Penghulu

Penghulu (Jawi: ڤڠهولو‎; also Pěnghulu[1]) is the headman or chief of a region in traditional societies on the Malay archipelago in Maritime Southeast Asia. The term is currently used in Brunei and Malaysia as the community leader of the smaller country subdivision or settlement.

Portrait of a penghulu from a Royal Netherlands Geographical Society expedition to Central Sumatra (now in Indonesia) in the late 19th century (photo by D.D. Veth)

History

Traditionally, the Minangkabau who at the end of the 17th century settled at Negeri Sembilan, in present-day Malaysia, chose from among themselves a penghulu. Several of these penghulus, notably that of Sungai Ujong, Jelebu, Johol and Rembau, became powerful enough to dominate other penghulus. By the early part of the 18th century, the leaders of these four districts started calling themselves Undang.

Between 1821 and 1838 (the Padri War), many Penghulus had allied themselves with Dutch interests in fighting off Wahabite-inspired, Islamic extremism in the area.[2]

Current usage

Brunei
See also: Mukims of Brunei

In Brunei, penghulu is an administrative post and is the community leader of a mukim or subdistrict, the second-level administrative division below district which consists of several towns or locally known as kampong (village) (Malay: daerah).

Etymology

The word "Penghulu" is cognate with the Tagalog "Pangulo", which now refers to the national President of the Philippines.

See also

References
  1. Ricklefs, M.C. (2008). History of Modern Indonesia Since c. 1200. Stanford University Press. p. 173.
  2. Ricklefs, M.C. (2008). History of Modern Indonesia Since c. 1200. Stanford University Press. p. 173.
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