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History of Sumatra

HISTORY OF
KINGDOM OF DUTCH JAPANESE
THE ACEH
SRIWIJAYA CONQUEST WWII
SULTANATE
(500BC - (15th - 19th OCCUPATION
(11th - 20th
700AD) century) (1942 - 1945)
century)

Figure 1 Map of Sriwijaya Empire

Architecture of Sumatra

The Hindu-Buddhist architecture of the Indonesian

archipelago was found throughout western Indonesia, Java,

Bali and parts of Eastern Indonesia. It was built from natural

stone or bricks, and it was used for ritual, ceremonial,

governmental or residential purposes. It use features similar

to temples or shrines. It had complicated, soaring, tower-like

Figure 2 Ancient temple built with Hindu- structures and resting on stone-faced basement or plinth. The
Buddhist tradition
roof is always pyramidal and ornamented with the inside of
the building being stone-walled, covered by tiered roof and accessed through a narrow door-

like opening.

Chinese architecture was brought into the Indonesian

archipelago by Chinese traders during the 15th century, some

traders stayed in Indonesia and settled in coastal areas. Rules

and regulations were placed for the Chinese settlers to build

to suit their own architectural traditions and building styles.

Influence of Chinese architectural traditions on Indonesian

architecture is considered to be limited adoption of some


Figure 3 Chinese influenced building in
Bali construction techniques.

Islamic architecture arrived in the Indonesian

archipelago as early as the 8th century in Aceh. The

early stages of Islamic architecture adapted existing

vernacular and Hindu-Buddhist building traditions to

fit with the Islamic faith. Islamic architecture brought


Figure 4 Traditional Mosque

changes to how the division and use of spaces in houses

were defined. Islamic architecture later replaced ancient, vernacular architectural traditions

European architecture first came at the end of

the 15th century where Indonesia became the maritime

trade destination for traders. Europeans establish

control over the land, introducing new kind of building

tradition. During the 16th century, the architecture was


Figure 5 Fatahillah Museum located in Jakarta
influenced by Dutch architecture mainly adapted to protect commercial and military

interest. Between 17th to 18th centuries, more development occurred for expansion of
commercial interest by the Europeans. In 19th century, with incorporation of overseas territories,

more European architecture was brought in to secure colonial rule. After 1870, large-scale city

development of town and country planning occurred. The architecture during this period

showed influence of cultural exchange with local architecture.

Type of Houses of Sumatra

Batak houses

The Batak people are divided into 6 clans and they

build their traditional houses based on the type of

agriculture they pursued. Toba and Karo Batak

cultivates rice so their houses are densely grouped and

permanent. The Angkola, Mandailing and Pakpak


Figure 6 Batak Houses that still remain today
Batak practise different rice cultivation which is why

their houses are widely scattered clusters of semi-permanent dwellings.

Traditional Batak houses have rectangular floor plan, raised post and beam structure,

elevated floor as living space, and covered with large pitched roof thatched with thick layer of

sugar palm fibre with gables. Spaces are divided into three vertically arranged levels, low,

middle and high. Lowest level consist of space between the post and beam structure that

supports the raised floor. Middle level is the living space for the family. The highest level

contains an attic.
Tongkonan Toraja

These people inhabit inaccessible mountain inland areas

of South Sulawesi with architecture close to ancient

Austronesian architecture. The form and features of the

tongkonan has a box structure built on a post and beam

structure. The space between the post and beam is closed


Figure 7 Present day Tongkonan Toraja with
distinct roof feature off with decorated panels, the roof has a saddle-back

shape with the tow ends curving upward supported by a single posts. The tongkonan is always

built in a north-south direction. Nowadays, it is used for family meetings and conducting

ceremonies.

Foreign Influenced houses

This type of houses have typical characteristics of

Austronesian architecture that are hard to

recognize. This type of houses consist of

traditional Austronesian architecture combined

with later Hindu-Buddhist, Islamic, Chinese or


Figure 8 Dutch colonial house with traditional
Indonesian features colonial architecture styles.

Acehnese and Gayo Houses

Traditional houses of the Acehnese people

uses traditional Austronesian architecture

combined with Malay tradition. Consist of a

raised wooden structure with similar

attributes as the Batak houses but with a more


Figure 9 Acehnese House with Malay motifs and decorations
special element, which is its extended roof
ridge and outward-leaning gable end that is decorated with geometric forms. The interior

division of space is similar to that of traditional Malay houses. According to customs, it is

arranged facing each other in a line along a street laid out in an east-west direction so that the

fronts of houses face either north or south.

Minangkabau Big Houses

Found in West Sumatra, are large houses with

saddle-back roof thatched with sugar palm fibre

with varying tiers that curve upward steeply,

ending in a high gable end that represents the horns


Figure 10 The large Minangkabau house that houses
of a water buffalo. The living space is elevated by
large extended families during old times

post and beam, structure, with space beneath the

house closed off by panels. This type of house is used to house related extended families. The

house is separated into different sections, the first one is at centre facing the front serving as an

entrance. The second is the main building that is shaped like a long rectangle, consisting a

central and two wings.

Sumatra History Facts and Timeline. (2016, June 7). Retrieved February 20, 2018,
from http://www.world-guides.com/asia/indonesia/sumatra/sumatra_history.html

Planet, L. (n.d.). Subscribe. Retrieved February 20, 2018, from


https://www.lonelyplanet.com/indonesia/sumatra/history

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