Teungku Chik di Tiro

Muhammad Saman (1836 – 21 January 1891), better known as Teungku Chik di Tiro (usually spelt Cik di Tiro in Indonesia), was an Acehnese guerrilla fighter against the Dutch. On 6 November 1973, he was declared a National Hero of Indonesia.

Teungku Chik di Tiro
Drawing of Teungku Chik di Tiro
Born	Muhammad Saman 1836 Tiro, Pedir, Aceh Sultanate
Died	21 January 1891(1891-01-21) (aged 54–55) Lamtuba, Koetaradja, Aceh Sultanate
Cause of death	Consumption of poisoned food
Resting place	Meureu, Aceh Besar
Occupations	Religious teacher, guerrilla fighter
Children	5
Relatives	Hasan di Tiro (Great grandson)

Biography

Di Tiro was born to Tengku Syekh Abdullah and Siti Aisyah in Tiro, Pedir, Aceh Sultanate, in 1836.^[1] Until the age of 15, he studied with his father; he then began studying with his uncle, Teungku Chik Dayah Cut di Tiro.^[2] After studying under several more teachers, he moved to Aceh Besar and spent two years there.^[2] During the day he studied Islam and at night he joined his friends in the struggle against the Dutch colonialists.^[3] He was eventually called home to Tiro, where he began teaching with his uncle.^[2][3]

After several years as a teacher, di Tiro went on the hajj to Mecca.^[2] There, he met several Islamic leaders and other revolutionaries from Sumatra, Java, and Borneo; through discussions on imperialism and colonialism, di Tiro became more interested in fighting against the Dutch.^[2]

One day in 1880, after di Tiro returned to Tiro, a group of guerrilla fighters came through, looking for an ulama (religious leader) to lead the fight.^[4] Di Tiro volunteered and joined the guerrillas in their base in Mount Miram.^[4] He then traveled throughout Aceh.^[5] Every time he stopped in a town, he would deliver lectures at a mosque about holy war and how it was their duty to fight against unbelievers.^[5] At the same time, he sent letters to other ulama to call them to war, determined to have the Dutch driven out of Aceh by 1883.^[5][6]

Soon di Tiro and the ulama had gathered 6,000 soldiers to fight against the Dutch,^[5] as well as the support of the Sultan of Aceh.^[7] The Dutch, although aware of the impending rebellion, remained unaware of di Tiro's identity.^[5] Soon his troops cut communications between Dutch fortresses and established their own base in Mureu.^[5] Previous struggles in the 1870s had led the Dutch to double their numbers in Aceh.^[7]

Chik di Tiro's grave in Mureu, Indrapuri, Aceh Besar

In May 1881, di Tiro and his troops captured the Dutch fortress in Indrapuri, sparking the Aceh War.^[7] This was followed by the ones in Krueng Jreu and Gle Kameng.^[7] In response, the Dutch reinforced their fortresses in Lambaro, Aneuk Galong, and Samahani.^[5] Through 1882 and 1883, the two sides continued to fight, with the Acehnese gaining ground and taking over the island of Breuh.^[5][7] In early 1883, di Tiro's forces attacked the Dutch stronghold in Kutaraja (now Banda Aceh); despite failing to take the fort, they succeeded in killing the Dutch controuler.^[8] At the peak of the war, the Dutch controlled only 4 square kilometres (1.5 sq mi) of land; before the war, they had controlled nearly all of Aceh.^[9]

In April 1884, the sultan was told that di Tiro was now leader of the people.^[6] In response, the sultan made a proclamation that he was still sultan; in August di Tiro himself declared that he had no intentions to be sultan.^[10]

By 1885, di Tiro felt that the Dutch were ready to capitulate.^[8] As such, he sent an ultimatum to Assistant Resident Van Langen, offering peace if the Dutch would convert to Islam.^[8] Although some Dutchmen came claiming that they were willing to convert, they were later discovered to be spies.^[11] In 1888 di Tiro sent another letter; this one also received no response from the Dutch leadership.^[8] He then led more expeditions against Dutch forces, despite still being unable to enter Kutaraja.^[8]

Entrance gate to Teungku Chik di Tiro Muhammad Saman's grave

For several more years di Tiro led his troops against the Dutch;^[8] the attempts to spy on him led him to declare that he would not rest until all the Dutch were killed.^[11] On 21 January 1891, di Tiro was served poisoned food by the son of the leader of Sagi, whom the Dutch had offered a leadership position if he would kill di Tiro; despite being taken to Aneuk Galong fortress to be treated, di Tiro soon died.^[12] He was later buried at the family graveyard in Meureu, Aceh Besar.^[13] His struggle was continued by other Acehnese figures, including Teuku Umar, Cut Nyak Dhien, and Cut Nyak Meutia, as well as his family.^[7][14]

Legacy

On 6 November 1973, President Suharto declared di Tiro a National Hero of Indonesia through Presidential Decree number 087/TK of 1973.^[7][15] He has numerous streets named after him, including one of the main streets in the well-known suburb of Menteng in Jakarta.^[9]

Personal life

Di Tiro had five sons: Teungku Mat Amin, Teungku Mahidin, Teungku di Tungkob, Teungku di Buket, and Teungku Lambada.^[2] Through them he was the great-grandfather of Free Aceh Movement founder Hasan di Tiro.^[13]