Culture Tradisional House Aceh
Aceh is an Indonesian province located on the northern tip of Sumatra Island. The province of Aceh is often attached to the title of the Special Territory because in its government, the state has guaranteed its specificity in regulating its own laws, especially those relating to Islamic sharia law. Aceh is closely related to Islamic culture. History has noted that Aceh is an entry point for the spread of Islam in Indonesia in the past. This is why the culture of Aceh can not be separated from the mix of Malay culture as the culture of the original population, and the Islamic culture. One of the evidences that we can see from the acculturation of these two cultures is the traditional house of Aceh.
In this opportunity, I will review the information about Aceh traditional house, from history, architectural style, image, structure, and philosophical values contained in it. For those of you who want to know how unique custom house of Aceh please refer to the following discussion:
Building Structure Traditional House of Aceh
House with a stage structure with a pole height of 2.5 to 3 meters from the ground. The whole house is made of wood, except for the roof made of rumbia leaves or woven leaves, and the floors are made of bamboo or wooden planks. Because it has a stage structure, in this traditional house of Aceh we can find the space below. This space is usually used as a warehouse for food storage, as well as a place for women to perform activities, such as weaving activities typical Aceh.
To enter the house, we need to climb the stairs at the front of the house. The stairs usually have an odd number of stairs. As after climbing to the top, we will find a lot of paintings that stick on the walls of the house as decoration. The number of paintings on the outside wall of the house can be a symbol of the economic level of the owner.
Function of Traditional House
In addition to having a function as a cultural identity, it also has a practical function that is as a home for the people of Aceh.
- To support its practical function, the traditional house of Aceh is divided into several rooms with their respective uses, namely:
Front Room or commonly called seuramoë keuë.
This room serves as a relax room and a resting place for the whole family. This room is also used as a place to receive guests. - Central Room or commonly called seuramoë teungoh.
This room is the core space of an Acehnese traditional house (inong room) and marked with a higher floor from the front room. Because it includes the core space, then this room includes very private. Guests who come will never be allowed to enter it. The function of the rooms contained in the living room, among others, as a family head bed, children's room, the room of the bridal room, as well as a bath room when a dead family member. - Space Back or commonly referred to as seurameo likot.
This room is a room that serves as a place to eat, kitchen, and a place to chat for fellow family members. The floor of this room is usually lower than the floor of the middle room. Just like the front room, the back room also has no rooms
Typical Characteristics and Philosophical Values
There are several characteristics that distinguish the traditional house of aceh with other indigenous Indonesian houses. Characteristic of the traditional house of Aceh are: Having a water tank on the front for a place to clean their feet that will enter the house. This feature has a philosophy that every guest who comes should have good intentions. The structure of the house on stilts has the function of protecting family members from the attack of wild animals. Having a ladder with an odd number of stairs, is a symbol of the religious nature of the Acehnese tribe. Made from natural ingredients; is a symbol that the people of Aceh tribe have close to nature. It has lots of carvings and paintings on the walls of the house; indicating the people of Aceh is a society that loves beauty. It is rectangular and stretched from west to east; indicating the people of Aceh is a religious society.
Well, that's my fleeting explanation of Aceh's traditional house with its drawings, history, philosophy, and explanations. Hopefully it can be a reference for us to get to know the culture of Acehnese people.
Aceh is overwhelming Islamic population and it’s stature as a center for Islamic learning led to its nickname, the Veranda of Mecca.