Seeing Rumoh Aceh, Exploring the Value of Disaster Mitigation

Rumoh Aceh Construction is one way community communities, in one space and time, adapt to earthquakes that often shake Aceh.

Fatimah Latif, 82 years old, resident of Gampong Lameu Meunasah Lueng, Sakti Sub-district said that, although only made of wood, with palm leaves and not using nails, Aceh rumoh can last for hundreds of years.

"The wood is perforated, sculpted, and given neurok," said Fatimah Latif.

Neurok is a pole hook and buffer rumoh Aceh.

"Neurok will not be separated because it uses bajoe on the pole," he explained.

Bajoe itself is a locking bar on the pole and buffer building Rumoh aceh.

Rumoh Aceh consists of 16 pillars and three rooms: seuramoe keueu (front porch), seuramoe teungoh (middle porch) and seuramoe likot (back porch).

Fatimah recounts, according to a legend of the people, the earthquake had rocked Aceh for seven days and seven nights. However, rumoh Aceh did not collapse at all.

"There is no history of a big earthquake that knocked out rumoh Aceh. The earthquake shook many times, rumoh Aceh still does not collapse," he said.

Fatimah Latif also explains the functions of the Aceh rumoh room. Seuramoe keue (front porch), this room serves as a relax room and a resting place for the whole family. In addition, this room is also used as a place to receive guests. Seuramoe teungoh: the core room of an Acehnese traditional house; (seuramoe inong) with a sturdy higher than the front porch. Because it includes the main room, then this room is very private. Guests who come will never be allowed to enter it. And lastly, if you likot, this room is a room that serves as a place to eat, kitchen, and a place to chat to fellow family members.

Snouck Hurgronje, a Dutch anthropologist during the Dutch occupation of Aceh, once scored, a thief will wiggle the building to ascertain whether the occupants of the house have slept soundly or not. That is, in those days, shocks at home were commonplace. In other words, the occupants did not panic quickly with shocks.

Tameh (pole) is the core of disaster mitigation (flood and earthquake). This happens the center of the robustness of the standing buildings. Material for pole is a kind of tree material with strong class and best durable class.

Hairummini et al in a social science journal-Local Wisdom of Traditional House of Aceh as Cultural Heritage for Earthquake and Tsunami Mitigation (2017)-outlines some reasons why people are starting to leave rumoh Aceh as shelter.

"This is done by the builders, the economy and the lifestyle.Lack of interest of the younger generation to pursue the profession of the traditional homemaker gives impact to the increasing scarcity of experts (expertise) The scarcity of materials and expensive building materials of traditional houses for the community The concept of shelter that develops in the community alien is different from the concept of residential society of Aceh now.This is due to the lifestyle of people who tend to choose something more practical,"