On a normal day, the rumoh (house) as well as the museum of the national hero, Cut Nyak Meutia, in Gampong (Village) of the Pirak Masjid, Matangkuli District, North Aceh, looks deserted. The towering wooden door was locked. Almost no people passed, except for a middle-aged woman who opened a shop in front of the museum.
To be able to enter the room, you must have the previous contact with Idris, Cut Meutia's housekeeper. The contact number is listed in front of the gate with worn paint so you have to look at it more carefully if you don't want to be wrong. Luckily, we have been in contact with Teuku Syarifuddin who understands the history and genealogy of Cut Meutia's family.
Rumoh Cut Meutia is located in an area of about 1 hectare in Pirak Masjid Village, Matangkuli District, North Aceh, or about 33 kilometers from Lhokseumawe City with a travel time of about 1 hour. From the outskirts of Jalan Medan – Banda Aceh, visitors can choose the road via Simpang Ceubrek, Tanah Luas District, North Aceh. There are several choices of roads to Rumoh Cut Meutia, but the road through Tanah Luas District, which is adjacent to Matangkuli District, is relatively easier.
There are not too many road markers to Rumoh Cut Meutia, and it becomes one of the difficulties for visitors if they are not diligent in asking. Many bends to be crossed along the road in several villages. The scenery alternates from the villagers' houses and rice fields. The road to get there is not always smooth, there are also some damaged and muddy roads.
Rumoh Cut Meutia has an Acehnese architecture with pillars (tameh) made of logs and built without using nails. The typical Acehnese house is in the form of a stilt house that was once intended to avoid disasters such as floods, avoid attacks by wild animals, and later proved to be resistant to earthquakes.
Teuku Syarifuddin revealed, Rumoh Cut Meutia had undergone several renovations in 1981, 1982, and 1983, but the authenticity of its shape was maintained. The house has a plank floor like traditional Acehnese houses in general. Once entered through the main door, visitors can immediately be with the option to go to the porch (seuramoe). If it's straight, go straight to the back porch which is intended for women. Meanwhile, if you turn left, go to the front porch for men. The width of the back porch with the front porch is almost the same, it proves that the Acehnese have traditionally paid attention to gender equality.
There are only two rooms in Rumoh Cut Meutia. According to Syarifuddin, the right side of the room is usually used by the bride and groom and the left side is occupied by the parents. In the hallway leading to the back porch, there are several historical photos, including photos of Cut Meutia's grandson, Teuku Rusli, and his great-grandson who now lives in Jakarta.
While on the front porch, there are several modern paintings about Cut Meutia, for example, a painting about the battle with the Dutch colonialists. There was also a poster of the Rp1,000 banknote. There is also a replica of Cut Meutia's hand complete with a gold bracelet and a sword that was deliberately cut by the Dutch as evidence that the woman was killed.
Syarifuddin said, when there was a battle with the Van Slooten Brigade on October 25, 1919, in Krueng Peutoe in an attack led by Mosselman, Cut Meutia died. The Dutch then cut off Cut Meutia's hand as evidence that the woman had died in battle.
The short story of Cut Meutia's struggle is indeed on the walls of the house. The woman who was born in 1870 is married to Teuku Syamsyarif or Teuku Chik Dibaroh who collaborated with the Dutch. Because it was not in line with her line of struggle, Cut Meutia asked for a divorce from her husband and later married Teuku Cut Muhammad or Teuku Chik Ditunong who opposed the Dutch.
Marriage with Teuku Chik Ditunong gave birth to a son who was named Teuku Raja Sabi. Teuku Chik Ditunong died after being shot dead by the Dutch on the shore of Ujong Blang, Lhokseumawe, March 26, 1905. Before his death, Teuku Chik Ditunong ordered Cut Meutia to marry Pang Nanggroe, a warlord who was persistent against the Dutch.
"So, there is a background to the struggle in Cut Nyak Meutia's three marriages," said the Head of Culture of the North Aceh Education and Culture Office, Nurliana, who was met separately, Thursday, December 2, 2021.
In addition to feeling the spirit of Cut Meutia's struggle in expelling the Dutch colonialists, in the Aceh traditional house, you can also learn the philosophy of the traditional house. There is also a jeungki, a traditional tool for pounding Acehnese rice which is used by stepping on it. Not far from jeungki, there are also three krong units, the traditional place for the Acehnese to store rice.
“The people of Aceh have always had a habit of storing rice in krong to anticipate changing seasons or crop failure. So, this krong has an important role in maintaining food security. Until now, it is still found in many villages,” said Raisa Agustiana, staff at the secretariat of the Aceh Traditional Council (MAA) of Kota Lhokseumawe.
Visiting Rumoh Cut Meutia is a moment to feel the spirit of the struggle of national heroes in expelling the invaders. The location is one of the choices that should be visited by students of the Nusantara Module Group IV at Malikussaleh University who are under the care of Jufridar, a lecturer at the Faculty of Economics and Business. The students came from various public and private universities in East Java. "But because of the Covid-19 pandemic, all activities must take place online," said Prof Dr M Sayuti, the person in charge (PIC) of the Nusantara Module Program at Malikussaleh University. [Ayi Jufridar]