Teuku Nyak Arif
| Teuku Nyak Arif | |
|---|---|
 Artist's depiction | |
| Chief of Sagi XXVII Mukim | |
|
In office 1911–1946 | |
| Preceded by | Teuku Nyak Banta |
| Member of the People's Council of Aceh | |
|
In office 1927–1931 | |
| Member of the People's Representative Council of Aceh | |
|
In office 1942–1945 | |
| Member of the People's Representative Council of Sumatra | |
|
In office 1943–1945 | |
| 1st Governor of Aceh | |
|
In office 3 October 1945 – 4 May 1946 | |
| Preceded by | Post created |
| Succeeded by | Teuku Daud Syah |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
17 July 1899 Ulèë Lheuë, Koetaradja, Dutch East Indies |
| Died |
4 May 1946 (aged 46) Takengon, Aceh, Indonesia |
| Resting place | Lam Nyong family cemetery |
| Nationality | Indonesian |
| Spouse(s) |
Unknown wife (divorced) Jauhari |
| Children | 5 |
| Religion | Sunni Islam |
| Military service | |
| Nickname(s) | Rencong of Aceh |
| Rank | Major General (titular) |
Teungku Nyak Arif (17 July 1899 – 4 May 1946) was an Acehnese nationalist and National Hero of Indonesia. He has been given the nickname Rencong of Aceh, after the traditional Acehnese weapon, for his bravery.[1]
Biography
Early life
Nyak Arif was born in Ulèë Lheuë, Banda Aceh, Aceh, on 17 July 1899.[2] He was the third of five siblings born to Chief of Sagi XXVII Mukim Teuku Nyak Banta and Cut Nyak Rayeuh; he also had five siblings from his father's two other wives.[2] After graduating from elementary school in Banda Aceh, he moved to Bukittinggi, West Sumatra, to study at the teacher's college (kweekschool) there.[2] In 1911 he was chosen as the new leader of Sagi XXVI Mukim, but due to his age Nyak Arif was represented by his father.[2]
Upon finishing his studies in Bukittinggi, Nyak Arif went to the leadership school for native Indonesians (Opleiding School Voor Inlandsche Ambtenaren) in Banten on the island of Java.[2] While at school, he demonstrated a dislike of the Dutch colonial government and their programs, at times disobeying commands from his teachers and refusing to take the f 10 allowance allocated to every Acehnese student outside of Aceh.[2] After graduating in 1915, he returned to Aceh.[3]
Entry to politics
Nyak Arif became active in politics beginning in 1919, when he joined the Nationaal Indische Party, a continuation of the original Indische Party founded by Ernest Douwes Dekker, Tjipto Mangoenkoesoemo, and Ki Hajar Dewantara; he became the party's head in Aceh.[4] He also founded the Acehnese Society (Aceh Vereniging) and led the Aceh branches of the Islamic Youth Group (Jong Islamietan Bond) and Sumatran Youth Group (Jong Sumatranen Bond).[5] Beginning in this period he became an ardent supporter of the Taman Siswa and Muhammadiyah social organisations, which continued until his death.[6]
On 16 May 1927, Nyak Arif was selected to join the People's Council of Aceh (Volksraad Aceh) in addition to his duties as Chief of Sagi XXVII Mukim.[7] As a member of the council he would consistently criticise Dutch policies which he found to go against the interests of the Acehnese people;[7] in another speech he said that the Aceh War was far from over.[1] On 27 January 1930, he joined the National Fraction (Fraksi Nasional), led by Mohammad Husni Thamrin.[8] Nyak Arif left the council in 1931.[8]
In 1935 Nyak Arif became the head of the Acehnese Football Association (Acehse Voetbalbond).[4] With the nationalist movement gaining steam and the Dutch occupied with Adolf Hitler's movements in Europe, Nyak Arif delivered a speech at a memorial service for Soetomo in 1938, which ended with the lines "By Allah, with Allah, for Allah. I promise to be faithful to my homeland, people, and religion, and to never betray the struggle."[lower-alpha 1][9] This oath was taken by other attendees as well, including Daud Bereueh.[9]
Japanese occupation
With Japanese forces approaching, on 8 March 1942 Nyak Arif joined several other Acehnese leaders in demanding self-determination.[10] Three days later, eight of the leaders were arrested by Dutch forces by command of Colonel George Gosenson; Gosenson searched for Nyak Arif, but the latter was able to escape detection.[10] The following day, on 12 March 1942, the Japanese forces landed at Sabang; this was followed on 28 March with the surrender of the Dutch troops.[10] Nyak Arif was chosen by the Acehnese people to lead the Government Committee of Aceh, and reluctantly collaborated with the Japanese forces; he later said of the period, "we had driven out dogs only to have pigs come."[lower-alpha 2][11] He was once arrested on the suspicion of leading an underground resistance force, but later released.[1]
When the Japanese formed their own people's representative council for Aceh, Nyak Arif was chosen as its head.[11] In 1943 he went to Japan with 14 other Sumatran leaders and brought before Emperor of Japan Hirohito; he reportedly refused to bow before the emperor in the Japanese tradition, although he did agree to nod.[11] Upon returning to Aceh, he and Teuku Hasan delivered a speech permeated with subtle sarcasm about the greatness of the Empire of Japan.[12] In 1944 Nyak Arif was chosen to be deputy chief of the People's Representative Council of Sumatra.[12]
Independence
After the Japanese surrender to the Allies and Proclamation of Indonesian Independence in 1945, on 3 October Nyak Arif was chosen to be the first resident of Aceh.[13] In this position he oversaw the Japanese withdrawal from Aceh after refusing the Allies the right to do so;[1] despite clashes with some Japanese troops in Bireuën, they were eventually all disarmed and returned to their homeland.[3] On 17 January 1946 he was declared a titular major general while he served as a staff member to the Sumatran military commander.[14]
During a power struggle between the ulama (religious leaders) and feudalists, Nyak Arif agreed to surrender himself to the ulama to prevent bloodshed.[6] He died on 4 April of the same year as from complications from diabetes in Takengon[6] and was buried in Lam Nyong family cemetery.[1]
Accolades and honours
On 9 November 1974 Nyak Arif was declared a National Hero of Indonesia by President Suharto through Presidential Decree 071/TK/1974.[15]
Personal life
Nyak Arif's first marriage was to the daughter of Teuku Maharaja, the chief of Lhokseumawe; the couple divorced before they had any children.[4] His second marriage was to Jauhari, daughter of a Minang police officer named Yazid.[4] Together they had two sons and a daughter.[4]
Notes
References
Footnotes
- 1 2 3 4 5 TokohIndonesia.com Perjuangan Si 'Rencong'.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Kamajaya 1981, p. 47.
- 1 2 Ajisaka & Damayanti 2010, p. 177.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Kamajaya 1981, p. 49.
- ↑ Kamajaya 1981, pp. 49–50.
- 1 2 3 Jakarta City Government, Teuku Nyak Arif.
- 1 2 Kamajaya 1981, p. 50.
- 1 2 Kamajaya 1981, p. 51.
- 1 2 Kamajaya 1981, p. 52.
- 1 2 3 Kamajaya 1981, p. 53.
- 1 2 3 Kamajaya 1981, p. 54.
- 1 2 Kamajaya 1981, p. 55.
- ↑ Kamajaya 1981, p. 56.
- ↑ Sudarmanto 1996, p. 239.
- ↑ Kamajaya 1981, p. 57.
Bibliography
- Ajisaka, Arya; Damayanti, Dewi (2010). Mengenal Pahlawan Indonesia [Knowing Indonesian Heroes] (in Indonesian). Jakarta: Kawan Pustaka. ISBN 978-979-757-430-7.
- Kamajaya (1981). Lima Putera-Puteri Aceh Pahlawan Nasional [Five Sons and Daughters of Aceh that are National Heroes] (in Indonesian). Yogyakarta: U.P. Indonesia. OCLC 65644873.
- "Perjuangan Si 'Rencong Aceh'" [Struggle of the 'Rencong of Aceh']. TokohIndonesia.com (in Indonesian). Archived from the original on 14 January 2012. Retrieved 14 January 2012.
- Sudarmanto, Y.B. (1996). Jejak-Jejak Pahlawan dari Sultan Agung hingga Syekh Yusuf [The Footsteps of Heroes from Sultan Agung to Syekh Yusuf] (in Indonesian). Jakarta: Grasindo. ISBN 978-979-553-111-1.
- "Teuku Nyak Arif". Encyclopedia of Jakarta (in Indonesian). Jakarta: Jakarta City Government. Archived from the original on 14 January 2012. Retrieved 14 January 2012.
