199
year in order to sketch in detail the principal feasts and general customs of a religious nature observed by the Achehnese, let us notice some peculiarities of their division of the day of 24 hours.
In ancient legends and in proverbs we occasionally meet with allusions to a division of the day and night into hours or periods, which is generally understood, but has now lost all practical significance. The day and night (separated from one another by sunset and sunrise) were divided into four equal parts, each of about 3 hours duration. Such a division is called in Arabic sām, and the Mohammedans of the Archipelago have adopted it, name and all (jam[1], jeuëm) from the Arabs. Later on the name was applied in Malayan and Javanese countries to the hour of 60 minutes. This modification did not take place in Acheh where the word maintained its original meaning.
The notation now most in vogue for the different parts of the day and nights corresponds essentially with that which we find, for example, in Java. Some of the names are borrowed from the religious subdivision of time into a number of waqtus (Ach. watèë or waʾtèë), the periods allotted to the obligatory prayers. Others are based on daily occupations, meals, etc. The principal divisions, commencing from the morning, are as follows:
| Ban beukah mata uròë ("with the breaking forth of the sun") | about | 6 | A. M. |
| Sigalah uròë[2] ("the sun a pole high" referring to the poles used in propelling craft) | 7 to 7.30 | ||
| Watèë or waʾtèë bu ("rice-time", i.e. "meal-time") | 9 | ||
| Plòïh meuneuʾuë ("the loosening of the ploughing gear" i. e. the time at which the plougher, who has broken his fast early in the morning, goes with his buffaloes to seek repose | 10 | ||
| Peunab chòt[3] ("the approaching of the zenith" i. e. by the sun) | 11 | ||
| Chòt („zenith”) | 12 | NOON | |
| Reubah chòt ("falling from the zenith"”) or leuhō (Ach. pronunciation of the Arabic ẓuhr = midday) | 12.30 | P. M. |
