Aceh: History, Politics and Culture

9. Acehnese Culture(s): Plurality and Homogeneity

9 aCehnese Culture(s) Plurality and homogeneity1 Susanne Schröter IntroduCtIon Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam is a multicultural province within a multicultural state. Hence, its political leaders not only face the need to integrate ethnic and cultural diversity into a regional framework, but also have to define Aceh’s role within the Indonesian nation. During its violent past, which was characterized by exploitation and military oppression, there were good reasons to emphasize sameness over diversity and to build up the consciousness of a unified Acehnese identity. From both an emic and an etic perspective, it is today widely accepted that there is such a thing as a homogeneous Acehnese culture which is rooted in a glorious, though troublesome, history of repression and rebellion and shaped by a strong Islamic piety.2 Even if it is true that Acehnese history has created a strong regional identity, it must not be forgotten that people living in this area belong to various ethnic and cultural groups, and that they represent a rich variety of different cultures rather than simply a single, homogeneous culture. As a matter of fact, the practices and discourses of Islam have also vary depending on the cultural background of the people. As elsewhere in Indonesia and beyond, world religions have to adapt to local customs, have to be appropriated by the local people, and have to be indigenized. This is the reason why adat still continues to play a role in every local context, even if it has been treated with suspicion in many parts of Indonesia since the Dutch colonial administration began using it as a counterforce against Islam in order to implement their divide-and-rule strategy. 158 Susanne Schröter With this chapter, I wish to shed some light on the complexities of Acehnese culture, as it encompasses numerous very distinct local cultures and this reflects on the general significance of culture for the construction and reconstruction of post-tsunami Aceh. Writing on Acehnese cultures is not easy due to a lack of reliable written sources for the post-colonial era. Colonial Aceh, however, is quite well documented. Until the middle of the twentieth century, Aceh’s cultural landscape was described in detail by travellers who put their experiences to paper and by members of the colonial administration who wrote on indigenous cultures and languages;3 most notable among these are the brilliant ethnographies written by Snouck Hurgronje.4 Thus, there is quite an excellent stock of colonial anthropology. More recent or contemporary empirical data, however, is rare. This is partly due to the war between the separatists and the Indonesian military that has been ongoing for the last thirty years and the very limited number of research permits that have been granted to foreigners. The difficult political situation and the high risk has discouraged all but a few anthropologists to conduct fieldwork. Therefore, it is not surprising that the culture of the people of Aceh receives no mention, even in volumes on North Sumatra.5 On the other hand, ethnographic reports are available for the Gayo of Central Aceh, the Alas of the Alas Valley, and the so-called Acehnese, who consider themselves the original inhabitants of the area. MultICultural aCeh Aceh was first mentioned in Chinese annals dating from the Liang Dynasty in the sixth century AD. These refer to a Buddhist polity named Po-Ii, which existed in North Sumatra. Hinduism arrived in the seventh and eighth centuries, followed by Islam one hundred years later. Marco Polo, who reached Sumatra in 1292, chronicled a state named Peureulak (now Perlak), which he described as inhabited by Muslims. The Portuguese called the region, which they entered in the sixteenth century, Achem and the Dutch changed it to Achin. Both peaceful and bellicose cultural contacts have left their marks on the population, whose physical features bear lasting testimony to the intercourse that has taken place between Europeans, Indians and Arabians. Acehnese are proud of their mixed cultural heritage, and people still pass on their awareness of their foreign descent to their offspring. Because of its position in international trade and because of its being the source of valuable agricultural products, such as pepper, the region has for centuries been a destination for temporary or permanent migration, and it continues to attract migrants to this day. Apart from the previously Acehnese Culture(s) 159 mentioned settlers from South and East Asia, and from India and Europe...