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View all search resultsAceh urges Massachusetts to preserve Salem city seal depicting Acehnese
Some Acehnese and local historians believe that the figure depicted on the Salem city seal is Po Adam, a prominent local leader from Kuala Batu, an area now part of present-day Southwest Aceh Regency.
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Shared historical heritage: The historic city seal of Salem, Massachusetts in the United States, features the image of an Acehnese figure set against a backdrop of a sailing ship and palm trees. (Courtesy of /Salem City )
T
he Aceh Administration has called on the Governor of Massachusetts in the United States to preserve Salem’s historic city seal, which features the image of an Acehnese figure set against a backdrop of a sailing ship and palm trees.
Salem, a historic coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, is currently considering changing its city seal following criticism that the depiction of a Sumatran spice merchant is racially insensitive and historically inappropriate.
In response, Aceh Governor Muzakir Manaf sent a letter to Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey on July 18, urging her to take into account the full historical context of the seal.
Muzakir said that, for the people of Aceh, the Salem city seal represents a rare symbol of Indonesia–US relations that transcends formal diplomacy and serves as a cultural bridge between the two geographically distant regions. He also highlighted that the seal reflects Aceh’s historical role in global maritime trade.
“We understand that a public discussion is currently underway regarding the emblem’s future. While we fully support inclusive dialogue and the principle of racial equality, we respectfully hope that the historical context of the image, as a gesture of mutual respect rather than a stereotype, will be considered in full,” he wrote in the letter.
Read also: Twenty years of peace in Aceh, the fruits of dialogue
Aceh Administration spokesperson Teuku Kamaruzzaman said Governor Healey has not yet responded to Muzakir’s letter. However, he noted that the Salem City Council has formed a task force to determine whether the city seal should be modified.
