MONOMAD: Bale Beut, Sigli

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vannour4.9 K2 months agoPeakD2 min read

This old wooden building with typical Malay architecture decorated with flower carvings is now abandoned and unkempt. This building previously functioned as a public facility for elementary school children's basic education. The Acehnese people call this type of building "Bale Beut". It stands on waqf land in the residential area of Cot Teungoh Village, Sigli town, Aceh.

I am part of a research team at the non-profit @Mapesa, conducting an initial survey and collecting field data for the historical building. This activity is part of a further study we will be conducting. The team visited the site on January 22, 2025.

The local community does not have a definite record of the building. However, based on the style of ornaments and inscriptions, we estimate that it dates from the late 18th or early 19th century. Inscriptions containing year numbers are expected to provide definite information about the date of construction or at least the renovation.

The non-profit @Mapesa plans to preserve and reuse the building by involving the community while also providing a place for public education on the importance of preserving cultural heritage sites. By mid-May 2025, the building planned to become an educational place for elementary school students around the town of Sigli, to introduce the art of wood carving and decorative motifs from the past.