All About Bukittinggi
Bukittinggi (Indonesian for “high hill”) is one of the larger cities in West Sumatra, Indonesia, with a population of over 91,000 people and an area of 25.24 km². It is situated in the Minangkabau highlands, 90 km by road from the West Sumatran capital city of Padang. It is located at 0°18′20″S 100°22′9″E / 0.30556°S 100.36917°E / -0.30556; 100.36917, near the volcanoes Mount Singgalang (inactive) and Mount Marapi (still active). At 930 m above sea level, the city has a cool climate with temperatures between 16.1°-24.9°C
Bukittinggi cool weather, the friendly society that is one of the characteristics of this city. Bukittinggi is one of the city in western sumatera which has many tourist attractions of jam gadang indah. Begin from which is always a lot of the visit by the tourist down to the outposts is scenic areas in the form ofa green nature and the canyons that stretched across the Sianok canyons.
Beside that there are many historic building in the city. Including the fortrees Fort De Cock who is arelic of colonial Dutsch, Japanese hole in the form of a beautiful tunnel under the city Bukittinggi which is a relic of colonial Japanese.
Fort de Kock in 1826
The city has its origins in five villages which served as the basis for a marketplace
The city was known as Fort de Kock during colonial times in reference to the Dutch outpost established here in 1825 during the Padri War. The fort was founded by Captain Bauer at the top of Jirek hill and later named after the then Lieutenant Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies, Hendrik Merkus de Kock.[2] The first road connecting the region with the west coast was built between 1833 and 1841 via the Anai Gorge, easing troop movements, cutting the costs of transportation and providing an economic stimulus for the agricultural economy.[3] In 1856 a teacher-training college (Kweekschool) was founded in the city, the first in Sumatra, as part of a policy to provide educational opportunities to the indigenous population.[4] A rail
The city has its origins in five villages which served as the basis for a marketplace.[1]
The city was known as Fort de Kock during colonial times in reference to the Dutch outpost established here in 1825 during the Padri War. The fort was founded by Captain Bauer at the top of Jirek hill and later named after the then Lieutenant Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies, Hendrik Merkus de Kock.[2] The first road connecting the region with the west coast was built between 1833 and 1841 via the Anai Gorge, easing troop movements, cutting the costs of transportation and providing an economic stimulus for the agricultural economy.[3] In 1856 a teacher-training college (Kweekschool) was founded in the city, the first in Sumatra, as part of a policy to provide educational opportunities to the indigenous population.[4] A rail line connecting the city with Payakumbuh and Padang was constructed between 1891 and 1894.[5]
During the Japanese occupation of Indonesia in World War II, the city was the headquarters for the Japanese 25th Army, the force which occupied Sumatra. The headquarters was moved to the city in April 1943 from Singapore, and remained until the Japanese surrender in August 1945.[6]
Mount Singgalang
Singgalang is a volcano in West Sumatra, Indonesia. Its elevation is 2,877 m (9,439 ft). It is a twin volcano with Mount Tandikat, which is located to the south-south-west of Singgalang. However, only Tandikat has had historical volcanic activity. The cities of Bukittinggi and Padang Panjang are located adjacent to the mountain
Mount Marapi
Marapi (also known as Merapi or Berapi) is a complex volcano in West Sumatra, Indonesia. Its name means Mountain of Fire, and it is the most active volcano in Sumatra. Its elevation is 2,891.3 metres (9,485.9 ft). A number of cities and towns are situated around the mountain, including Bukittinggi, Padang Panjang and Batusangkar.
According to legend, the mountain is the site first settled by the Minangkabau people after their ship landed on the mountain when it was the size of an egg and surrounded by water.[2] There are large numbers of upright burial stones in the region which are oriented in the direction of the mountain, indicating it’s cultural significance
Mosque in central Bukittinggi
During the Indonesian National Revolution, the city was the headquarters for the Emergency Government of the Republic of Indonesia (PDRI) from December 19, 1948 to July 13, 1949. During the second ‘Police Action’ Dutch forces invaded and occupied the city on December 22, 1948, having earlier bombed it in preparation. The city was surrendered to Republican officials in December 1949 after the Dutch government recognized Indonesian sovereignty.[7]
The city was officially renamed Bukittinggi in 1949, replacing its colonial name. From 1950 until 1957, Bukittinggi was the capital city of a province called Central Sumatra, which encompassed West Sumatra, Riau and Jambi. In February 1958, during a revolt in Sumatra against the Indonesian government, rebels proclaimed the Revolutionary Government of the Republic of Indonesia (PRRI) in Bukittinggi. The Indonesian government had recaptured the town by May the same year.
A group of Muslim men had planned to bomb a cafe in the city frequented by foreign tourists in October 2007, but the plot was aborted due to the risk of killing Muslim individuals in the vicinity.[8] Since 2008 the city administration has banned Valentine’s Day and New Year’s celebrations as they consider them not in line with Minangkabau traditions or Islam, and can lead to “immoral acts” such as young couples hugging and kissing.[9]
Administration
Bukittinggi is divided in 3 subdistricts (kecamatan), which are further divided into 5 villages (nagari) and 24 kelurahan. The subdistricts are:
Guguk Panjang, Mandiangin Koto Selayan, and Aur Birugo Tigo Baleh.
Transportation
Bukittinggi is connected to Padang by road, though a dysfunctional railway line also exists. For inner-city transport, Bukittinggi employs a public transportation system known as Mersi (Merapi Singgalang) and IKABE that connect locations within the city. The city also still preserves the traditional horse-cart widely known in the area as Bendi, although the use is limited and more popular to be used as vehicle for tourist, both domestic and foreign.
Tourism
It is a city popular with tourists due to the climate and central location. Attractions within the city include:
Sianok Canyon
- Ngarai Sianok (Sianok Canyon)
- Lobang Jepang (Japanese Caves) – a network of underground bunkers & tunnels built by the Japanese during World War II
- Jam Gadang – a large clock tower built by the Dutch in 1926.
- Pasar Atas and Pasar Bawah – traditional markets in downtown.
- Taman Bundo Kanduang park. The park includes a replica Rumah Gadang (literally: big house, with the distinctive Minangkabau roof architecture) used as a museum of Minangkabau culture, and a zoo. The Dutch hilltop outpost Fort de Kock is connected to the zoo by the Limpapeh pedestrian overpass.
- Museum Rumah Kelahiran Bung Hatta (Museum of Bung Hatta Birthplace) – the house where Indonesian founding father Mohammad Hatta was born, now a museum. [10]
Notable nearby destinations include Lake Maninjau and the Harau Valley.
The Minangkabau ethnic group
In Bukittinggi we know the Minangkabau ethnic group (also known as Minang or Padang) is indigenous to the highlands of West Sumatra, in Indonesia. Their culture is matrilineal, with property and land passing down from mother to daughter, while religious and political affairs are the province of men (although some women also play important roles in these areas). Today 4 million Minangs live in West Sumatra, while about 3 million more are scattered throughout many Indonesian and Malay peninsula cities and towns.
The Minangkabau are strongly Islamic, but also follow their ethnic traditions, or adat. The Minangkabau adat was derived from animist beliefs before the arrival of Islam, and remnants of animist beliefs still exist even among some practicing Muslims. The present relationship between Islam and adat is described in the saying “tradition [adat] founded upon Islamic law, Islamic law founded upon the Qur’an” (adat basandi syara’, syara’ basandi Kitabullah).
Rumah Gadang
Rumah gadang in the Pandai Sikek village of West Sumatra, with two rice barns (rangkiang) in front
Rumah gadang (Minangkabau: “big house”) – or more correctly called by Minangkabau people rumah bagonjong (Minangkabau: “house with horn-like roof”) – are the traditional homes (Indonesian: “rumah adat” ) of the Minangkabau. The architecture, construction, internal and external decoration, and the functions of the house reflect the culture and values of the Minangkabau. A rumah gadang serves as a residence, a hall for family meetings, and for ceremonial activities. With the Minangkabau society being matrilineal, the rumah gadang is owned by the women of the family who live there – ownership is passed from mother to daughter.
The houses have dramatic curved roof structure with multi-tiered, upswept gables. Shuttered windows are built into walls incised with profuse painted floral carvings. The term rumah gadang usually refers to the larger communal homes, however, smaller single residences share many of its architectural elements.[1]
Islam in Bukittinggi
Islam is the dominant religion in Indonesia, which also has the largest Muslim population than any other country in the world, with approximately 202.9 million identified as Muslim (88.2% of the total population) as of 2009.[1] Majority adhere to the Sunni Muslim tradition mainly of the Shafi`i madhab, although some follow other branches of Islam such as Sufi, Shia or Ahmadiyya. Shia number around 1 million.[2] In general, the Muslim community can be categorized in terms of two orientations: “modernists,” who closely adhere to orthodox theology while embracing modern learning; and “traditionalists,” who tend to follow the interpretations of local religious leaders (predominantly in Java) and religious teachers at Islamic boarding schools.
Guided Democracy
Guided Democracy (Indonesian: Demokrasi Terpimpin ) was the political system in place in Indonesia from 1957 until the New Order began in 1966. It was the brainchild of President Sukarno, and was an attempt to bring about political stability. Instead, he sought a system based on the traditional village system of discussion and consensus, which occurred under the guidance of village elders.
Sukarno proposed a threefold blend of nasionalisme (‘nationalism’), agama (‘religion’), and komunisme (‘communism’) into a co-operative ‘Nas-A-Kom‘ government. This was intended to appease the three main factions in Indonesian politics — the army, Islamic groups, and the communists. With the support of the military, he proclaimed in February 1957, ‘Guided Democracy’, and proposed a cabinet representing all political parties of importance (including the PKI). Western-style parliamentary democracy was thus finished in Indonesia until the 1999 elections of the Reformasi era.
Thank You