# Pariaman

Pariaman (Jawi: ڤريامن‎), is a coastal city in West Sumatra, Indonesia. Pariaman covers an area of 73.36 km$^2$ (28 sq mi), with a 12 km (7 mi) coastline. It had a population of 79,043 at the 2010 Census and 94,224 at the 2020 census; the official estimate as at mid 2023 was 97,206 - comprising 49,131 males and 48,075 females. "Pariaman" means "safe area".

## History

According to the limited early sources available, by the sixteenth century Pariaman was an important port city serving the Minangkabau settlements in the interior highlands of central west Sumatra. Traders from western India and later from Europe visited the port, trading in pepper, gold, and other products of the interior. In the early seventeenth century the port came under control of the Sultanate of Aceh, to the north; an Acehnese governor was stationed in the town. The port formally came under Dutch control in 1663 by treaty with Aceh. In 1671 the Dutch built a lodge here and later, around 1684, a fort. Continuing clashes with local rulers and competition with other European trading companies resulted in the port being abandoned by the Dutch in 1770. By the early twentieth century the port was less prominent on the coast, as Padang, just to the south, was the focus of Dutch activities in western Sumatra and had a railroad link to the interior.
After Indonesian independence, Pariaman was a naval headquarters for a province called Central Sumatra. Originally part of Padang Pariaman Regency, it was separated administratively from the regency and became an autonomous city on 10 April 2002 under Law No. 12 of that year.

## Administrative districts

The city is administratively divided into four districts (kecamatan), listed below with their areas and their populations at the 2010 Census and 2020 Census, together with the official estimates as at mid 2023. The table also includes the locations of the district administrative centres and the numbers of administrative villages in each district (comprising 55 rural desa and 16 urban kelurahan - the latter all in Pariaman Tengah District).
| Name of District (kecamatan) | Area in km$^2$ | Pop'n 2010 Census | Pop'n 2020 Census | Pop'n mid 2023 Estimate | Admin centre | No. of villages |
| Pariaman Selatan (South Pariaman) | 16.82 | 16,037 | 20,006 | 20,890 | Kurai Taji | 16 |
| Pariaman Tengah (Central Pariaman) | 15.68 | 28,957 | 31,930 | 32,170 | Alai Gelombang | 22 |
| Pariaman Timur (East Pariaman) | 17.51 | 14,853 | 19,697 | 20,940 | Sungai Pasak | 16 |
| Pariaman Utara (North Pariaman) | 23.35 | 19,196 | 22,591 | 23,200 | Padang Birik-Birik | 17 |
| Totals | 73.36 | 79,043 | 94,224 | 97,206 | Alai Gelombang | 71 |
The city is surrounded by the rural regency (kabupaten) of Padang Pariaman in the north, east, and south, while it borders with Mentawai Strait in the west, making Pariaman a semi-enclave within Padang Pariaman Regency.

## Economy

The contemporary economy is primarily agricultural with 79% of land in farming. Minangkabau International Airport, West Sumatra's major airport, is located near the city.

## Culture

Although the population of Pariaman is predominantly Sunni, a famous and popular festival of Shia origin named Tabuik (from Arabic "tabut" meaning coffin), is held annually in the city every 10 Muharram, the Day of Ashura. This practice was brought to the city in 1818, when ex-British soldiers from India settled in Pariaman. They had been disbanded when the British handed the area back to the Netherlands as part of the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1814.
The Tabuik festival commemorates the martyrdom of the grandsons of Muhammad, Hasan ibn Ali and Hussein ibn Ali. The Buraq, a purported winged horse that took Muhammad on his night-long journey to heavens, i.e., the Mi'raj, plays a role in the Tabuik. It presumably represents the white horse of the Imam Hussein at the Battle of Karbala, but is portrayed with a woman's head, wings, a broad tail and carrying a coffin.
In the festival, two such effigies or "Tabuik", one for Hasan and one for Hussein, are carried through the city. Named Tabuik Pasa and Tabuik Subarang, they are swayed accompanied by tambur music and tasa drums. In the afternoon, both Tabuik are moved to the coast and before sunset they are immersed into the sea.