Editorial Staff
Most of every part, every tribes, every region in Indonesia has its own culture. Rumoh Aceh is one of it. It is an Acehnese traditional house that has philosophy and its own aesthetics to its customs in Aceh. Here what makes it special and why you have to find one when you have got a chance to visit Aceh.
The Design of Rumoh Aceh
Like the traditional houses of the tribes on the island of Sumatra, Rumoh Aceh is also a stilt house which has three parts. The stage is quite high, which is about 2.5 to 3 meters. In every house there is always a vine or a main room. The other spaces generally depend on the abilities and needs of the community.
Later the number of rooms will affect the length of the house and the pillars that support it. Like a three-chambered rumoh, for example, it must be supported by at least 16 posts while the five rooms, will be supported by 24 poles.
Rumoh Aceh is usually has three to five rooms, consisting of seuramoe keue or the front porch, seuramoe teungoh or the middle porch, and seuramoe likot or the back porch, as well as an additional part, namely the kitchen.
This traditional house is rich in philosophical and aesthetic values. This can be seen from the various ornaments that adorn it. In plain view, the ornaments on every Acehnese house may look the same. But if it is examined carefully, the ornaments in one Aceh house will be different one another. This difference is said to explain the area where the building came from.
Meanwhile, for the stake that supports the building of the house, it usually consists of 16-24 logs. The lower part of the house, called yup meh, is usually used to raise livestock. In addition, this section is also functioned by mothers as a place to make songket. In the past, the buffer in Aceh’s rumoh served to prevent wild animals from entering the house.
The Philosophy in Rumoh Aceh
The Islamic values that are so inherent in Acehnese society also have a considerable influence on the shape and layout of Rumoh Aceh. One of them, it was built facing east and the back side facing west. This is because the house always faces towards the Qibla (Mecca), as a symbol of the people who live in the house who always carry out religious orders.
It Becomes Rare in Modern Time
Unfortunately, nowadays Acehnese houses are increasingly rare. The Acehnese prefer to build houses with more modern materials and designs. However, for those of you who want to see the original form of Aceh’s rumoh, you can visit Banda Aceh. In Aceh, you can still find Acehnese houses in their original form.