Getting to know Acehnese Traditional Clothing Men and Women

One of the interesting results of cultural diversity in Indonesia is traditional clothing. In addition to being a characteristic of an area, traditional clothing is also often used in cultural ceremonies, such as at weddings or performing arts.

One of the Indonesian traditional clothes that is interesting to discuss is the Acehnese traditional clothes. Aceh's traditional clothes are known as Ulee Balang. This form of clothing is influenced by Malay and Islamic culture.

At first this traditional Acehnese clothing was only used by the royal family. However, currently the use of Acehnese traditional clothing is growing and is used as Aceh's traditional clothing.

There are two names in Ulee Balang's traditional clothes, namely Linto Baro for Acehnese traditional clothing for men, and Daro Baro which is Acehnese traditional clothing for women.

Linto Baro is an Acehnese traditional dress that is specifically for men. In Linto Baro's clothes, there are three parts, namely the top, middle, and bottom, which are accompanied by traditional weapons as a complement to traditional clothing.

Meukeutop

At the top there is a meukeutop. This object is oval in shape and serves as a head covering like a crown. Meukeutop is also equipped with scrolls called tengkulok, which are made of silk, and have an octagonal star-shaped pattern.

There are five colors in meukeutop. Each of these colors has a different meaning. Red symbolizes heroism, green symbolizes Islam, yellow symbolizes the sultanate, black symbolizes assertiveness, and white symbolizes purity.

Meuka

Then there is the meukasa, which is in the middle. This section is made of woven silk thread. The color of the meukasa is generally black, which reflects the symbol of greatness according to the Acehnese people.

Although Aceh is thick with Malay and Islamic culture, their traditional clothes also have a little touch of Chinese culture. But this is a natural thing, considering the history of Aceh which was once a trade route for the Chinese.

Then proceed to the bottom, there is what is called sileuweu, which is also known as civet pants for men. Sileuweu are black trousers made of woven cotton fabric. At the bottom there is an ornament with a pattern made of gold thread.

Sileuweu is also equipped with a silk songket sarong known as Ija Lambgugap. This cloth will later be worn around the waist with an average length above the knee. This cloth must be used by men with the aim of increasing the authority of the wearer.

Rencong

Then for the last complement, Rencong traditional weapons are involved in this Linto Baro traditional dress. Rencong or Siwah is a keris whose shape resembles the letter L whose head is made of silver or gold. There are also gemstones as decoration on this weapon. This weapon was used by sultans and high officials. Ordinary people can also use rencong, but the head is made of animal horns. The eye of the Rencong kris is made of brass or white iron.

Daro Baro

While the traditional clothing of Acehnese women is known as Daro Baro. Unlike the Linto Baro men's clothing which is dominated by black, Daro Baro is decorated with various colors, such as green, yellow, red, and purple.

In addition, Daro Baro's traditional clothing also has many accessories in the form of jewelry as a complement. Her outfit, Baju Kurung, is designed based on Arab, Malay and Chinese cultural influences, so it looks loose. This design aims to cover the curves of a woman's body.