3. The geographical factor, where the area is naturally fortified, making it a central point of defense.
These are among the factors that made it possible for major events to occur repeatedly in Kamang.
The Kamang community has also had a spirit of migration since ancient times. Various motives and reasons caused this, such as migrating due to wars that made life difficult and full of pressure, the initiative to improve economic conditions, and the desire to pursue higher education. These reasons formed the basis for many young people and the Kamang community to choose a life of migration. Such is the dynamic life of the Kamang people, which is always in motion and full of turmoil.
D. Economic Revival in the Ever-Advancing Minangkabau
Since the late 18th and 19th centuries, the coffee trade in Sumatra has continued to grow. This is evident from the records of coffee trade in Padang. In 1803, it was noted that coffee sales to two trading ships docked in Padang included one ship carrying 10,460 pounds of coffee, while the other carried 425,000 pounds. Meanwhile, the price of coffee in 1800 was 7 guilders per picul (a traditional unit of weight), which continued to rise and even reached 120 guilders. In 1820, the price per picul reached between 30 to 40 guilders. This was due to the popularity of coffee in Europe, where people declared, "no price is too high to get coffee."
In 1821, coffee exports from Padang reached 16,000 piculs, and in 1825, 33,000 piculs, even reaching 49,000 piculs in 1826. With a price of 40 guilders per picul, the total trade value on the western coast, especially Padang, could reach a staggering figure of 1,960,000 guilders. Additionally, there were secret routes used by traders who did not want to deal with the Dutch, leading to the eastern coast and Singapore. This undoubtedly led to economic growth for the Minangkabau people, including those in Kamang, an important coffee-producing area in the Minangkabau highlands. The Minangkabau economy continued to thrive and grow.
The coffee produced in Luhak Agam was transported along the northern route, via Tiagan and Tiku, and also through other routes to the eastern coast of Sumatra. Both routes were relatively safe from Dutch influence, which was primarily concentrated in Padang. Coffee was typically sold by farmers to local markets, creating a chain of trade that carried the coffee to coastal areas, both on the eastern and western coasts of Sumatra.
Initially, the trading routes of the merchants were monitored by the Kingdom of Pagaruyung and its officials. However, by the 19th century, coffee farmers were able to take full control of their coffee production and trade directly at the ports. They could use safe routes to reach Tiku, Tiagan, Sasak, Air Bangis, and Natal, which were important ports at the time. The local people could trade directly with buyers from Aceh, China, Gujarat, and England.
The regions of Agam and Lima Puluh Kota benefited directly from the coffee trading system in the early 19th century. The slopes of Mount Marapi, Singgalang, and Sago became fertile grounds for coffee plantations. Even areas like Ampek Angkek and Canduang, which focused more on rice farming, also benefited. These communities were skilled in ironwork, producing farming tools and gunpowder.
Pandai Sikek, a rice producer with vast coffee plantations, also had active traders. The area was known for producing agricultural tools like sickles, plows, and machetes, as well as weapons and hunting tools. Bukit Batabuah, Sungai Pua, Enam Koto, and Koto Laweh profited from commodities such as coffee, cinnamon, rice, and cottage industries. Iron processing centers were also utilized by the Paderi groups to make weapons, a practice that had been ongoing before the Dutch entered the Minangkabau interior.
In Kamang, coffee plantations were located around Bukit Tarapuang, Bukit Batu Biaro, Lereng Babukik, Limau Kambiang, Bukit Panjang Tarusan, and Bukit Panjang near Pauah-Sungai Bawak. The coffee in these areas grew abundantly, becoming a trading favorite at the time. However, after the Paderi War, due to the pressure from the colonizers, Minangkabau people rarely drank coffee. The community mostly drank a beverage made from roasted coffee leaves, called "kawa daun."
