Cut Nyak Dhien
Encyclopedia
Cut Nyak Dhien or Tjoet Nja' Dhien (Lampadang, 1850 – November 6, 1908, Sumedang
) was the widow of Teuku Umar
. She led guerrilla actions against the Dutch after the death of her husband. She fought against the Dutch for 25 years. She was awarded the title of National Hero of Indonesia on May 2, 1964.
. At the first war
Aceh was led by Panglima Polem and Sultan Machmud Syah while Dutch army sent 3000 soldiers led by Johan Harmen Rudolf Köhler
to take the Sultan's palace, much to his surprise The Sultan requested and possibly received military aid from Italy and the United Kingdom in Singapore. The Aceh army was rapidly modernized and enlarged from 10,000 to 100,000 soldiers. Dutch forces successfully pushed back, and Köhler died in action.
In November 1873, during the Second Aceh Expedition
the Dutch successfully took over VI Mukin district and the Sultan's Palace in 1873 and 1874 respectively. In 1875, Cut Nyak Dhien with her baby other mothers and people were evacuated into a safer location while her husband fought to reclaim the VI Mukim.
Ibrahim Lamnga died while fighting Gle Tarum on June 29, 1878. Hearing of this, Cut Nyak Dhien was enraged and swore to destroy the Dutch.
At the some point after Ibrahim Lamnga died, Teuku Umar, one of Aceh heroes, proposed to her. At first she rejected him. But when Teuku Umar allowed her to fight, she at last accepted the proposal and married him in 1880. This greatly boosted the morale of Aceh armies in their fight against the Kaphe Ulanda (Dutch infidel). Teuku Umar and Cut Nyak Dhien had a daughter together named Cut Gambang.
The war continued, and the Acehnese attacked the Dutch with guerilla warfare, particularly using traps and ambushes and declared Holy War against the Dutch. On September 30, 1893 Teuku Umar with 250 troops "surrendered" to the Dutch. Dutch army were happy to welcome him and gave him the title of Teuku Umar Johan Pahlawan and appointed him to be a commander. In fact, Teuku Umar secretly planned to betrayed Dutch. Even Cut Nyak Meutia
came to Cut Nyak Dhien and insulted her for her husband's betrayal. However, two years later Teuku Umar set out to assault Aceh, and so he departed with his troops, heavy equipment, weapons, and ammunition from the Dutch. But he and his wife never returned to the Dutch. This is recorded in Dutch history as "Het verraad van Teukoe Oemar" (the treason of Teuku Umar).
Teuku Umar and Dhien kept resisting the Dutch with their new equipment until the Dutch sent the Maréchaussée (Marsose) to attack the Acehnese. This Dutch action is considered barbaric because the Dutch troops destroyed everything in their way and the Achenese people found them extremely difficult to resist until at last Van Der Heyden disbanded the Marsose. This event also led to the success of the latter Dutch general because so many people were killed.
The Dutch general, Joannes Benedictus van Heutsz took advantage of the condition and sent a spy to Aceh. Teuku Umar was killed during battle when the Dutch launched a surprise attack on him in Meulaboh. When Cut Gambang cried over his death, Cut Nyak Dhien slapped her and then she hugged her and said:
(translation: As Acehnese women, we may not shed tears for people who have become shahid
)
After her husband died, Cut Nyak Dhien continued to resist the Dutch with her small army until its destruction in 1901 because the Dutch already adapted their tactics to the situation in Aceh. Furthermore Cut Nyak Dhien, getting older, suffered from myopic and rheumatics. The numbers of her troops was also keep decreasing and they suffered from lack of supplies. This made her troops feel sorry for her.
One of her troops named Pang Laot felt "sympathy" to her and told the Dutch about the location of her headquarter. The Dutch then assaulted Cut Nyak Dhien headquarters in Beutong Le Sageu. They caught in surprise and desperately fought back. Cut Nyak Dhien tried to take her rencong
to fight but unfortunately the Dutch already caught her. While her daughter Cut Gambang successfully escaped and continued the resistance.
and her myopic and rheumatics slowly healed, but in the end she exiled into Sumedang
, West Java
because the Dutch afraid she would mobilize the resistance of Aceh people because she keep connected with them. She died on November 6, 1908 due to her old age. In May 2, 1964 she appointed to be national heroine by President Soekarno.
won the award for the best international film at the Cannes Film Festival
in 1989
.
Sumedang
Sumedang is a town in West Java, Indonesia, approximately 35 km northeast of Bandung.The town is famous for tahu Bungkeng, a local variety of deep fried tofu which was first made by a Chinese immigrant, Ong Kino....
) was the widow of Teuku Umar
Teuku Umar
Teuku Umar was the a member of the Acehnese guerrilla forces during the Aceh War in Aceh, later as a leader, from 1873 until his death. He was killed in a surprise attack in Meulabohis a Pahlawan Nasional Indonesia . He led a guerrilla campaign in Aceh during the Aceh War...
. She led guerrilla actions against the Dutch after the death of her husband. She fought against the Dutch for 25 years. She was awarded the title of National Hero of Indonesia on May 2, 1964.
Early life
Cut Nyak Dhien was born into a religious aristocratic family in Aceh Besar in VI Mukim district in 1848. Her father, Teuku Nanta Setia, was a Ulèë Balang in VI Mukim (Ulèë Balang was an aristocratic class in Aceh who led a district), while her mother also from an aristocrat family. When she was young she was renowned for her beauty. She was also educated in religion and household matters. Many men proposed to her until her parents arranged for her marriage to Teuku Cek Ibrahim Lamnga who was son of aristocrat family when she was twelve.Aceh War
On 26 March 1873, Dutch declared war on Aceh which was the beginning of Aceh WarAceh War
The Aceh War, also known as the Dutch War or the Infidel War , was an armed military conflict between the Sultanate of Aceh and the Netherlands which was triggered by discussions between representatives of Aceh and the U.S. in Singapore during early 1873...
. At the first war
First Aceh Expedition
The First Aceh Expedition was a punitive expedition of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army against Aceh.Early in 1873, the American Consul in Singapore had discussions with an Achenese emissary about a possible Acehnese-American treaty, which the Dutch saw as justification for intervention...
Aceh was led by Panglima Polem and Sultan Machmud Syah while Dutch army sent 3000 soldiers led by Johan Harmen Rudolf Köhler
Johan Harmen Rudolf Köhler
Johan Harmen Rudolf Köhler was a Dutch general who commanded the Dutch-Indonesian forces during the First expedition to Aceh started on April 8, 1873. The expedition failed to reach its goals and Köhler himself was shot in a skirmish...
to take the Sultan's palace, much to his surprise The Sultan requested and possibly received military aid from Italy and the United Kingdom in Singapore. The Aceh army was rapidly modernized and enlarged from 10,000 to 100,000 soldiers. Dutch forces successfully pushed back, and Köhler died in action.
In November 1873, during the Second Aceh Expedition
Second Aceh Expedition
The Dutch dispatched a second expedition in Aceh in late 1873 during the Aceh War following the failed First Aceh Expedition of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army to Aceh....
the Dutch successfully took over VI Mukin district and the Sultan's Palace in 1873 and 1874 respectively. In 1875, Cut Nyak Dhien with her baby other mothers and people were evacuated into a safer location while her husband fought to reclaim the VI Mukim.
Ibrahim Lamnga died while fighting Gle Tarum on June 29, 1878. Hearing of this, Cut Nyak Dhien was enraged and swore to destroy the Dutch.
At the some point after Ibrahim Lamnga died, Teuku Umar, one of Aceh heroes, proposed to her. At first she rejected him. But when Teuku Umar allowed her to fight, she at last accepted the proposal and married him in 1880. This greatly boosted the morale of Aceh armies in their fight against the Kaphe Ulanda (Dutch infidel). Teuku Umar and Cut Nyak Dhien had a daughter together named Cut Gambang.
The war continued, and the Acehnese attacked the Dutch with guerilla warfare, particularly using traps and ambushes and declared Holy War against the Dutch. On September 30, 1893 Teuku Umar with 250 troops "surrendered" to the Dutch. Dutch army were happy to welcome him and gave him the title of Teuku Umar Johan Pahlawan and appointed him to be a commander. In fact, Teuku Umar secretly planned to betrayed Dutch. Even Cut Nyak Meutia
Cut Nyak Meutia
Cut Nyak Meutia is a Indonesian national hero from Aceh.-Life:Cut Nyak Meutia, also known as Cut Meutia, was born in Perlak, Aceh, in 1870. When she grew into adulthood, she married Teuku Sam Searah. They divorced not long after marriage.-Against the Dutch:Cut Nyak Meutia's new husband was Cut...
came to Cut Nyak Dhien and insulted her for her husband's betrayal. However, two years later Teuku Umar set out to assault Aceh, and so he departed with his troops, heavy equipment, weapons, and ammunition from the Dutch. But he and his wife never returned to the Dutch. This is recorded in Dutch history as "Het verraad van Teukoe Oemar" (the treason of Teuku Umar).
Teuku Umar and Dhien kept resisting the Dutch with their new equipment until the Dutch sent the Maréchaussée (Marsose) to attack the Acehnese. This Dutch action is considered barbaric because the Dutch troops destroyed everything in their way and the Achenese people found them extremely difficult to resist until at last Van Der Heyden disbanded the Marsose. This event also led to the success of the latter Dutch general because so many people were killed.
The Dutch general, Joannes Benedictus van Heutsz took advantage of the condition and sent a spy to Aceh. Teuku Umar was killed during battle when the Dutch launched a surprise attack on him in Meulaboh. When Cut Gambang cried over his death, Cut Nyak Dhien slapped her and then she hugged her and said:
(translation: As Acehnese women, we may not shed tears for people who have become shahid
Shahid
Shahid is an Arabic word meaning "witness". It is a religious term in Islam, meaning both "witness" and "martyr." While a martyr may die as a consequence of fighting, a shahid is a "witness" because he gives his life out of passion for truth. The shahid exchanges himself for the divine and thereby...
)
After her husband died, Cut Nyak Dhien continued to resist the Dutch with her small army until its destruction in 1901 because the Dutch already adapted their tactics to the situation in Aceh. Furthermore Cut Nyak Dhien, getting older, suffered from myopic and rheumatics. The numbers of her troops was also keep decreasing and they suffered from lack of supplies. This made her troops feel sorry for her.
One of her troops named Pang Laot felt "sympathy" to her and told the Dutch about the location of her headquarter. The Dutch then assaulted Cut Nyak Dhien headquarters in Beutong Le Sageu. They caught in surprise and desperately fought back. Cut Nyak Dhien tried to take her rencong
Rencong
A rencong is a traditional weapon from Aceh, Indonesia. It is slightly similar in appearance to a kris. As with krisses, people attribute mystical powers to rencongs. The rencong is still worn during traditional ceremonies....
to fight but unfortunately the Dutch already caught her. While her daughter Cut Gambang successfully escaped and continued the resistance.
Old age and death
She then brought to Banda AcehBanda Aceh
Banda Aceh is the provincial capital and largest city in the province of Aceh, Indonesia, located on the island of Sumatra, with an elevation of 35 meters. The city regency covers an area of 64 square kilometres and according to the 2000 census had a population of 219,070 people...
and her myopic and rheumatics slowly healed, but in the end she exiled into Sumedang
Sumedang
Sumedang is a town in West Java, Indonesia, approximately 35 km northeast of Bandung.The town is famous for tahu Bungkeng, a local variety of deep fried tofu which was first made by a Chinese immigrant, Ong Kino....
, West Java
West Java
West Java , with a population of over 43 million, is the most populous and most densely populated province of Indonesia. Located on the island of Java, it is slightly smaller in area than densely populated Taiwan, but with nearly double the population...
because the Dutch afraid she would mobilize the resistance of Aceh people because she keep connected with them. She died on November 6, 1908 due to her old age. In May 2, 1964 she appointed to be national heroine by President Soekarno.
Legacy
The film Tjoet Nja' Dhien written and directed by Eros DjarotEros Djarot
Eros Djarot is an Indonesian songwriter, director and politician. Beginning his music career with the soundtrack of Kawin Lari in 1976, Djarot became famous with the success of Badai Pasti Berlalu and its soundtrack album...
won the award for the best international film at the Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
in 1989
1989 Cannes Film Festival
- Jury :*Wim Wenders *Christine Gouze-Renal*Claude Beylie*Georges Delerue*Hector Babenco*Krzysztof Kieślowski*Peter Handke*Renée Blanchar*Sally Field*Silvio Clementelli-Feature film competition:* Chimère by Claire Devers...
.