The Development of Pepper Cultivation and the Formation of the new Nanggru in Acheh's Westcoast

Abstract

From the end of the eighteenth century to the early nineteenth century, there occurred a rapid development of pepper cultivation in Acheh's Westcoast. In the beginning, the main area of production was the southern part of the Westcoast from Susuh to Trumon. From 1793, when the American trading ships first arrived, Susuh became the main trading port of this area. Most of the pepper produced in this region was purchased by American traders. In 1802, for example, twenty-one American merchantmen came to this port. During the first half of the nineteenth century, the area of pepper cultivation extended to the north, including such places as Meulabuh, Paté and Rigaih.In the course of the expansion of pepper cultivation mentioned above, a number of new nanggru (areas governed by an uleebalang) were formed in the region of Susuh and, in the northern region, such places as Kuala Batee, Lho “Pawoh Utara, Manggeng, Pate, Rigaih and Lho” Kluet.At that time, almost all of the west coast of Acheh was uninhabited. The whole of the territory was divided into the nanggru of Meulabuh, Susuh, Labohan haji, Meuké Topatuan, etc. These nanggru were formed by Malays who immigrated from Sumatra's Westcoast at the end of the seventeenth century, while the pepper cultivation in this uninhabited region was developed by the immigrants from Banda Acheh and Pidie. These immigrants formed a number of small groups, each led by an entrepreneur, who obtained a licence for the cultivation of pepper from the uleebalang concerned, on condition that he paid a certain amount of wase uleebalang or pepper export tax. These entrepreneurs were usually designated as peuteuha pangkai or capital holders, who gave an advance payment to the aneuk seuneubo-immigrant pepper laborers. When the pepper plantation was opened, this entrepreneur became the peuteuha seuneubo or the manager of the pepper plantation which he financed. This does not mean, however, that he was the owner of plantation. In the beginning, the relationship between the peuteuha seunenbo and his aneuk was paternalistic, but as the number of aneuk increased and his plantation business prospered, his position gradually changed from that of manager to that of a chief, who finally became an independent uleebalang, free of the uleebalang to whom he was originally subject. This process is partly a result of the fact that he was at the same time the peuteuha pangkai and therefore he had the right to monopolize the pepper produced by the seuneubo to whom he gave advance money, and also the right to collect the adat pangkai or rent from them.Through this pepper trade, a great deal of silver was acquired in Acheh, but this silver flowed out of the country through the opium trade run by the British and Indian country traders.