Pariaman

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Pariaman

Seal

Pariaman

Location of Pariaman in Indonesia

Coordinates: 0°37′35″S 100°7′4″E / -0.62639, 100.11778

Country

Indonesia

Province

West Sumatra

Area

- Total

73.36 km² (28.3 sq mi)

Population (2002)

- Total

72,089

- Density

983/km² (2,546/sq mi)

Time zone

WIB (UTC+7)

Website: www.kotapariaman.go.id

Pariaman is a coastal city in West Sumatra, Indonesia. Pariaman has 72,089 inhabitants (2002), an area of 73.4 km² and a 12 km coastline. "Pariaman" means "safe area".

1 History
2 Administration
3 Economy
4 Culture
5 References
6 External links

[edit] History

According to the limited early sources available, by the sixteenth century Pariaman was an important port city serving the Minangkabau settlements in the interior highlands of central west Sumatra. Traders from western India and later from Europe visited the port, trading in pepper, gold, and other products of the interior. In the early seventeenth century the port came under control of the Sultanate of Aceh, to the north; an Acehnese governor was stationed in the town. The port formally came under Dutch control in 1663 by treaty with Aceh. In 1671 the Dutch built a lodge here and later, around 1684, a fort. Continuing clashes with local rulers and competition with other European trading companies resulted in the port being abandoned by the Dutch in 1770. By the early twentieth century the port was less prominent on the coast, as Padang, just to the south, was the focus of Dutch activities in western Sumatra and had a railroad link to the interior.^[1]^[2]

After Indonesian independence, Pariaman was a naval headquarters for a province called Central Sumatra. It became an autonomous city on 11 Apr 2002.

Tabuik monument

[edit] Administration

The city is administratively divided into three subdistricts (kecamatan): Pariaman Selatan, Pariaman Tengah, and Pariaman Utara. The three subdistricts are of similar area; about one-half of the city's population lives in Pariaman Tengah. The city is surrounded by the rural regency (kabupaten) of Padang Pariaman.

[edit] Economy

The contemporary economy is primarily agricultural with 79% of land in farming. Minangkabau International Airport, West Sumatra's major airport, is located near the city.

[edit] Culture

A festival named Tabuik is held annually in the city every 1-10 Muharram, to commemorate the Day of Ashura. The festival commemorates the death of the grandsons of Muhammad, Hasan and Husen. A mythical creature called a Bouraq - a winged horse with a human head - is said to have carried their souls to heaven. In the festival, two effigies of the Bouraq called Tabuik are carried through the city. The tabuik, named Tabuik Pasa and Tabuik Subarang, are swayed accompanied by tambur music and tasa drums. In the afternoon, both Tabuik are moved to the coast and before sunset they are immersed into the sea.

[edit] References

^ Tsuyoshi Kato (1980). Rantau Pariaman: the world of Minangkabau coastal merchants in the nineteenth century. Journal of Asian Studies 39(4):729-752
^ Dobbin, Christine (1977). Economic change in Minangkabau as a factor in the rise of the Padri movement, 1784-1830. Indonesia 23(1):1-38.