#02 The King of Angkasah, the feared Sumatran tiger

The King of Angkasah, the feared Sumatran tiger

THE BODY is small, but that does not mean that he is weak and lacks guts. That is the description of the figure of Teuku Raja Angkasah Putra Teuku Abdurrahman, Teuku Cut Ali's close friend since childhood. He was greatly feared by the Dutch colonialists and respected by his comrades in arms. Agile at playing the sword, mighty in warfare and mastering martial arts and mysticism. Teuku Raja Angkasah began to lead the war against the Dutch marsose in early 1925. Not a few Dutch soldiers became victims, and were killed by their swords. Almost every day, a marsose is killed. This situation made the Dutch military confused, even the name Teuku Raja Angkasah was always on the tip of the colonial tongue.
Feeling defeated, Marsose built his military headquarters in Bakongan, South Aceh, in addition to five other tangsi (headquarters) in Aceh respectively in Jeuram (West Aceh), Indrapuri (Aceh Besar), Peurelak (East Aceh), Tangse (Pidie) and Takengon (Central Aceh). The war in Bakongan was a scourge for Dutch soldiers. Many marsose assigned to the southern region of Aceh only have names. The Dutch soldiers who were killed by guerrilla forces under the leadership of Teuku Raja Angkasah, Teuku Cut Ali and Raja Lelo were transported by ship. At that time the Dutch gave the term the White Ship. Almost every week the bodies of marsose are transported from Bakongan to Kuta Raja (Banda Aceh) to be buried at Kerkoff Cemetery, Setui. In the war in South Aceh, at least two war commanders of the Dutch troops were killed, namely Lieutenant Monelaar who was killed by Teuku Cut Ali, and Captain J Paris was killed in a duel with King Lelo.
Teuku Raja Angkasah himself had a unique way and strategy when he fought against the Dutch. Before fighting, he first sent a letter of challenge to do battle somewhere. The letter becomes a mental immobilizing weapon. Even the emotions made the Dutch trapped, often locked up when attacked by the troops of the King of Angkasah. For his courage, the freedom fighters at that time dubbed the King of Angkasah the 'Sumatran Tiger', this nickname was also the byword of the marsose troops so that the King of Angkasah became the main target to be sought. After fighting against the Dutch for a long time, Teuku Raja Angkasah faced Illahi Rabbi. The mighty hero of South Aceh died on the battlefield. The martyrdom of the Sumatran Tiger occurred on December 18, 1925, when the King of Angkasah was shot by Dutch troops from four directions of the wind in the forest area of ​​Mount Bukit Gadeng, Bakongan District. Before his death, two of his loyal commanders, Gadeng and Idris, were shot by the Dutch before the eyes of the King of Angkasah. The Bakongan War under Panglima Teuku Raja Angkasah proved that the efforts to eradicate the invaders in Aceh had never ended. And Aceh was never completely controlled by the Dutch colonialists. The rush of war continued to flare up against colonialism until Indonesia became independent. Teuku Raja Angkasah is buried on the edge of the Dayah River, Buket Gadeng Village, Kota Bahagia District, about 8 km from the Keude Bakongan.@zlfahmi