C. Bukittinggi During the Dutch Colonial Rule.
When examining the development of the city of Bukittinggi administratively, we try to invite readers to know the history of the city's anniversary. It began with Tuanku Nan Tuo from Koto Tuo Balai Gurah, who was a follower of Sheikh Burhanuddin or Tuanku Ulakan. He saw that the increasingly active trade in the interior of West Sumatra was starting to become worrying. In the process of strengthening the trade networks, the area, later called Bukittinggi, took on an increasingly strategic role and function. The structures that supported the clergy, merchants and surau movements were increasingly intertwined here.
But this fervor in religious life was not matched by the safety of the trading journey, although both were concomitant processes. Towards the end of the XVIII century the interior of Minangkabau experienced a change in trade patterns. New commodities, namely cassia vera, coffee and so on, began to become important.
However, the development of trade was greatly hindered by the absence of rules that could regulate relations between traders. There were many seizures and hostage-takings, both of goods and people. The security situation was not conducive to the continued development of trade. Robbery and theft began to become common. It was at this time that Tuanku Nan Tuo and his students took action. Tuanku Nan Tuo condemned such behavior.
Fagih Saghir stated “Tuanku Nan Tuo established the prohibition and guidance as well as my other lords, so because many people were sold and seized by people and the time was long, it was very tiring for my lords to demand people who were sold and people who were seized, and there were many disputes, disturbances, fights and arguments and wars but did not defeat the country”. The prohibition issued by Tuanku Nan Tuo not to disturb and seize people who trade is supported by the power of surau-surau, which are increasingly being followed.
The “fatwa” of religious law to regulate this trade according to some figures who know about the traditions that apply in the tarikat group, is usually issued on the day of pilgrimage to the guru's surau. That is, on the date of the death of Sheikh Burhanuddin Ulakan, which is commemorated every 10th Safar of the Hijri year. This important fatwa, after being studied by hisab experts, was found that the date 10 Safar 1199 H coincided with Thursday, December 22, 1784.
After a study by researchers and historians, it was concluded that the moment on December 22, 1784 there was an important milestone for the progress of Nagari Kurai or Bukittinggi. This is what underlies the determination of December 22 as the anniversary of the city of Bukittinggi which is commemorated annually. Then strengthened by the issuance of the Decree of the Mayor of the Regional Level II Bukittinggi Number 188.45.117 / 1988 concerning the determination of the anniversary of the city of Bukittinggi.
After the London Convention in 1814, Raffles, the British official, stalled for time to hand over the territory of West Sumatra to the Dutch. Although the Dutch had landed in Padang in 1818, they only received an official handover from the British a year later. James Du Puy officially received West Sumaterans from British hands on May 19, 18192, since then Dutch power began to increasingly exist in the Minang domain.
The Dutch tried in various ways to gain full power in this area. Because of the conflict between the clergy and the adat, the Dutch decided to wade into the conflict by assisting the adat in their quest for control of West Sumatra. In February 1821 a group of penghulu from the interior of Minangkabau met Du Puy in Padang, to ask for help in conquering the central areas of the clergy movement. Du Puy agreed with several conditions as outlined in the agreement of February 10, 1821. In general, the content is that there is Dutch assistance for the indigenous people to defeat the clergy group but with a number of rewards. The main reward was that the Dutch had the right to control the Minangkabau region.
Forgotten Sterreschant, Proud Fort de Kock
After successfully entering the circle of conflict between the adat and the clergy, the Dutch began to help the dat by trying to attack various areas that were the center of the clergy's position in West Sumatra. From 1821 to 1837 the Paderi War was a major war in Minangkabau. The effort to conquer the clergy turned out to require a long time, because of the persistent resistance of the clergy fighters and supported by the entire community who were pro-religious groups. On the basis of the agreement of February 10, 1821 the Dutch received permission on the land of the Kurai people to build a fort. This was realized in 1825 to 1826 by Captain Bauer by establishing Fort Sterreschants. However, this name is starting to be forgotten, but is more famous as Fort de Kock on Bukit Jirek. This fort was the forerunner of the development of Dutch control over the Kurai Limo Jorong area. The Dutch built civil government houses, meeting houses, Dutch cemeteries, civil government houses, meeting houses and others on Bukit Jirek, Bukit Sarang Gagak, Bukit Tambun Tulang, Bukit Cubadak Bungkuak, and Bukit Malambuang. Since 1826 Fort de Kock was made the administrative center of the colonial government. They built various infrastructures such as offices, markets, transportation facilities and infrastructure, schools, and recreational facilities.
