In the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, foreign investment and economic growth brought large construction projects and major changes to Indonesian cities. These changes included the replacement of the early twentieth style architecture with late modern and post-modern architectural styles. While the urban construction that continued into the 21st century shaped the different skylines in major Indonesian cities, the Aceh region has mostly been unaffected by the movement. At the time, Aceh was in the middle of an insurgency with the Indonesian government. This insurgency had lasted for 30 years since the 1970s.
The question of identity was what initially drove my intention for a thesis proposal. The unprecedented international aid response during the 2004 tsunami tore away the cultural heritage, undermined the communal work concept, and weakened the Acehnese social structure.
Acehnese people have always been proud of their cultural heritage and religious beliefs. It was these beliefs that created the resilience of the people that made them recover in the aftermath of the disaster. In this context, religion and culture go hand in hand. The Acehnese people have always identified themselves first as Acehnese and never as Indonesian.
This thesis hopes to reintroduce cultural heritage and identity into a sustainable disaster mitigation strategy to save not only the lives of the people but also the community, economic, and social structure from the next tsunami.