Afdeeling Noordkust van Atjeh. Its bad water-supply and the daily tram-borne water-supply from Kota Radja are the type-case of the water-problem of the coastal towns of Atjeh.

Garrison and command

Swart was posted to Sigli on 22 November 1898 as captain of the 7th Battalion, then quartered there with three companies and one company in a bivouac some hours away; he was later transferred to the 12th Battalion, likewise at Sigli. It was at Sigli that he made his first call on van Heutsz, newly appointed general, who told him: “you had better see what you can do with your company; you have been a long time on Java in all those posts, so now show that you are of use in the field as well.” Van Heutsz returned barefoot to Sigli on 28 August 1898 after the taking of Tangsé.

As Governor, Swart placed his best men at Sigli: first captain G. K. Dijkstra, then W. B. J. A. Scheepens. On 25 June 1908 Swart made his first visit as Governor to the sub-division, with H. J. Schmidt acting as interpreter at the first meeting with the chiefs of Pidië, who were received “politely, courteously, but sternly.”

The Scheepens murder

On 10 October 1913 Scheepens, presiding over the Moesapat at Sigli in his capacity as Civil Authority, was stabbed in the belly by the oelèëbalang T. Béntara Titeuë and died on 17 October. Swart travelled to Sigli by special tram with the surgeon dr. Dubinsky; the officier van gezondheid at Sigli had given first aid, but surgical intervention could no longer help.

In January 1915 the murder of a Chinese occurred at Sigli.

Account from Vijftig jaren economische staatkunde in Atjeh (1923)

Sigli was the principal town of the North Coast of Atjeh and the seat of one of the first assistant-residents of the Government of Atjeh en Onderhoorigheden (from 1878), a station of the Atjeh Tram with the line’s principal workshops, and later the seat of the administration of the department Pidië (photo caption: “Bestuurskantoor van den assistent-resident van Pidië te Sigli”).

Administration and trade restrictions

At the civil formation of the end of 1878 one of the four assistant-residents was placed at Sigli, charged with the administration of the north coast. Under the resolution of 29 May 1883 Sigli belonged — with Oelèë Lheue, Samelanga, Lho Seumawè, Idi and Meulaboh — to the only harbours open for import and export. In July 1894 a licence system with an extraordinary hacil duty on the export of products was introduced at Sigli as a temporary measure: it had the consequence that the population of the Pidië region, which tract was closed for the coasting trade, no longer needed to take recourse to clandestine transport over land to Meureudoe and thence by sea to Lho Seumawè (see Taxation in Atjeh).

The Atjeh Tram

The tramway along the North Coast was built from Sigli outward: the line Sigli–Kudéé Brueuk (18 km) opened for traffic in 1899; funds for the line Sigli–Lho Seumawè were granted in the budget of 1900, its construction taken in hand from both ends because the middle part in the landscape Samalanga was politically inaccessible, and completed in April 1904 after three iron bridges had been swept away by bandjirs (floods); in 1913 the branch Beureunoen–Lam Meulō (5 km) was added. The mountainside connection over the watershed from Groot-Atjeh reached the coast net in 1908 (limited service from 15 September), whereafter the workshops of Koeta Radja were closed and those of Sigli enlarged: a stelplaats (shed) for locomotives, carriages and wagons, a foundry, extended smithy and turning-shop and magazines arose at Sigli.

Later development

A normal school for chiefs’ sons and a public European lower school were among the town’s institutions; artesian wells were bored for its drinking-water supply. Under Governor H. N. A. Swart the town received one of the new post- and telegraph-offices (with Langsa, Koeala Simpang and Sinabang), agencies of Medan houses and of the Atjehsche Handelmaatschappij; the telephone net connected it with the other government stations, and it lay on the through route described by N. van Zalinge (1922) and Governor Van Sluys — rail via Langsar, Lho Seumawè, Sigli to Koeta Radja, with a future line to Meulaboh still demanded.

Account from Atjeh als land voor handel en bedrijf (1925)

Sigli was hoofdplaats of newly formed afdeeling Pidie and port where most bustle on north coast, receiving export of whole afdeeling Noordkust van Atjeh except Samalanga using itself.

Description

Not beautiful place but compared other coastal places fairly much bustle. Dwelling assistant-resident sociëteit office Kon. Paketvaart at sea cheerful piece harbour place while rest mostly sombre. At mouth river sandbank often surf. Ships at roads only KPM monthly 8 ships. Same export figures other ports given also for Sigli: 1918 1921 Pepper 1,139,344 KG 1,592,857 KG Pinang 5,253,276 3,517,945 Copra 155,533 70,755.

Close Sigli kampong Klappa Satoe place with war memory where formerly indeed one coconut palm stood now some thousand trees neatly maintained. Sigli also gemeentefonds incomes cinema. Drinking water provision fairly deficient water locally bad receives daily with tram quantity drinking water from Koeta Radja 4 hour ride That water delivered 6 cent petroleum tin delivery home 10 cent Source water pipeline possible calculated cost ton. Gemeentefonds now 40k available so provisional provision today still remains.

Bustle Sigli brings years central workshop Atjeh-tram.

Source

De Buitenbezittingen 1904 tot 1914, Deel I, bewerkt door het Encyclopaedisch Bureau, Mededeelingen van het Bureau voor de Bestuurszaken der Buitenbezittingen, Aflevering X (Weltevreden: Landsdrukkerij, 1917), p. 69 (section “De Atjeh-tram”). De Buitenbezittingen, Deel II, Aflevering 2: Atjeh en Onderhoorigheden, bewerkt door het Encyclopaedisch Bureau, Mededeelingen van het Bureau voor de Bestuurszaken der Buitenbezittingen (Weltevreden: Landsdrukkerij, 1917), pp. 13, 25–30, 38, 63–64, 126, 213–217. Atjèh and the War with Japan, by Dr. A. J. Piekaar, translated from the Dutch original Atjèh en de oorlog met Japan (1949) (‘s-Gravenhage/Bandung: N.V. Uitgeverij W. van Hoeve; English edition), Chapter I § 3, Chapter III § 2, Chapter V § 2. Verkenningen in Atjeh, by Dr. R. Broersma (De Locomotief, October 1923), chapters XIII–XIV, ‘Het groote rijstland Pidië’ and ‘De Atjeh-tram’, pp. 94–101. Generaal Swart, Pacificator van Atjeh (“General Swart, Pacifier of Atjeh”), by M. H. du Croo, Colonel K.N.I.L. (retired), with the collaboration of H. J. Schmidt, Titular Colonel K.N.I.L. (retired), with a foreword by His Excellency Lieutenant-General K.N.I.L. (retired) G. K. Dijkstra (Maastricht: N.V. Leiter-Nypels, 1943), Chapter IV, p. 20; Chapter XII, pp. 119–121; Chapter XIV, p. 145; Chapter XV, p. 143. Vijftig jaren economische staatkunde in Atjeh, by Joh. Langhout (The Hague: N.V. Boekhandel v/h W. P. van Stockum & Zoon, 1923), pp. 40, 53, 71, 89, 107, 109, 111, 124–125, 133–138, 157, 179, 183, 185, illustration captions pp. 92, 135, 180. Atjeh als land voor handel en bedrijf, by Dr. R. Broersma, Gebrs. Cohen, Utrecht, 1925, pp. 84, 90-91.

tags	place, hoofdplaats, noordkust, achehnese, colonial, dutch, buitenbezittingen, tramway, town, harbour, pidie, paketvaart, atjeh-tram, workshop, waterleiding, aceh, garrison, aceh-war, 20th-century, coastal, port, administrative, atjeh
aliases	Siglir, Tandjong Sigli, Atjeh Sigli, haven van Sigli, the harbour of Sigli, Sigli hoofdplaats, Sigli havenplaats, Sigli Pidië, Atjeh-tram workshop Sigli, the troop command at Sigli, Siglie, Siglii, Pidië Sigli, Sigli Atjeh, Sigli port, Afdeeling Pidië hoofdplaats

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