A study of Panglima La'Ōt: An 'Adat institution in Aceh

Abstract

This article is about a brief history of Panglima La'ōt Aceh and its current position along with Adat La'ō (customary law) among Acehnese community. It will look at relationship between Adat and presence of Panglima La'ō (the Commanders of the Sea). To what extent we could say that there is a strong connection between the adat laot and Panglima La'ō It is argued that this institution has been established for more than 400 hundred years by the Kingdom of Aceh. It is also said that adat laot is one of the oldest customary law in Aceh. This article consists three sections. After the introduction, it will discuss the history of Panglima La'ō in Aceh. The next section is about the current position of Panglima La'ō in Acehnese society. Here, the data will be focussed on the dynamics of fisher and their perpection toward the Panglima La'ō in different setting of research area. Finally, the examination of the revitalization of Panglima La'ō as formal institution in, especially the overlapping of the authority of adat institution, will be provided in final section.